Grassroute participated in the Kerala State Biodiversity Congress held in Meenchanda, Kerala, where we exhibited mangrove saplings and posters of various mangrove and bamboo species found in Kerala. The congress was inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who stressed the need for collective efforts to protect biodiversity and ensure the livelihood of the local population. The congress concluded on February 20, 2023.
World Wetlands Day was marked by a planting project at Valappu Beach, organized by Grassroute. Mrs. Rasikala Priyaraj, the Panchayath President of Elamkunnappuzha, inaugurated the project and students from various schools participated with enthusiasm. The event was supported by Transworld and Social Forestry and emphasized the importance of wetlands for ecological balance and species survival. The planting project was a success and a demonstration of community involvement in creating a more sustainable future.
The species we planted were Rhizophora mucronata which was taken from our own nursery. To avoid plastic, all the saplings were kept in bamboo pots. We had a lot of trouble digging the pits and planting the mangroves as the canal was filled with solid soil instead of mud. Therefore, it took more than two and a half hours to plant a hundred saplings.
Locally available Mangrove plants and Bamboo saplings were exhibited in the stall. Seeds of wild trees and bamboo plants were also there. Many students from schools and colleges and academic experts have visited the stall.
We have got the Pokkali farming method from our ancestors and they were doing it very well, but somewhere we have lost it somehow. Now it is on the verge of being obsolete. It is our primary commitment to support such native cultivation methods and to prevent them from extinction.
Keralites use coconut as food, tender coconuts for water and toddy they drink, with the fronds they make mats and roofings, with the oil they cook and with the husk fibre they make ropes. But the thing is that coconut is declaining in Kerala. On World Coconut Day, we plant a few saplings.
Sustera Foundation activists, team Grassroute and Rajagiri Outreach Students jointly planted Mangrove Saplings at two locations near to Natural Fish Ponds at Nayarambalam.
Team Grassroute participated in the Fisheries Entrepreneurship Technology Event Pitch Fest 1.0 organized by KUFOS Business Incubation Centre (KUFOS BIC). Pitch winners are eligible for Seed Grant, Mentorship, Co-working space, Networking opportunity and Incubation support. Mr K.K. Reghuraj led the Team Grassroute.
About 75 students participated in the Pokali Farming Workshop Chapter 3 designed with the intention of popularizing Pokkali farming. By covering this chapter, participants learned the transplantation of the Pokkali seedlings in uniform distance in straight rows.
Grassroute has assisted Sustera Foundation to plant about 100 Mangrove saplings at the boundaries of I.B. Manoj’s Fruit Forest located at Ayyampilly, Kerala. This is the first joint Mangrove planting project between both the organisations. Hopefully there are many other similar projects that are yet to be announced.