Case Study Report on Promoting Coconut Based Agro ... - APFED

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Fig1. A model of integrated coconut based farm (Area: 67 cents, net cropped area: 62) (Thampan and Vasu 2007) 2. Over view of Pattanakkad block of Alappuzha district, Kerala The geographical location of mandated study region is broadly shown in the Kerala map (fig 2) and lies between 9 0 5 ' north latitude, 76 0 17 ' and 76 0 44 ' east longitudes. Pattanakkad block comprises 8 panchayats falling with in Cherthala Taluka of Alappuzha District. The block has an area of 107.74 sq mt and a population of 208732 and the density 19737 sq km, with women numbering 105884 or 50.72% (Sate Environment report, 2007). The area under coconut is 6866 ha with over 1.7 million coconut palm. Small and marginal farmers with average land holding size below 0.5 ha dominate the coconut sector. Coconut-based activities particularly coir spinning constitute the major source of livelihood for over 60% of the households. Over 80% of these households fall below poverty line. Apart from coconut based activities, fish processing is significant sources of income and employment for a sizable number of women belonging to the socially and economically weaker families. The average household income of over 60% of family in the project area is below US $ 400 per annum and hence they fall under below poverty line.
Pattanakkad block Fig 2. <strong>Study</strong> area map showing in Kerala state, India. 2.1 Scope and strategy adapted by Peekay tree crop foundation to improve coconut based agro ecosystem and biomass waste utilization. In most of the coconut holdings in the project site the availability of land area is devoid of species diversity (plant and animal) with the result that the income derived is much below the potential. Because of inadequate surface cover of diverse plant species and absences of livestock integration these holdings are also exposed to the degradation of biodiversity loss, soil health deterioration, income, food security and nutrition. These situations causes higher incidence of devastating pest and diseases and steady decline in productivity of coconut, which threatens the livelihood security of the dependent farm households. In coir processing, dominated by resources poor women, the traditional processing method presently being followed cause health problems to the workers and pollution of water bodies and atmosphere to the discomfort of the local community. Although the coir industry is the major sources of income and employment for the local people, the processing of coconut husk for fiber and pith for compost production has not developed on a commercial scale in the project site. Consequently coir fiber, the raw material for spinning in to yarn, has to be supplied from external sources, the regularity of which often gets disrupt causing insecurity of the income and employment of the workers in the spinning sector. Eco-friendly coir pith management is another challenging aspect in project area. The potential of coconut wood as a construction material in lieu of hardwood
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Case Study Report on Promoting Coconut Based Agro ... - APFED

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