Team Herald
MARGAO: Deussua Chinchinim Acting Sarpanch Valentino Barreto appealed to all people of the village and even neighbouring villages to participate in the training programme on May 11 to be held at panchayat hall from 3 pm onwards to reverse the dependence on vegetables imported from neighbouring States.
“I remember in my childhood we used to cultivate different vegetables at home itself and consume them and I fail to understand how this dependence on vegetables from Karnataka came about,” he said recalling that practically every household used to grow their own vegetables.
“We used to get organically grown vegetables that were not only healthy but also tasty and the present day vegetable taste just cannot match the taste of those vegetables,” he said adding that the training programme being organized is to motivate people to go back to the golden rules of yesteryears.
He aspires to get the people of Chinchinim to grow their own vegetables and use the surplus vegetables to prepare pickles that can be consumed by the family or its friends and hence promote healthy eating habits amongst the people.
“In fact I want to boost agriculture in my village which is known for its fertile soil and that is the reason why we are also having mushroom production as part of the programme,” he said adding that if there are sufficient takers even the panchayat can take the initiative to form a farmers club that could not only promote but even market mushroom.
Mushrooms that are known to be healthy and much desired food alternative has tremendous scope particularly in Salcete where there are substantial non-resident Goans who would devour this item, he argued.
Valentino urged maximum number of people to take advantage of the programme so that they could begin reducing the dependence on vegetables imported from outside Goa. The training programme is organized by the panchayat in collaboration with Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA).
