An expert team from Odisha recently visited areas infested with water hyacinth in Kuttanad and other parts of Alappuzha.
The team, comprising Agriculture department officials from various districts, was led by Aviraj Dutta, a scientist at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). The visit was part of a programme funded by the Odisha Department of Agriculture under its innovation grant for the value addition of water hyacinth in Puri district.
The team met Agriculture Minister P. Prasad and District Collector Alex Varghese and discussed various methods introduced to control water hyacinth in Kuttanad. Organic fertiliser made from water hyacinth by farmers in Odisha, using technology developed by ICRISAT, was presented to the Minister and the Collector. The team also expressed willingness to cooperate with the initiatives undertaken by the Alappuzha District Administration for the rejuvenation of Vembanad Lake.
As part of the programme, the expert team visited the International Research and Training Centre for Below Sea Level Farming (IRTCBSF), Kuttanad and the M.S. Swaminathan Rice Research Station, Mankombu, where they held discussions with officials and farmers. Ways to convert the aquatic weed into various value-added products were also explored.
Experts K.G. Padmakumar, M. Surendran, G. Nagendra Prabhu, officials from the State Agriculture department and others participated in the discussions.
Published – August 31, 2025 06:42 pm IST
