A 12-day training programme on 'Sustainable Horticulture and Agrifood Systems' is under way for the inmates of the Open Prison and Correctional Home at Nettukaltheri in Thiruvananthapuram district. The programme is conducted by the ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CTCRI), Sreekariyam.
The sessions began on April 20 and will continue till May 1, according to the CTCRI. The programme is aimed at equipping participants with practical skills in horticulture and allied enterprises for livelihood enhancement and rehabilitation, it said.
The open prison at Nettukaltheri has a farm area of about 300 acres. The prison has close to 350 inmates. The facility already has farming programmes for improving the mental health of the inmates.
Under its training programme, special emphasis has been given to income-generating activities such as vermicomposting, mushroom cultivation, value addition in tuber crops, and coconut-based farming systems, according to the CTCRI. Each session is complemented with practical training to ensure experiential learning.
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