NABARD launches Swayampurna Goem, a low cost polyhouses project

In its aim to provide livelihood opportunities for the jobless youth and Self Help Groups (SHG) members of Goa, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has launched Swayampurna Goem, a low cost polyhouses project.

COVID-19 pandemic has caused reverse migration in the State as many people, especially the youth of Goa were rendered jobless and Goa with its tourism-centric service sector economy was no exception.

The low cost polyhouses project launched by NABARD came handy as it ensured livelihood opportunities for the jobless. 10 such nurseries were sanctioned by NABARD to the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) covering five blocks of the State.

Named office personnel of the organisation like Usha Ramesh, General Manager, OiC, Goa RO, Vasant Savardekar DGM and Sushil Naik DDM visited a few nurseries. The visit was coordinated Dilip Paranjape, Project Director, ATMA and the Zonal Agriculture Officers of Pernem & Bardez Blocks.

Interaction with farmers revealed that the first cycle during the festive season of Dassera and Diwali was very remunerative and with the logistics support of ATMA, they were to take up the nursery activities on an ongoing basis.

This unique livelihood project has attracted the youth to Agriculture and has provided them with livelihood options. The concept of Swayampurna Goem has been realised in the true sense as earlier the seedlings used to be sourced from Maharashtra and sold at double the prevailing price.

The project has demonstrated the benefits of the farm sector interventions in times of COVID-19 through a project which can be replicated all over.