Kitchen gardening grabs attention of the health conscious

Laishram Shamungou
IMPHAL, Feb 23: Nutritional gardens can provide a way out of the chronic dependence on vegetables grown with excessive use of fertilizers and this in turn will enable one to lead a healthy life.
Whereas the population has been growing continuously, space available for growing vegetables has been shrinking reciprocally particularly in urban areas.
As such, most of the people residing in urban areas are dependent on vegetables grown in rural areas. In order to meet the growing demand for the rising population, many types of fertilizers are used in vegetable farms so as to enhance their yields.
School Education Director Th Kirankumar and his wife Th Chitra who is Additional Secretary of Labour & Employment and Tribal Affairs have been growing different types of vegetables at their Wangkhei Angom Leikai residence without using any type of fertilizer or pesticide.
Most types of chives and other vegetables used for seasoning dishes (Maroi) are grown in the couple’s nutritional garden.
“We no longer buy Maroi from markets”, Kirankumar said.
Kirankumar has been growing different types of seasonal vegetables in his nutrition garden using compost he prepared.
Chitra said that they feel safe and delighted in consuming vegetables grown in their own garden in place of vegetables bought from markets which are grown using different types of chemicals. 
Minor Irrigation and Social Welfare Under Secretary Koshoni Phimun who has been staying at the Lamphel PWD quarters too has been growing different types of vegetables at vacant areas available within her quarters. Koshoni Phimun hails from Senapati. She said that cabbages, garlic, coriander and mustards grown inside her quarters are enough to meet the requirements of her family.
She said that she has been making compost for her kitchen garden by burying  left-over vegetables in a pit.   
Koshoni Phimun said that she experiences feeling of delight on just seeing the green vegetables grown inside her quarters.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Lamphel scientist Dr Ningombam Artina said that  each family of Manipur used to grow different kinds of vegetables within their own homesteads but with the growth of population, little land is available for kitchen gardening in urban areas these days.
She said that setting up organic nutritional gardens on terraces even if no area is available on ground can provide a big psychological relief.
Dr Artina said that the people of Manipur can face and adapt to the global climate changes if each family grows some portions of their daily food at their own  home.
Growing vegetables on terraces is something which should be promoted widely.  Vegetables grown on terraces, apart from catering to the daily need for food to some extent, absorbs heat, asserted Directorate of Environment and Climate Change Deputy Director Dr T Brajakumar.
Development of green areas within/on buildings can mitigate climate change. Harvesting rain water for watering vegetables and other purposes is another practice which deserves widespread promotion, he added.
(This report is filed under the State Level Media Fellowship of the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change)