PANAJI: Cashew saplings planted by tribals of Ziltawadi in Canacona have started flowering within the first year of planting.This is the first time the Ziltawadi tribals have ventured into cultivation of the plantation crop.“Cashew saplings takes at least six to seven years to yield fruit, but a graft can do so within three years. In the case of the crop planted by Ziltawadi tribals, flowering has begun within six months. This goes to show the quality of the sapling as well as the care taken by the farmers,” director, ICAR-CCARI, E B Chakurkar told TOI.The people of this hinterland area of the state were trained by ICAR’s fruit and plant scientists prior to their venturing into cashew farming.“We went to Ziltawadi last year, wherein 35 tribals planted 1,000 saplings of ICAR’s cashew varieties across 12 acres of land. We gave the farmers training and supplied them with cashew saplings. About 10% of the crops have already started to flower,” Chakurkar said.Irrigation facilities, like motor pumps and pipelines, have been upgraded with the institute’s help to facilitate farming in the area.“Director general, ICAR, Trilochan Mohapatra, recently paid a visit to the farm and provided the tribals with irrigation facilities. He also encouraged them to engage in intercropping by helping them plant vegetable seeds and papaya saplings as intercrops,” he said.In 2015, a total of 42 farmers under Taleshir farmers self-help group had started community cultivation with the help of ICAR scientists in another part of Canacona.The farmers planted different and better varieties of 150 cashew and mango saplings each, besides other crops, also supplied by the ICAR-CCARI.The institute had adopted the area under the tribal sub-plan to implement its integrated farming system model aimed at raising farm yield and profits.This is the first time the Ziltawadi tribals have ventured into cultivation of the crop. The people of this hinterland area were trained by ICAR’s fruit and plant scientists

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