Sustainable Development

VCDS has its own activities for sustainable development through income generation in its own farm land. VCDS is involved in the following production:

• Vegetable & fruits farm
• Dairy farm
• Goat farm
• Poultry

VEGETABLE & FRUITS FARM:

VCDS has a small vegetable farm at Vellakulam, which produces seasonal vegetables like brinjal, raddish, tomato, cluster bean and ladies finger, etc. the products are sold in the local market and the income is utilized for the farm management. All the vegetables produced are organic and no chemical inputs are used. The scale of production is limited because of the pollution from the nearby stone crushes spoil the plants & reduces the yield. To tackle this problem VCDS is now planning to construct a green house and involve in vegetable production.

VCDS, at Karasanur farm has its fruit garden with 12 varities of mango, guava, sapodilla and lemon. These trees yield once in a year and the products are sold at our centre and sometimes the products are sold to the wholesalers. The income is invested back into the fruit garden.

DAIRY FARM:

VCDS has two dairy farms with ethnic reeds in Vellakulam and the other at Karasanur. This farm was established with the support of Emmaus Montbeliard. The dairy farm at Karasanur is for breeding process and the young calf and the cows are sold outside to promote the ethnic breeds.

The dairy farm at Vellakulam is purely for milk production. The milk from the cows are sold in the local milk producers society and the income is used for the farm. The cows are grass fed free range cows. They are not given supplements or medications to boost their productivity. The cows are receiving regular veterinary checkups and vaccination from the nearby hospital and they are insured.

GOAT FARM:

VCDS has a goat farm at Vellakulam with 25 goats and kids. This farm was established with the support of Emmaus Montbeliard. The ethnic breeds of goats are grown in this farm and these goats are breeded strictly for meat only. South Indian doesn’t have the habit of drinking goat milk but the meat & skin is sold for good price. The farm was started with three pairs of goats and today it’s a big farm with 25 grown goats and their kids. The dung and the urine from dairy and goat farm is used as the manure for VCDS farm land and the excess is sold for the nearly farmers.

POULTRY FARM:

VCDS is involved in ethnic poultry production with local traditional breed & Sumatra lack chicken breed, this farm aims at egg production and sale of ethnic breed for meat. The poultry farm is maintained on a smaller scale.