CDB to hone skills of coconut farmers

KOCHI: Coconut farmers in the state will soon be taught how to strike the forces that pull them down and how to stay focused when they are engulfed by adversaries! The Coconut Development Board’s (CDB’s) new training programme to develop management skills among coconut farmers will touch upon personality development, stress management and positive thinking apart from teaching them breathing techniques.As part of the programme, the Coconut Development Board will identify a leading management institute in every district.The pilot programme has been launched at Rajagiri School of Business Studies, Ernakulam. Kozhikode will be the next district to host the three-day programme.The training covers everything from the nitty-gritty of keeping records and registrations to sessions on the challenges posed by the ASEAN agreement on coconut farming. Apart from this, practical tips on innovative and sustainable farming, scientific farming practices, value-added products and administration of a charitable society are integrated into the course. The training will be carried out by the management faculty of the respective institutions, local and foreign marketing experts and successful farmers in the state.Three farmers from each Coconut Producers’ Society will be selected to form a group of 40-100 farmers in each area. There are over 1,000 Societies across the state.“The training is part of our efforts to fully exploit the potential of the Coconut Producers’ Societies in the state. If the coconut farmers are to get the right value for their produce and market them effectively, they need to have the essential leadership skills and sufficient perspective on domestic and international markets,” said the official in-charge of the Coconut Producers’ Society, A S Sebastian, from the CDB. Once the first phase of the training is completed, additional training will be given to select societies. The Board will soon circulate an action plan among all the CPSs in the state based on the performance which will be assessed and graded.