by Father Johnson Kshirsagar for BISMumbai

Bosco Samajik Vikas Sanstha (BSVS) Walcanda organised an exposure visit to the youth farmers on 09 February 2021. BSVS Director-Father Anaclete D'mello, planned and accompanied 15 young farmers during the exposure. They visited Kogda village in Jawahar Taluka and interacted with Bhagwaan Geghad, a youth farmer who has begun strawberry cultivation in the 'Mahableswar' of Palghar district. This new experiment is an economically successful venture, thus far for Geghad, who shared the input cost, cultivation practice fertilizer, pesticides methods, and marketing possibilities with the visiting young farmers.

The team also visited Geghad's vegetable cultivation plot and the poultry farm. The exposure was fruitful as many of the visiting young farmers were keen to implement similar 'cultivation' in the coming cultivation season at August end. With this exposure, BSVS also initiated agro- tourism as a business opportunity in Jawahar Taluka for young tribal farmers.