To promote green spaces and encourage sustainable living, organisations such as DHAN Foundation and the Horticulture Department of Madurai, help residents procure rooftop gardening kits at a subsidised rate.
A kit with six coir pith-filled bags, 10 varieties of seeds, two micro nutrients (Azospirillum and Phospo Bacteria), urea and neem oil (Neemarn) is sold for ₹322 at the Horticulture Department office.
Field workers of DHAN had been encouraging low-income households to raise gardens of their own so that they could prepare nutritious food. “Many are under the assumption that gardening is a pastime of the elite.
Even those who are interested in raising a terrace garden are apprehensive of the initial investment and poor yield. We ask such people to raise spinach. They germinate quickly and help in controlling anaemia, a major problem for adolescent girls in Madurai.
Presently 115 families are involved in rooftop gardening.
The effort has seen several enthusiastic women and children investing time and effort into raising the plants. The fear of nutrient-deficient food is urging people to go the organic way and plant a variety of seeds with enough yield for a nuclear family.
Many residents in the city have started rooftop gardens at home, raising tomatoes, chillies, beans and varieties of spinach to have fresh produce for their kitchen.