Beyond beaches, love for horticulture blooms Goan hearts

The monsoon rains have taken Goa by storm, and drone images of the waterlogged streets make the city resemble the Venice of the East.

Plastic waste dumped into gutters has flowed into the sea, which is now bringing it back to the shore — scattering it across beaches and flooded river jetties. The impact is clearly visible.

Whiskers in the water: Goa's secret otters

Less visible, however, is the sewage water being pushed back onto the streets by the rising tide in the river where it once freely drained.

Whether at Patto Plaza or along Dayanand Bandodkar Marg, the translucent waterconceals as much as it reveals. The familiar adage, ‘Old habits are hard to break,' applies all too well in this situation where the same environmental mistakes are repeated over and over again.

Goa is famed for its beaches and tourism, but it is also rooted agricultural and horticulture — one that’s increasingly capturing the interest of young people.

LOOKING AHEAD

A shift in attitude is emerging among the younger generation, starting with primary school students. It is today's students who will become tomorrow's leaders. That’s why environmentalawareness and action must begin with them.

A person who plants and nurtures a single seedling into a tree contributes more to the environment than someone who gives a thousand lectures and presentations without inspiring any real action among the audience.

Puran Sheti: The dying agricultural wisdom of Goa

Goa is famed for its beaches and tourism, but it is also rooted agricultural and horticulture — one that’s increasingly capturing the interest of young people.

The Agriculture Officers’ Association began its outreach program in 1985 with the Agri Diary and a hands-on ‘Kitchen Gardening’ course for students on weekends at St Xavier’s College, Mapusa. This experience led to the publication of Goa’s first agriculturebook, titled the Kitchen Garden Manual. 

Over the years, many more books were published annually alongside the Agri Diary. However, the Agri Diary has since been discontinued, and the association is now defunct.

The Agriculture Officers’ Association began its outreach program in 1985 with the Agri Diary and a hands-on ‘Kitchen Gardening’ course for students.

POPULAR INITIATIVES

The Botanical Society of Goa (BSG) has been organising training courses in gardening, the annual Home Garden Competition (since 1991), Plant Utsav(since 1998), and the Konkan Fruit Fest (since 2003).

These events provide a dedicated platform for plant enthusiasts, fruit growers, processors, self-help groups (SHGs), scientists, vendors, and consumers to exchange knowledge and gain hands-on experience in an informal, festive setting enriched with music and entertainment.

The Government of Goa has since adopted and scaled up this model through events like the Cashew Festival, Spirit of Goa Festival, Sea Food Festival, and similar initiatives.

This Festival of Plants and Flowers in Siolim is a feast for plant-lovers

The Botanical Society of Goa (BSG) supports member schools and colleges by providing organisational assistance to host festivals and publish books. Many schools and several colleges, including the Government College, Khandola, have organised such events over the years.

However, one school stands out for its consistent dedication — St Francis Xavier (SFX) School in Siolim, which has hosted the ‘Festival of Plants and Flowers’ every year since 1992, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 33rd edition of the festival will be held at the SFX School complex from August 22 to 24, 2025.

The inter-school competitions will focus on cereals, millets, pulses, vegetables, spices, and fruits that are either grown or commonly consumed in Goa, highlighting their nutritional and health benefits.

The Green Heritage Eco Club of SFX School, Siolim, has chosen the theme ‘Revival of the Environment: Hope for the Future’ for this year’s event. The inter-school competitions will focus on cereals, millets, pulses, vegetables, spices, and fruits that are either grown or commonly consumed in Goa, highlighting their nutritional and health benefits.

The festival will also feature a wide variety of ornamental and fruit plants, organic manures, gardening essentials, and local eatables. 

These hidden caves in Bicholim tell a story

As a curtain-raiser, a pre-event lecture-demonstration on medicinal plants will be conducted on July 21, 2025 by Dr Maryanne Borges e Lobo, an alumnus of SFX School. This session is open to select students from each participating school across Pernem, Bardez, Tiswadi, Bicholim, and nearby areas.

(The author is the former Chairman of the GCCI Agriculture Committee, CEO of Planter's Choice Pvt Ltd, Additional Director of OFAI and Garden Superintendent of Goa University, and has edited 18 books for Goa & Konkan)