Hoshiarpur forests to be seed bombed with drones under afforestation initiative

Hoshiarpur, August 23

Seed balls, which have been popular on social media for some time as an effective method of afforestation, will soon be used to expand forests in Hoshiarpur. Seed bombing will soon be carried out in the district’s forests using drones. For this, the Forest Department has collaborated with Unati Cooperative Marketing and Processing Private Limited, region’s leading cooperative group. Unati Cooperative Society, which has been distributing seed balls as part of its ‘Green Mission’ for 10 years, has manufactured around ten lakh seed balls with the assistance of the Forest Department to this end.

This year’s target: 10 lakh seed balls

I have been manually producing seed balls for some 20 years, distributing them in the area and scattering them in forests and open spaces. Approximately 35-40 lakh seed balls had been spread to date and this year's target is of 10 lakh seed balls. Jyoti Swaroop, Unati's director

A seed ball weighs around 10 gm, and different types of drones may carry payloads ranging from 25 to 40 kg. Thus, a drone can carry 2,500 to 4,000 seed balls at a time, which will be dispersed over a large area during the drone’s 15 to 30-minute flight. The balls will carry seeds of harad, baheda, amla, tulsi, ashwagandha, sohanjan, sheesham, and a variety of other herbs, shrubs, and trees.

Jyoti Swaroop, Unati’s director, told The Tribune that he had been manually producing seed balls for some 20 years, distributing them in the area and scattering them in forests and open spaces. He stated that approximately 35-40 lakh seed balls had been spread to date and this year’s target was of 10 lakh seed balls. He added the seed ball programme was a one-of-a-kind endeavour to protect the environment in a sustainable manner.

He noted that the initiative to make seed balls by wrapping seeds in nutrient-rich soil not only supported reforestation and biodiversity protection, but also provided livelihood options for the underprivileged. The initiative had provided meaningful employment for women self-help organisations in Bhatoli and Narangpur village, resulting in a revenue of approximately Rs 5 lakh, he added.

According to Sanjeev Tiwari, Forest Conservator North Circle, the Forest Department and Unati have developed a comprehensive plan to seed bomb Hoshiarpur’s woodlands. Unati will provide seed balls and drones. The Forest Department has also prepared seed balls with the support of self-help groups, which are also involved in the project. Brahma Shankar Jimpa, Punjab Revenue Minister, launched the broader programme recently. Seed bombing has already been carried out at Nara Dara’s forests.