From prison to flood-hit Kuttanad dairy farmers with love: 15 tonne free fodder grass

In a major relief gesture for dairy farmers in the flood-ravaged regions of Kuttanad and Upper Kuttanad in Kerala's Alappuzha district, the Nettukaltheri Open Prison has dispatched 15 tonnes of free fodder grass. Transported in four large lorries coordinated by the Dairy Development Department, this timely aid will reach 750 distressed farmers affiliated with 50 local dairy cooperatives. To help these communities rebuild, the open prison is also sending five tonnes of grass planting material to help restart fodder cultivation in the flood-affected zones.

The relief consignment was officially flagged off by Minister Ramesh Chennithala, in the presence of Bindu Krishna and Jail Director DGP S Sreejith. This is not the first time the open prison has stepped in during natural disasters; a similar free fodder distribution drive was organised during the devastating floods of 2018.

Beyond its charitable contributions, the fodder cultivation programme has emerged as a major financial success story for the prison. The fertile grounds of Nettukaltheri Open Prison are actively cultivated by inmates who manage various crops, including rubber, banana, tapioca, and paddy. After the fodder grass fields were ruined during the COVID-19 pandemic, the prison authorities revived cultivation across 15 acres. Over the last two-and-a-half years, this green venture has generated a remarkable revenue of over ₹25 lakh.

The high-yield grass is harvested every 45 days and sold to local farmers at a highly subsidised rate of ₹5 per kg. Additionally, the prison has been supplying fodder to the Kottoor Elephant Rehabilitation Centre at a premium rate of ₹12.50 per kg, establishing a sustainable, revenue-generating model that highlights the productivity and rehabilitative potential of the open prison system.