The Agriculture department's farm at Karimbam in Kannur has come up with an organic way to get rid of wild boars that destroy crops. After four year of experiments, it was Kannur Mayyil native Makkantheri Maju Namboothiri who introduced the plant Indian leadwort (locally called Chethikoduveli) as an effective solution for wild boar menace.
The Indian leadwort, scientifically named Plumbago indica, is able to drive the wild boars away with the pungent odour of its sap from the roots. In order to know about the medicinal properties of Indian leadwort, many agriculture scientists, researchers and agriculture officers used to visit Maju's farm. The officials studied how Maju's farm was protected from wild boar attack with the presence of Indian leadwort.
Agriculture officer at the District Soil Survey Centre K. Jithesh, Mayyil agriculture officer Dr. V. P. Rajan, Kuttiattoor agriculture officer K. K. Adarsh, Ayurveda doctor Idoozhi Umesh Namboothiri and agriculture assistant Udayan Edacheri observed the farm for two years. They learned about the influence of Indian leadwort in driving wild boars away from the farm.
On seeing the efficacy of the idea, they decided to recognise this as an organic pest control method. The district panchayat initiated the project to be expanded all over the district through all Krishi Bhavans by supplying rooted saplings of the plant. Following this, Karimbam farm authorities collected about 5,000 stem cuttings of Indian leadwort from Maju's farm.
