The state government is sowing the first seeds for a new vocational training programme to engage unemployed youth.

A scheme to teach idle youth how to grow hybrid seeds for vegetables like tomato, capsicum, chilli, ladies? fingers and brinjal is being chalked out by the department of sports and youth affairs.

The government is now on the lookout for a small plot of land to kick off the project. A plot on the Salt Lake stadium campus is currently being considered, where the youth can be taught in practice how to grow hybrid seed.

?A large quantity of seeds can be grown on a small plot of land,? explained an official of the youth affairs department. This will enable jobless youth to be productively engaged, with minimum investment in land and infrastructure.

West Bengal Hybrid Seeds & Bio-Tech Pvt Ltd, a joint-venture company between a private firm and the West Bengal State Food Processing & Horticulture Corporation, formed in 2001, will be enlisted for support to help train the youth.

For the past four years, the company has been involved in research on how to maximise productivity of hybrid vegetable seeds in Krishnagar.

?We are currently growing capsicum seeds on a trial basis. The results have been encouraging and production is growing every year,? said A.K. Agarwal, managing director of the joint venture concern.

The seeds are either distributed to farmers by the government or sold to them directly in the market. A section of the produce is also being exported to neighbouring countries.

The youth engaged in the training programme will be encouraged to start their own businesses, or help farmers cultivate hybrid seeds themselves. ?We need to demonstrate to the participants how to start from scratch on a new plot of land,? explained Agarwal.

Hybrid seeds are produced by fertilising pollen grains with the fruit of another tree, so it is not necessary to keep aside seeds.

In Krishnagar, the output of vegetable seeds has been on the rise since the research project started in 2001. The yield of tomato seed last year from the 21 hectares of land was nearly 400 kg. Another 700 kg of brinjal seed and 100 kg of chilli seed was produced.

If the pilot project in Calcutta is a success, the youth affairs department is planning to replicate it around the state.