Andhra Pradesh seed-ball campaign covers 20,929 hectares

Andhra Pradesh has dispersed over 2.06 crore seed balls across 20,929 hectares as part of a campaign to restore degraded forests and increase the state’s green cover to 50 per cent. The initiative, directed by Deputy Chief Minister and Forest and Environment Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, has achieved approximately 85 per cent of its targeted area progress.

To reach inaccessible forest interiors, the forest department is utilizing drone technology to identify depleted vegetation and disperse seed balls. The seeds used are primarily indigenous and multipurpose tree species selected based on local ecological and geographical conditions. Approximately 2.82 crore seed balls have been prepared for the initiative.

The program is being implemented across several districts, including Tirupati, Anantapur, Kurnool, Guntur, Rajamahendravaram, NTR, and Visakhapatnam. Local communities, forest field staff, and residents of border villages have participated in the preparation and transport of the seed balls. Officials have been directed to monitor germination and seedling survival to ensure long-term forest regeneration.