KOCHI: On the day the state went into lockdown in March owing to Covid-19, people of Vadekkekkara panchayat embarked on a new mission. A group of 90 youngsters, named the Emergency Response Team, set out to start organic farming covering 75 per cent of houses in the local body.
Now, 150 days later, the panchayat has made huge leaps in agriculture, with paddy lands in every ward that are promising to yield a rich harvest. “Today, we have an eco-shop selling organic produce. From nothing, we became an agrarian panchayat in a few months,” says a proud K M Ambrose, the panchayat president.
While the pandemic has dealt a severe blow to the entire economy, it has turned out to be a boon for the agriculture sector in Ernakulam. And, if the rain doesn’t play spoilsport, people in the district are likely to have a bountiful Onam.
The data available with the agriculture department shows Covid outbreak and subsequent lockdown seemingly worked in favour of farming in the district, with an additional 200 hectares of otherwise fallow land brought under cultivation this year. While 4,500 hectares were under cultivation in the district in 2019, it rose to 4,700 hectares this year. The production, which was around 41,000 tonne last year, is expected to touch 45,000 tonne this year.
“People were apprehensive about food shortage and feared vegetables from neighbouring districts that flood our markets will stop arriving this year due to Covid-19. However, the lockdown and stay-at-home norms meant people had time to try their hand at farming,” said Ernakulam Principal Agricultural Officer Dileep Kumar T.
He said if the rain doesn’t wreak havoc, we expect an increase of 4,000 tonne in production. “Under the ‘Onathinu Oru Muram Pachakari’ Scheme, around 3,000 seed packets were distributed. However , public participation exceeded our expectations. There was active involvement of cluster groups, self-help organisations as well as political parties,” he said.
While it was just vegetable seeds that were distributed last year, this year saw seeds of tuber, pulses, grains and fruits being distributed through the ‘Subhiksha Keralam’ project. Officials of the Vegetables and Fruits Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) said while seed kits flew off the shelves, input kits consisting of grow bags and fertilisers witnessed huge demand too. “We are not talking about the suburbs. This year, people from the city, like residents associations and flat owners, approached us for seeds and grow bags. The lockdown period and subsequent months have been very active for us. Between the first weeks of May and June, we saw over 25,000 input kits being sold.
That’s a huge number and shows people are serious about terrace farming. Covid had struck fear in Kochiites and they no longer want to take chances,” said a senior official with VFPCK Ernakulam.
However, experts are doubtful whether people’s enthusiasm towards farming at homes will carry on to the next year. “This might be a Covid phenomenon and may not happen next year. People suddenly became conscious about their health and what they consumed. For this enthusiasm to sustain, the authorities must identify people who are interested in agriculture and provide them with resources and information. Only a coordinated effort can help the trend stay around for a long time,” said M P Vijayan of Palliyakkal Service Cooperative Bank, who has been engaged in farming for the past two decades.
Expected production
While 4,500 hectares were under cultivation in the district in 2019, it rose to 4,700 hectares this year.
The production, which was around 41,000 tonne last year, is expected to touch 45,000 tonne
this year, said data with Agriculture Department.