THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: He has been a regular figure in the field of farming for the past 25 years, gathering accolades all along the way. Thachancode Manoharan Nair, who claims to be the pioneer from the state to have come up with a large scale collection of hybrid yet natural ‘Bonsai’ coconut tree variety and saplings, still continues with his endeavour. The saplings, which he develops at his nursery and sends out to farmers across the state and even outside via courier, are still very much in demand.
He has received a lot of awards and recently received the All-Kerala award ‘Kuriyatengu Valiya Pracharagan’. He originally got into agriculture as a source of livelihood. He says, “Our family was into agriculture from a long time. But gradually, farming for me became a tool to create awareness among others, especially children, on the benefits of organic farming.”
‘Ende Thengu’ was one such school project which he started sometime after he got into cultivating the ‘interesting’ variety of coconut trees.
Manoharan Nair says that the particular kind of bonsai coconut tree had been common at one time in the state. Thought it is still found in the state, due to increased rubber farming and other changes, the variety has become almost extinct. The farmer adds that this variety is grown in his nursery at Vellanad through natural pollination without any scientific method. Elaborating more on this genus, he says, “The normal variety matures and grows tall within a short time. While the life span of a coconut tree is very long, in ten year’s time the tree can cross a height of 8-10 feet. Though the other varieties grow to their normal height, the dwarf coconut trees remain at a height of only about 7-10 feet even after 30 years. Anyone, even a young child, can just pluck the batch of coconuts from the tree without having to climb it.”
The two main varieties grown in his nursery are ‘Gouri Gathram’ and ‘Nadan Kuriyatengu’. The saplings are sent to needy farmers across the state and even places like UP, Delhi and other states, which do not have climate conducive for the cultivation of coconut palms. They are even sent via flight to places like Dubai.
Besides the coconut tree variety at his nursery, he also has an organic vegetable and fruit farm. One of the specialities of the farm is that different and interesting varieties of pineapples, for instance the penguin pineapple, are grown here. Over the past ten years, he has also ventured into fish farming. On introducing people, especially school children, to small-sized coconut trees, he said, “I wish to motivate youngsters to get into the vocation of farming. Children of today need to come back to nature.”