RAMANATHAPURAM: A land that was left barren for years now stands as a symbol of renewal with its fresh crops, gently swaying in the wind, filling the air with hope. Who would have thought that the desolate stretch of land, once overrun by the invasive Seemai Karuvelam trees, would be transformed into a thriving paddy field?
It is courtesy T Gnana Prakasam, coordinator of the Tamilar Agriculture Group! Gnana Prakasam and his team of 30 members embarked on a mission to restore traditional cultivation practices in Paramakudi, one of the largest towns in Ramanathapuram district, which was already struggling with water scarcity. Last year, the team had successfully converted 10 acres of land, covered by invasive plants, into productive paddy fields, and this year they have expanded the initiative to 30 acres. Currently, the team is cultivating paddy, coconut, and banana crops in the area.
Gnana Prakasam, an organic agriculturist in Mayiladuthurai, travelled across Tamil Nadu to carry out awareness programmes among people about the traditional cultivation methods which can be done with minimal effort.
With modern technologies knocking at the doors of farmers and with limited time to serve the consumers with paddy harvest, people tend to forget that traditional ways of cultivation are the best and most efficient.
“In an age where modern techniques are revolutionising agriculture, we often overlook the simplicity and efficiency of traditional farming methods. Since 2016, I have been travelling around the state and during this period, over 2,000 youngsters across Tamil Nadu have come together to spread knowledge on the importance of reviving the old ways of cultivation.” Gnana Prakasam said.
He further added that later in 2020, instead of holding awareness classes, he came up with an initiative of cultivating crops in one of the drought-hit places, along with 30 youths interested in agriculture, which can serve as a model to teach traditional cultivation.
The team opted for Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram. They pooled in money to purchase about 30 acres in Paramakudi area. Clearing invasive Seemai Karuvelam (Prosopis juliflora) trees has always been a huge task, as these plants are difficult to remove and take over large areas quickly. These trees not only weed out natural vegetation but also impact the soil quality.
“Like the Tamil verse ‘Varappu Uyara Neer Uyarum’, we had increased the field bunds that allow more rainwater to store inside the fields. Since we have opted for crops like Poongar and Thanga Samba which are much taller, the stored water will not affect the crops. Apart from addressing irrigation woes, the water storage will address the pest and sanitation issues in the field. Proper spacing, planting of crops and management allow the crops to be pest free.” Gnana Prakasam said.
He added that the increasing bund height in the field and placing pits in the fields will recharge water table. With just the monsoon rains, the team was able to complete the cultivation for two consecutive seasons. This innovative approach not only yielded positive results for their own crops but also inspired other farmers in the region. They are now encouraged to adopt similar techniques, promoting a more sustainable and water-efficient method of farming.
C Muthumani, one of the aspirants who leads the work in Ramanathapuram said, “Under the guidance of Gnana Prakasam, and following the footsteps of G Nammazhwar, we have cultivated paddy in Paramakudi. Earlier in the 10 acres, we were able to get about 45 bags of rice. This year, we have increased the cultivation area to 30 acres, in which we are able to get more than 100 bags of rice. This traditional Tamil way of cultivation requires minimal intervention and good results. We have planned to extend the cultivation further in the coming years. Apart from cultivation, we also carried out harvest in the traditional ways.”
“Our motto is that everyone should be able to cultivate what they need in organic ways. Several youngsters who were part of the initiative have started cultivation in their lands in their respective villages in Ramanathapuram,” Gnana Prakasam said.
According to him, over thousands of hectares of cultivable land have been left barren for years, and are covered by Seemai Karuvelam trees in Ramanathapuram. Surely, such measures could aid in turning the fields back to cultivable land.
Broader meaning to ‘Varappu Uyara Neer Uyarum’
The group has increased field bunds allowing more rainwater to store inside the fields. They have opted for crops like Poongar and Thanga Samba which are much taller so that the stored water does not affect the crops
(Edited by Srestha Choudhury)