KALPETTA: The Meenangadi panchayat in Wayanad has started a new system of irrigation, setting an example for effective methods to tackle water scarcity. They have constructed a pond on the banks of the drought-affected Manivayal river and used solar energy to pump water to the adjacent eight acres of farmland, and after use, the excess water is released to the pond itself.
The panchayat has also set a new model for the revival of soil and agriculture when the fields were cracked and crops destroyed due to the scorching summer. For the new system, a 2.4 kilowatt solar panel and a suitable pump to deliver 10,000 litres of water per day have been installed in the project area.
“This is a farming project spearheaded by the Meenangadi grama panchayat, Krishibhavan and a local collective of farmers with the support of various organisations, establishments and traders. We are implementing the farming methods based on regenerative agriculture, which is a holistic farming system that focuses on soil health, biodiversity and water quality. We use solar energy every day from 8am to 6pm to pump the water from the newly built pond and ensure the availability of water for agriculture,” said K E Vinayan, Meenangadi grama panchayat president.
The total cost of the project, which includes construction of the pond, installing solar panel and pump connections, was Rs 1.70 lakh and it was sponsored by Thanal, an NGO.
In the first phase, under the leadership of the farmers collective, vegetables such as peas, green chillies, cauliflower, spinach, etc. were cultivated organically. About 195 kg of vegetables were harvested by a group of 16 farmers from the ST community.
One of the farmers, Brijitha Suresh said, “The cultivation started on the 8 acres of the farmland adjacent to the pond and the river three months ago. This year, Wayanad district, which is primarily dependent on the agricultural sector, has been facing acute water scarcity and crop damage due to drought and lack of summer rains. However, we could make use of the water stored in the pond for cultivation. More importantly, the leftover water from the farmlands is again stored and pumped back to the pond. So, we are ensuring zero wastage of water in the irrigation.”
Another farmer M K Sivaraman said, “In terms of marketing and sales of the agricultural produce, the vegetables are completely sold out within hours after the harvest. People come here to buy fresh produce. We will continue the agricultural practice in the coming months.”
The panchayat authorities anticipate the new method of farming would help the carbon neutralisation activities being implemented in Meenangadi, and restoration of the organic structure of the soil while providing stable income to farmers.