KOZHIKODE: In a small field adjacent to the Parambil Bazar, a group of taxi drivers is proving that fortitude can take root in the most unexpected of places. Years ago, the local drivers leant on one another, pooling meagre ingredients to cook in waiting sheds to resist the high cost of restaurant-bought meals. Now, those same drivers have ventured into large-scale agriculture, transforming a survival tactic into a thriving organic farming collective rooted in resourcefulness.
The initiative, led by a core group comprising P Chandrasekharan, Hareesh Parekkattil, M Mahesh Mannarakkal, Abdul Rahees, Vijeesh, and Shahul Hameed, has turned 10 cents of land into a lush vegetable garden. The project, supported by landowner Kolakattil Biju, features a variety of crops including spinach, lentils, okra, pumpkin, and cucumber.
Demonstrating a fierce commitment to food sovereignty, the collective bankrolled their own transition to the field, investing in high-grade seeds and natural fertiliser to prime the soil for their first harvest.
“We do this for a better, more sustainable life,” said Chandrasekharan.
“Since we had the land and the support of Biju, the land owner, we decided to move forward together. It wasn’t just about changing jobs, rather about creating an atmosphere where we could support each other.”
On February 15, these drivers staked their livelihoods on a Vishu harvest, toiling on a dormant patch of earth. In the new field, the stress of the taxi meter has been replaced by the quiet growth of seeds. The drivers have finally found a workspace where the only ‘licence’ they need is their own hard work.
The group’s day begins at dawn’s first light. By 5,30 am, they are tending to the land, a pre-dawn ritual that precedes a full day of navigating city traffic. Their labour only pauses for the workday; come evening, they are back on the plot, fertilising and watering a vision that refuses to wilt despite their demanding schedules.
“There is a silence here that you don’t find on the national highway,” said Mahesh.
“Watering these plants after a long day of honking... it isn’t just work, it’s peace.”
Despite unseasonal rains in late February, the group’s hard work paid off. On Tuesday evening, they harvested their first large batch of spinach. In addition to using the harvested vegetables for home consumption, they also sold the produce right from the garden at a competitive market rate. With the Vishu festival on the horizon, these drivers are no longer merely looking for the next fare; they are eyeing a bigger harvest.