THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The house of retired government employee G Prasannan is quite popular at Pongumoodu in Thiruvananthapuram. Specifically, it is his terrace that sparks awe and surprise.
Neatly stacked on the wall are nearly 40 pots, each growing fragrant basmati rice that the 71-year-old is growing using seeds from Punjab. Currently standing at 4ft, the crop is expected be harvested within the next two weeks.
Actively involved in terrace farming for nearly a decade, Prasannan started cultivating basmati rice as an experiment using the seeds given by a friend.
“I have been cultivating paddy intermittently since 2018. However, this is the first time I tried cultivating basmati rice. Initially, not all seeds germinated since they were brought from Punjab. Now that the crop has adapted well, I hope to expand cultivation using the seeds harvested from these plants,” said Prasannan, who received formal training through government programmes.
The terrace paddy field has become a local attraction, drawing visitors, neighbours and farming enthusiasts to his house. “People are surprised to see paddy growing on a terrace in the middle of the city. Many visit every day to see the crops,” he said.
Maintaining terrace paddy cultivation, however, requires constant attention. “Water management is crucial. The soil should always remain moist. Water should neither stagnate nor dry out completely. I water the plants twice daily.”
Preventing insect attacks is another challenge. Prasannan still uses small traditional methods, including lighting torches in the evening to attract pests away from the plants. He also sprays fish amino solution weekly to strengthen the crop naturally and prevent pest infestation.
Besides basmati rice, Prasannan cultivates a wide variety of vegetables, spices and tuber crops on his terrace and nearby land, pepper, ginger and turmeric major among them. Last year, he harvested nearly 15kg of turmeric.
His interest in indigenous and medicinal rice varieties has also led him to collect seeds of Jeerakasala, Njavara and Rakthashali rice. He now plans to expand paddy cultivation across a larger section of his terrace after the current harvest.
“I want to continue farming as long as my health permits. I never imagined this terrace farming journey would go this far,” he said.
Prasannan, is a member of several farming collectives and organic farming groups in Thiruvananthapuram and has attended numerous agricultural training programmes over the years.