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August 8, 2004

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  SATYAPALAN: PART-TIME DRIVER AND FULL-TIME FARMER
K.R.Satyapalan, Vadakkeveliyil, 6th ward, Kanjikkuzhy, Alappuzha

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For 15 days a month he does duty as driver of a private bus in Chertala-Muhamma-Alappuzha route. Yet that does not prevent him from being a full time farmer who produces and markets vegetables throughout the year.

K.R.Satyapalan of Vadakkeveliyil, 6th ward, Kanjikkuzhy, Alappuzha possesses just 40 cents of paddy land and 85 cents of farm land. Cultivating vegetables, leaves and tubers in this land, besides maintaining a couple of cows, he shows an example to others how to take farming and his profession delicately balanced. To learn from his farming methods and get practical guidance from him, members of Kudumbasree units and other Self Help Groups from even far come to his farm.

His method of cultivation is to ensure that vegetables are harvested throughout the year. Even during heavy rains, his farm sports different varieties of bananas, brinjal, chillies, curry leaves, betel leaves, spinach, peas etc, grown on organic fertilizers and protected with organic insecticides..

How does he find time for these diverse activities? Satyapalan and his wife Omana get up at 4.30 every morning. After cleaning the cowshed, they take turns to milk the cows. Only after delivering the milk at the cooperative society do they get time to relax a bit. On alternate days, he has to reach Chertala bus stand by 6.30 am. His return to home would be around 9.30 at night. On such days, Omana does the farm jobs in addition to her other works.

His 2 sons, school students Sujith and Ajith help the parents in the farming activities. And with that all round effort, his farm is a veritable garden of vegetables and a training school for aspiring farmers.

 

 

 

Courtesy: T.S.Viswan, Karshakan, July 2004

Contributed by: Administrator

 

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