MIDDLE CLASS FARMER OF MIXED CROPS
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| E.V. Prasannan, Edathazha House, Cheranathala - Koottuppunna, Madikkai Panchayat, Kasaragod. |
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“Really speaking, agriculture to me is a way of life rather than an occupation”, says E.V. Prasannan, a middle class farmer of 1½ acres of land at Edathazha House, Cheranathala - Koottuppunna, Madikkai Panchayat, Kasaragod. Prasannan, who donned the role of a farmer after his school days has been generating value out of earth for the past 15 years.
His mixed crop cultivation utilizing every inch of the land ensures that there is income from one crop or the other throughout the year. Banana, Arecanut, rice, vegetables, betel, all share portions of the soil.
He has been able to grow rice needed for his family in the 40 cents of land earmarked for alternate cultivation of rice and vegetables. One crop vitalizes the other, he says. While rice cultivation improves the structure of the soil, the vegetable cultivation enhances its manure-content and helps in the cultivation of rice.
“We do the works of rice cultivation ourselves. Only for transplanting and harvesting do we hire labourers. Last time my wife, mother and myself did the harvesting ourselves”, he explains his method of making rice cultivation profitable.
He maintains a cow which complements his agriculture efforts: the hay as feed for the animal and the cow dung as organic manure.
Recently he has taken on lease ½ acre of land, where he cultivates vegetables. He is contented with the modest success of his hard work in 1½ acres of land. His is an example that youth may emulate.
Courtesy: Dr.Ranjan S.Karippayi, Karshakan, June 1999
Contributed by: Administrator
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