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| Omana, Kokkamangalam, Thanneermukkom, Alappuzha |
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City-bred Omana, a postgraduate in Economics, is the unlikely candidate to be chosen as the best farmer in Alappuzha District. Yet this housewife, who was ‘transplanted’ from her parents’ house in Ernakulam to her husband’s house at Kokkamangalam, Thanneermukkom, Alappuzha after marriage, now earns around Rs.3000 per month from her organic vegetable cultivation in a few cents of land around her house.
This year she was chosen as the best farmer by the Welfare Services under Ernakulam Diocese. Other acknowledgements for her efforts include award for the best farmer in Kanjikkuzhy, the best farmer award by Thanneermukkom Panchayat etc.
In addition to her effort with the soil, she is also active in organising women to take up farming. Her cultivation includes brinjal, spinach, legume, ladies finger, bitter gourd, ‘koval’, ginger etc. While ‘kovakka’ has more demand, the profit is in chillies, she says.
Her effort is an attestation of the efficiency and profitability of organic farming. While cowdung from her 4 cows is the main manure, cow’s urine doubles as manure as well as pesticide. A biogas plant supplies fuel for cooking.
When the best manure, cowdung slurry is available, what is the need for other manure, asks Omana. Her effort is a testimony to the possibility of expanding one’s kitchen farm to a commercial venture.
She acknowledges the support of her husband, P.J.Joseph Pulikkaparambil, Manager at Lord Krisha Bank, Kochi, in her success. Her daughter Lee is a student of MBBS at AIIMS, Delhi, while her son Lij is studying in 10th standard.
Courtesy: Rojan Oliyappuram, Karshakan, September 2003
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