| R.Raveendran, Ulloor, Thiruvananthapuram |
This Onam, R.Raveendran, a resident of Ulloor, in the middle of Thiruvananthapuram city will not be buying rice for the Onam feast. Rather, he will harvest the same from the 70 bags of paddy growing in his terrace. He expects 30 kg of paddy, from which he expects 15 kg of rice: 10 kg for the Onam feast and balance 5 for the breakfast menu.
Raveendrean does not buy either rice or vegetables from outside. "It is only those without an interest or inclination for manual labour that deride agriculture," he says. He uses home-generated waste and bio-pesticides to carry on with his agricultural practice.
He has ensconsed a place in the Limca Book of Records by growing a giant 'kaachil' (yam), weighing 275 kg. When it was exhibited at the Indian Scinece Congress held at the Karyavattam campus of Kerala Agriculture University, it caught the attention of the world. Then 13 persons were required to just move the speciman outside the hall.
Though he was born in an agrarian family, he initially ran a workshop on his own. Later he was an expatriate in Saudi Arabia. On return to Kerala, he tried to run a stationary store. He slowly started cultivating in the land surrounding the shop and the household.
Now he grows purple passion fruit of Brazil in his terrace. He uses grow-bags, un-utilised vessels and flower pots for farming.
He lives with his wife in a 10cent plot. In addition he has 3 other farms totalling 30 cents in the city.
Vermi-compost, compost, fish etc are some of the manures he uses. Apart from National Farmer award, he is recipient of awards of State Agriculture Department, Biodiversity Board etc.
Courtesy: Mathrubhumi, August 17, 2014
