Paddy gardens for food security
Veteran settler-farmer K.R. Kuriakose at Cheerakuzhy in Karimpuzha panchayat in Mannarkad taluk is continuing with his experiments in agriculture practices. Winner of a national award for development of 'young bud' rubber plants in 2005, and the Karshakasree award in 1998 for inter-crop farming, Mr. Kuriakose's new innovation promotes paddy cultivation in the highland areas by using waste water from houses. Water from bathrooms and kitchens is collected in a main pond or head pond ('thalakulam') along with rainwater. A patch of dry land is prepared below the pond for paddy cultivation. In each homestead, a piece of land, of 25-50 cents, is readied with organic manure for paddy cultivation. The water stored in the head pond is utilised to irrigate paddy. "Like a kitchen vegetable garden, each family can develop a 'paddy garden' near their house. This will make a big contribution towards food security." he says.He says the system of head pond, which protected paddy and other farm land, was destroyed with the fragmentation of agriculture land. The new owners reclaimed the head pond and virtually destroyed paddy field and other fertile land. This was one of the major reasons for the food shortage in the State.Mr. Kuriakose says he has prepared 30 cents of land for paddy cultivation near his house by storing waste water in a head pond. The pond can also be used for fish cultivation if water is available round the year.An average of 500 to 1,000 litres of waste water can be collected from each house daily. This can make the pond a permanent water reservoir.If this experiment can be practised in all houses, it will give a big boost to the food security programme the government is implementing, he says.He had cultivated pineapple and gram as inter-crop in rubber plantations. He has taken up several other innovative farming practices in vegetable cultivation.At 75, he has more than half-a-century experience and local wisdom to guide him.
The Hindu, 29th September 2008
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