The project on “Promotion of traditional practices suitable for landscape characteristics for the Mountain Landscape of the Southern Western Ghats, mainly Idukki District in Kerala” could be completed during the project period January 2021 to March 2022 achieving the objectives with the relevant activities. In spite of the difficult terrain, climatic conditions and the pandemic COVID-19 restrictions, especially to enter the tribal villages, we tried our level best to change the situation in the mind-set of the people and the agricultural scenario of the landscape. Salient points of the outcome are given below:
1. The most challenging job was converting the fallow lands to rice fields. The paddy lands which used to be cultivated before around 10 to 20 years could be cultivated by the local communities with the awareness creation on the importance of growing our own food, especially organically along with our technical and financial support. 55 acres (15 in Adimali, 30 in Kanthalloor & 10 in Marayoor) of fallow land was cultivated with traditional rice. Similarly, although not so difficult, 30 acres of upland (10 in Adimali, 15 in Kanthalloor & 5 in Kuttanpuzha) was cultivated with preferred vegetables.
2. The baseline study conducted at the beginning could bring out the traditional varieties of millets, rice, tubers and vegetables and the traditional knowledge prevailed in the region long back and at present which was helpful in deciding the strategies for agriculture.
3. Meetings and workshops were arranged for creating awareness among the farmers and to train them the methods of preparation and application of organic manure and pest repellents to help them in organic farming; 43 such programmes were conducted covering 1059 farmers from the 11 selected panchayats for the project with maximum (18) in Adimali and minimum in Edamalakudy, Chinnakanal and Munnar. There is a chance of a few farmers attending different programmes in the same Panchayat. We also provided technical help to other organizations keen to do organic cultivation. After the workshops a few women groups are making the solutions of organic manure and pest repellents in a large scale and selling.
4. Rice planting festival, seed festival, tuber festival and, harvest festival of rice and tubers were arranged in two or three locations in Adimali and Kuttanpuzha Panchayats for awareness and popularising agriculture.
5. We procured three traditional varieties of rice seeds suitable to the area from local farmers and nearby areas (Kunju Kunju) and from outside organic farmers or farmer organizations (Jeeraga chembavu and HMT). We distributed 1664 kg of the above three varieties to 263 farmers in three panchayats, namely Kanthalloor, Marayoor and Adimali as per their need and land availability. We could not collect the list of all these farmers, but documented information on 110 rice farmers from these panchayats.
6. As a part of agrobiodiversity conservation, we set up two Rice Diversity Plots in two Paadasekharams in Adimali Panchayat, namely Pettimudi and Korangatty. We procured 70 traditional rice seeds of Kerala suitable for this landscape and prepared nursery and land, gave training to the farmers. In Korangatty 70 varieties were planted and in Pettimudi 32. Unusual rain damaged some varieties. Around 40 varieties were harvested and stored for the next season.
7. Punarjeevanam project of the Forest Department during 2016-17 and livelihood based project of UNDP with Harita Kerala Mission during 2019-20 tried to revive millet cultivation in these landscapes and the farmers continued it to some extent and with our support around 60 varieties are being cultivated now. We distributed 96 kg finger millet and 3 kg foxtail millet seeds to interested farmers in eight panchayats.
8. Vegetable cultivation also was revived in many panchayats. Of the 275 farmers we surveyed in Adimali and Kuttampuzha panchayats, 231 (84%) did homestead farming and only 44 ( 16%) commercial. We distributed seeds of 13 varieties to these farmers. A women group from Harita Karma Sena in Mankulam Panchayat developed a seedlings nursery which we supported partially with funds and training from an organic farmer group “Prakruthi Jaiva Kalavara” at Haripad, Allappuzha. The above women group raised 28 varieties of 14922 saplings and sold them. We arranged market support through Kerala Agriculture Development Society. Training for mushroom cultivation was given and a few women are at it, but others preferred to start later with suitable weather. One lady in Kanthalloor did farming and harvesting and she got 40 kg in two months.
9. Tuber cultivation was interesting to the farmers because of the simple method and these are not attacked by wild boar. We arranged awareness programmes with exhibition of tuber varieties and distribution of seeds of turmeric, ginger and tubers (yam/ kachil) of traditional varieties. Harvest festivals also were arranged.
10. Soil samples were collected from 10 locations in two panchayats, analysed at KVK (ICAR) lab, Santhanpara and recommendations are given. Analyses of Nutrients of millets and rice could not be done because of various reasons.
11. Major requirements for the farmers for sustaining agriculture are:
a) support in terms of necessary materials and knowhow at the right time,
b) machinery at various stages, especially for land preparation,
c) water resource management,
d) climate resilient farming practices,
e) regular market access at reasonable price and
f) Protection of crops from wild animals.
