Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
Agriculture | This tribal farmer preserves 40 indigenous paddy seeds and incurs Rs 30,000 loss every year -Rajesh Pandathil and O P Raveendran

This tribal farmer preserves 40 indigenous paddy seeds and incurs Rs 30,000 loss every year -Rajesh Pandathil and O P Raveendran

Share this article Share this article
published Published on May 10, 2016   modified Modified on May 10, 2016
-FirstPost.com

“Should break their legs,” rages 66-year-old Cheruvayal Raman (fondly called Ramettan). He had bought some sardines from the market. The minute they were immersed in water to wash, all of them dissolved. “It seems they were called Oman sardines. They were full of chemicals and preservatives,” he says.

Ramettan indeed has the right to be angry because he has been toiling for the last 56 years to preserve traditional methods of farming. He never uses any chemicals. “We live for food and we do not get it without poison. Should break their legs,” his anger was not against the shopkeeper who sold the sardine but against the system.

In the Kerala farm sector, Ramettan, a Kurichiya tribe by birth, is leading a battle to preserve age-old traditions of cultivation that were prevalent among the Adivasis of Wayanad. But it is not an easy one. And therein lies his relevance.

“With the Green Revolution the focus was on increasing the yield. This resulted in death of many indigenous seed varieties that had medicinal and other qualities. Ramettan has been in the forefront to preserve many such varieties of the Wayanad region. Inspired by him, there are many such groups in Kerala now. The awareness has increased,” says Illias KP, secretary, Kerala Jaiva Karshaka Samithi, explaining the significance of Ramettan’s life and work.

Ramettan, who lives in a hut that could be 150 or so years old near Valliyoorkavu, knows Wayand inside out. “It used to be terribly cold in December-January in those days. You would feel your blood is freezing. There used to be rains almost every month. Winds used to blow from east, west, north and south. These are not there now. The climatic balance has been disturbed. And we are responsible for that. In Wayanad, one major reason is the settlers. They bought land and the aboriginals were ousted. Those who settled here did not follow the traditional way of farming,” he says.

Please click here to read more.
 
FirstPost.com, 9 May, 2016

FirstPost.com, 9 May, 2016, http://www.firstpost.com/india/this-tribal-farmer-preserves-40-indigenous-paddy-seeds-and-incurs-rs-30000-loss-every-year-2771534.html


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close