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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | A farmer’s ‘natural solution’ to agricultural crisis -R Krishna Kumar

A farmer’s ‘natural solution’ to agricultural crisis -R Krishna Kumar

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published Published on May 17, 2016   modified Modified on May 17, 2016
-The Hindu

Kailashmurthy of Doddainduvadi village has turned 10-acre farm into a heaven of diverse horticultural crops

Mysuru:
Imagine an oasis in an arid region with a water table at 30 ft against nearly 1,000 ft in most parts of the region; or forest ecology in a barren landscape. That is what Kailashmurthy has achieved following the concepts of natural farming at Doddainduvadi village in Kollegal taluk of Chamarajanagar district.

The 10-acre land has been a “natural farm” since 1988, as it entails no chemical inputs and has reversed the groundwater table-level, improved soil fertility and strengthened the biodiversity of the landscape.

Reversing depletion

In what is a rare example of reversing depleting ground water table, Mr. Kailashmurthy said, “The water table was at 35 ft in my farm in 1984, and after switching to natural farming methods, it came up to 30 ft.”

Inspired by Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer and philosopher of the ‘One Straw Revolution’ fame, Mr. Kailashmurthy, a retired bank official-turned-natural farmer, introduced two concepts — no ploughing and no weeding. “The author had advised against use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides to which I decided against ploughing and weeding,” he said.

This was based on his conviction that the introduction of compatible plants would not only tackle the menace of weeds but add to soil fertility and the symbiotic relationship in nature addresses any imbalance on its own obviating the need for human interference. And the results have been good, he added.

The farmland is teeming with diverse horticultural crops ranging from mango to banana, papaya, guava, jackfruit, litchi, orange, butterfruit, and mosambi and has recreated a forest ecosystem, said the farmer. At a time when forest cover is shrinking adding to global warming and the resultant climate change, switching to natural farming will help address them, he said.

Curbing cultivation costs

“It will curb the growing cost of cultivation in the conventional agricultural methods being followed by farmers in present times owing to increase in the use of chemical fertilizers etc. even as the yield per acre is declining. Secondly, it recreates forest ecology by increasing biodiversity and help curb the negative impact of climate change,” he explained.

He has another 11 acres of land at Madarahalliwhere he has taken up paddy cultivation. And all it needs is sunlight and minimum water.

The land has been a “natural farm” since 1988, as it entails no chemical inputs
 
 
The Hindu, 16 May, 2016, please click here to access

The Hindu, 16 May, 2016, http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/a-farmers-natural-solution-to-agricultural-crisis/article8605920.ece


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