His farms are a fitting reply to chemically-driven farm production. By successfully adopting organic farming as a way of life, he has broken the general notion that chemical fertilisers and pesticides are the only way for productive farming.
Meet K Mohanan, 44, the farmer who is into integrated farming, hailing from Bhagavathyvila in Kulathur near Neyyattinkara on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, who has evolved into one of the biggest propagators of organic farming over the last five years. “If someone gets inspired from these farms and adopts organic farming, it will be a great achievement for me,’’ says Mohanan, who once used toxic chemical fertilisers on his crops.
“Earlier, I used to apply pesticides and fertilisers for farming. But, due to the continuous application of chemicals, the soil began to lose its natural essence. Every time I had to apply more amount of fertilisers to maintain the desired quantity of harvest. This affects the environment also. Later, I came to know about some innovative ways for keeping away the pests and realised the importance of pursuing natural ways of manuring. When I tried, the results were positive,” says Mohanan, who can now be hailed as a master of organic pesticides and manures.
Recently, the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) adopted Mohanan’s bitter gourd farm as a demonstration plot for organic farming. He had also bagged awards for the best vegetable farmer and the best integrated farmer given away by the Krishi Bhavan and the VFPCK respectively in the past. Last year, he missed the ‘Karshaka Mitra’ award instituted by the State Government by a whisker.
Everyday, Mohanan steps into his field at 6 a.m. Each plant will be examined carefully to check whether there is any pest attack or not.
“Sometimes, the monitoring will last till late night using the light from the mobile phones,’’ he says. Mohanan spends 12 to 14 hours daily in his farms along with seven labourers.
One has to be vigilant and patient to pursue organic farming, opines Mohanan. “It is not merely applying organic pesticides and manure. One has to be patient and spend a lot of time in the field. Monitoring should be done everyday. If pests are found, they have to be removed manually from the plant. Traps should be installed in the farm. Application of organic pesticides should be the last and final step,’’ says Mohanan.
Mohanan, who started farming on five cents of leased land at the age of 14, now carries out integrated farming in around six hectares of land and has emerged as one of the largest producers of vegetables and bananas in the district. Besides, he has a coconut farm and cultivates tapioca, vanilla and pepper.
What makes him more distinct is his genuine interest to experiment. He has a passion to cultivate different types of crops. Apart from bitter gourd, snake gourd, brinjal, lady’s finger, amaranthus, cucumber and elephant yam, Mohanan cultivates seasonal vegetables like cabbage, carrot, beetroot, cauliflower and the like. Once, he even tried to cultivate onion as well. Besides, Mohanan has a special love for traditional vegetables like ‘Churakka’ (Ridge gourd), ‘Kumbalam’ (Ash gourd) and ‘Kovakka’ (Little gourd) and ‘Chathura payar’ (Winged bean).
Last year, Mohanan surprised everyone by doing upland farming in around 1.75 acres. “Actually, I want to show people that paddy cultivation can be done profitably amidst the coconut garden. Lots of people from various parts of the district came to watch the farming. There was a good yield and now I am thinking of continuing upland farming every year,” says Mohanan. He now has plans to venture into the dairy sector.
“Perhaps, he may be the only farmer in this modern world who has always said that farming is profitable. I have never heard him say that farming is a loss,’’ these words by Victor Raj, the agriculture officer of the Kulathur Krishi Bhavan, are a testimony to his passion.
(The New Indian Express, City Express, 2010)
Meet K Mohanan, 44, the farmer who is into integrated farming, hailing from Bhagavathyvila in Kulathur near Neyyattinkara on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, who has evolved into one of the biggest propagators of organic farming over the last five years. “If someone gets inspired from these farms and adopts organic farming, it will be a great achievement for me,’’ says Mohanan, who once used toxic chemical fertilisers on his crops.
“Earlier, I used to apply pesticides and fertilisers for farming. But, due to the continuous application of chemicals, the soil began to lose its natural essence. Every time I had to apply more amount of fertilisers to maintain the desired quantity of harvest. This affects the environment also. Later, I came to know about some innovative ways for keeping away the pests and realised the importance of pursuing natural ways of manuring. When I tried, the results were positive,” says Mohanan, who can now be hailed as a master of organic pesticides and manures.
Recently, the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) adopted Mohanan’s bitter gourd farm as a demonstration plot for organic farming. He had also bagged awards for the best vegetable farmer and the best integrated farmer given away by the Krishi Bhavan and the VFPCK respectively in the past. Last year, he missed the ‘Karshaka Mitra’ award instituted by the State Government by a whisker.
Everyday, Mohanan steps into his field at 6 a.m. Each plant will be examined carefully to check whether there is any pest attack or not.
“Sometimes, the monitoring will last till late night using the light from the mobile phones,’’ he says. Mohanan spends 12 to 14 hours daily in his farms along with seven labourers.
One has to be vigilant and patient to pursue organic farming, opines Mohanan. “It is not merely applying organic pesticides and manure. One has to be patient and spend a lot of time in the field. Monitoring should be done everyday. If pests are found, they have to be removed manually from the plant. Traps should be installed in the farm. Application of organic pesticides should be the last and final step,’’ says Mohanan.
Mohanan, who started farming on five cents of leased land at the age of 14, now carries out integrated farming in around six hectares of land and has emerged as one of the largest producers of vegetables and bananas in the district. Besides, he has a coconut farm and cultivates tapioca, vanilla and pepper.
What makes him more distinct is his genuine interest to experiment. He has a passion to cultivate different types of crops. Apart from bitter gourd, snake gourd, brinjal, lady’s finger, amaranthus, cucumber and elephant yam, Mohanan cultivates seasonal vegetables like cabbage, carrot, beetroot, cauliflower and the like. Once, he even tried to cultivate onion as well. Besides, Mohanan has a special love for traditional vegetables like ‘Churakka’ (Ridge gourd), ‘Kumbalam’ (Ash gourd) and ‘Kovakka’ (Little gourd) and ‘Chathura payar’ (Winged bean).
Last year, Mohanan surprised everyone by doing upland farming in around 1.75 acres. “Actually, I want to show people that paddy cultivation can be done profitably amidst the coconut garden. Lots of people from various parts of the district came to watch the farming. There was a good yield and now I am thinking of continuing upland farming every year,” says Mohanan. He now has plans to venture into the dairy sector.
“Perhaps, he may be the only farmer in this modern world who has always said that farming is profitable. I have never heard him say that farming is a loss,’’ these words by Victor Raj, the agriculture officer of the Kulathur Krishi Bhavan, are a testimony to his passion.
(The New Indian Express, City Express, 2010)
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