Udupi: Self help society members work to rekindle interest in farming

Inchara Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jul 6: Through a humble effort, members of a self help society have put in earnest effort to rekindle among the people an interest in agricultural activities at a time when the new generation is shying away from it.

After the members of the society came together on Sunday June 30, and transplanted paddy seedlings in a stretch of agricultural field that had been lying in a state of neglect since some years and hence untilled, even the traditional farmers have sit up and taken notice of their efforts.

12 members of Netravati Self Help Society, under the leadership of society president, Rajesh Acharya, transplanted paddy seedlings in the three-acre field of Kambolya Mane Sharada Shetty at Padebettu, Nandikoor near Padubidri in the district. These members, under the guidance of skilled agricultural labourers, made a sincere beginning to ensure that the field that had been allowed to lie barren, will soon becomes fertile,and turn rich with lush green paddy stalks.

The members initially raised paddy seedlings by planting ‘Bhadra’ brand of paddy seeds, and nursing it for 28 days. They then removed these seedlings from the nursery, and carried them to the fields where they wanted to transplant them. After distributing the seedlings to different members as per the areas allocated to them, they began transplantation of the seedlings under the guidance of experienced women, duly singing along Tulu Paddanas, a tradition that has been carefully preserved since ages.

The above society falls within the jurisdiction of Nandikoor unit of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP).  For the above efforts to fructify, members like Gangadhar, Raveendra, Hariprasad, Harikrishna, Ajay, Rajesh, Suresh, Suhan, P Suresh, Vittal and Santosh pooled together about Rs 40,000 between them. In about three to four months, they hope to harvest over 25 quintals of paddy from this field, thus earning a net profit of over a lac of rupees.

To ensure that the crops being raised do not get destroyed by floods, they have blocked the sides, and plan to gift to the owner of the land a portion of the crops raised by them.

Supervisor of SKDRDP Padubidri zone, Chandra Madhuvan,  said that a sum of Rs 2,000 per acre is being provided for such activities as an incentive to self help societies. Madhuvan has been supervising the agricultural activities of the members of the self help societies in the region.

“In the past, agriculture happened to be the main occupation of the family. We always derived a sense of contentment and satisfaction. However, in my old age, I had no other option to allow my field to go barren, as I found it difficult to pool together agricultural labourers for different activities. I ardently wish that agricultural activities will continue to be held in my field at least till my last breath. With this hope in mind, I have given this land to these interested youngsters,” said Sharada Shetty (80), who owns the said field.