Dalit Women’s Self-help Groups Lease Plots of Land in Vellore, Boost Organic Farming
VELLORE: At a time when agricultural lands are being converted into commercial plots, a group of 10 dalit women have laudably do
ne the opposite. Turning 6,000 sqft of commercial plots in their native village Kondakuppam into farming land, members of the Kathambam Women’s Collective Farming Association have been growing various vegetables, greens and fruit-bearing trees the organic way.
The women have not only made big strides in their goals—promoting organic farming among women SHGs and ensuring food security for themselves—within six months’ time, but also launched programmes for school students to revive traditional food habits.
Following in their footsteps, members of Kalanjiam and Katharikuppam associations have also formed a similar forum in their respective villages and taken up organic farming.
President of the Kathambam association M Annakili said none of their association members owns farmland, and that they had leased a plot for agricultural activity. “After taking land on lease, we grew monocot and dicot plants in initially. The crops were ploughed in situ (inside the soil) to convert it into fertiliser to rejuvenate barren land and make it fertile. Now, we are harvesting vegetables, fruits and greens from the land,” said the 49-year-old BA graduate.
The women have planted three to four varieties of banana and mango trees along with other fruit trees in 3,000 sq ft land, while vegetables and greens are cultivated in 2,400 sq ft. “We share the vegetables, fruits and greens harvested from the land among us for personal use,” she added.
The SHG is on the lookout for more land for large-scale agricultural activity and has approached the district administration to allow them to use government porompoke lands in their panchayat to raise crops.
Source: The New Indian Express
