Coimbatore farmer, recognised by UN FAO as a ‘soil hero’, urges shift to natural farming
V.T. Valluvan, a 59-year-old natural farmer at Vettaikaranpudur in Pollachi, Coimbatore district, has won the third place in the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
V.T. Valluvan, a 59-year-old natural farmer at Vettaikaranpudur in Pollachi, Coimbatore district, has won the third place in the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) ‘Soil Hero Guardian’ contest, for increasing the soil organic carbon to 1.56%. This is the first time this recognition has come to India, he claims. What brought the ’Soil Hero‘ award to Mr. Valluvan is his effort since 2009 to convert his agriculture land into a “multi-level, multi-crop, tree-based” farmland. After suffering losses for three consecutive years (2006 to 2009), when he was growing monocrop on 7.5 acres, he moved on to multi-level, multi-crop, tree-based agriculture.
Today, he boasts of his income increasing more than 2.5 times per acre, growing over 14 varieties of crops, and having 9,600 trees on 32 acres. “We managed the 2015-2016 drought without buying water and without felling the coconut trees,” he said. Valluvan suggests that farmers should first opt for soil and water tests and land survey, even though they know their land well. They should then undertake drip irrigation system as an initial step, as government support is available for the same. Proper planning of the project before the rains will help cut down on investments and reduce water consumption, he says.
Farmers should then plan inter-crops if they have coconut groves. With the help of a team from Isha, Mr. Valluvan opted for 14 different crops of varying heights, including tubers. Cow dung and cow urine are given as inputs to the crops. Mulching helps retain the moisture in the soil, he says. Some of the crops like banana and coconut start yielding revenue from the first year and every year, the revenue from other crops start compounding. Traditionally, agriculture was a self-sustaining practice, and natural and tree-based agriculture helps revive that.
“Today, my son, who is a doctor by profession, knows all about natural farming. He works on the farm whenever he visits it and gives his suggestions too. Thus, it is a pride that the next generation wants to be part of this,” adds Mr. Valluvan. Valluvan has trained more than 7,000 farmers since 2017.
The BriefWire