Thiruvananthapuram: ‘Haritha Bhavana’ to revive paddy farming in Kunnanadu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Members of Bhavana Library and Culture Centre, Kunnanadu, in collaboration with Ottasekharamangalam grama panchayat and Krishi Bhavan have started paddy cultivation titled ‘Haritha Bhavana’ on two hectares of land as the first phase of the project to revive paddy farming.
A group of nature enthusiasts and members of the library have recently sowed paddy seeds on the field.
A good number of villagers had turned up to witness the traditional sowing method. The day also marked events like mud football and ‘vayal paattu’.
Although Kunnanadu was famous for its paddy cultivation, the huge loss in the sector had forced farmers to choose other crops. In order to bring back the village’s traditional beauty, the library has launched the paddy cultivation.
A few landowners offered their property for free, while others offered it for lease. They sowed medicinal paddy variety ‘Rakthshali’, which can be harvested in 110 days.
“Beyond just reading, we desired to bring back a culture which we were so proud of back then. As the paddy cultivation has given fewer earnings to farmers, they quit and started cultivating other crops like tapioca. While seeing the festival, a few farmers have expressed their interest in paddy cultivation and that is our victory. We wish to extend the project and introduce our own brand to the market,” said president of Bhavana Library and Culture Centre Poozhanadu Gopan.