Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 15, 2007
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 ePaper |
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Tamil Nadu
Eco-friendly: Students of Manikka Swamy Naidu Higher Secondary School engaged in preparing an organic solution. DHARAPURAM: On about 100 acres in Govindapuram, a village around 15 km from here, farmers have begun practising organic farming. The conversion has nothing to do with the Agriculture Department, though. Similarly, there is a change in P. Praveen Kumar. The Standard X student of Manikka Swamy Naidu Higher Secondary School considered it beneath his dignity to even look at cow dung. Today, however, the boy sees wealth in the waste, which, he says, “I hand mix to prepare a variety of organic farming supplements to be used on fields.” His schoolmate L. Dhivya Bharathi, convinced of the benefits of organic farming, persuaded her father to switch over to organic farming, and he obliged. All these incidents have a common thread; connecting them together is the School’s science teacher M. Mahalakshmi, who has taken it upon herself to spread the benefits of organic farming. “Farmers have a future only in organic farming, as it is cheaper, easier to practice, friendlier to environment and, above all, returns higher yield.” Her love for organic farming started long ago but was blind. “Though convinced of the benefits of organic farming, I did not know how to proceed. I just shared with students whatever I read,” recalls the teacher. Then came the friendship with Udumalpet-based farmer P. Selvaraj, who she met as part of efforts to help students participate in a science exhibition. In her regular interactions with the farmer who practices organic farming, she learnt about various techniques, which she passed on to students. Ms. Mahalakshmi says, “For example, while teaching, ‘Panpattu Uyirial’, I applied a pinch of urea on an earthworm to demonstrate how chemicals killed the worm and tell why they should be avoided.” The teacher did not stop there, though. As coordinator of the Science Club she teaches students to prepare organic farming supplements. “Madam has taught us ‘amritha karaisal’, vermin compost, ‘kosu viratti” and 27 other organic preparations,” say students. She takes students to Mr. Selvaraj’s farm as well. “At his field, we saw betel leaves and corn that are bigger and healthier than our own. We took samples of those to show our parents and convince them of the benefits of organic farming,” the students say. Majority of the students are farmers’ children. Then one led to another and at present the farmers of the area stand convinced of the benefits of organic farming. But why teach organic farming? Ms. Mahalakshmi replies, “As a teacher, I am supposed to teach right practices to students and there can be no better way to do this than tell them the ills of chemical farming and nudge them to turn organic.” So much is her interest that using personal funds she has distributed free of cost to students booklets and pamphlets on organic farming.
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