The Hindu : Kerala News : Green thumb makes a statement with food crops

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Monday, Aug 25, 2008
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Kerala

Green thumb makes a statement with food crops

A.M. Chacko, known as Babychayan, is a familiar name within the farming community in the twin villages of Elavinal and Muttathupara in Kaviyoor panchayat limits, near Thiruvalla.

This septuagenarian has taken to farming out of genuine interest, after retiring from government service as Additional Labour Commissioner.

His efforts to promote food crop farming have brought him recognition at the age of 77.

At a function organised by the Agriculture Department at Kaviyoor recently, Mr. Chacko received the Karshaka Award-2008 from Transport Minister Mathew T. Thomas. As part of his own ‘green revolution,’ Mr. Chacko slaughtered all rubber trees on a small hill at Muttathupara and converted the area into a self-contained farm — Aalamala Farm — where hybrid and local varieties of coconut trees, plantain, tapioca, nutmeg, ginger, pepper and other hill produce flourishes.

His two-acre residential courtyard at Elavinal too is more or less a vegetable farm.

Babychayan himself takes the produce for sale at the nearby market place of Paippad. “Sometimes the cucumber crop alone comes to around 150 kg. Wholesale dealers, all familiar faces, vie with each other to grab the entire lot,” says Mr Chacko.

His farming experience, he says, comes from hands-on trial and error methods.

With wide reading and advice from experts, came deep knowledge on the subject.

“I was inclined to farming right from my childhood,” says he.

“Farmers are dissatisfied due to inconsistencies in pricing, especially during major harvest seasons. Food crop farmers have very low income as compared to cash crop farmers and office workers. This situation should change,” says Mr. Chacko.

Radhakrishnan Kuttoor

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