The concept of natural farming, which is slowly spreading among the farmers of drought affected and tail-end Chittoor district, is luring students in large numbers to the fields of one Jagadeesh Reddy at Moghili village of Bangarupalem mandal, 30 km from here.
Jagadeesh Reddy, a native of Danduvaripalle village of the mandal, bid goodbye to his polytechnic studies to become a farmer, tilling his 20-acre land. Seven years ago, he had given up chemical farming after reading in newspapers about the adverse effects on human lives. After a slow and steady pursuit, Mr. Reddy is now able to go in for different crops such as paddy, sugarcane and groundnut, in addition to raising mango gardens.. Presently, he travels extensively all over India to participate in the seminars and symposia on natural farming.
With a couple of native breed cows, the young farmer himself makes the ‘Jeevamrutham’ and ‘Ghanamrutham’, made of cow dung, urine, jaggery and water and some extracts from trees.
In a span of seven years, Mr. Reddy could post remarkable success with natural farming.
With the State government according considerable priority to natural farming, it soon caught the attention of some of the corporate schools. The Isha Foundation administered high school at Aragonda near Chittoor took the lead in arranging the field visit of natural farming fields for their students last weekend. The students freely roamed in the sprawling fields and observed the natural farming methods. Mr. Reddy had explained to in simple terms what natural farming is all about.
‘Many misconceptions’
Mr. Reddy said that though many farmers were interested to take up natural farming, there was none to properly guide them. “They are carried away by the misconceptions that natural farming would lead to low yields and huge losses to farmers. In fact, my seven years of experience made me realise that the yields of any crop would only improve each year. The fertility of land will continue to receive more and more nutrients from each crop pattern. The land is absolutely free from chemicals. What we have is nature-friendly earthworms, prevalence of good bacteria and immense treasure of nutrients in the soil. Just one cow is all that is required for 30 acres of land, and there is no need to purchase any chemicals and fertilizers,” he said.
Crucial role
Mr. Reddy said that school students could play a very crucial role in promoting natural farming. They could influence their parents to shun chemical farming and take up natural methods. “If children grow, they will definitely be taking up natural farming in future, besides showing greater inclination to consume food produced from it,” he said.
He said that during the last one week, over 1,000 students had visited his fields to have a glimpse of natural farming. “In future, I wish to go the schools and invite the staff and students to visit my farm, which I consider as a sacred lab to process human-friendly food. I have an ambition to make each and every student become aware of the natural farming,” Mr. Reddy said.