Kerala - Kozhikode   

Treasure trove of farming practices

Staff Reporter

`Vayalkatha, Krishiyude Natarivukal' seeks to preserve the wealth of information on the traditional agricultural methods practiced in the rural corners of the State

KOZHIKODE: Traditional farming practices that are indigenous to a society, and handed down by word of mouth, and folklore have been evoking immense interest of late.

`Vayalkatha, Krishiyude Natarivukal,' edited by T. Sreenivasan, is a treasure trove of information that would be of interest to scientists in the agriculture field or for any nature lover at that. It is also an attempt to educate the younger generation on practices such as `tiruvathira njattuvela'.

`Vayalkatha' seeks to preserve the wealth of information on the traditional agricultural methods practiced in the rural corners of the State when great importance is being attached to bio farming.

Economist K.N.Raj, environmental activist Vandana Siva, K.M.Sreekumar of the Agriculture College, Nileswaram, C.Tampan of the Central Plantation Crop Research Institute, K.Sankara Kurup former chairman, Vadakara Municipality, besides scores of others who have an affinity to the soil, and indigenous farming practices for long, have contributed to the book.

Agricultural officers who have been trained in modern agricultural science, teachers, businessmen and farmers have contributed to the compilation.

The fact that councillors of the Vadakara Municipality participated in the making of the book gives hope that under decentralised planning traditional knowledge is getting a fillip. The contributors seek to compile the knowledge that exists not as scientific treatises, but as songs and folklore. There is concern that over the years, traditional knowledge was gradually getting lost.

The articles highlight that agricultural technology is one of the oldest technologies developed by humankind. It involves careful observations of climatic changes, understanding of soil types, and seed varieties.

The interest generated in wetland cultivation, and efforts made in the Vadakara region in this line could also be a reason that prompted Mr.Sreenivasan to compile information on the traditional farming practices.

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