Date:01/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/01/stories/2008100155891000.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Their success is an inspiration to others

Pramod Mellegatti

They are showing to the world what is meant by ‘love for life and love for agriculture’

EXEMPLARY: Papamma and Papanna with the Purushottam Rao Krishi Award.

SHIMOGA: Courage and determination can help one face any hurdle in his way to scale greater heights in life. It appears to be more applicable to agriculture in today’s competitive world.

A poor farmer-couple of D. Kurubarahalli near Mulbagal in Kolar district engaged in traditional farm practices for many years has become a role model to its counterparts elsewhere.

Wife and husband Papamma and Papanna have become partners in agriculture too and are showing to the world what is meant by “love for life and love for agriculture”.

The couple, which owns a small piece of agricultural land, has virtually turned it into a laboratory for its innovative traditional farm practices. It has adopted a mixed farming method in a novel way without wasting any space on the field.

Recognising the couple’s unique contribution to traditional farming, the Purushottam Rao Agriculture Research Foundation of Kuruvalli in Tirthahalli taluk of the district has conferred on Papamma and Papanna the Purushottam Rao Krishi Award instituted in memory of the progressive farmer. The award was presented to the couple at Kuruvalli recently.

The house and farmland of Papamma and Papanna have become live laboratories for other farmers who want to see improvement in their occupation. The way they preserve the seeds and prepare the organic green manure is a refreshing experience for agriculture scientists too who are appreciative of the unique traditional farm practices being pursued by the couple.

Papamma and Papanna live in a small house 30 per cent of which space is used to store various seeds. They have also preserved 11 species of ragi straws and seeds of 50 species of various crops. To prevent seeds from decaying, the couple has kept them in fibre bottles along with neem leaves and other natural preservatives.

All types of crops such as cereals, pulses, vegetables, plantations and fruits are grown in their field. In a four-acre land, 20 types of crops are grown normally. If there is sufficient water supply, then 50 types of crops are cultivated.

The farmland is divided into three. In one part of land, groundnut, mango, ragi and jowar crops have been cultivated and in another, tamarind, custard apple and palm trees are grown.

The picturesque farm field developed on a hillock is a cynosure of all eyes. Apart from agriculture, the family is involved in dairy farming which has strengthened its economic condition.

The remarkable success achieved by Papamma and Papanna could serve as a source of inspiration for farmers who desperately think in terms of committing suicide when they suffer crop loss.