JOIN USAmid a drought like situation in Tarikere, a farmer in Vittalapura of Amritapura hobli has scripted a success story by following organic methods of farming.
With the limited land owned, Veeranna was able to earn a good income. The integrated system of farming has helped him to achieve success. He has been cultivating arecanut, banana, cocoa, coconut, black pepper, nutmeg and others on his 16-acre land.
“More than water, it is the shade that arecanut plantations require. Cocoa trees planted between arecanut trees provide shade. The fallen cocoa leaves are converted to manure, which helps to maintain the moisture content in the land,” said Veeranna.
Veeranna has 450 arecanut trees, 250 cocoa and nutmeg plants on his land. Farmers should not depend on one crop. To water the plants, Veeranna has constructed a sump to store all the used water (kitchen and bathroom) in his house. The water from the sump is used for irrigating the farmland.
Farmers should become self-sufficient and follow an organic method of cultivation, he said.
In addition to mixed farming, Veeranna has cultivated 10 varieties of jackfruit.
For dairy farming, he has over 25 cattle including Gir, Amruth Mahal and other species. The cow dung and urine are used as manure.
Further, he also cultivates fodder for the cattle. He has been supplying fodder seeds for the farmers free of cost.
In fact, Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade had visited his farmland and had appreciated it.