When COVID couldn’t hold us down – Back to the Nature

When COVID couldn’t hold us down – Back to the Nature

Confined within the fences of our compound by the COVID-19 pandemic, a society was quickly reassessing itself and its priorities. It was redefining its interaction with nature and her largesse. It was the time for humankind to detach our minds from the ready foods, in myriad colour packs, and exotic mixes, to a more sustainable, healthier choice of food. By choice or circumstance, we were done a good turn by the need of the times. What the health experts have cried themselves hoarse over the various media have now come calling, without invitation.
The fresh fruits, greens, beets, tubers that we grew in our backyard once upon a time. The feel of the wet soil and the aroma of raw freshness. The mangoes, jack fruits, yams, sweet potatoes and tapioca……
The lockdown proved to be more than just a disease induced lock up. We saw our backyards, for what it is. No more a possible locale for a swimming pool that never materialised, but truly as the farm we never ever thought we’d cultivate, but did. Three cheers to Mother Nature. All your pretences came down to nothing and you were suddenly what you always were. Children of the soil. Soil from where we grew out of, where we will end up, finally.
Nutri Forage as the farming program was aptly named, through its various programs aimed at creating a new health centric crop culture – a new and healthy AgriCULTURE that is in keeping with the environment. The program would produce chemically unadulterated, non-genetically engineered, farm fresh and wholesome vegetables, milk, eggs and meat. To encourage this form of farming the program intended to create ample platforms for marketing such farm products. There were plans to give farmers training and awareness on Best Farming Practices and keeping them afoot with the latest in the field through regular interaction. Plans were on to envision and execute programs that would attract youth into the agriculture arena, bring the recycling organic waste into the fold of practised agriculture.
With these aims set as the key deliverables, Nutri Forage has set forth a plethora of programs
• Down to Earth: This is a community farming initiative
• Farm Greens: Creating outlets for sales and marketing of firmware
• Diet Eats: Creating eateries and hotel chains that sell healthy food.
• Agri-Help: Guidance programs for farmers and wannabees in the field. This will also have an online ready reckoner for quick reference and query settlement.
• Save Seed: Program to protect indigenous seeds.
• Tru-Value: Value addition to agro products and the process therewith.
• Green Army: Training a farm front consisting of youth in the field of agriculture.
Nutri Forage started with converting unused land to agro farms. The initial response was in itself startlingly good. The property next to Condor daffodils, owned by the builders themselves was the first experimental farm. V Sivaprasad, CEO of Condor Builders was forthcoming with the needed permissions for the farm. Summy Samuel, took over the farm on a commercial basis and the farm is being run smoothly, to date, rightly proving a point.
The Kerala Raj Bhavan was the next farm in mind. H.E. Arif Mohammed Khan was enthusiastic in the launch of the program and we were given ample support by the administrators and staff of the premier house in Kerala. The support of Dr Arul R B Krishna need a very special mention here.
The Latin Archdiocese Bishop House at Vellayambalam yielded great return both from soil and the water as fish farming was also introduced here. H. E. Archbishop Rev Soosai Pakkiyam was hugely appreciative of the program. The names of Bishop Christudas and Rev Fr C Joseph need special mention in this regard.
The project which had the then Minister for Tourism, K Surendran as its Chairman, had Jacob Punnoose IPS as its Vice Chairman. Current Minister for Education V Sivankutty was the Gen. Convener. The project was coordinated by yours truly along with Binulal, Agriculture Officer and Subject Matter Expert.
The Steering Committee consisted of Binoy Viswam MP, Loknath Behera IPS, the then Police Chief, T K A Nair IAS Fmr. Principal Secy. to PM of India, Jiji Thomson IAS, P H Kurien, Inbasekhar IAS , S Gopinath IPS, Capt. Sanooj S, Group Captain Girish, Reghuchandran Nair, Dr Chandramohan, Dr R C Sreekumar, K Madhupal and Sujith Vasudev. The activities were reviewed by the committee consisting of Madhumitha Behera, Rebecca Punnoose, Shobha Koshy, Dr Anupama Sreekumar and Asha Subramoniam.
Administration was in the able hands of Dr G L Muraleedharan, Gokul Govind, Harikrishnan R, V Karthiyayani, Adv. Ambili Jacob, Hanshi V V Vinodkumar, R. Abhilash
Shaji R, Jayachandran (Regi) and K Janardhana Iyer. Procurement was handled by Sreeraj, Shaji, Joseph, Baiju Simon, Manju, Pamela, Jayadas, Annie Rose and Harindranath all except Sreeraj from Agriculture Department. Other key members of the team were K Sreekumar, City Mayor, Manoj Balan, Dr Thomas Biju Mathew, Alex K Issac, Dr Babu Mathew, Mini C L, Manju Pillai, Dr. Devi Mohan, Dr Devin Prabhakar, Dr. Karthika Gopan, N V Ajith, and Adv. Dimple Mohan
It was a success beyond compare and had the desired effect, with a great many following suit. It is time we returned to nature and stop her destruction. Knowingly or unknowingly.