At a time when farmers in other villages are struggling hard to turn farming a lucrative avocation, farmers in Enabavi in this mandal command good price for their produce.
The farmers once in a week transport their vegetables to Bowenpalli market where the produce commands more price than others since they grow their crops through organic methods.
“We stopped using chemical fertilizer 16 years ago. Now the whole of the village is adopting organic farming. Though we produce less, it commands good price,” says Ponnam Mallaiah, who pioneered the organic farming in the village. A total of 52 farmers in the village cultivating over 250 acres of land grow all kinds of crops, mostly vegetables, reaping good profits. The village got world wide attention and Mr Mallaiah went to Australia, America and Sri Lanka sharing his experience.
Speaking to The Hindu , he said the concept is not new to them but farmers preferred fertilizer to increase the productivity. “The fertilizer spoiled soil over the decades. The input cost increased enormously and returns were very discouraging. These organic methods help us greatly,” he says.
Even as the borewells and tanks have gone dry, farmers are cultivating their lands with whatever water is available. They were growing vegetables, ginger, turmeric, tobacco etc. The farmers got cooperation from NGOs like CROPS (Centre for Rural Operations Programmes Society) who educated and encouraged them to switch to organic farming. The organic farming also resulted in growth of cattle in the village. At present, every family in the village has at least two cows and two buffaloes. They use backyard manure, neem seed, dung, jaggery, surf, lime, tank silt, poultry manure, vermi-compost to prepare fertilizer and pesticides. They set up their own compost manufacturing units in their farms. This Enabavi village was declared fully organic and chemical free village in 2006. International agricultural companies started visiting the village and studying their methods.
