On Saturday, the 85-acre Mulavanakari padasekharam (paddy field) at Muttar in Kuttanad will go under combine harvesters. The harvest signals the culmination of more than four months of hard work of 53 farmers and marks 20 years of successful pesticide-free rice farming.
In a region where chemical pesticides are extensively used in paddy fields and a considerable portion of which enters the waterbodies, Mulavanakari padasekharam is one of the few exceptions.
Natural enemies
Mulavanakari, which was selected by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for its National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICARA) project, has proved that farming without pesticides is possible and viable.
After saying goodbye to insecticides and fungicides two decades ago, the farmers of Mulavanakari have introduced measures to increase the number of natural enemies of pests to control insect populations. It has helped keep the padasekharam relatively safe from pest attacks and diseases all these years.
Three tonnes an acre
The farmers changed the farming practices without compromising on the yield. On average, the farmers are getting rice yield between 2.5 and 3 tonnes per acre.
“It all started with a programme held at the Krishi Bhavan in 1993. Agriculture experts then stressed the importance of sustainable agriculture practices, especially pesticide-free paddy farming. After the meeting, I discussed it with my fellow farmers. They were not convinced at first. The same year I successfully cultivated rice without pesticides in my field at Mulavanakari. The next year, those sharing boundaries with my field followed suit. Later all the farmers who own land at Mulavanakari stopped using pesticides. Without pesticides, we have been able to bring down the input cost and its negative impact on biodiversity and human health,” says P.A. Thomas, secretary, Mulavanakari padasekharam.
Chemical fertilizers
The farmers have also reduced the application of chemical fertilizers. "Before every crop season, we test the soil and only use those fertilizers recommended by Agriculture Department officials," Mr. Thomas says.
According to studies, around 500 tonnes of chemical pesticides are used in paddy fields in Kuttanad annually. “Farmers of Mulavanakari stopped using insecticides a long time ago. They are getting more yield than other farmers in the region. The Mulavanakari model proves that the application of chemical insecticides is not necessary to get a good yield,” says Smitha B., assistant director, Kerala Centre for Pest Management
Apart from producing safe-to-eat rice, Mulavanakari is always open to experiments. It was one of the first in Kuttanad to introduce an electronic weighing machine, submersible pumps, and recently deployed drones to spray nutrients on crops.
