Organic and sustainable farming: Tamil Nadu ecologist shows the way

Sixteen years ago not many were enthused when M Revathi, an ecologist, bought 12.5 acres of land in a village in the fertile Cauvery Delta near Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu to venture into organic farming.

Today, Revathi is an inspiration to several young farmers. The farm she has developed over the years now grows almost every crop including those that were dismissed as “unfit” for the clay soil nature of the Delta region.

The farm has been designed in a way that it stores the amount of water it needs – five ponds scattered across three acres of land have been dug up by Revathi and her team. “We save every bit of rainwater. Being a natural farm, the permeability of the soil allows maximum storage of water and this in turn recharges groundwater. The farm itself is a reservoir as we get water through the year,” Revathi told DH.

Not just an organic farmer, Revathi is also an activist whose organisation, INSPIRE, has helped thousands of farmers get enough water for farming. They help by digging ponds in agricultural land.

Gene pool

Today, her land has become a 'mini forest' and is home to several species of birds, reptiles and other organisms, besides boasting of 6,400 trees of different varieties.

From the traditional varieties of paddy that consume less water compared to their hybrid counterparts, to vegetables to pulses to timber – the farm also has 1,400 crops, making it a gene pool.

Also read: Sustainable water management practices in Karnataka

“Once you give necessary treatment to the soil and condition it, you can grow any kind of crops. The conditioning will take just a few months’ time. If you take one step, nature will take ten steps. We have developed a farm that is self-sustainable in every aspect, including the availability of water. Farmers should move towards self-sustainable farms,” Revathi said.

If farmers must continue farming without the fear of water, Revathi said, they should have rainwater harvesting structures in their farms.

“These ponds will not just store water but also recharge the groundwater. Once that happens, the farmer does not have to worry about water. Water is much more important than we think. Nature does not give water all the time. But we should conserve when it pours,” she said.

Citing her success in organic farming, Revathi said the transition from the current method to organic will take a few years and all that farmers need is an open heart to embrace new ideas.

“Crop change is not as difficult as one thinks. Besides traditional varieties of paddy, farmers have plenty of options as far as crops are concerned. Once you embrace organic farming, there is no looking back. Farmers should hold on to multi-crop patterns as it helps them generate revenue through the year,” she said.