FROM CONSTRUCTION to engineering and IT, they came from different backgrounds, united by a passion for farming, and a dream to do good. Today, these 17 young men are the heroes of an entire panchayat beyond the outer edge of Kochi.
Guided by Kerala’s agriculture department and scientists, they toiled for three years to convert nearly 50 acres of stinking garbage land that had eaten up the fading paddy fields of Choornikkara in Aluva into the lush green home of a new rice brand. They call it Choornikkara rice.
This transformation, which includes a small park with benches overlooking the fields, has also helped improve the life of local residents and even the quality of water in their wells.
According to John Sherry, the state agriculture officer in Choornikkara, changes were felt in the first year of cultivation. “Before we started cultivation, most wells in the project region were not suitable for drawing drinking water. A scientific analysis showed the presence of e-coli bacteria. After the waste was removed, and cultivation started, the water profile changed. Post-harvest, we found zero e-coli bacteria in the water,’’ he says.
Read more of this interesting story in a report by Shaju Philip published in The Indian Express... (link given below)
