Self-help groups take lead in boosting agriculture in state

by GLENN COSTA
Posted on 2009-02-02
PANAJI — That the construction bug has bitten the state in the last decade or so and agriculture has taken a back seat is undisputed. But, the advent of self-help groups is kick starting its agrarian economy and ‘re-greening’ it, albeit, on a modest scale.
The construction boom meant that agricultural land was kept fallow, sold and converted with the active connivance of the authorities as agriculture was alleged to have become ‘financially unviable’. And all this even though there is a scope to increase land under cultivation by another 8,000 to 10,000 hectares, according to the agriculture department figures. At present around 7,800 hectares is under cultivation.
“Vegetable growing is profitable says Ms Kamaxi Parab from a self-help group, the Socorro-Porvorim Farmers Association that is growing a variety of vegetables at Socorro, and she and her group numbering 11 are confident that even if they get more land they would be able to increase their yield.
This group is part of the 40 or so groups numbering from five to 20 persons from all over the state that has caught on and is steadily rising. Ms Parab says that agriculture is quite profitable if one is willing to work hard as the soil and the climate is good for black eyed beans, chillies, red spinach during the months of December, January and February while the lady fingers and peanuts could be grown in January and February.
“If we get more land then we will cultivate it but we require support to create the infrastructure, seeds on time and quality inputs like fertilisers,” she says to the nods of her fellow self-help group members who along with their families actually till and cultivate the land themselves; though for heavier work like fencing, outside labourers are hired.
The state consumes around 400 tonnes of vegetables per day and that translates into 1,60,000 tonnes per annum out of which Goa produces around 74,000 tonnes and the balance around 86,000 tonnes are imported mainly from Belgaum.
These self-help groups are the brainchild of the horticulture department, whose present chairman is Mr Deepak Dhavalikar and MD, Mr Orlando Rodrigues, and their efforts are beginning to show the result. The department also helps these groups market their products by giving them carts to sell their produce.
This vegetable cultivation got this boost when the horticulture department got people together, informed them about the schemes and promised Rs 40, 000 per hectare for infrastructure like fencing, pipelines, pumps etc to self-help groups to start cultivation, Mr Orlando Rodrigues told ‘The Navhind Times.’
In the state, if you take out the time taken for paddy cultivation that is during the monsoon, the land also sustains chillis, red spinach, lady fingers, spinach, brinjals, peanuts, raddish, maize and erville, though potatoes, tomatoes and onions do not grow well in the state.