Long queues of people in front of vegetable shops and outlets selling other essentials have become routine since the nationwide lockdown began. But there are some in Kerala whose lives have gone on largely unaffected – thanks to their self-sustaining practices.
For instance, 65-year-old Alappuzha native Parameswaran’s routine has not changed. His days start with him stepping into his vegetable garden, plucking ladies fingers, tomatoes or bitter gourd that is ready to harvest. These will be sufficient for a day’s meals, along with the rice that he buys from the ration shop.
No long queues at markets
Kanjikuzhy gram panchayat, where Parameswaran lives, houses about 8,000 families, with a majority of them having kitchen gardens which supply vegetables needed for the families almost throughout the year.
Parameswaran in his farm
“Even after the lockdown, we don’t generally have long queues in markets here. The panchayat is completely self-sustainable through agriculture. Apart from each house having kitchen gardens, there are multiple organic farmers in each ward of the panchayat who cultivate crops and do fish farming. So, there is not much for people to go out of the panchayat limit for, during the lockdown,” Divya Jyothish, ward member of the panchayat, tells TNM.
According to Parameswaran, the surplus produce is also procured by the local governance body, and is sold outside the panchayat. The commercial organic farmers in the panchayat have been donating vegetables to community kitchens as well.
More time for agriculture
Meanwhile in Kerala’s Kozhikode district, another self-sustaining community is Niravu, a group of 101 families at Vengeri. The organic farming and various eco-friendly activities of the community have made news earlier too. For this community too, the lockdown has been no pain. In fact, with all family members together at home now, the community is concentrating more on their agricultural activities.
Talking to TNM, the coordinator of Niravu, Babu Parambath, says that lockdown has given members more time to engage in farming. From tapioca, to green chilli, to jackfruit to other vegetables – the community farms have most of the vegetables they require.
Babu Parambath and family in their vegetable garden
“While some families living here have one-and-a-half cents of land, others have with 25 cents. All of them though are self-sustainable. They only need to buy a few essential groceries. Now with lockdown, our produce in farms is flourishing even more as we are able to care for the crop better,” says Babu.
In November 2020, Niravu will be celebrating its 15-year anniversary of sustainable living.
A self-sustaining home, and life
Hari and Asha, a couple from Kerala's Kannur district, are also examples of leading a sustainable eco-friendly life.
In a recent Facebook post, the couple talked about how their lives and daily routines are unchanged even now. The couple is living in a self-made mud house in a 34-acre man-made forest.
“During this lockdown, many are doing things they have never done before, while others are cursing their boredom. But even after two weeks, our routines are still the same. Yes, we are not able to get out, there are no organic fests or shops; I can't even step out to visit my mother. Despite all these restrictions, a farmer has no need to do random things to kill time. A farmer is always occupied, from dawn to dusk,” the couple posted on their Facebook page HariAsha Chakkarakkal, on April 5.
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