It is the passion for farming that brought them together in 2020.
In the next three years, Thiruvizhesan, a 10-member strong farming collective from Kanjikuzhy block in Alappuzha, transformed over 35 acres of fallow land in three grama panchayats by launching vegetable, fruit, flower, and paddy cultivation; set up an agri-tourism facility; and launched own rice brand. Further to the group’s credit, they recently won the State Agriculture department’s award for the best farming collective (production sector).
“It feels like a fairy tale,” says Jyothish Kanjikuzhi, president, Thiruvizhesan Joint Liability Group, on finding success in the field in a short period and winning the award. The farming collective began their journey on a small scale by cultivating crops on 1.5 acres of land after taking a credit of ₹5 lakh from Cherthala South Service Co-operative Bank Ltd. Today, the group on average produces over 60 tonnes of vegetables and fruits, including seasonal ones, annually.
“After tasting initial success, we set up a vegetable and floriculture farm by transforming 12 acres of fallow land in the possession of the Thiruvizha Devaswom in 2021. It soon became a farm tourism destination. Later, we converted fallow lands in Mararikulam North panchayat and Cherthala municipality into farms,” says Mr. Jyothish.
Prior to launching the collective, the members of the group, which includes two women, aged between 27 and 55 have been successful farmers on an individual level. They say the group farming has helped them script much bigger achievement. Besides cultivating vegetables around the year, the group grows three varieties of rice, including Rakthashali, tuber crops and so on in an organic way. The Thiruvizha brand sells unpolished rice. The collective recorded a turnover of over ₹40 lakh in the last fiscal.
Anil Lal K.R., a gulf returnee and a member of the group says the journey has so far been a wonderful experience. “I was practising polyhouse farming when I joined the group. In the last three years, we transformed large tracts of land that had remained fallow for several decades. The love for agriculture is what really binds us together,” adds Mr. Anil.
The group, which provides employment to 10 people on a daily basis, says that they are looking for fallow land to expand farming.
