Sixteen-year-old Arjun Ashok from Mithrakary in Kuttanad has
achieved an impressive milestone by winning the Agriculture Department’s award
for the best student farmer (schoolboy) in the state. His success is
particularly remarkable given the obstacles he faced due to recurring floods.
From a young age, Arjun developed a passion for farming,
which he attributes to his mother. “I learned the basics of agriculture from
her. As a worker under MGNREGS, she recognized my interest in farming and
encouraged me. I started growing vegetables on a small scale when I was just
10. When the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools, I dedicated my free time to
learning more about agriculture and expanding my cultivation,” says Arjun, a
Class XI student who values both education and farming equally.
Today, he cultivates a diverse array of vegetables and flowers on approximately half an acre of land, utilizing both his family plot and adjacent land owned by relatives and neighbors. He primarily uses biopesticides and compost made from kitchen scraps, animal waste, and water hyacinth. Additionally, Arjun raises goats, rabbits, chickens, and silkie chickens.
Overcoming Challenges
Arjun’s dedication to farming has helped him overcome
significant setbacks. Recently, he had planted vegetables and marigolds in
preparation for Onam, but heavy rains and flooding in July devastated many of
his crops.
“This isn’t the first time floods have disrupted farming for
me. I faced losses, but it only strengthened my determination. After the
floods, I resumed cultivation and planted spinach, okra, brinjal, long beans,
and bitter gourd,” he explains, noting that the support he receives from the
Agriculture Department is motivating.
He has also innovatively begun growing some vegetables in
grow bags. On an experimental basis, he is cultivating marigolds in grow bags
placed on a wooden platform to protect them from flooding. Most of his produce
is sold at the weekly farmers’ market at the local Krishi Bhavan, and the
earnings are deposited into his personal bank account.
“Arjun started farming at a young age and manages most of
the cultivation by himself. He grows vegetables and flowers without using
chemical pesticides,” says Lekshmi R. Krishnan, the agricultural officer at
Krishi Bhavan, Muttar.
Arjun receives support from his parents, Sobha Ashok and Ashok
Kumar, who encourage his agricultural pursuits.
BalaSarvesh
BM Correspondent Chennai