This septuagenarian 'Green-Revolutionary' leads way with sustainable model farming

Anusha N Bhat | coastaldigest.com
February 2, 2019

At 73-years of age, Mahalinga Naik breaks into a smile, when residents of Amai village at Bantwal taluk point towards him as the local 'Green-Revolutionary'. For a man who never received formal education, Naik has been solely credited for creating a sustainable eco-friendly farmland, which once was barren land and could not even bear a sapling.

At a hillock farmland in Adyanadka, approximately 52 kilometre from the Mangalore city, a two-acre land boasts of 200 banana trees, 300 areca nut trees, 75 coconut palm trees, along with different types of cocoa, pepper vines. The layout of the farmland is not only systematic but does not leave any loose end for wastage. "From mini-irrigational system, conservation of water, to harvesting organic manure, the farmland is equipped to look into each aspect of traditional farm land," says famed Editor of Adike Patrike Shree Padre.

While today the agricultural revolution at Adyanadka has awed several agriculturists, in fact it has even fetched Mahalinga Naik with awards including ‘Krushi Panditha’ conferred by the Karnataka government in 2010. Recently, he was honoured with ‘Mangalore Press Club Award 2018’. Shree Padre has also released a small booklet on Naik by the title ‘Guddada Melina Ekvyakti Sainya’.

It was about forty years ago, when Naik was just another sharecropper at a land owned by one Mahabala Bhat. Earning a daily wage between Rs 1.50 to Rs 5, Naik managed his household. However, pleased with his dedication for the farmland, in 1979, Bhat gave Naik a two-acre land from his property.

“I was overjoyed with emotions, and swiftly was able to build a humble hut for my family. But the land had no water source for cultivation, we had to walk for about a kilometre for it and the effort was futile. I realised that to take care of my farmland and feed my family, I had to do something,” he says.

For the need of drawing water, Naik eventually decided to carve a ‘Suranga’ (tunnel) to naturally draw water for his cultivation. However, given his financial condition, Naik says he was unable to hire labourers, therefore he decided to use his part time from agriculture to dig the Suranga.

Each day, Naik would return from cultivation and then religiously start digging ‘Suranga’ to find the source of water. “My search for water was more instinctive than scientific. I started digging at places approximately about 100 feet each, where I thought I could find water, but was repeatedly disappointed,” he says.

In the pursuit for water, Naik says he has been mocked and even called names by locals for wasting his time. “I didn’t mind being called names, but I continued my effort for about 6-7 hours, day or night. At times I had to either crawl or squeeze myself between tiny spaces to get through these tunnels and excavate soil. My wife would not be happy, when she would come searching late at night,” he says.

For close to five-years, Naik failed in his endeavour. “Except rainy season, I never gave up on the excavation work. But by then, I had dug about four tunnels and not coming face to face with water was a bit unsettling,” he says.

It was only when Naik struck the sixth Suranga, in a bit further location that Naik felt some wetness in soil, which was an indication for the presence of water in the area.

With the new found development, Naik’s optimism had no bounds, he immediately went further to a higher topography and aggressively dug to find water and he did.  “It made me confident to probe further and I dug another one for domestic consumption,” he says.

To boost the texture and moisture of the soil, Naik also created small ponds across several places in the farmland which would capture rainwater, which Naik had learnt in an agriculture workshop. Naik even placed close to over 5,000 laterite stones to build retaining walls and prevent soil erosion.

Slowly the efforts paid-off, the same land which earlier harboured fragmented grass patches, eventually saw the growth of banana, cocoa, pepper vines, coconuts and areca-nuts. Besides, the farmland also hosts eight to ten honeycombs, alongside a vegetable garden where he grows ladies finger, cucumber, brinjal and so on.

Naik’s farm has become a must see model-farmland and has over 500 visitors a year. “When people visit, I feel very happy,” says Naik.

Sticking to his principle of Hasige Iddastu Kaalu Chachu (Being content with what one has), Naik says he would use only one acre of land for cultivation. “In another, I have built a house and want the same land to grow as natural forest so that future generation can benefit from it. If my experience can help others learn to make profit out of farming, then that would make me content,” he says.

Comments

Ann Pinto
 - 
Thursday, 9 May 2019

Wonderful....for sharing your story on how it’s possible to revive water and increase the water table and make a living too..

SD
 - 
Monday, 4 Feb 2019

Well done, Mr. Naik! Very happy that all your hard work paid off.

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News Network
March 5,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 5: Karnataka is facing unprecedented economic difficulties following a Rs 8,887 crore reduction in the state's share in central taxes, cut in allocation under 15th finance commission and a Rs 3,000 crore hit in GST compensation, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa indicated on Thursday.

Presenting the state budget for 2020-21 in the Assembly, he said Karnataka's share in central taxes has come down by Rs 8,887 crore in 2019-20 as per the revised budget estimates of the central government. Therefore the state's revenue resources have been reduced. Apart from this, Rs 3,000 crore GST compensation will also be reduced as collection from the GST compensation cess is not as expected, the Chief Minister said. "With all this it has become difficult to reach to reach the 2019-20 budget targets and to manage this situation within the bounds of the Karnataka Fiscal Responsibility Act, an inevitable situation has arisen this year to cut down the expenditure of many departments," he added.

As per the interim report submitted by the 15th finance commission, there is a reduction in the state's share of central taxes to 3.64 per cent compared to 4.71 per cent fixed by the 14th finance commission. In view of this, there will be a reduction of Rs 11,215 crore in the state's share of central taxes in 2020-21 budget, when compared to the previous one.

He, however, noted that the allocation recommendation of the 15th finance commission is limited to one year only and the complete report for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 will be submitted in October 2020.

"Our government will soon submit a revised memorandum to the commission to set right the loss caused to the state with regard allocation for the year 2020-21 and give more allocation for the remaining period," the Chief Minister said. He also said, when compared to the previous year, there is an increase of approximately Rs 10,000 crore for 2020-21 with regards to government employees salary, pension and interest on government loans, but there is no proportionate increase in resources as compared to committed expenditure. "Due to this reduction of the state's share of central taxes as per the 15th finance commission report and other developments, serious difficulties are being faced in resource mobilisation efforts of the state," Yediyurappa said. "This magnitude of economic difficulties was never faced in the previous years by our state," he added.

However, the state's own tax revenue collection is excellent during this year, he said. As compared to the previous year, there is a growth of 14 per cent in State GST collection. "Based on this, in the new budget, efforts are being made to manage the reduction in the share of central taxes by stabilising the state's own resources more", the Chief Minister said.

Karnataka recorded a gross state domestic product growth rate of 7.8 per cent in 2018-19 and Yediyurappa said for the current financial year it is estimated to be 6.8 per cent.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 15,2020

Mangaluru, May 15: Mohammed Kana, son of late Ismail Kana and grandson of late Dr M S Bapanad Mulki passed away in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia due to heart attack on Thursday. He was 57.

Hailing from Mangaluru, Mohammed Kana was working in Saudi Arabia for past 30 years. He is survived by his wife, son and a daughter.

He was involved in various social and welfare activities in India and Saudi Arabia. His tragic demise has left huge vacuum in his family and community at large.

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Ahmed Ali Kulai
 - 
Sunday, 17 May 2020

Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajihoon

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News Network
February 26,2020

Udupi, Feb 26: Thirty senior folk artistes, one from each district across the state, and two folk experts will be presented the ''Karnataka Janapada Academy'' Awards for 2019-20.

Announcing the names of the award winners here on Wednesday, Academy Chairperson Manjamma Jogathi said that while the artistes will get a purse of Rs 25,000 and a citation, the folk experts will be awarded Rs 50,000 and a citation.

The awardees are M Gowramma (Folk singing – Bengaluru Urban), Lakshamma (Bengaluru Rural – Bhajan), Ankanahalli Shivanna (Ramnagaram –Pooja Kunitha), Angadi Venkatesheppa (Kolar-Tatvapada), Rangaiah (Thumkuru-Folk Singing), P G Parameshwarappa (Davangere-Veeragase), Tippanna (Chitradurga – Goravara Kunita), Munireddy (Chikkaballapura-Folk Song), G C Manjappa (Shivamogga – Dollu Kunitha), Mada Shetty (Mysore – Kamsale Kunita), Swami Gowda (Beesuva Padagalu – Mandya), Gowramma (Chamarajnagar –Sobane Pada), J K Ramu (Kodagu-Kodavara Kunitha), Kapini Gowda (Hassan – Kolata), Dr H C Eshwarnayaka (Chikkamagalur-Nati Vaidhya), Sadhu Panara (Udupi-Bhootha Kola), Rukmaiah Gowda (Dakshina Kannada – Siddavesha), Sankamma (Belagavi –Sampradaya Pada), Rukmini Mallappa Haranala (Bagalkote-Wedding folk Song), Mallaiah Rachaiah Thotagunte (Dharawad-Folk Song), Hanumanthappa Dharwad (Haveri –Bhajane Kolata), Nagaraj Jakkammanavar (Gadag – Gigi Pada), Nimbevva Kenchappa Gubbi (Vijayapura-Sobane Pada), Hussainabi Budensaab Siddi (Uttarkannada-Siddi Damami Dance), Gangadara Swami Aggi Mata (Kalburgi – Puruvanthike), Tulasi Rama Bhimarao Suthara (Bidar-Folk Song), Shanthavva Ganda Lachamappa Lamani (Koppal – Lamani Dance), Soogappa Nagappa (Raichur – Tatvapada), Veshagara Mothi Ramanna (Ballari-Hagalu Vesha), Shivamoorthy Thanikedara (Yadagir – Gigi Pada).

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