NE AGRICULTURE BUREAU
COMIBATORE, JAN 28
Isha’s Save Soil Movement organized the ‘South Indian Coconut Festival’ on Sunday at Palladam, witnessing the participation of more than 2000 farmers. Tiruppur Municipal Corporation Mayor. Dinesh Kumar, inaugurated the festival by lighting the lamp.
Speaking at the function, the Mayor said, “We are carrying out a lot of work to make Tirupur Corporation an exemplary corporation in Tamil Nadu. We are currently working on making Tiruppur a green corporation. As I come from a farming community, I am well aware of the hardships and losses that are usually involved in agriculture. As a mayor, I will be a bridge between you (farmers) and the government and try to fulfill your demands,” he said.
The President of Tamil Nadu Farmers Welfare Association, Chellamuthu, said, “Protecting our motherland is more important than protecting industries for the development of the nation. Although there are many farming organizations in India, it is Sadhguru’s Isha organization that is working globally to protect the soil under the name of ‘Save Soil’. In my small town Kallimandayam alone, chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used to the tune of 10 crores per year. By this, we can understand how much we are destroying the fertility of our soil.”
Speaking about the festival, he added, “Generally, it is the traders and middlemen who get the most profit when it comes to coconut farming. Isha’s program will be useful for farmers to know how to change this situation and derive more profit.”
“The government imports palm oil from abroad and distributes it to the people at subsidized rates. Likewise, the government should purchase coconut oil and sell it through ration shops so that coconut farmers can benefit,” he suggested.
Sundararajan from Vanam India Foundation said, “Coconut farmers can make a profit only if they add value and sell. MCT oil produced from coconut oil is the best medicine for epilepsy, memory loss, and digestive problems,” he said.
Vivekanandan, who has received an award from the President of India for his research work, delivered the keynote address on the occasion. He said, “With the medicine I have discovered from wasted coconut water, it is possible to heal diabetic ulcers and burn ulcers. This medicine is going to be available to people as soon as possible.”
The field coordinator of the Save Soil Movement, Muthukumar, said, “This movement, currently functioning under the name of ‘Save Soil Movement,’ was started by Sadhguru in the year 2007 under the guidance of Nammazhwar under the name of Isha Agriculture Movement. So far, more than 20 thousand farmers have been given direct field training through this initiative,” he said.
Farmers from not only Tamil Nadu but also from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka actively participated in the festival held at Vignesh Mahal in Palladam. Pioneer farmers, Kennedy and . Rasul Moideen, shared insights on cultivating nutmeg as an inter-crop in coconut trees. Shiva Nanjaiya, a farmer from Karnataka, discussed ‘Intercropping and No-till farming,’ while Swapna James, a successful farmer from Kerala, provided valuable suggestions on ‘Adding value to coconut with 10 types of intercrops.’ Additionally, coconut scientists from various central government institutions actively participated, offering their expertise and suggestions to the attending farmers.
As part of the festival, the sale of value-added products made from coconut and other agricultural products and an exhibition of simple agricultural tools were also held.
