Thiruvananthapuram: This year’s Republic Day was a special day for Kamachi Chellammal, coconut farmer from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Kamachi Chellammal, a 67-year-old farmer from Rangachang village located in South Andaman, was awarded the Padma Shri for her outstanding work in organic coconut plantation. Kamachi Chellammal’s is lovingly called ‘Nariyal Amma’ for her ecofriendly approach in coconut farming. Her innovative farming techniques have not only garnered recognition but have also set an example for sustainable coconut cultivation.
In her unique organic farming approach, Kamachi Chellammal uses coconut leaves and husks for attaining good yield. She uses the technique called Mulching, the practice of covering soil with organic materials like bark, wood chips, or leaves, to preserve moisture and enhance soil quality, especially during the post-rainy season. Kamachi Chellammal explained, ‘Mulching helps minimize moisture loss and reduces weed population which are crucial factors for maintaining a healthy coconut plantation.’
Kamachi Chellammal advocates for organic farming and breaks away from conventional chemical pest control methods. Kamachi Chellammal adopted an Integrated Pest Management strategy. She strategically incorporates ‘trap plants,’ varying from one plantation to another, to attract insects that release pheromones into the air. This disrupts the natural mating cycle of pests, effectively controlling their population.
Kamachi Chellammal said that she chose a sustainable path by avoiding harmful chemicals and embracing eco-friendly pest control methods. She also implemented coconut-based multi-species cropping, which includes various plants such as elephant foot yam, banana, groundnut, pineapple, sweet potato, green chili, tube rose, gladiolus, marigold, and green vegetables. ‘Diversification has been key to financial sustainability in farming. It mitigates risks and boosts income,’ Kamachi Chellammal explained.
Over the years, Kamachi Chellammal has been an advocate for organic farming, encouraging fellow farmers to adopt sustainable practices. Her commitment to environmental stewardship and innovation has now been honoured with the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2024.
Kamachi Chellammal’s son, Ramachandran, who actively supports her in farming, expressed delight at the recognition. He mentioned plans to venture into agro-tourism, showcasing their diverse crops, spice gardens, and fish farming. Kamachi Chellammal added that through agro-tourism, they can create more sustainable livelihood opportunities and raise awareness of organic farming among the next generation. She also emphasized that such ventures can encourage and inspire more youngsters to pursue agriculture.
Kamachi Chellammal’s inspiration to many, to initiate organic agriculture in our country is significant. Amalan Arokiaraj, a young agriculture-communication researcher from Anna University, Chennai, was honoured with the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) award for his real-time research towards organic paddy farming in Arakonam. He stated that he was inspired by Kamachi Chellammal’s organic farming method on coconut plantation, which encouraged him to take such a step towards paddy farming. Amalan Arokiaraj added that the government’s honouring Kamachi Chellammal with the Padma Shri and the great scientist MS Swaminathan with the Bharat Ratna express the Central government’s policy towards farmers and the food safety of our nation.
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