01 Aug 2021  |   06:16am IST

The Agricultural Revival Challenge

The Chicalim Youth Farmers Club (CYFC) was formed with the vision to revive agriculture and be connected to the roots of nature. The ‘Agricultural Revival Challenge was an initiative taken up by the CYFC in challenging people to take up community farming. This initiative was released by CYFC mentor Fr Bolmax Pereira, Parish Priest of Chicalim and CYFC president Ms Valerie Afonso on June 5, 2021, the World Environment Day. DHIRAJ HARMALKAR has the details
The Agricultural Revival Challenge

As part of their vision and the revival challenge the CYFC decided to cultivate a total of 20,000 sq. mtrs field stretch.

The Revival challenge itself was met with tough challenges like ploughing, tilling and levelling during incessant stormy rain. Through the dwindling numbers of the youth, the determination and self-confidence of few members, CYFC rose against all odds that in a short period of time things materialised. From toiling in the sun and soil to getting drenched in the rain, and from calling out for help from parishioners, friends and family, the youth did all they could to complete the field preparations so that they could make the field stretch ready for cultivation as the mentors in collaboration with ‘Goenche Xetkar’ had planned to go in for a mechanised transplanting activity this year. 

Finally on July 30, 2021 with the mechanical support of the agro group ‘Goenche Xetkar’ mentored by Fr George Quadros, the CYFC completed their transplanting activity. Even on this day the club members get to work early morning from tilling the puddled field with the tractor, clearing some leftover weeds and of course later helping in the transplanting activity by loading the young rice seedlings on the rice transplanter.

Further, the club members along with their mentors beamed with joy as the field stretch which was fallow for the past 25 years had now turned in to a puddled field neatly transplanted. Now, they are all geared up for the post-transplant activity and hope for a plentiful harvest. 

“On a serious note, the CYFC wants the public to take up community farming, alternatively known as group farming which consists of a group of small and marginal farmers who work together to utilise the under-utilised lands and earn a living. We can definitely go back to our roots and connect to nature. Hence the invite ‘Come, be involved, witness and work. Let’s dirty our hands. For farming is an exciting hobby’”, said Fr Bolmax.

IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar