The first Green Revolution in Goa would have taken place thousands of years ago, when man first took to a settled existence by reclaiming the khazans and cultivating fields over a period of time, as agriculture became the main occupation. From this would have evolved the heritage of Goa and fish, curry and rice would have become the staple diet. Agriculture was the main occupation until the 1970s; but, over a period of time, since the 1980, there has been an inverse decline of agriculture with the booming of the construction industry. Of late, Goans taking to other forms of business and finding greener pastures abroad has led to further the decline of agriculture.
Fields were abandoned for decades since it was difficult to till the land, difficult to get local labour, the costs involved in agriculture were prohibitive and it simply involved hard work. There was a growing concern among Goans about the abandonment of fertile fields which had been cultivated over centuries but no solution seemed to be in sight as more and more people gave up on agriculture, despite the government’s routine efforts.
In 2015, the seeds of a second Green Revolution in Goa were sown with the birth of the Don Bosco Loutolim Society, which was a brain child of the Paddyman of Goa – Fr George Quadros. He and his team of five young men began mechanical planting of paddy on a small scale – 4,000 sqm a day. The society took a bank loan and purchased two second-hand vehicles from the Economic Development Corporation.
Fr George Quadros and his team trained farmers in Pernem, Canacona, Raia, Verna and Old Goa (which covered Neura, Merces and St Cruz) to do mechanical cultivation. There are altogether seven teams which are operating independently and come together on big occasions only. Today, if any Goan, farmers or group of farmers are concerned about the agricultural heritage of Goa and wish to replant their abandoned fields, they simply need not worry. They can contact any of the seven teams and get their fields planted.
Fr George and his teams have taken away the burden of farmers having to search for labour, they have taken away the burden of buying seeds, they have taken away the burden of raising the crop and protecting it in nurseries and even collecting subsidy from the Agriculture Department.
The seven societies collect the subsidy from the Agriculture Department, the farmer has to only pay 50% of the amount and they come and do the planting of paddy. The farmer has to just keep his field ready.
As things evolved, the new concept of Collective Farming was introduced where 10, 20 or 50 fields can be planted at a time within a kilometre. The cost falls considerably and farmers get a further discount from the societies. The farmers do not have to arrange for a tractor for ploughing in case of Collective Farming. Even small farmers can take the benefit of Collective Farming which has been undertaken in Chinchinim, Navelim and is existing at Carmona, Curtorim and Velsao.
The beauty of Chinchinim is that here there has been a convergence of stakeholders. The Water Resources Department, the Agriculture Department, the local comunidade and the panchayat have all come together to facilitate the growth of agriculture in Chinchinim. And as has been seen from O Heraldo of November 10, 2023, the people are amazed at the rich harvest of paddy. There is no paper work to be done, no one takes your land, and each takes away his/her share of the paddy.
The society even arranges for harvesters, even as there are many providers who have harvesters in various villages. Don Bosco Loutolim Society is aiming to target 50 to 100 hectares for cultivation in Salcete. The roles of the MLA, WRD, Agriculture Dept, the village panchayat are all important.
To bring more fallow agricultural fields under cultivation and to bring more people back to farming, the government’s organisational structure needs to be more flexible especially in disbursing subsidies, since the service providers are taking the burden. A better delivery system has to be provided to service providers.
The Goa Agricultural Policy will also play an important part in taking this initiative forward. Lastly, students of nearby schools are and have to be being roped in and given plots for cultivation as in Chinchinim. Also, agriculture needs to be introduced as a subject in schools inorder to cultivate a love for the land, says Fr Quadros, whose second Green Revolution of Goa initiative looks so much like that of the Dairyman of India, Verghese Kurien’s ‘White Revolution’ initiative.
