Parthasarathy Sen
This refers to your editorial “Spotlight on agriculture as mining, tourism, fishing take a break” (June 2 ). Neither a Goan nor living in this part, my love for Goa is unquestionable and this has led me to make a thorough study of this state in manifest directions if only my findings can prove useful and therefore venture to comment on agriculture, which can prove to be a dominant economic activity with the coming of monsoon and staying for about four months. Upon agriculture majority of the population depend for livelihood and yet the most neglected everywhere with no incentive for the farming community, no proper state investment and therefore in scars and despair.
The steady decline of agriculture in Goa can be attributed from the fact that along with livestock, the Net Domestic Product may be somewhere to the tune of 15 to 20 per cent and features are static agricultural production, decline in fish catch and falling output from forest cover. Though with all possible natural resources, the state has to be dependent on neighbouring states for food grains, cereals, milk,vegetables etc. The Salaulim Dam [ for South Goa ],Tillan Dam (for North Goa) and the Anjunem irrigation project have capabilities to irrigate large hectares of land for yields and profit making and these should be activated to the maximum. Both Kharif (rainy season) and Rabi have the capacity for dividends if there are state determination and farmers interests. A good suggestion, lands become heated in summer and during the onset of monsoon nitrogen yielding plants can be sown and replicated with useful food and cash crops for bumper harvests.
Goa needs rice, coconuts, bananas, mangoes, melons and water melons, jack fruit, cashew, arecanut, millets, poultry production and vegetables like potato, pumpkin, lady fingers, cabbage and cauliflower, peas and brinjals and all these can be sown to bring it to the optimum with less reliance from outside. Cashew, a soil conservation crop has its maximum potential in Sattari, Bicholim and Bardez talukas, good output will benefit those in toddy business and greater production of valued Feni, Goa’s prestige product. Similarly arecaunut in the Ponda region. The Kumeri cultivation, much forgotten involving felling of some forest area, fixing dead vegetation, sowing seeds without the plough, weeding and harvesting could bring in more Nachne (millet and pulses), the traditional diet of the poorer sections. These are some areas which need to be protected and strengthened for food in plenty to the populace, rich or poor. The greater the production, less will be the cost and demand more. Better food capacity will be of great help to tourists who will arrive Goa in October henceforth. The state government must act as the facilitator to make agricultural activities golden in this interim period of rains and this will enthuse many younger people to join and make sufficient gains.
With no paucity of water resources natural and irrigation projects, unlike other dry states, Goa can give a good push to agriculture and related activities and this advent of the monsoon provides real opportunities which must not be missed under any circumstances. Sowing, harvesting and reaping in the right direction will certainly give fillip to lost agriculture besides providing livelihood, prosperity and happiness to all directly or indirectly people involved.
Pray to God Goa gets a good rainfall and bounties unlimited even without tourism, fishing and mining. The point is to act concertedly and not just talks and un-implementable vision. Don’t worry about water logging, monsoon is the time to evolve and receive good dividends.
