Around ninety per cent farmers in the Canacona Municipality and its surrounding areas have completely stopped paddy cultivation from last 10 to 15 years, though farming was their main occupation.
The Government of Goa, especially the Agricultural Department, is making all efforts to attract youth by implementing schemes and providing subsidies but the paddy cultivation is abandoned said a local landlord and traditional farmer Arvindra Desai.
He said the younger generation is more attracted to jobs in the tourism sector due to the fast money and informed that around 50 per cent families have moved to cities for their children’s education.
Speaking to Herald, Canacona Zonal Agricultural Officer Shivram Gaonkar said that the land available for paddy crops is around 3500 hectares under kharif cultivation, while that for rabi crop is around 300 hectares but the land is uncultivated.
He further said the government is making all efforts to attract youth by implementing schemes and subsidies but the traditional farmers of some Velip communities prefer to send their children to school.
Zanu Velip, a traditional farmer from ST community, said it is better to send their children to school and educate them because of the ST Schemes. Otherwise they will remain in the field, he said, though farming has become less time-consuming with traditional methods being replaced by modern ways.
