CHANDOR: The twin villages of Guirdolim and Chandor-Cavorim lamented the non-utilisation of water in Paroda canal for agriculture and while Guirdolim resolved to have a special gram sabha to discuss farmers’ problem, Chandor-Cavorim suggested setting up “Smart Agriculture Village”.
Residents of both villages lamented that despite coming under Command Area Development Authority, farmers cannot cultivate two crops leave alone three as envisaged under CADA.
They pointed out that this was because water was released in the canal in January instead of November as done in the past.
They pointed out that the canals are blocked either due to neglect as bushes have grown into trees blocking the underground network or at places where people destroy government property by deliberately blocking the canals by dumping stones or other material.
The villagers recalled that when water was released in November, as the two paddy crops were harvested by March, people used to grow potatoes or sweet potatoes and vegetables like chillies, tomatoes and even onions.
Other suggestions were made in both villages such as having a land use policy, strictly ensuring that agricultural land is not converted for any other purpose, prohibiting the sale of agricultural land to non-farmers and migrants and prohibiting sale of land transferred under the Land to the Tiller Act.
Residents of both villages called for the policy to address a major problem faced by farmers which is destruction of crops by both wild and domestic animals.
They argued that paddy, bananas, pineapples, etc are destroyed by peacocks, monkeys and wild boars.
They also sought relief from destruction of crops by domestic animals, especially cattle whose owners just let them graze in the open without monitoring.
The Guirdolim gram sabha resolved to have another special gram sabha where officials of Agriculture Department, Water Resources Department, CADA and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services would be invited to listen to farmers’ grievances.
At Chandor-Cavorim, the villagers suggested setting up “Smart Agriculture Village” one each in the two districts of the State where agriculture would be undertaken using modern technology like spray or drip irrigation and drones.
The new technology used at these “Smart Agriculture Villages” would then be replicated at other places including farmers in their individual holdings.
Other suggestions made at both the gram sabhas were to maintain and use the natural water bodies not only for agriculture, but also for horticulture, setting up farmers club to do what comunidades did earlier, have one ZAO for each taluka, set up storage facilities and promote alternate crops that are not labour intensive like flax, indigo, vanilla or hemp.
