MARGAO: Estella Pires believes in being true to, and proud of her roots. At 24, this Navelim-based agro-entrepreneur is carrying forward the profession of her ancestors, who were paddy farmers, albeit with a modern and diversified twist.
Estella is an agriculture and horticulture consultant who also dabbles in landscape and garden design, conducts workshops on kitchen gardens, manuring, natural pesticides, marketing of produce, etc, under the brand she founded when she was still in college- Casa de Vegetais, now a shop located in Cuncolim. In a bid to help more city swellers discover the joys of nature, she also organises agri and eco treks and tours with her friend Liza Pinheiro.
However, her latest passion is now taking her to greater heights- quite literally! Estella trains people of all ages to climb coconut trees, so they can harvest their own coconuts and tap toddy.
“I was trained by the best, my senior Shweta Gaonkar, who is affectionately known as the ‘Goan renderina’,” says Estella, who attended the week-long course offered by the Agriculture Department a couple of years ago. Now, she teaches people to scale the tree using the coconut climbing machine, now easily available in Goa. “We use the basic manual variant of the machine, which costs between Rs 3,000 to 4,000. While the device itself is quite safe and heavy-duty, you can also get a harness for added protection, especially if you have a fear of heights,” explains Estella, adding that there is also an automatic machine available in the market.
She points out that the numbers of toddy tappers and coconut pluckers in Goa are fast dwindling, and people with coconut trees often find it difficult to find labour to harvest their coconuts. “Toddy tappers are even fewer, and there is always a shortage of toddy for the vinegar as well as the feni producers,” she says, recalling how her own grandfather, who was a feni distiller in his day, had to shut shop as he was finding it difficult to source enough fresh toddy.
Estella says a tree-climbing aspirant does not have to be particularly athletic – the will to climb is most important. “I wish more young people will come forward to learn this skill – the Agriculture Department offers the course for free – and Goan youth can also take this up as a business and offer the service to people with coconut trees,” she says earnestly.
While Estella is keen on expanding her knowledge about traditional toddy tapping, the BA Agriculture graduate says it’s a myth that tapping toddy from a tree decreases its coconut yield. “On the contrary, tapping toddy gives the tree a boost to produce more coconuts after an initial slowdown,” she says.
Estella says she has always been outdoorsy, and nursed a special love for nature, that led her to pursue a degree in agriculture even though her parents were not so keen. “During my childhood, I would accompany my father’s sisters to our paddy fields, and assist them with every step in the process, from field work to boiling and processing the paddy. My parents wanted me to become a physiotherapist, but I envisioned a life close to the soil and nature,” she quips, adding that former agriculture officer, Goa’s plant man Miguel Braganza is her mentor and motivator to move forward.
“In my final year of college, during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, I took up a horticulture project and grew a variety of vegetables at home, and when they were ready to harvest, I did not want to sell my produce and forget about it. With the help of my friends Vandit and Priyanka Naik of RasRaj farms, who provided me with fantastic vermicompost and organic fertilisers, I started my agro-venture in Cuncolim to market my
produce,” she says.
Estella recently demonstrated her coconut tree climbing skills at the Ostoreanchem Fest in Navelim on Republic Day, and was surprised by the feedback she received from people of all ages.
“I was heartened by the response from both girls and boys, and I’m glad youngsters are showing interest in traditional Goan occupations, so we can preserve our natural wealth for posterity,” she says.
