Eloor, a suburb on the banks of the Periyar river in Kerala, has been facing the threat of flooding for a very long time.
Though there were several incidents of flooding in the past, the one that hit the region in 2018 was the most chaotic, recalls Purushan Eloor, an environmental activist and a construction contractor.

When the great flood of 2018 hit different parts of the Southern state, Eloor was one of those regions which were badly affected with most of the houses being submerged – leading to heavy damage and property loss.

“This actually led me to think of building a flood-resistant and sustainable house,” Purushan tells The Better India.

He grew up in Eloor and stayed for over two decades in his one-storey concrete house until it was submerged in the floods in 2018.

“We lost almost every material thing we had in our house. But what worried me the most was losing all the archives and documents I had collected in connection with the issue of Periyar river pollution,” says Purushan who has been at the forefront of protests against river pollution. “I didn’t want that to happen again,” he adds.

By holding onto the philosophy of building a flood-resistant and sustainable home by reducing the carbon footprint, Purushan built his unique abode by recycling his old concrete house and spending just Rs 36 Lakh.

Room for a river

Being in the construction field Purushan was always interested in environment-friendly methods and wanted to adopt the same for his house as well. “Besides, being an environmental and social activist I wanted to set a model and wanted to practice what I preached. That’s how our sustainable house was born,” he says, adding that the house was designed by Architect Ganga Dileep with whom he has worked on several projects.

“People often have a misconception that while adopting alternative construction methods, the desires of what you want from a home gets compromised. But this house proves it to be wrong. We could say the house is minimal but I feel it is luxurious as it aligns with the concept of being environmentally friendly. Therefore nothing has been compromised here,” says Ganga.

The highlight of the 3000 sq ft house is its unique design plan around the concept known as ‘Room for a river’.

“It is a Dutch-inspired design plan to protect buildings during floods. So, the ground floor of the house was left unbuilt with pillars raising the two storeys above,” she adds.

Purushan explains, “In 2018, when the flood hit my house, there was water upto 8.5 feet, therefore we decided to elevate our first floor to a height of 10 feet. So, if a flood hits, the water can easily flow through the space beneath hence the concept ‘Room for a river’.”

The story of junk wall

The column and beam structure on the ground floor upholds the first floor, which is built with debris from his old house. “The house I used to stay in the same location as my new house. I have rather an emotional connection to it, as it was where my parents lived and there were a lot of memories attached to it. I wanted to preserve that, so I decided to recycle and merge it to my new house,” he says, adding that the concrete debris, bricks, bathroom tiles and even closets from his old house were recycled to build the first floor.

“It is also a responsible step towards reducing the carbon footprint which is on a rise,” he adds.

Thus the walls of the first floor have been completely built using recycled debris, mixed with several natural materials like coconut fibre, straws, rice husk along with just 10 per cent of cement. “Hence, it is called the junk wall,” says Purushan who stays with his wife and children.

There are also pieces of wood that have been interspersed on the junk wall to show that anything can be included on the walls likewise. The junk wall has been given different finishes like rough, semi-rough, glossy and so on in different parts using sand.

The first floor is comprised of a visiting room, dining space, master bedroom and an open kitchen.

The visiting room is spacious and has furniture built using wood that is usually not used for making furniture, Purushan says, adding that his favourite spot in the house is the visiting area.

“When it comes to furniture there are certain woods that we conventionally use, but I sourced wood that is usually not used for building furniture from different mills and treated it to make it good enough to craft furniture out of it,” he explains adding that even the flooring of the first floor has been done using scrap wood pieces that gets wasted while building furniture, doors, windows, etc.

“We wanted to make sure that the concept of recycling has been followed throughout. So, we sourced these materials and made the maximum out of it,” he says.

When it comes to the second floor, the flooring has been done using a conventional red oxide mix and has been left unpolished.
“I was very particular about reducing the number of tiles being used in my house. So, we have just used it in the kitchen and bathrooms as these places are prone to moisture risk,” says Purushan.

Also, the ceiling of the living room has been done using bamboo mesh rather than using iron rods and the rest of the ceiling has been done using RCC (reinforced cement concrete).

Besides, the rails of the staircase leading to the second floor have also been done using bamboo and have been decorated using Rajasthani antique pieces.

The second floor includes two bedrooms with attached bathrooms and a hall with a library. The walls of the second floor have been made with reinforced bamboo bind with a mix of natural materials like clay, rice husk, coconut fibre, straw along with cement.

“We have two show walls on the second floor made using beer bottles and the staircase leading to the terrace has been decorated with warli designs, using the metal rods from the old house,” says Purushan adding that it leads to the open terrace where they are planning to set up solar panels.

Other than that, the house has two ‘air columns’ that help bring in good ventilation and reduce the heat inside the house. “The house stays very cool even in summers and we don’t use air conditioners. Also, we have built more open windows and jali work on walls so that natural light is available throughout the day,” he adds.

Talking about challenges, he says that “It was very difficult to find people who are skilled at working with bamboo. As I had some experience, I managed to guide the workers throughout,” he adds.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Kerala is known for its lush green cover of coconut trees, and it is said that each and every part of the fruit is used for some purpose or the other. Kottayi natives K Kunchankutty and C Lakshmi use coconut shells to carve beautiful artefacts and daily use items like tea cups, plates, and spoons.

Kunchankutty, who is 72 years old, hails from a farming family. Until 2004, he was engaged in the same occupation, until the field near his house was left barren as a result of a court dispute. So he set out in search of something else to do.

“During the same period my nephew, who is an art enthusiast, came to me asking if I could carve small monkey statues out of coconut shells. I am always interested in experimenting with things and took this up as a challenge. With help from my wife, I carved out a perfect monkey within days,” Kunchankutty tells The Better India.

After a few more experiments, the septuagenarian decided to turn this into something that could generate income.

His 62-year-old wife Lakshmi says, “I have been a part of Kudumbasree” — the poverty eradication and women empowerment programme implemented by the State Poverty Eradication Mission (SPEM) of the Kerala government – “since 2000. When they came to know that we were making artefacts from coconut shells, they offered us a loan of Rs 60,000 in order to purchase machinery and raw materials. They also helped us set up stalls as part of Saras Fair every month in different districts of Kerala.”

The fair gave the couple a steady income, as well as opportunities to visit and sell their handicrafts in places including Delhi, Kolkata, and Bengaluru through similar galas. “By the advent of the pandemic, which brought travel restrictions, especially to senior citizens, our sales went down. Now, they are slowly picking up,” adds Lakshmi.

From keychains to statues

Kunchankutty and Lakshmi make a variety of items like earrings, keychains, cutlery, flower vases, statues of animals, gods and anything customised. “Cutlery and fish statues are most loved by customers. We get plenty of orders for them. All orders are taken via Kudumbasree, which means we don’t have to pay extra for courier service. They collect orders and send us addresses. We carve the items, pack them, and send them via India Post,” explains Lakshmi.

The couple says that the entire process of making these items is both time as well as energy consuming. “After attending a fair in Thiruvananthapuram, we received an order for 15 fish statues. It took us several days and the customer enquired about the delay. When we explained the process, he visited us personally and suggested we purchase new machinery for smoothening the process. After installing it, our work became much easier,” says the artisan.

The duo collects coconut shells from either wholesale coconut merchants or directly from nearby fields. Kunchankutty makes it clear that the quality of raw material makes the item long lasting and perfect. Dried coconut shells cannot be used for the process as they break soon.

“Spoons and spatulas especially cannot be made with dry shells. Moreover, the ideal shape is necessary when making tea cups and bowls. Thus, we end up hand picking them. Even then, during a purchase of 100 kg, only 70 kg can be used. In the peak months, we have turned up to 200 kg of shells into handicrafts. The price ranges from Rs 50 to Rs 1,000, depending on the product and size,” shares Lakshmi.

The couple has never been able to sell their products outside Kerala, except in fairs, as this requires more focus on packaging. But they guarantee that within a few months, the issue will be sorted and orders will be taken up. “New packaging boxes and materials are ordered. We will be able to courier all over India soon,” assures Lakshmi.

While orders are on hold temporarily, they will resume in a few weeks. To place orders after two weeks, contact 9947646884.

Edited by Divya Sethu

While growing up in Kolkata, Roopa Jos would visit her hometown in Kerala with her parents only during vacations. During those visits, she recalls that her father, who was a farming enthusiast, would collect vegetable seeds and saplings to take back home.

After marriage, when Roopa moved to Kerala, she decided to try her hands at farming. But this was more out of concern, she says.

“When I moved to Kerala, I expected that we would be able to eat fresh and clean vegetables. But within a few years, I realised that this wasn’t the case, as most of the vegetables available in the market were high on pesticides,” Roopa tells The Better India.

She started by setting up a small vegetable garden on her terrace. “When I started eating homegrown vegetables, I realised the huge difference in taste, freshness, and even health. Even the chillies I grew were tastier than those from the market,” she says, adding that this was the beginning of her agricultural journey.

Currently, Roopa has a full-fledged organic garden with fruits and vegetables on her 700 sq ft terrace and has not spared any spaces around her house, set on six cents of land. She has also set up a hydroponics unit on her terrace to grow fresh and exotic leafy vegetables. “Now we are self-sufficient, as we don’t buy any vegetables from the market,” she says.

Growing greens the hydroponic way

In 2014, when Roopa started her terrace farming venture, she never thought that it would turn out to be a serious passion. “Once I stepped into farming, I realised that it’s possible to grow any vegetables successfully if we take good care of them,” says Roopa, who is also a Kathak dancer and currently runs an art school at home.

She says she maintains her vegetable garden by using natural and organic manure.

Her garden now nurtures different varieties of vegetables, ranging from locally available ones like ladies finger, brinjal, tomatoes, cow pea, cucumber, etc, to exotic vegetables like kale, broccoli, bok choy, and so on.

“We love having leafy green vegetables at home, especially my husband and daughters, who prefer to have them as salads and snacks,” she says.

“I started with different varieties of spinach and realised that it wasn’t growing well due to the frequent rains and pest attacks. So, I looked for alternate ways. While searching on the internet, I discovered hydroponics, and learnt that it could be a better way to grow greens efficiently,” explains Roopa, adding that after learning about hydroponics, she bought a unit from ‘Plant Me’, an Aluva-based company specialising in hydroponics systems.

There are different types of hydroponics systems that can be installed according to one’s requirements and availability of space, she says. “We wanted a small system to be installed on our terrace to grow our greens without being affected by the rains. Thus after considering our requirements, we decided to go for a small unit that can be set up on the corner of the terrace. The unit is in the shape of an inverted V and has a UV shelter,” she elaborates.

The hydroponics unit Roopa installed has provision to plant 48 plants and cost her Rs 23,000. “It is like a stand where we can grow 24 plants on each side. The unit comes with a reservoir where the water is filled, and there is a submersive pump set through which the water is circulated everywhere,” says Roopa, who has been using the system for the past one year.

Apart from the cost of the unit, there are not many expenses except for the nutrient solution, which should be mixed in water from time to time after measuring the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids). “TDS is the measurement of how much nutrients and other concentrates are present in the water. There is a tool that comes along with the unit that can be used to measure it. The nutrient solution costs around Rs 500 and is easily available online,” she adds.

Roopa also grows Chinese cabbage, coriander, celery, parsley, palak, Italian basil, and more using hydroponics. “The greens are extra fresh and free of any kind of pests. We find them tastier than the ones grown on soil. But the best part about hydroponics is that we get a faster yield — within two to three weeks,” she says.

According to Roopa, while hydroponics is a soil-less mode of farming, it is important to keep a check on the unit at least once or twice a day. “We need to make sure that the pump is working without any fail, as continuous circulation of water is required for the plants. Also, make sure that there’s always enough water in the tank for circulation, as it might evaporate easily during summers. It is also essential to trim the roots of the veggies regularly, according to their growth, to avoid blockage leading to leakage,” she says.

Other than growing vegetables on her terrace, she also has an elaborate vegetable garden with a rain shelter on six cents of land opposite her house. “We take whatever is required for us and sell the rest of the yield to our friends and neighbours,” she says.

(Edited by Divya Sethu)

Tucked in the natural beauty of Wayanad, Kerala, surrounded by lush greenery, pristine valleys and tea plantations is the Annapara homestay, where one could experience wilderness at its best.

Nestled on a hillock, this sustainable homestay run by Zafar Salim and his wife, Reshma Zafar, is unique for many reasons. Easily a two hours drive from Calicut, the homestay located in Vythiri caters the best to those looking for a hideaway from the hustle and bustle of urban life.

It all began almost 17 years ago when the couple decided to transform a 71-year-old building on their plantation into a sustainable homestay.

The building, set among arrays of tea and coffee plantations, used to be labour quarters in the 1950s.

Thus the couple, who currently reside in Madurai, restored the vintage structure, carefully by preserving its rustic charm and the rooms have been accommodating guests from different parts of the world for the past two decades.

From labour quarters to sustainable homestay

In 2005, when Zafar decided to transform the old dwellings of plantation workers into a sustainable homestay, Reshma says that she was rather sceptical about it. “I wasn’t very sure about the concept at that point but Zafar had a clear-cut idea of what he wanted it to be. He wanted to preserve the building as well as to make his guests feel at home. Therefore he made it as sustainable as possible by retaining the beauty of the property without altering it much,” Reshma tells The Better India.

Zafar’s family, who have been planters for generations, has been cultivating cardamom, tea and coffee in Wayanad. It was his father who bought the plantation land that houses the homestay in the ’70s.

“My father bought the land from a company and we used to grow tea, coffee and cardamom on the same land. Later it was passed on to me. As I am not a full-time planter, I decided to run a homestay by restoring the building and by retaining the natural terrain and vegetation of the land,” says Zafar, who is also a businessman.

He adds, “It was in fact an experiment. I wanted my guests to be comfortable and entertained. Luckily, we were able to achieve both in a minimalistic and sustainable way.”

“We didn’t have a designer or an architect who guided us while setting up the homestay. It was Zafar who designed everything. Even the furniture was designed by him,” says Reshma who also runs an art gallery in Madurai.

Built in 1951, each room of the quarters was home to a family of plantation workers.

“There are in total six such rooms, each with an area of about 350 sqft. We transformed five of them for accommodating guests and one room for utility. Their walls are built of stones and had roofing with traditional tiles,” he says, adding that they made minimal changes and construction work for reviving the building.

“We had to construct washrooms for each room as it used to be just a single washroom built a bit far from the building. Other than that, we painted the stone walls and provided a better flooring using earthen tiles which keeps the rooms cool,” he explains.
The couple later built two family suites on a small cliff within the property, with an aerial view of a coffee plantation and forest-covered hills. The spacious family suites with an area of around 600 sqft, were built sustainably. The exposed brick walls, stone pillars and tile roofing that provides ample sunlight make it unique.

They have also made sure the terrain is intact and kept the natural vegetation around the homestay as it is. “We don’t have landscaped gardens or lawns as it would destroy the vegetation. So, we have kept the property as it is without altering it much so that our guests get a feeling of staying in a jungle,” she adds.

She says that it is quite common to spot deer and elephants near Annapara.

Living outside the grid

The Annapara homestay is rather a perfect retreat for those seeking a digital detox as it has been running without being connected to the electric grid. There is no WiFi, TV or even a proper cell phone network to disturb one’s peace.

“We never took an electricity connection as we wanted to provide a minimalistic experience. All our rooms have been built in such a way that there’s ample light throughout the day. Also, the climate is mostly cool so we don’t have air conditioners either. But, when it gets dark we use a domestic generator for lighting. Besides, we provide hot water 24×7 using waste wood boiler pipes,” elaborates Reshma.

The kitchen serves traditional and homely Kerala cuisine cooked using locally sourced fresh ingredients. “As there’s no electricity we don’t have a refrigerator or a mixer grinder. So, whether it is vegetables or fish, we buy them fresh from the local market daily and there won’t be any leftovers,” she says, adding that the condiments are ground with stone the old-fashioned way. “It helps in retaining the natural flavours and nutrients. Our guests have always loved the healthy and wholesome meals we serve,” she adds with a smile.

Natural infinity pool

Another beautiful and sustainable feature of the homestay is its natural infinity swimming pool. The mineral-rich water from a nearby mountain spring flows through the pool. Therefore the water is always fresh. “We do not add any chemicals like chlorine to keep it fresh. Instead, we have been breeding around 15 to 20 fishes that eat the algae in the pool,” says Zafar, adding that they didn’t disturb the terrain much and built the pool on a split level of the land.

Besides, the homestay has a badminton court and amphitheatre. There’s also a hanging machan overlooking the valley plus several swings and hammocks scattered across the property.

The homestay also provides several activities for its guests like walks on picturesque trails through the tea and coffee plantations accompanied by a naturalist, who would guide them in identifying birds, animals and insects by sight and sound.

“There’s also yoga and meditation. We also offer a mud bath — a form of therapy to draw out impurities from the skin which would make one feel refreshed and rejuvenated. Moreover, during the evenings, there is a bonfire and music to entertain our guests,” elaborates Zafar, adding that the homestay is also pet-friendly.

Vidya Narayanan from Bengaluru, who has been a regular guest at the homestay for the past 10 years, says “We chanced upon Annapara homestay in 2012, while we were searching for a pet-friendly homestay in Wayanad. We were a group of three-four families. The first visit itself impressed us so much that we have been visiting the place almost every year. We missed it last year only because of the pandemic restrictions.”

“I have taken several of my family and friends to the property over the years and they all loved it. Their place is beautiful and the food they serve is delicious and healthy. The best part is that they don’t have electricity. So, it has always been a good break. Though there are things to do around we don’t go for anything outside as we loved spending more time at the property,” she concludes.

To contact Annapara Homestay for booking a stay, click here.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

In the devastating floods of 2018 in Kerala, over 400 people lost their lives, and thousands of houses were severely damaged across the state. The calamity led to several hot discussions on bringing in technologies or designs that could withstand floods and other natural calamities.

It was around the same time that Nanma Gireesh from Thiruvananthapuram was working on her Master’s thesis on ‘amphibious houses’. The flood and the post-flood discussions on flood resistance motivated Nanma and her friend and classmate Ben K George to come up with an initiative to solve the most-discussed conundrum.

Thus in 2018, the two friends launched their startup, NestAbide, focusing on flood-resistant technologies and amphibious construction.

Their startup is an interdisciplinary firm working on technologies that are used before, during and post-flood scenarios. Also, it is the only firm in India primarily focusing on amphibious housing, resilient and adaptation technologies for people.

Later in September 2021, they built, Amphi Nest, India’s first working prototype of amphibious building technology with a concrete buoyant foundation.

What is amphibious living?

Nanma, who was working on her thesis even before the floods, received wide appreciation when she presented her thesis in 2018, post-floods.

“The floods made people look for construction technologies that can combat such natural calamities and it was a hot discussion at that point. It was the reason why I received so much appreciation while presenting my thesis,” Nanma tells The Better India.
“Bringing in technologies like amphibious housing is so relevant in states like Kerala where natural calamities like floods are now a yearly phenomenon,” she adds.

Nanma and Ben met during their post-graduation in translational engineering from Barton Hill Government Engineering College, Thiruvananthapuram. “We both were classmates and shared the same vision of working for a cause together. That’s how we teamed up,” says the 28-year-old.

“It was rather a mission to promote amphibious living by adapting to live with the water instead of fighting against it,” says Ben.
The startup was launched in October 2018, unofficially without any income or capital funding. They hired a small team and continued their research on amphibious houses.

“After post-graduation, we both worked in our college and balanced it with the research simultaneously. We used our salaries to pay our two team members who were hired for our research. It went on for over a year until we left our jobs in 2019. Soon after, in October 2019, we officially registered our startup,” he says, adding that they continued their research work.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, the startup was converted full-time. “We started doing projects on flood modelling of rivers to identify when the flood extends when dams open or river floods. This was done in partnership with a private company for Kerala Water Authority,” says Nanma.

They also worked on an international project — the Amphibious and Floating building research project that was funded by the Government of Canada through the National Research Council of Canada and in association with the University of Waterloo, Ontario. “We were lucky to have been part of the project where we go to work under the leadership of Dr Elizabeth C English, Associate Professor, University of Waterloo and Head of Buoyant Foundation Project,” she says with a smile.

“Simultaneously we were moving forward with our startup’s research,” adds Nanma.

Later in 2021, the startup built a working prototype of an amphibious building at Kuravilangad in the Kottayam district of Kerala. “Amphi Nest was an effort to show to the masses how the amphibious building stays on land like any conventional home and only floats when the floodwaters arrive. It was inaugurated by Shri P Prasad, Kerala’s Minister for Agriculture,” says Ben.

“We used our funds to build it. The prototype pavilion of 200 sq ft including the space inside the concrete hollow box costs around Rs 3 lakh,” says Nanma adding that the prototype was featured on BBC’s World Podcast, ‘The Climate Question’.

A future-proof technology

While pursuing her post-graduation, Nanma got an opportunity to do an internship at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands.

“That’s when I first got to see the working of amphibious buildings at Maasbommel in the Netherlands. There were around 32 houses that look like ordinary houses that rest on the ground. But when the floodwaters hit, the buoyant foundation of the house lifts it,” recalls Nanma.

Amphibious houses are made of strong concrete yet lightweight buoyant foundations that are capable of temporarily floating during floods. These rise up through guidance posts or pillar components which help them to stay in the same position without letting the house float away. Later when the water recedes the building will return to the ground.

“This technology is better than statically elevated buildings in flood-prone areas. The buoyant foundation of the building allows the house to float. They are made as either a concrete hollow box or as a combination of concrete with EPS (Expandable PolyStyrene) blocks,” she says, adding that the method is decided based on site conditions.

Though the technology is not as common as floating houses, there are several amphibious houses in countries like the Netherlands and UK. “These models of houses, that can be built up to three stories, are affordable when compared to normal concrete houses. Unlike the conventional way, there is less usage of cement as we use prefabricated panels to build the house,” she elaborates.

“For an amphibious house of 600 sqft made of panels and prefabricated structure and an extra 600 sq ft inside the concrete, hollow box foundation will cost around Rs 15 lakh. But the cost may vary from Rs 1,500/sqft to Rs 2,700/sqft, depending on the site conditions and the client’s specific needs,” she explains.

Hari Mohan from Kottayam, a journalist and a client of NestAbide says, “I have been planning to build a new house near the banks of Meenachil river, which is naturally a flood-prone area. When it floods in the area, the water could even rise to a height of 6 ft. So, when I decided to build a new house, I had to look for a solution. That’s when I heard about NestAbide and their amphibious housing initiatives.”

“After discussing it with Nanma and Ben, I decided to build an amphibious house which aligns with my requirements and is more affordable than a conventional house. It will be two-storeyed with one floor below the ground inside the pillars which would rise when there is a flooding situation. The planning is all done and we are waiting to start the construction by September after the rains,” he elaborates.

Other than amphibious housing, NestAbide is also an architectural and structural design consultancy firm with interdisciplinary engineers, architects, science graduates, etc. With 10 full-time employees and 33 on-call consultants the firm also focuses on other flood-resilient technologies.

Nanma and Ben, are currently pursuing their PhD at the Delft University of Technology under the supervision of prof Dr Chris Zevenbergen at TU Delft and UNESCO IHE, Delft. Recently, they were featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia List 2022 for their initiative.

“Currently, we are working on an amphibious housing project for people living in flood-prone areas of Kuttanad and Munroe Island, funded by KDISC (Kerala Development Innovation and Strategic Council),” says Ben.

“The homes are either fully or partially funded by the Government through KDISC, for selected beneficiaries from both regions, for which the applications are open now. The team is guided by our mentors and an expert committee formed under KDISC including renowned architects, marine engineers, government engineers and structural engineers,” he concludes.

For more information and enquiries, you can visit their website.

Source:

Kerala floods: At least 26 killed as rescuers step up efforts, published by BBC on 18 October 2021.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

“Retirement is not the end of life. In fact, it is a chance to open doors to the things we love,” says Kozhikode native K T Francis, who retired as a physical education teacher in 2015 to start his journey as a successful farmer.

The 63-year-old, who hails from a farming family, always had a fascination for agriculture. Over 120 years ago, Francis’ grandfather reached Maruthomkara from the outskirts of Idukki and bought five acres of land to start farming. After his death, Francis’ father took over the activities.

Despite having a full time job, Francis found time to engage in farming. “Agriculture has never been my hobby. It’s more like a habit I can’t let go of. From the day I can remember, I was with my father and other workers on the farm, helping them and enjoying the harvest,” Francis recalls.

After getting a job, it became hard for him to manage the land. He gave it on lease, but unscientific farming of rubber and fall in crop value resulted in huge loss. He had to sell two acres of the property to pay off the debts.

But this incident was a turning point in his life. — he thought of ways to improve farming on the available land, rather than being disappointed about the loss. Soon, he took up mixed farming, by which he made use of all remaining three acres.

“The first task I completed soon after retirement was cutting off the rubber trees, which were under loss. We already had a few kuttiadi coconut trees that are 120 years old and known for producing healthy tender coconuts. I planted more of those, along with arecanut, pepper, turmeric, ginger, tapioca, yam, and many other vegetables. This mixed farming technique gave great results and I began earning lakhs from it.”

The 250 coconut palms on his land give at least 200 seeds per year, he says. Apart from selling them directly, Francis converts them into oil and cake (food for cattle). Francis also supplies coconut seed nuts for seedling production and produces WCT coconut seedlings. He also provides arecanut seedlings to Krishi Bhavan and other farmers.

Witnessing his successful farming, employees of Krishi Bhavan encouraged him to start a garden nursery to sell Kuttiadi coconut tree saplings. Today, Kaithakulath Coconut Nursery exclusively sells this variety, which, according to Francis, is apt for Kerala’s weather condition. He says that Kaithakulath is the only government accredited nursery in Kerala which sells just this coconut variety.

The farmer says that during coconut farming, it is important to make a two-metre deep hole and construct a proper bed under the sapling. Francis fills the bed with farm waste like dry leaves, branches, and coconut husk, which he says contribute to the healthy growth of the plant and help it retain moisture.

Arecanut and pepper are the other two major crops on Francis’ farm. He explains that after two and a half years of planting arecanut seedlings, he plants pepper beneath it, which grows fast under the areca’s shade. As pepper is one of the most expensive spices, Francis earns a lot of income from it, he says.

“As pepper is grown within the arecanut trees, one round of fertilising is enough for both. Thus, it saves money, space and effort. Mangala, mangala interse cross, mohitnagar and south kanara are the varieties of arecanut I grow. There are a total of 1,000 black pepper vines on the farm including sreekara, subhakara, IISR thevam, panchami, pournami and panniyur 6. Bush pepper plants are also planted,” explains the farmer, who harvested eight quintals of pepper last year.

Robusta, honey and more

“Robusta is the star among all types of banana,” says Francis, who grows the variety extensively. “While the normal variety is sold for Rs 300 per stem, robusta gets around Rs 1,100. This way, I earn at least Rs 80,000 a year.”

Francis has also installed bee hives on his farm to protect the coconut trees and harvest honey. He bottles it and sells it to his neighbours and friends in the locality. In fact, his house is also a farm fresh store with coconut oil, fertilisers, honey, organic vegetables, and fruits.

In addition to all these, his land is also home to three cows, goats, ducks, fishes, turkey and qualis. Some of their cages are placed on the terrace of his house . This way, not even a small space is left vacant. The meat, milk, and eggs of some of these animals are also sold.

The highlight of Francis’ farm is the use of organic fertilisers. “To 100 litres of water, I add 10 kg of cow dung, and 1 kg each of groundnut cake fertiliser, jaggery and green gram to make a homemade mixture that speeds up the growth of plants. The excreta of animals is also used. I have made rainwater pits all over the farm to make sure that there is no scarcity for water even during extreme summer,” he adds.

The farmer shares that he gets an income of more than Rs 35 lakh per year and incurs Rs 5-8 lakhs expense. “Coconut seedling is the most profitable business right now,” says the agripreneur.

He was honoured with the Kera Kesari Award in 2018 for his farming techniques, and says he has also won 13 other national, state and district level awards. He also has a YouTube channel to share farming tips and information. Sanu Francis, his son, says, “I am in awe of my father’s work and would like to get into farming within 10 years. Now my only job is to watch his methods and provide tech support. I am glad that he inspires many youngsters like me.”

Interested in buying Kuttiadi coconut seedlings? Contact 9947142849.

Edited by Divya Sethu

A passion for farming and the wish to pursue something he loved inspired Pathanamthitta resident P A Sanjay Kumar to leave his high-paying job and take up agri-entrepreneurship.

In 2014, he started his dairy farm with around 10 cows. He also explored the possibility of using cow urine and dung as organic manure like jeevamrut (organic fertiliser from cow urine and dung) and selling it in biodegradable plastic pouches. This unique venture turned out to be a huge success.

Sanjay’s next aim was to come up with an innovation for farming enthusiasts with limited time and space. He launched his enterprise Green Kairaly in 2016 and came up with the idea of a portable stand for plants, with a self-watering facility that would not consume too much space.

“I believe that there is a farmer in everyone. People who are passionate about farming, especially those living in urban areas, often don’t have enough space or time to venture into it,” Sanjay opines in conversation with The Better India.

Sanjay’s current models have five variations. These setups are all portable and detachable, and come with a built-in drip irrigation system, with an optional rain shelter and a WiFi timer.

‘Moving ahead with the times’

“While different fields are being modernised, innovation happens at a very slow pace in the agricultural sector. People always say we should go back to traditional methods since they are more effective. But I think instead, we should move ahead with the times, by coming up with such practical solutions,” says the 46-year-old.

Sanjay’s second iteration of the model, which he developed in 2020, was an improvement from the first device — this version was portable, detachable, and could hold up to 40 grow bags within a space of 30 sq-ft.

“The first model had several shortcomings. Though it was small and portable, it wasn’t detachable or easy to carry around. and had a capacity of just 10 grow bags. So, an upgraded model was inevitable,” says the automobile engineer, adding that the second model was in a pyramid shape with a rain shelter, and had a special setup for fertilisation.

The fertilisation setup is nothing but a small storage tank attached to the stand, where one can keep organic manures like cow dung or urine mix. “There is a hose that extends from the tank that can be used to spray fertilisers on the plants without the usual hassle,” he elaborates.

In 2021, he launched his third model by linking it to a mobile app that helps one operate the drip irrigation system even when they are not at home. “People often worry about watering their plants while they are out of station. So this model is a leap towards solving that issue,” says Sanjay.

For this system to work, one requires power and a WiFi connection. “A WiFi timer device is attached to the drip irrigation system. After pairing it, it can be linked to a mobile app. Through the app, we can set the exact time we want to switch on the irrigation system and when to stop. This can be operated through the mobile phone, no matter where the person is,” he explains.

Sanjay has also launched different versions of his portable stands for people who wish to grow plants on terraces and balconies. These stands have a capacity of up to 80 and 60 grow bags respectively.

He also launched a portable stand setup that can be mounted on compound walls to grow plants in just 28 sq-ft. This turned out to be one of the best models among his products, he says.

“This vertical stand can be easily attached to the compound walls without drilling or nailing. It doesn’t even create a load on the wall. These stands also come with a fertiliser tank and drip irrigation system that can be connected to the WiFi timer if required,” Sanjay explains, adding that each of these stands can hold 24 grow bags.

“The same compound wall stand can even be used normally if you detach it from the wall,” he says.

Kurien Jacob, a farmer from Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta, had purchased the wall garden model for setting up his vegetable garden, he says, “I bought one first to test the waters and it turned out to be a success. Within a small space, I was able to keep around 22 grow bags. The drip irrigation method with the WiFi timer is very convenient, especially when you are not at home.”

“Later, I bought two more stands and filled them with more grow bags. Currently, I grow different types of chillies, brinjal, ponnanganni cheera (a type of spinach) and bush pepper plants,” says the 56-year-old, who left his job in a Gulf country to take up agriculture.

Sanjay says that the wall garden model and the balcony model, with a capacity of up to 13 grow bags (available on Amazon), can be sent to customers anywhere, as they are detachable and can be easily assembled. “The others are bigger versions. While they are detachable, it won’t be easy for the customer to assemble them on their own. So, we have to send someone to help them with the assembling,” he elaborates, adding that rain shelter is optional.

Sanjay says that he has invested Rs 40 lakh so far, along with his friend and partner Tony Thomas.

These intelligent and portable garden stands are patented, he says, adding that currently, they have over 200 customers across the country. All their products are priced between Rs 5,000 to Rs 35,000.

“We are now looking forward to finding channel partners and distributors, who can help us in reaching these products to more people,” he says.

For more information and enquiries, you can visit their website.

(Edited by Divya Sethu)

Manoj Mathew, who runs an offset printing press and publishing unit in Kottayam district of Kerala, spent over a decade moving from one rented house to another.

But last year, he was finally able to fulfil his dream of building his house.

More than building just a house, he wished for a unique abode that was traditional, close to nature and cost-efficient.

“I had stayed in almost three rental accommodations, before moving into my own house. So, I was clear about what I wanted and what I didn’t. While looking for ideas online, I stumbled upon the Laurie Baker model of houses that are eco-friendly and cost-efficient without compromising any comforts. I also came to know about COSTFORD, an organisation co-founded by him, who have been constructing such houses,” Manoj tells The Better India.

The project was then taken over by engineer Biju P John and architect Renju from COSTFORD Kottayam who designed the house by incorporating all his demands. Started in 2020, it took them around a year to finish the construction of the house, as the pandemic restrictions and lockdowns stalled the work several times.

Today, this eco-friendly house at Kottackupuram, Kanakkary village, built in an area of 2570 sqft, is unique in all senses.

According to architect Renju, “We utilised locally-sourced materials for most of the construction, adopted eco-friendly construction methods and lowered the cost of construction.”

Redefining old ways

The most interesting part about the house is the usage of recycled or second-hand materials for construction. The wood, that has been used extensively in the construction of the house, was taken from an old demolished house from Poonjar in Kottayam.

“Since I wanted a traditional house, there was a requirement for a lot of wood which goes into everything like windows, doors, ceilings and even floors. As we aimed at eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness, we decided to source wood from old buildings which can be recycled and used efficiently,” says Manoj, adding that, more than 80 per cent of the wood used in the house was recycled wood from the demolished house which was over 100-years-old.

The wood has been used mainly to build ceilings and floors in certain parts of the house to evoke a traditional touch. Besides, the same wood has been utilised in most of the places except for a few like window frames, doors, etc where they used acacia wood, which is extremely durable.

“I had to spend around Rs 1.75 lakh to buy the old house, demolish it and transport it to the site. It is a bit laborious and the materials need some maintenance but are still more cost-efficient than buying new wood. The old wood was later treated with cashew oil (wood preservative) and with a top coat to seal in the preserver,” he says, adding that it was a team effort that helped him in procuring the wood and recycling it. “Our carpenter Praveen and lead mason Vijaykumar had immensely contributed to these efforts,” he adds.

Apart from wood, they have also used Mangalore tiles from the old house for roofing. “We just had to clean it up a bit. Then we used it as it is without even painting it, to maintain an earthy charm,” he says with a smile.

The flooring of the house is mainly using vitrified tiles and granite except for a few places with wooden flooring using recycled wood.

Reflecting tradition & sustainability

Other than wood and tiles, almost all the construction materials were locally sourced. “The walls are completely built using burnt bricks and laterite bricks. Other than that, sustainable construction methods like the rat-trap bond were used for building the walls,” says Engineer Biju P John. He further explains that it is a masonry method where the bricks are placed in a vertical position, which creates a cavity in the wall, thereby reducing the number of bricks and mortar used during construction.

Another cost-effective method used was the filler slab technique, where they use terracotta or clay materials in between the concrete, thereby reducing the load on the roof, reducing the concrete volume and providing better thermal insulation.

“We have used different materials made of clay-like tiles, bowls, etc as the filler slab. This roof construction technique is also very helpful in balancing the temperature inside the house,” says architect Renju.

Most of the walls in the house are exposed without plastering except for a few places. “Usually the plastering cost comes to almost 10 per cent of the total building cost of a house. In this case, since we went for exposed walls, we were able to reduce the usage of cement to an extent, thereby cutting the cost as well,” he explains.

The two-storeyed house has four bedrooms with attached bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining space, two living spaces on each floor, a courtyard and a beautiful attic space.

“I was particular about adding an attic space in my house as I wanted a traditional touch. Also, I decided to set a living space on the first floor as well rather than converting it into a balcony space,” says Manoj.

A house that stays cool

Talking about the difference he feels while living in his new house, he says, “I feel I am much more connected with nature than when I was living in a conventional house. The courtyard and the indoor green spaces bring in natural light throughout the day and provide good ventilation.”

Manoj, who used to have an air conditioner in the house he lived in before has not installed it in his new house. “I have not felt the need to use an AC here as the house stays cooler almost all the time. We only use fans, but that too is minimal,” he says, adding that it’s nothing but the air cavities of rat trap bonds and filler slabs that reduce the heat gain of the building.

According to Manoj, his favourite part of the house is the centrally placed courtyard around which the living, dining, kitchen, etc have been designed. “I feel the courtyard helps in connecting. We can easily communicate while sitting at the courtyard if someone is in the kitchen or at the dining space,” explains Manoj who stays with his wife, two children and parents.

Other than all the sustainable features in construction, the house also features a biogas plant instead of a septic tank, which decomposes the waste and produces methane gas that can be used in the kitchen. “The biogas setup produces enough methane to generate good flames for at least two hours a day,” he says, adding that it helped him in reducing LPG usage to a great extent.

The total cost including the designing of the home, raw materials, construction and interiors of the house was around Rs 50 lakh, which according to engineer Biju is much cheaper as a conventional house of this style would cost around a crore.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

Ten years ago, Jumaila Banu never thought she would be able to lead a normal life and support her family. The then-29-year-old was paralysed after an accident, which resulted in spending seven long years in a hospital bed.

However, the electronic engineering diploma graduate was not ready to give up on her dreams. With medical support and her exceptional determination, Jumaila stood on her feet. But the family had already lost their house and land paying for her treatment. They moved to a rented house and started their lives all over again.

“Even though it was a tough period for us, we ended up beginning from scratch with greater strength,” says Jumaila, 39, who is now a mother of two and an agripreneur owning more than 20 acres of land where she grows turmeric and arrowroot.

Before the accident, she was a homemaker but always wanted to help her husband in bettering their livelihood. “During my days in the hospital, instead of being disappointed, I was formulating plans to start a farming business. We had no land, but I was sure about making this happen. Soon after I left the hospital, we leased a five-acre land in Kozhikode and started arrowroot farming,” she says.

Contrary to her expectation, the farming business was a failure and the couple even incurred losses. Most of the arrowroot seeds didn’t even sprout because of incorrect planting methods.

She was disheartened but not ready to give up. With the support of her family, she leased another five acres of land in Wandoor, Malappuram. This time, she was extra careful in planting the seeds. Additionally, advice from senior farmers helped her in the process and ended up growing up to five tonnes of arrowroot in one acre of land.

Organic growth

In her ancestral house in Kozhikode, Jumaila has seen her elders preparing arrowroot powder once a year. She used to take part in its harvesting, processing and even cooking and loved the whole drill. “This was one reason why I opted for arrowroot. And of course, because it is an expensive product in the market with a price point of at least Rs 1,000 per kilogram.”

Moreover, a friend, who wishes to stay anonymous, helped her process and export the arrowroot powder. She sold the produce to him right after the harvest and today, the fine powder is exported to Germany, Australia and the US.

About the organic farming methods, she explains, “Similar to arrowroot, turmeric is also cleaned, dried and sent to the third party (her friend) for further processing.”

But the land where she conducts farming today was left barren for more than 20 years. It was after years of trial and error that she achieved success. “I made shallow holes initially to plant arrowroot. However, the crop grows up to a foot underground, which makes it difficult to harvest during summer. So, we dug deeper, which made the entire process much easier,” she says, adding that she currently grows arrowroot on six acres.

Jumaila also uses hen excreta and cow dung as manure for the crop and stays away from pesticides. She says she employs labourers to remove the weeds and pests manually.

In the case of turmeric, she moved away from the traditional method of making boundaries to plough the field completely. Now, a distance of 1.5 feet is maintained between each seed. This process, she claims, is faster and easier but gives the same result as conventional farming.

Later, a boiler with a capacity of 1,500 litres is used to boil the harvested turmeric before it is dried. Water is heated at 110 degrees celsius in the boiler and the hot vapour is transferred to the trolley full of turmeric that gets boiled within minutes. It is then transferred to solar tarpaulin sheets, which “absorb heat better than normal sheets and the crops get dried within half of the actual time required”.

Her organic ways did her a world of good, as she says, “Within five years, we bought land, built a house and sent our kids abroad for education, all because of the farming business. We came in contact with many other companies and heeded the demand for starting turmeric farming on 16 acres of land.”

More than just organic farming

Other than just farming, the agripreneur also employs more than 50 women in her neighbourhood. “I had decided that when I reach a good position, I would support fellow women who are also struggling with their livelihood just like I was a few years back. Turmeric and arrowroot powder has to be cleaned well before exporting it. So, I supply sacks of the produce to the neighbourhood women who clean it for Rs 100 per sack. This way, they get a steady income for at least 100 days a year,” she asserts.

Subaida, one of the women who work with Jumaila, says, “During the lockdown, this was the only work I got as everything came to a halt. Most of the women in our locality go for thozhilurappu (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005), which guarantees 100 days of work a year. The work at Jumaila’s farm is similar to it. The best part is — we don’t even have to get out of our homes. The work and wage come here.”

On the business front, Jumaila is planning to take her produce to Bahrain. She says, “There are zero compromises in quality when it comes to exporting the product. We make sure that we use organic farming practices to grow the crops. Even otherwise, we would not think of using chemical fertilisers because why waste money and risk falling ill when you can produce the crops organically?”

Edited by Yoshita Rao

Building a home requires a lot of time and effort. For Mobish Thomas, a government employee and social worker from Wayanad, things were no different. He recalls that finding enough time amid busy office hours and social work was a major challenge. This prompted him to adopt an alternate and affordable technology to build his house without the usual hassle and the time-consuming construction process.

“The monitoring of the construction process was a major hurdle for me. At the time, we were staying in our ancestral home, which needed renovation before the monsoon. Since we had decided to build a new home, it was rather necessary for us to have it ready in a short span of time, so we could move immediately before the rains began,” Mobish tells The Better India.

He decided to choose the Light Gauge Steel Frame Structure or LGSF — a technology that uses cold-formed steel as construction materials. This, he says, helped him build his two-storey house in just three months, for which he spent Rs 34 lakh.

The 1,440 sqft house, built on five cents of land at Sultan Bathery in Wayanad, stands tall as a model house for those looking for a cost and time-efficient construction method.

“It is also an eco-friendly and sustainable technology as it uses steel, which can be recycled in the future. The construction doesn’t create any concrete debris that pollutes the environment,” he adds.

LGSF: Unconventional yet efficient

While conducting research, Mobish found a few firms that specialise in LGSF in Kerala. After contacting them and visiting some of their projects, he decided to work with the ODF Group, based out of Kozhikode, which has been working in this field since 2015.

LGSF, which is not so commonly used in residential buildings, was primarily utilised in constructing commercial ones, says Majid T K, an engineer by profession and founder of the ODF Group.

“To build a conventional concrete house of this size, it usually takes around 10 to 12 months. Whereas, using the LGSF technology, one can finish the job in just three months, under the estimated budget, and with minimum labour,” says Majid, highlighting the fact that Mobish had to employ just two or three labourers for construction.

“Usually, owing to the delay and prolonged process, expenses often cross the estimated budget while building a concrete house. But here, we could stick to the budget till the end,” Mobish notes.

There are several advantages of choosing LGSF over conventional methods, he says. “Instead of using brick and mortar, we use steel and cement fibre boards or panels for the construction. First, we build a steel frame over the foundation, to which we fix the fibre cement boards to build the walls,” he explains, adding that the entire house was built using these boards, which are strong and long-lasting, thereby reducing the usage of cement and other construction materials.

Moreover, unlike conventional structures, these buildings can be easily dismantled without creating any debris, says Mobish. “Also, it is easy to make alterations to the interiors as there is no concrete involved, except for the foundation. The structure is flexible and can easily be restructured in a different location,” he explains.

Majid says, “Steel has a good resale and scrap value. So, even if one plans to dismantle it, they can do it without much labour cost and sell it for good money, which isn’t possible when it comes to a concrete house.”

He adds that when it comes to building houses, safety is a major concern for many being introduced to this technology for the first time. “But these steel structures have high resistance to seismic force (earthquakes) and the boards are fire resistant, thereby making it safer than the conventional buildings,” he points out.

“Also, the walls are built by parallelly fixing two boards. The space between the boards is then filled with a thermal and acoustic insulation material, which provides soundproofing and prevents heat gain or loss,” he adds.

“Wayanad is usually cold and the best part about the house is that it stays warm when it’s really cold outside, and stays comparatively cooler than outside during summers,” says Mobish, who has been living in his new house for the past one and a half years with his wife, parents, and his two children.

According to Mobish, it was challenging to go against the tide and choose an alternate method of construction. “It is often difficult for people to accept unconventional methods, especially when it comes to building a house. It was very difficult for me to convince my family, especially my parents and my wife, who had a lot of doubts and questions regarding the technology,” he says.

“I took my wife to see an ongoing project in Thrissur and convinced her that it’s safe and had several advantages over a concrete house,” he says, adding that after over a year of living here, no one has any complaints about the house.

Another challenge were the pandemic-induced restrictions and lockdowns, says Mobish, who had to stall the construction that was slated to begin in March 2020. “The fibre boards were imported from Thailand and certain materials were bought from cities like Bengaluru and Chennai. The pandemic did delay the process, but we resumed the construction in October and finally finished in December 2020,” he elaborates.

The ground floor of the house comprises a living space, dining area, kitchen, and a bedroom with an attached bathroom. Meanwhile, the first floor has two bedrooms with a common bathroom and an open terrace.

As there are no bricks or any plastering involved, he says, the walls are thinner, which in turn means the rooms are more spacious with extra carpet area.

The flooring has been done using vitrified tiles and the roofs were built using the same fibre cement boards fixed on the steel truss structure. They have laid shingles instead of clay tiles.

“We were particular about lighting and ventilation. Therefore, the windows have been kept broad, letting in enough daylight and good airflow. They have been built using UPVC and the doors are metal and fibre,” says Mobish.

For him, the favourite corner in the house is the mini library beneath the staircase to the first floor.

For more information, you can contact Majid TK at 8078791292.

(Edited by Divya Sethu)

A recent tweet by Anand Mahindra, entrepreneur and chairman of Mahindra Group, will transport you to the lush green tea plantations of Vythiri in Wayanad, Kerala. The visuals are stunning — clear mornings, dewy tea leaves, and a beautiful blue sky.

Set up by the state, this is a ‘first-of-its-kind’ tribal heritage village called ‘En Ooru.’ This project was envisaged to showcase the rich heritage of the tribal community. Spread over 25 acres on the slope of a hillock, it will allow visitors a chance to experience tribal architecture and their indigenous lifestyle. While the seeds of this project were sown way back in 2010 by then Sub Collector Prasanth Nair, phase one of the project light got completed only in June 2022.

“This was an ambitious project kickstarted during my first posting as an IAS officer. As a young recruit, I was extremely excited when the project was approved by the government,” says Prasanth.

“It was designed as a cooperative entity with members from various local tribes. Twelve years later, it has become a transformational project that seeks to give the tribal community, who constitute about 17 per cent of the population in Wayanad, a share of the income from the booming tourism industry of Kerala.”

At this site, there is a tribal market, food outlets, a tribal emporium, an open-air theatre and a replica of a tribal colony. “Those employed at this site will be from the local tribal communities. This will also give them a chance to take their art and culture to the market,” adds Prasanth.

The project is seeing close to 6,000 visitors on the weekends, and about 2,000 on the weekdays.

Prasanth, who is currently posted as the Special Secretary in the Scheduled Tribes Development Department, is hopeful of replicating this model in several other states across India.

“It is heartening to see the response this place has been getting. With just a few weeks into operations, each shop within this hamlet has managed to have sales of over Rs 2,000 per day, and the restaurant has reported weekend sales of up to Rs 80,000,” an official says.

Watch the video shared by Anand Mahindra on the hamlet’s captivating beauty.

This is just beautiful. Kudos to ⁦⁦@KeralaTourism⁩ for this concept. The pristine architectural design of the village is stunning. Showcases how ‘simplicity’ can be stunning. pic.twitter.com/8Wf8CLgoZ2

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) July 19, 2022

To know more call on +91-9778783522 or click here.

(Edited by Divya Sethu)

It came as a shock for the family, says Francy Joshimon, when her father was diagnosed with cancer in 2018.

“He was a very active person and always particular about eating healthy food. We couldn’t believe it, so we looked for the possible reasons behind it. It was clear that chemical and preservative content in food products eventually affected his health,” she says.

“So we started looking for clean and organic food products that could help him improve his health while undergoing treatment. But to our surprise, we couldn’t find many options in the local market,” Francy tells The Better India.

A few months later, she lost her father. This, she says, was a life-changing experience.

Aiming to prevent more such incidents from happening, Francy decided she would usher in change herself. A few months after her father’s death, she set up a small business from her home at Karalam in Thrissur, Kerala to make healthy and organic food products — Minnus Fresh Food.

Named after her daughter, the brand sells mixes and value-added products made with ingredients such as jackfruits, millets, and more. Francy says these are 100 per cent preservative and chemical free.

Starting in 2018 with a few jackfruit-based products, the brand currently offers over 50 varieties of organic products and even exports outside India.

Starting small with fewer products

Francy started her venture with a small all-women group by making homemade jackfruit puttu powder. “At the time, there was a lot of discussion around jackfruit and its health benefits. After doing a lot of research and talking to experts from Kerala Agriculture University, we decided to specialise in jackfruit first,” says Francy, who has only studied till class 12.

“According to several studies, jackfruit has the potential to alleviate pain in cancer patients, especially for those undergoing radiation or chemotherapy,” she adds.

“Other than puttu powder, we also made a few jackfruit and millet-based products like health mixes and immunity boosters, which were mostly sold to cancer patients in nearby regions through different social groups,” she elaborates.

As her business picked up eventually, Francy decided to set up a processing unit in 2019.

Following the suggestions given by the experts at the university, her husband Joshimon, a mechanical engineer, helped her set up the required machinery for processing and packaging in the unit.

“We took a loan amount of Rs 15.5 lakh for the machinery. We also used our personal savings and invested around Rs 30 lakh in setting up the building alone,” she says.

Organic raw materials from local farmers

As the business flourished, Francy added more value-added products using different raw materials like banana, tapioca, wheat, millets, and so on. “We always make sure to use high quality and organic raw materials for our products. After sourcing, they are thoroughly cleaned and dried before we process and convert them into different products,” she explains.

She says that all raw materials are organically cultivated and sourced from local farmers in and around her village in Thrissur. “Farmers here often face difficulty in finding a good market for products like jackfruit, tapioca, banana and turmeric. So when we buy their products, we make sure that they get a fair price,” she says, adding that products like rice required for making the puttu powder are cultivated in her own land.

“We harvest around 2,500 kg of rice per year. We don’t sell it directly but utilise it for our business,” she says.

Minnus Fresh also offers health mixes priced between Rs 50 and Rs 350. They also sell several traditional snacks such as banana chips, chakka varatti and so on.

“On an average, we are now selling around 400 kg of puttu powder, 250 kg of chips, 100 kg of rice powder and 50 kg of health mix annually,” says Francy.

The puttu powder, which Francy says is the fastest-selling, comes in eight different varieties — jackfruit, jackfruit ragi, banana mix, banana mix ragi, tapioca, bran mix germinated rice, sprouted ragi, and sprouted wheat.

The importance of eating clean

Unlike many other enterprises who had to face serious challenges during the beginning of the pandemic, Francy says that her business grew exponentially, as there was a higher demand for organic products in the market. “People realised the importance of consuming clean organic food and switching to a healthy lifestyle,” she adds.

Regardless, they faced a serious challenge during the initial years of their business. “The major challenge was the shelf life of our products. As our products are organic and completely free of any preservatives, it was difficult for us to market them, as the shelf life was very short,” she says.

“We met a few experts from the Kerala Agricultural University to find a solution for the shelf life of our products. After several tests that went on for around six months, they suggested we make a few changes in the formulations and methods of processing the products and asked us to dry them according to their moisture content, thereby helping them stay fresh for longer,” she explains.

This helped them extend their products’ shelf life to three months, she says, with a few exceptions, which have a shelf life of just one month.

Rajive Paul, the managing director of Chungath Jewellery and a regular customer of Minnus Fresh food products, says, “I have been buying several products like chips, chakka varatti, etc, in bulk from them for the past few years. As I run a jewellery business, I would include their products in our gift hampers for customers. Besides, I also distribute them among my friends and family during occasions like Onam.”

“I chose their products mainly because of the quality and also because of the fact that they are safer than other brands that are available in the market,” he adds.

Minnus Fresh Food Products are marketed mostly in Kerala through local shops, supermarkets and Kudumbashree outlets, and are also sold via Facebook and WhatsApp.

“Besides, our products are exported to the UAE where there is a high demand,” says Francy, who is currently looking forward to the expansion of her unit.

For more information or placing orders, you can visit their Facebook page or contact them at 9188857319.

(Edited by Divya Sethu)

A farming enthusiast from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, Vinod Venugopal was not ready to compromise his love for agriculture by owning just a rubber plantation.

Despite receiving a good yield and earnings from his sprawling 1.5 acres of rubber plantation, he decided to transform his land into an organic farm, nurturing a wide range of crops.

“It was easy to maintain rubber, but I was never satisfied with it. Besides, I am a botany graduate and always aspired to do something that let me be in the soil and more close to nature. That’s why I decided to put the land to better use,” Vinod tells The Better India.

With two partners in 2019, Vinod, who also works as a regional manager of a medical devices company, replaced rubber trees with tapioca on his land.

His courage and efforts turned out to be fruitful. Within eight months, they were able to harvest more than 11,000 kilos (11 tonnes) of tapioca in a single harvest from his land at Malayam in Thiruvananthapuram.

A fruitful decision

When Vinod decided to transform the rubber plantation, he says that many questioned and criticised him for removing a perennial and highly beneficial cash crop. “People including my relatives advised me not to do it. But I was sure about what I was doing and went ahead with my plan,” says the 46-year-old.

In November 2019, after clearing the land, he decided to step into organic farming by partnering with Anu Joseph and Philip Chacko — two farming enthusiasts from Thiruvananthapuram. “While searching for ideal partners, I posted on Where in Trivandrum (WiT), a Trivandrum-based Facebook page, inviting interested people to start a joint farm venture,” he explains.

“I wasn’t looking for partners to invest money in. I wanted those who were ready to dedicate their time and put in real efforts to make it happen. Finally, after meeting several people, I decided to partner up with Anu and Philip, who had farming backgrounds and were equally enthusiastic about the venture,” he adds.

In December, they started their venture Farm in Trivandrum (FiT) by planting over 2,000 stems of tapioca, bought from the Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) in Thiruvananthapuram.

Vinod says that after removing the rubber trees, he didn’t have to prepare the soil specially for planting short-term crops. “It was a fertile land and had rich red soil. I was confident that anything would grow here,” he notes.

In 2020, the trio harvested over 11,000 kg of tapioca. “We planned to grow a few more crops on the land, but it didn’t happen due to unavailability of seeds during the lockdown,” he says.

“The first harvest was in September 2020. We didn’t want any middlemen, so we sold our produce directly to street vendors, small shop owners, hotels, etc, and the rest were distributed among our friends and family,” he adds.

Later, Vinod and his partners decided to venture into mixed farming and started cultivating a wide range of crops including short-term like turmeric, ginger, different types of yam, etc, along with long-term ones such as coconut trees, pepper, areca nut trees, cashew trees, drumstick trees, curry leaf trees, agathi cheera (Hummingbird tree), and so on.

“Short-term crops like yams, turmeric, and ginger were aimed at making fast revenue, which in turn has been used to invest back into the same venture,” he says, adding that currently, they sell a certain amount of their yield to their friends or family, and store rest of it as quality seeds for the next season.

“Therefore, revenue-wise we haven’t reached break-even yet,” he says adding, that it might take two to three years to hit the point.

According to him, they chose crops that don’t require daily supervision or maintenance. “With a full-time job, it wasn’t practically possible to supervise 1.5 acres of land on a daily basis. So, we decided to hire a few labourers from nearby areas who have been helping us in managing the farm,” he elaborates, adding that he visits the farm on weekends.

The trio has also planted Malaysian citric lemon, a rare and seedless variety of lemon on their land. “We have planted around 50 of them. It is a juicier and very unique variety of lemon, which is rare in Thiruvananthapuram. So, we decided to try it out here,” he says, adding that the saplings were sourced from Thodupuzha in the Idukki district.

Vinod says that he mostly uses cow dung as manure for all his crops. “We also use chicken manure and earthworm compost. We have been very particular about cultivating everything organically, so we don’t use any kind of chemicals or pesticides,” he points out.

Suku Thomas, a regular customer at Vinod’s farm, says, “Their produce is totally organic and we can eat it worry-free. Whenever there is a harvest, I make sure that I buy from them. At a time when we find it difficult to find organic and chemical-free farm produce, Vinod’s initiative is a blessing.”

Vinod and his team have now started marigold flower cultivation on 50 cents of land as part of an initiative by Krishi Bhavan for Onam.

“We also have plans to make value-added products out of our produce in the future under our farm and brand name ‘Farm in Trivandrum’ (FiT),” Vinod says.

Edited by Divya Sethu

Since he can remember, Lenus Xavier, a retired marine engineer, has dedicated much of his free time to caring for plants. He credits his Kochi house and its lush garden for this. 

“Gardening was not a hobby, but more like a habit I had inculcated from my childhood. Everyone in the family used to take care of the garden. We referred to periodicals for tips, as the internet wasn’t available then,” he recalls. 

At the age of 15, Lenus was introduced to bonsais after reading about them in a magazine. “Later in life, I travelled to several Asan countries as part of my work. I had the chance to study more about different plant varieties and how to source them. During vacations, I spent most of my time in bonsai gardens,” the 59-year-old tells The Better India.

Today, Lenus has over 200 varieties of bonsai from across the world. He says he learned a lot about them from countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and China, where bonsai cultivation is popular. He also buys varieties from North and Northeast India. 

“It is said that Buddhist monks in China and Japan started growing bonsai as they owned no land of their own. This is why bonsai gardening is popular in Asia,” he shares.

The very first set of Lenus’s bonsai collection included the common ficus, which is a variant of the banyan tree. Slowly, he expanded the repository by adding juniper, elephant tree, tropical boxwood, jade, black pine, and more. The star item in his garden, he says, is the juniper variety, which is grown in different shapes. 

“While visiting other countries, I clearly understood how careful bonsai gardening is done. In some places, they gift their precious bonsai garden to children, similar to how we deal with properties. It makes so much sense, because the effort and time invested in the garden is tremendous. It is like having a pet or even raising a baby,” Lenus gushes.

His activities are supported by his wife and two children, who are also interested in gardening. The garden is spread across 4.5 cents of land around his house, and some bonsais occupy the terrace as well. The garden also has a pond surrounded by mini trees. “It actually gives the feel of a miniature hill station, with the small waterfall, plants and ferns,” he adds. 

“It takes at least 10 years to witness the proper growth of a bonsai tree. For me, shape is very important for each of them. I spend hours doing corrections to attain the perfect shape. Otherwise it will grow casually, which won’t be so aesthetically pleasing,” shares the urban gardener.

Lenus is the president of Kochi Bonsai Club and conducts exhibitions at many places. The gardener also holds classes for newbies in the field and for botany departments of several colleges in Ernakulam.

In order to share his methods of gardening, he launched a YouTube channel a year ago. “A lot of people contact me on a daily basis for doubts, and it becomes impossible to explain each point to them. Thus, I thought of putting together a channel, where I have made videos covering all areas — from cultivating a seedling to displaying a bonsai. The channel is named Lenus Bonsai Destination and everything is explained in Malayalam,” he says.

Despite owning over 700 bonsai, Lenus is not ready to sell any of them. “I gift one or two small plants to passionate gardeners, but otherwise, this is not a source of income for me. Over the years, I have developed an intimacy with each plant, the same feeling we have towards a pet,” he says. “I have been offered Rs 5 lakh for a bonsai tree that has been in my garden for the past 35 years. But how can money substitute my love for the plant?”

To gardeners who are new to this field, Lenus suggests starting with local bonsai varieties. This gives faster results and encourages them to plant more. He also advises speaking to an experienced gardener prior to beginning. “Happiness is guaranteed,” he assures. 

Edited by Divya Sethu

With serene backwaters, lush hill ranges, spectacular waterfalls, and beaches, Kerala is blessed with the best bounty of nature. Famed as ‘God’s own country’, the southern Indian state is undoubtedly one of the best destinations to experience nature at its best. 

So, if you are planning to visit Kerala this monsoon, here are some of the best destinations to include in your itinerary.

1. Houseboats on Ashtamudi Lake

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Home to 34 lakes, Kerala is a perfect location for those who love cruising through the waters. The serene lakes are best visited during the monsoon season, offering the best sight and experience.

Ashtamudi, the state’s second largest lake, is home to around 100 species of fish and over 60 species of birds. Here, you can go for a cruise on a houseboat, which allows one to witness scenic landscapes and coconut trees that dot the riverbanks. 

One can also relish delicious and authentic Kerala food, with freshly caught fish served on the houseboats

Distance from Thiruvananthapuram: 80 km
Distance from Kochi: 128 km

2. Visit the cliff beach at Varkala

Kerala has a long coastline extending up to 589 km, so it’s teeming with scenic beaches. Among these, Varkala Beach, also called Papanasam Beach, is the only in the state with a beautiful cliff overlooking it.

Situated on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram district, Varkala is one of the most sought-after destinations. The red-stone cliff is situated at a height of around 80 feet above sea level and provides a breathtaking view of the golden sand beach. The 2,000-year-old Janardhanaswamy Temple is situated close to the cliff.

There are also several shopping centres, restaurants, and cafes on the cliff top, which offer amazing food ranging from local seafood to global cuisines. The beach is clean and perfect for sunbathers. Also, the sunset from the cliff is something that you shouldn’t miss.

Other than the beach, Varkala is also a famous pilgrimage destination with Sivagiri Mutt, founded by the great religious reformer and philosopher Sree Narayana Guru, situated almost 5 km from the beach.

Distance from Thiruvananthapuram: 43 km
Distance from Kochi: 159 km

Photo Credits: Sushmitha Koneru (@sushmithachoudary on Instagram)

3. Waterfalls of Wayanad

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Located on the southern tip of the Deccan Plateau and on the north-eastern part of Kerala, Wayanad is often referred to as a ‘green paradise’. Nestled amidst the majestic hill ranges of the Western Ghats, the hill station is famed for its splendid natural beauty and lush greenery.

Wayanad is replete with wild forests, green meadows, misty hills, valleys and natural springs, and looks its best during the rains, especially with gorgeous waterfalls scattered across the region. 

The most popular ones include Soochipara Waterfalls, Meenmutty Falls, Kanthanpara, Chethalayam, Kadachikunnu, Palchuram, and Thusharagiri Falls.

Distance from Kozhikode: 85 km
Distance from Kochi: 259 km

4. Lush Backwaters of Alleppey

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Alleppey, also known as the ‘Venice of the East’, is one of the most popular destinations in Kerala. With lush green landscapes, pristine rivers and beautiful freshwater lakes, it is indeed the epitome of natural beauty.

When it comes to Alleppey, the serene backwaters of the region steal the show. These are perfect for nature lovers, photographers, and wildlife enthusiasts, or just for those looking for a peaceful getaway from the hustle of urban life.

Opt for a houseboat if you visit here during the monsoon season, and take in the lush coconut groves, golden paddy fields, Chinese fishing nets, and the tiny villages that line the banks of the backwaters. One can also witness and experience village life, visit local shops, and savour local food.

Distance from Thiruvananthapuram: 148 km
Distance from Kochi: 53 km

5. Treehouses of Thekkady

Situated at an altitude of 700 m above sea level, Thekkady hill station is located in the Idukki district of Kerala. Nestled among the green lush forests of Western Ghats, it is a perfect destination for people who love nature, wildlife, and adventure.

Major highlights here are the Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. Taking a cruise through Periyar lake would let one not only witness the scenic beauty of the region, but also get glimpses of rare wildlife on the banks of the lake.

More than 60 species of animals such as the Asian elephant, tiger, Indian bison, sambar deer, Indian wild dog, leopard, and so on, can be spotted. Over 200 bird species including Malabar grey hornbill, Indian pied hornbill, and White-bellied Treepie can be found in the national reserve.

It is, hence, popular for tree houses. Stay in one, like the Vanya Tree House, to spot numerous wild animals roaming in their natural habitat.

Distance from Thiruvananthapuram: 202 km
Distance from Kochi: 155 km

6. Chai Amid the Clouds at Munnar

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Munnar is a heavenly hill station, loved by tourists for its trekking trails, vast tea gardens, virgin forests, rolling hills, waterfalls, and abundant natural beauty. The region looks extremely beautiful during the monsoons, as the rain enhances the greenery that envelops the entire region.

Once the summer resort of the British government, the hill station is also known for Neelakurinji, a rare plant that flowers only once in twelve years. The Echo Point, Attukad Waterfalls, Tata Tea Museum, Eravikulam National Park, Mattupetty Dam, and so on are some of the highlights in and around Munnar.

The sprawling and splendid tea plantations are a must-visit, where travellers can relish a steaming cup of tea, and admire the misty skies above and green paradise below.

Distance from Thiruvananthapuram: 277 km
Distance from Kochi: 131 km

7. Snakeboat Racing at Champakulam

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Boat races, or Vallamkali, have always been part of Kerala’s tradition. These events, conducted in different parts of the state every year, are grand and all about celebrating teamwork.

The snake boat race is among the most popular races and involves a long traditional style canoe, which is up to 100 m long and known as chundan vallam.

Meanwhile, the Champakulam boat race, which takes place in the Pamba River, marks the beginning of the boat race season every year. The oarsmen sing vanchipattu, or boat songs, while they row the decorated boats. Watching the boats charging to the finish line and the cheering crowd on the banks is a spectacular experience.

Some other popular boat races in Kerala include the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, the Aranmula Boat Race, the Payippad Boat Race, the Thazhathangadi Boat Race, President’s Trophy Boat Race, and Uthradam Thirunal Pamba Boat Race.

Distance from Thiruvananthapuram: 140 km
Distance from Kochi: 68 km

8. Malabar River Festival at Kozhikode

Organised by the Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society, District Tourism Promotion Council, and the grama panchayats of Kodenchery and Thiruvambady, the Malabar River Festival hosts the International Kayaking Competition.

The festival was called off for the last two years owing to pandemic-induced restrictions. But this year, the eighth edition of the fest is all set to resume from August 12th to 14th. Kayakers from 20 different countries are expected to row in the waters of Iruvazhinji puzha and Chalipuzha at Kozhikode.

Those not participating in the competition can also witness the adventurous event from the scenic location near the beautiful Thusharagiri Waterfalls.

Distance from Thiruvananthapuram: 414 km
Distance from Kochi: 221 km

Photo Credits: Mahesh (@soulandfuel on Instagram)

Edited by Divya Sethu

Sources:

Thekkady Tourism, published by India.com Munnar – the dream destination by Kerala Tourism.

Alleppey Backwaters by ekeralatourism.

Champakulam Moolam Boat Race 2022: Date, Time, History and Significance of Traditional Boat Race in Kerala, published News18 on 12 July 2022.

Champakkulam Boat Race by Kerala Tourism.

Kerala Hosts International Kayaking Competition – Malabar River Festival, published by Outlook India on 27 June 2022.

Three decades ago, while Bensislas was working as an electronic mechanic, he would have never imagined that some day, he would take up beekeeping and find success in it.

Though he was skilled at repairing television sets and radios, Bensislas, a resident of Vattiyoorkavu in Thiruvananthapuram, says that he had to give up his profession after he lost the sharpness of his vision, which was essential for the kind of job he was doing.

“I started working as a mechanic at the age of 25. But after a few years, I noticed that the sharpness of my eyesight has reduced, which started affecting my work. So, I had no other option but to quit my job,” says Bensislas, who then decided to try his hands at agriculture.

He started with rubber farming and, over the years, experimented with animal husbandry; raising rabbits, ornamental fish, chicken and finally, bees. He says beekeeping was the only trade in which he succeeded.

Cut to 2022, Bensislas now beekeeps full-time and has been able to harvest around 1200 kg of honey yearly, through his brand — Amma Honey — thereby earning a decent income in lakhs.

A successful experiment

After leaving the mechanic job, Bensislas says that he decided to sell his land to buy a rubber plantation at Kallikkad in Thiruvananthapuram, expecting a steady source of income. 

“I used all my savings to buy three acres of rubber plantation, and it did turn out to be profitable, at least for a few years. Later at one point, there was a huge fall in the rubber price and I struggled a lot, as I didn’t have any other means of income or savings left. It became a necessity to look beyond doing just rubber cultivation,” says the 58-year-old.

That’s when he heard about the training provided by the Livestock Management Training Centre at Kudappanakunnu. Thus, he decided to try his hands at animal husbandry after attending the free training courses.

“I learnt how to rear rabbits, fish, goats, chickens, and so on from the centre and started attempting each. But none of my efforts worked out. I faced losses one after the other. Finally, I heard about the scope of beekeeping and decided to experiment with that as well,” he recalls.

Thus in 2010, Bensislas took training for beekeeping and set up his first five boxes in his rubber plantation at Kallikkad. 

“Though I took initial training for beekeeping, I eventually realised that it wasn’t enough to ace it. In the beginning, there were several instances where I lost boxes full of bees as I was an amateur. But I was determined to try again and kept new boxes,” he says, adding that as time passed, he learnt more tricks of the trade and mastered it eventually.

When it comes to beekeeping, there are a lot of things that need to be taken care of, says Bensislas, who now masters beekeeping and owns over 180 beehive boxes placed at different places. 

“From the quality of the boxes to the site of its placement, there are a lot of nuances that need attention when it comes to beekeeping. I learnt it over the years and have a good share of experiences where I had to endure bee stings,” he says, recalling one such instance from the initial days where a bee stung on his face.

“I couldn’t leave my house for two days due to my swollen face,” he laughs over the phone. “But now it’s all a cakewalk, as I have a good understanding of their behaviour,” he adds.

Bensislas currently places his beehive boxes on his three acres of rubber plantation as well as on a moringa farm in Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu.

“The quality of the honey produced by the bees depends on the species of the bees as well as the source from which they collect the nectar,” he points out, adding that there are different types of bees among which he currently maintains Indian and stingless bees.

Talking about the placement of boxes or the sources of nectar, Bensislas says that the quality and the texture of the honey is highly influenced by it. “Wherever we place the box, the bees try to source nectar from its immediate surroundings. Therefore it’s important to see where we place the boxes. I place my boxes in my rubber plantation as well as in a moringa farm according to the season of leaf formation and flowering.” He says the source of nectar in rubber is the new tender leaves, and for moringa, it’s the flowers.

What is Moringa honey?

Moringa honey is something that Bensislas specialises in. It is a unique type of honey derived by the bees from the nectar of moringa flowers during the flowering season.

Moringa honey is thick in consistency, dark in colour and has a unique woody flavour. Besides, it carries all the goodness and nutritional benefits of the moringa plant.

The moringa leaves are packed with several nutrients like Vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, amino acids, proteins and so on. Also, they are rich in antioxidants with strong anti-inflammatory properties.

“The moringa honey is, therefore, healthier than the normal honey,” says Bensislias, who, along with a few other farmers, have been collaborating with a moringa farm in Tirunelveli, where they place their boxes every season by giving some money to the owners.

“The season of moringa flowers is usually during the months from July to December. So, after the harvest of the moringa honey, I place the boxes at my rubber plantation around February till April, which is the season of leaf formation,” he explains, adding that he receives approximately around 11 to 12 kg per box in each season of honey from each box.

Other than the rubber honey and moringa honey, Bensislas also harvests stingless bee honey from the ones in a few boxes placed around his house and also in the houses of a few relatives. “Yearly, I receive around 1,500 kg (1.5 tonnes) of honey,” says Bensislas, who sells rubber honey for Rs 330 per kg and moringa honey for Rs 750 per kg.

Dr TV George from Thiruvananthapuram has been a regular customer of Amma Honey. He says the quality of the honey is excellent as it’s procured organically. “It’s been ages since I switched to honey instead of using sugar because it is a healthier option. I have been buying from Bensislas for the past few years and the quality of the honey has always stayed consistent. I usually buy it in bulk and it is a relief, since it’s usually difficult to find unadulterated honey in the market,” says the 70-year-old.

Amma Honey also sells a few value-added products such as honey garlic, honey bird’s eye chilli, honey dates, beeswax, and so on. “I never had to do marketing for honey, as it happens through word-of-mouth and people usually buy it directly from my house. I make around Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 a month from the sales,” says Bensislas.

Edited by Divya Sethu

For Chottanikkara-native Ezekiel Paulose, his favourite thing to do is the collection and protection of rare medicinal plants.

But farming is not just a hobby for him. He hails from a farming family where his ancestors were full-time cultivators. “My father was a mechanical engineer but loved farming so much. It was he who first started collecting medicinal plants. That’s how I got interested too,” says Ezekiel, who works as a systems architect in Bengaluru.

The medicinal herbs garden is put together on the four-acre land near his home. Here there are 500 varieties, including rudraksha, paarijatha, cluster fig, gurmar, Lakshmi taru and betadine plants. Other plants in his garden include shimshapa from Sri Lanka, which is tree turmeric proven to be effective for skin problems and anali vegam from Agasthyamalai used as an antidote for viper bites. 

Apart from medicinal plants, there’s a space reserved for some exotic plant species like the pitcher as well as duck, black fowl and fish farming. “I am practising an integrated farming method which is the maintenance of livestock, poultry and fish in the same place. One’s excreta becomes the other’s food. For example, fishes are kept in a 1,45,000 litre tank from which the sludge is collected to be used as the food for ducks and black fowls,” explains the farmer.

Additionally, Ezekiel’s house in Kerala is equipped with a rainwater harvester and solar panels which takes care of the entire water and electricity needs of the family. 

The medicine man

It was during 2007-2008 that Ezekiel kicked off his medicinal herbs collection. “This hobby requires effort and to a great extent, money too. When I got my first job and got to travel around the country as part of it, I took the plant collection seriously. Sometimes it is from fellow hobbyists in exchange for any other plant and otherwise, it is bought. I also became part of a community of medicinal plant collectors,” shares the 39-year-old.

Ezekiel’s friends in Karnataka and Northern states usually help him in finding rare plants and send them across. “When people visit my garden in search of any plant or medicines, depending upon the availability, I sell them or even give them away for free,” he says.

While the farmer was working in Bengaluru he used to visit his home in Ernakulam every weekend to make sure the plants were fine. After the lockdown and the subsequent work-from-home orders, he now finds time to look after the plants. “My family, including my wife and two children, are also engaged in these activities. We encourage kids to make new saplings of a plant and keep the curiosity for gardening alive,” he gushes.

The gardener says that preserving the rare varieties of such plants is essential as they have amazing medicinal properties. “Nature knows best when it comes to healing. In case of wounds or other ailments, none of us in the house runs to a hospital. If we know the correct formula and plants, there is a solution for every disease in this medicinal garden,” he says. 

Ezekiel also adds that it has never been about ‘finding time’ for this hobby. “Everyone has or should have a hobby which can calm the mind and energise us to face whatever life throws our way. This is why I started this collection. It has become a ritual to visit the garden before and after work. It is a huge meditative practice for me,” he shares.

He adds that he also likes his antique collection. Space in his house is reserved to showcase the wide range of artefacts he has gathered from various locations. His collection includes a gramophone, typewriter, utensils, tailoring machine, measuring bowls and more.

Ezekiel’s dream is to turn his ancestral home and the garden around it into a ‘herbal homestay’. “I am planning to design it as a perfect getaway from city life. The presence of all these medicinal plants itself is a kind of detoxification which is much needed these days,” he says.

The passionate gardener also adds that he hopes to touch the magic number of 1,000 medicinal plants and expand his garden into a green haven.

Edited by Yoshita Rao

Photo Credits: Ezekiel Poulose

On December 10, Kerala’s State Seed Farm in Aluva will be declared carbon neutral by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. As per officials, this is the first seed farm in the country to achieve a carbon neutral status. 

The 102-year-old farm is located on Thuruth Island in the Periyar River and has been an organic seed farm since 2012. It has since been taking steps to reduce its carbon emissions, and this decade of efforts has resulted in it achieving carbon neutrality. 

Studies were underway since August this year to assess its carbon footprint. Officials from the Kerala Agricultural University College of Climate Change and Environmental Science said that the farm had 43 tonnes of carbon emissions and 213 tonnes of carbon storage.

This makes the farm carbon neutral as well as carbon negative. 

One of the persons behind the farm’s achievements is Lissymol J Vadakuttu, assistant director of agriculture at State Seed Farm Aluva.

She says that the results show that they have carbon credits. “We are not just carbon neutral, we are carbon negative. We have 170 tonnes of carbon credits, which can be sold in the future to those who require them,” says Vadakuttu.

What’s carbon neutral farming?

Agricultural practices emit a lot of carbon dioxide .According to a report in Science News, agriculture and livestock account for 14 per cent of India’s gross national greenhouse gas emissions. If we add electricity used by the agriculture sector, the number stands at a whopping 22 per cent.

Basically, carbon neutral farming means that the emissions made during agricultural practices in a farm must be absorbed into the soil itself. 

Vadakuttu explains that the first step was using organic agricultural activities, then came efforts to improve soil health, followed by intercropping systems and proper waste disposal. 

“A farm is carbon neutral when the quantity of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is captured in the soil. For this, soil has to be of good quality and captured by microbes. As we were organic for a decade, the next steps became easy for us,” explains Vadakuttu to The Better India.  

The officer got the soil analysed periodically, and in the process, the soil microbial status was also tested.

Producing inputs in-house to reduce emissions

The farm practises an integrated farming system where crops are grown alongside livestock, poultry and fish. Apart from paddy varieties, they have indigenous breeds of cows (Kasargod), goats (Malabar), ducks (Kuttanadan), and fish, which provide manure to the farm. 

Vadakuttu says they have about 5,000 fish, 100 ducks and 50 poultry.

“We produce all inputs required here itself. Crop residue is converted into compost and used to fertilise the fields. Ducks are very helpful in paddy cultivation. They move in the water and control pests and diseases,” adds Vadakuttu.

She explains that they only buy lime as Kerala soil is acidic. “Other than this component, everything used in the farm is recycled,” says the officer.

Their main crop is paddy, which is cultivated on seven acres.

Apart from the high yielding variety, they also cultivate traditional Kerala varieties and provide these seeds to the farmers. These include  Raktasaali, Njavara, Pokkali, Chettadi, etc. 

“We have also started cultivating a traditional magic rice that can be cooked without a flame since last year,” adds the officer.

Another step taken to reduce emissions is usage of renewable energy, in this case solar. 

“Whatever energy was required in our office, has been converted to solar energy. We have also established a solar dryer to dry our paddy seeds. We want to make our farm self-sufficient in terms of energy. Now, we are installing solar panels to meet all other requirements of the farm like irrigation and processing,” adds Vadakuttu.

Edited by Divya Sethu, Images Courtesy State Seed Farm, Aluva

Sources

‘Farmers in India cut their carbon footprint with trees and solar power’ by Sibi Arasu for Science News, Published on 16 May 2022

Have you heard of ventha velichenna or virgin coconut oil that is rubbed on infants? Did you know, unlike regular coconut oil, this involves a long process to make even a small amount of it?

A Kerala mother-daughter duo took up the challenge of producing this virgin coconut oil under the brand name ‘Purvina’ using traditional methods. Jaya and Parvathy Avanoor conceived the idea when the pandemic hit, and they found themselves having a lot of time on their hands.

Parvathy was working as a digital marketer but was looking for a break. So, in 2020, they started the company and have never looked back since. Today, the brand sells over 250 litres of oil per month.

Ventha velichenna — the choice everyone should make?

While Jaya was all set to start a business with organically grown spices, they decided to add ventha velichenna to the list.

Discussing the complex method of preparing the oil, 56-year-old Jaya tells The Better India, “The process is not easy at all. Only 10 litres of oil can be extracted from almost 250 coconuts. But we never compromised on the process. A huge traditional uruli (traditional bowl) is a must-have for the process. The major tasks include cutting coconut, shredding it, turning it into milk and boiling it.”

The coconuts needed for the process are grown on their own farms and some are procured from farms nearby. “We make sure that all of them follow organic growing methods before the purchase,” she adds.

Priced at Rs 445 for 250 litres with a shelf life of one year, the duo’s product gained a lot of popularity because of its numerous uses.

Talking about the various benefits of the oil, Parvathy says, “My late grandfather had Alzheimer’s disease and an Ayurveda doctor suggested giving him traditionally prepared ventha velichenna, twice a day, to reduce its intensity. It worked, and since the disease is hereditary, my father and I started consuming 15 ml each every day too.”

“The product is 100 per cent edible and I’ve been giving this to my baby since the eighth day of her birth. It is an excellent non-greasy moisturiser, makeup remover, and wrinkle preventer, and can even be used as a salad dressing. You can have it raw to avoid digestion issues and ulcers,” Parvathy claims.

The manufacturing unit of the brand is located in Anamangad, Malappuram, near their house.

“Around 90 per cent of our workforce are women. But there are some tasks which they can’t perform. The hot oil in the heavy uruli is to be moved to another container for which we have installed a small machine. There are some men in the team to help with this and other similar laborious tasks,” explains 56-year-old Jaya.

Other than selling this hot processed oil, which comes as baby oil and all-purpose generic oil, the brand also sells turmeric powder, tamarind paste, black peppercorns and banana porridge mix.

The products are available to purchase on all major e-commerce platforms like Amazon and baby product platforms like BabyCare and BabyButtons.

“People may find the products overpriced, but it’s not. This becomes expensive as it undergoes several processes. Our margins are low and we haven’t touched the break-even point yet. But the sales are growing, as are our hopes,” explains Parvathy.

They have served customers from all over the country — like Jammu & Kashmir, Telangana, West Bengal and some parts of the North East. The market for the products has been expanding and Parvathy aims to educate more people about the benefits of ventha velichenna.

“Other than simply selling the product, educating people about the benefits of ventha velichenna is our dream. And of course, we want to build Purvina as a synonym for this magic oil,” says Parvathy.

If you are interested in starting a business like this, learn all about it from Parvathy herself. In this video, she shares her process, the do’s and don’ts while starting a venture, and her biggest mantra for becoming a successful entrepreneur. Find more details here.

Edited by Pranita Bhat.

More often than not, tourists are so bent on ticking off a visit to a “famous” beach that they forget that a beach is often a small part of a long shoreline — the lesser-known beaches along which could be as beautiful, if not more. 

In fact, chances are that they would be cleaner sans the overload of tourists and littering.

Here are eight such beaches in Kerala that should be on your itinerary if you’re one for a quiet, pristine experience.

A word of caution: Do your research before visiting secluded areas by yourself, and take back every single bit of plastic you carry!

Kuzhuppilly Beach, Kochi

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Situated 6 km from its well-known counterpart Cherai, Kuzhuppilly Beach is best known for the spectacular path which leads to it, with water-filled fish farms on either side. 

An early morning or late evening drive is definitely recommended. Kuzhuppilly is famous for its prawn and fish farms, so remember to get a taste of fresh seafood from a local eatery for lunch.

Recently, the beach was also in the news when Olive Ridley turtles turned up for their nesting season, which the Social Forestry division has been taking care to protect with the help of local fisherfolk.

Munambam Beach, Kochi

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Also an extension of the Cherai shoreline, Munambam Beach is a charming spot where the Periyar river meets the Arabian Sea. The village is known for its centuries-old fishing harbour and the Chinese fishing nets that adorn the skyline. Of late, quite a few water sports have been introduced on this beach.

Don’t miss the annual kite festival held here, where enthusiasts from across the country meet up and fly kites of a multitude of sizes and shapes.

Muzhappilangad Beach, Kannur

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Ever experienced a beach without stepping out of your car? Muzhappilangad in Kannur district is one of the few drive-in beaches in the country, where the shoreline is nearly 4 km long. The beach is also known as a hotspot for birdwatchers — nearly 30 species of migratory birds can be spotted here during the winter. A little ahead of the beach, at walking distance, is the Dharmadam thuruth or island, which you can wade over to during low tide and get some spectacular pictures clicked. Just make sure you get back before high tide.

Varkala Beach, Thiruvananthapuram

Situated less than a two-hour drive from Kovalam Beach, Varkala is no less spectacular with its rocky cliffs, yellow sands and wildflowers all over the beach. The beach is also known as Papanasam (destroyer of sins) Beach as people gather here to scatter the ashes of the dead, and to take a dip in the waters that can supposedly wash off one’s sins.

British influence can be found in all historical spots nearby, including the centuries-old Anjengo Lighthouse on the beach, which stands tall at 130 feet and used to guide seafarers at one point.

Thaickal Beach, Cherthala

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The Alleppey and Marari beaches can be quite crowded during the tourist season, and if you are looking for quiet walks and some reading, Thaickal with its pristine waters and clean sands is the one for you.

One of the attractions of this beach is the remnants of a 1,000-year-old wind-powered ship, discovered two decades back, which is now under the protection of the Archaeological Department. Also close by is the famous Arthunkal Church, a hotspot for pilgrims.

Thikkodi Beach, Kozhikode

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Also a drive-in beach, few people would be aware of Thikkodi, where you can cruise down the four km stretch of clean, firm sands while watching the sun go down the sea. The sands are apparently so firm that locals take driving lessons on the beach.

While here, don’t miss a visit to the Nandi Lighthouse nearby and the rocky Velliyamkallu Island.

Kolavi Beach, Kozhikode

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You might miss this shallow and expansive beach without the help of locals as it lies hidden amidst thickets of mangroves. Ideal for photoshoots or just a day out, this beach is also called ‘Mini Goa’ — owing to its route with the river and sea on either side, dotted with quaint little huts.

The beach offers a conglomeration of a river, sea and mangroves. While this is a rare sight to behold, the waters of this quiet beach can be a little dangerous at the point where the waters meet. So it would be wise to exercise some caution when travelling with children.

Meenkunnu Beach, Kannur

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Situated close to its famous cousin Payyambalam Beach, Meenkunnu (hill of fish) is more of a little secret cove, nestled amidst rocky cliffs in the village of Azhikode. As the name suggests, this is a fishing village and the only company you will have on the beach are fisherfolk. So, if solitude is what you’re looking for, this is the beach for you. You can also get a great view of the sunset from the top of the cliffs around.

Edited by Pranita Bhat