There is no better way to counter mindless urbanisation of farmlands than keeping it under plough and reaping rich benefits. About three months after they adopted the 127-acre Muppayikkad - Poozhikkunnu paddy polders in Kodimatha in the heart of the Kottayam town, the harvesting of the first crop from the field was carried out amidst a festive atmosphere. Lying fallowThe property, once proposed as the venue of the now abandoned Kottayam Mobility Hub project, had been lying fallow for 27 years and was entrusted to a collective of 35 farmers in February this year. The initiative, which formed part of the Meenachil – Meenanthara- Kodoor river re-linking programme, has proved to be a success. According to the organisers, the harvest was the successful culmination of more than two-year long effort to restore paddy cultivation in the region.

Source: The Hindu May 16, 2019 17:15 UTC