This 22-year-old is sowing the seed for an organic future with his farming methods
Residing in Wayanad, Kerala, Sooraj CS is promoting organic farming and has cultivated a wide range of vegetables and over 50 types of fruits on his four-and-a-half acre of land.
Let’s be honest - we all want to stay healthy and eat fresh, but are we patient or keen enough to know where our organic edibles are coming from? Some of us might be interested, but not all. Meet 22-year-old Sooraj CS who is growing different types of vegetables, rice, and fruits without any chemical fertilisers or pesticides. Why? To make sure the fresh organically grown fruits and vegetable reach your plate.
With over four-and-a-half acres of land, Sooraj, a BSc (Agriculture) student from Wayanad, has been practising organic farming for the past nine years. In addition, he also campaigns against the use of pesticides and teaches his fellow farmers about the importance of organic farming and eco-friendly pesticides.
Sooraj CS (Image: Edex Live)
1560403715283.png?fm=png&auto=format&h=100&w=100&crop=entropy&fit=crop)
Speaking to Edex Live, Sooraj said,
“Plants mainly need micronutrients to grow. They also need potassium and phosphorus, but these can be absorbed only in a soluble form. To facilitate this, we can introduce microorganisms to the soil instead of using chemical fertilisers. Many people think that using fertilisers is an easy solution to get a good yield. In fact, they’re conditioned to believe so. But that isn’t true. We have a lot of eco-friendly alternatives.”
Sooraj’s love for organic farming dates back to his childhood. When he was only 13-years-old, he was inspired by his mother who would plant tomato seeds using only water and padding with manure from time to time. Watching his mother, Sooraj tried planting tomatoes on his own and received an impressive yield. In no time, organic farming became his passion. Besides his mother, Sooraj is also an avid follower of Subhash Palekar, promoter of the concept of zero-budget natural farming.
(Image: Edex Live)
Fast forward to the age of 17, Sooraj won the Karshaka Jyothi Award for the ‘best student farmer’, instituted by the state government. After this, he started a Facebook page to promote healthy eating habits.
Speaking on the same, he said,
“There is no need to glorify a person who grows vegetables or fruits for his own consumption. It says a lot about our society’s misconceptions about agriculture. Each individual can make a difference by developing the habit of cultivating and eating organic foods”, reports Thiruvananthapuram First.
Now, Sooraj’s farm consists of over 50 varieties of fruits, 60 types of medicinal plants, and a wide range of vegetables.
Do you have an interesting story to share? Please write to us at [email protected].To stay updated with more positive news, please connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
