Meet the 62-year-old organic farmer from Coimbatore who is cultivating crops for birds
Muthu Murugan from Coimbatore has dedicated half an acre of his land to grow crops like millets and sorghum to attract birds to his farm.
Birds seem to be one of the many troubles for most farmers. But for an organic farmer from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, birds are his friends.
Muthu Murugan (Image: The Better India)
Sixty-two-year-old Muthu Murugan has four acres of land in the Thondamuthur village in Coimbatore. He has devoted half an acre to growing sorghum and pearl millets for birds to eat.
“The idea is to mimic nature and grow food the same way it is grown in a forest. No one uses pesticides in a forest or prevents birds from making their habitats. So why should we? Additionally, by killing pests with chemicals we are further depriving the birds of their meals,” Muthu told The Better India.
The environmentalist and organic farmer has been enthusiastic about birds for a long time and used to sow the seeds along the borders of his farm. Earlier this year, he decided to sow millets and sorghum seeds on a quarter acre each.
“This (the farm) is like their house. I never chase them away. Every year, I leave a portion of the remaining harvest for them to feed on. This year, when lockdown began, I knew farming would turn out to be difficult, and so I did not sow any crops; just the millets for the birds and the feed for my cows,” Muthu told The News Minute.
The number of birds visiting the village has reduced since many farmers have switched to cash crops. In fact, some of the farmers have chased away the birds with stones.
To counter this, Muthu invested about Rs 3,000 to raise birds, and at present, he has varieties of birds and other beautiful creatures, including parrots, waterfowls, peacocks, woodpeckers, kingfishers, spotted owls, sparrows, Mynah, lapwings, pigeons, partridges, munias, rabbits, worms, snails, bugs, grasshoppers, honey bees, butterflies, and more.
“If my four acres can accommodate so many species, just imagine how the world would be like if everyone were to grow more conscious of their surroundings. This is something that I want to encourage in all,” he told The News Minute.
Over the years, the animals and birds sheltered by Muthu have become familiar with him and do not fly or run away upon seeing him. However, they do react differently to other humans.
“When we farm, we interfere with the lives of other species. They don’t know that we’re calling the space ‘ours,’ In fact, it is we who have taken up their space,” Muthu said.
“We think all this has been created for us. But with it comes the responsibility to protect and to conserve,” he concludes.
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Edited by Suman Singh
