KOLHAPUR: Vinay Gowda, a 2015-batch IAS officer who is currently posted as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Satara Zilla Parishad, has cultivated paddy in a vacant plot on the premises of his official residence.
Over the past few days, Gowda’s residence has been abuzz with local farmers who are helping the young officer cultivate paddy in a scientific way. Gowda, taking out time from his hectic schedule, has been making beds to grow the saplings, waterlogging the farming area, and finally transplanting the paddy saplings.
Speaking to TOI, Gowda said, “Before venturing out to cultivate paddy, I asked myself whether this was possible or not. I wanted to understand the efforts put in by the farmers to produce food. They are the backbone of our country. As an IAS officer, I will be dealing with their issues and to ensure that I have first-hand knowledge, I decided to take up farming at a small scale on the one-and-a-half guntha vacant plot.”
Though Gowda belongs to an agricultural family himself, he has had little experience in actual farming. He has seen his parents toil on their farm in Karnataka’s Mandya all his life. “When I first told my wife and two children about my idea to cultivate paddy, they wholeheartedly supported me. They also worked along with me. I hail from Mandya, which is frequently in news over farmers’ distress. Hopefully, my small-scale farming venture would help me address the farmers’ issues better,” added Gowda.
Gowda says the major work on the farm is now done. The real test lies in caring for the saplings and ensuring that they become healthy plants with shiny and tasty grain.
Interestingly, the premises of the ZP CEO’s residence has always found ways to encourage farm-loving IAS officers in pursuing their passion. The premises has many fruit trees that had been grown and maintained by former officers. Gowda is happy to take forward the legacy.
