From living in the Nagarahole National Park for decades to starting a new life out of the forest area as a model farmer, Prema has come a long way. She inaugurated the four-day Krishi Mela organised by the University of Agricultural Sciences-Bengaluru on Thursday.
Though the event was originally scheduled to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the Election Commission advised the university authorities to desist from involving Ministers in view of model code of conduct in place owing to the elections to Legislative Council. The university then identified Ms. Prema through its extension wing to inaugurate the event.
Ms. Prema, who earlier made a living by collecting minor forest produce and occasionally working as a farm labourer in the villages surrounding the forest, hesitantly relocated to C. Sollepura of H.D. Kote taluk in 2007-08, when the Government undertook a rehabilitation process for about 60 tribal families.
“I was very hesitant and scared when we were shifted out of the forest, which was home for us for several generations. Like others, I too was given 3 acres of land. But my husband and I did not know anything about agriculture. But I learnt from nearby farmers and attended various training sessions to understand farming,” said Ms. Prema. She added that getting to inaugurate the annual event had made her “proud and happy.”
Within a short time Ms. Prema has not only adopted modern farming techniques by setting up a polyhouse for cultivating vegetables, but has also started growing chia seeds. This is in addition to the cultivation of paddy, ragi, and fruits, including banana. “I used to earn about ₹70,000 to 80,000 a year so far. But this time, I earned ₹1 lakh from chia alone, apart from the regular income from other crops,” she said, adding that she was able to buy a motorcycle for her son from this money. “I want to tell tribal families living in forest not to hesitate to move out if they are given land,” she said. Govindappa, a field assistant with Wildlife Society of India, Bengaluru, who assisted the rehabilitated tribal families including Ms. Prema, said she is a quick learner and has a strong grip on farming. He said an arrangement had also been made by the NGO to sell the farm produce of tribal people.
