| Background |
| Papachchan who had to leave
Chakatabara village in Kayanna, Khozihode to settle in Cheruvavil when
foot rot disease destroyed his pepper crop has come up with a very
innovative method that promotes sustainable production of organic black
pepper and has become a model towards control of the dreaded foot rot
disease. |
| Chakatabara is a densely populated
village where rubber, coconut, arecanut and pepper cultivation is the main
occupation. From here thirteen years ago, Papachchan (51) and his wife
(46) shifted to Cheruvavil after his crop at his native place was
destroyed by the root wilt. His son aged 18 years, is studying at his
native place. Pappachan has studied up to class four and his wife
has had some basic education. He is a cultivator and owns three acres of
land in all, one acre in his native Chakatabara where he grows pepper and
two acres at Cheruvavil, where he grows pepper in 1.3 acres and rubber in
the remaining. As a child, he was fond of reading newspapers, magazines
and storybooks. At twelve years age, he started working in his father’s
farm. |
| Genesis
|
| When he started cultivation
independently 1980 onwards, he started closely observing his plants’
health; some plants died early while some had a longer life span. He
started weighing the situation to figure out how to protect the weak
plants.He believed that heavy rains had something to do with the wilting
of roots. To some extent, root wilt was controlled by pesticides and by
having proper drainage. This prompted him to develop a natural method of
controlling this root wilt. |
| It took him three problem-filled years
and numerous trials before he could refine a process of pepper protection.
Since he had limited amount of land, which he had to use both for earning
his livelihood as well as for his experiments, he had to be careful as he
was much constrained. Due to frequent changes, the cultivation he
incurred financial losses upsetting his family members including his wife,
who (fearing the failure of the crop) ridiculed him as he experimented
with what was the only means of income. But he was confident that he would
come up with something useful for others and that was his driving force. |
| Innovation |
| In Papachchan’s agronomic practices
adequate natural drainage is the best for pepper cultivation. He
prescribes a two feet deep and one-foot wide trench along the border for
isolating the pepper garden from other trees. No pits were taken up for
planting. Pepper is grown as a pure crop in order to avoid
intercropping losses. Planting material is prepared by cutting runners
just below the nodes to restrict the plant to a single root. Jackfruit is
considered as the best of the standards due to its timber value and
manorial value of leaves.Saplings are planted close to standards so that
the collar region is about three inches above the ground and is exposed to
environmental conditions from the tender age so that the plants develop
innate resistance. Mulching is used to reduce the erosion effects of
raindrops and to conserve the soil. Mother vines are selected very
carefully based on the past performance so as to obtain regular good
yields, better growth and pest free cultivars. |
 |
| The saplings are planted after the
start of south-west monsoon rains. Mucuna bracteata is
raised as a cover crop, to improve soil fertility and to maintain suitable
soil environment for the growth of root system. No tillage is
done.Irrigation is not required under normal circumstances, but if a
monsoon break extends beyond 15 days, the field has to be irrigated. The
yield potential is double in this method (0.7-1.2 tonnes of dry
pepper/acre) compared to conventional farming methods (0.3-0.5 tonnes). In
addition, there is no need of weeding, as no weed grows due to the
standards and the resistance to foot rot disease is more. |
|
Indian Institute of Spices
Research has the following to say about his practice, ‘The system
developed is unique and no parallel has been reported from elsewhere and
the contribution of the farmer is unique and outstanding’. |
| Now, his family has become indifferent
and they have left him to do whatever he wants and do not pester him with
questions. Some family members including his brother and some friends have
also adopted his technique of cultivation. At a time when everyone else
around has shifted to more profitable rubber plantations, Papachchan is
adamantly determined to continue his pepper cultivation his own unique
way. "Arogyamulla krishiyidam, athu vazhi arogyamulla manushiya
samoohavum sadhyamanu. Ulpathanum mechapeduthuvan randu margangul
mathramanu ullathu, vitthukallude shariyaya theranjudukalum, anuyojeyamaya
sthalavum"1 , says Papachchan. |
