Vettilappara: A quiet air of mourning hangs over the village of Vettilappara as it bids farewell to TV Thomas Vettathu, a legendary farmer and pioneer of organic intercropping methods in Kerala. Thomas, who earned the Manorama Karshakasree Award in 2002 for producing four times the average yield from just two and a half acres of land, leaves behind a legacy of innovation, sustainability, and deep community engagement.

A trailblazer in his field, Thomas was among the first to introduce nutmeg farming to the rolling hills of Ernad. His distinctive approach to organic manuring—using specially built channels to deliver a mixture of cow dung and cow’s urine to each plant—was widely recognised for its effectiveness. He practised intercropping with coconut, areca, cocoa, cloves, yam, colocasia, and plantains growing together on the same plot, maximising both biodiversity and yield.

Beyond his home farm in Poovaramthode, Kozhikode district, Thomas also cultivated crops like rubber on other plots. His farm included poultry, duck, and fish farming, a gobar gas plant, and composting facilities, making it a model for integrated organic farming.

Deeply passionate about agriculture, Thomas continually sought to learn and understand the scientific principles behind farming. He conducted workshops, delivered lectures, and even developed a unique framework for studying agriculture, presenting research papers based on his practical experiences. In addition to the Karshakasree Award, he received numerous honours for his pioneering contributions to organic farming and intercropping.

A lifelong supporter of the Kerala Congress, Thomas maintained a close personal bond with its iconic leader KM Mani. He was also a faculty member of the Diocese of Thamarassery, contributing actively to the spiritual and educational life of his community.

On May 4, 2002, Thomas received the Karshakasree Award from then Karnataka Chief Minister SM Krishna at a grand ceremony in Malappuram. In a touching moment, his political mentor KM Mani placed a turban on Thomas’s head during the event. To celebrate his achievement, four busloads of villagers from Vettilappara travelled to the venue to cheer for their beloved “Thomachan.”

Today, those same villagers gather again—this time in grief—to say goodbye to the man who transformed their hills into fertile fields and taught them to embrace organic living. More than just a farmer, TV Thomas was a social worker, a visionary, and a community leader. One of his many contributions was leading the initiative to bring electricity to Vettilappara, even personally appealing to KM Mani to light up the village.

As Vettilappara mourns its master farmer, it also honours a man whose life’s work nourished not just the land, but the hearts and hopes of an entire community.