Wayanad's Njattuvela collective marks 10 years of success in pesticide-free farming

Kaniyambatta: The Njattuvela Karshaka Sanghom , a ten-member farmers’ collective here,  has marked its tenth straight year of success, continuing to lead by example in pesticide-free vegetable farming.

 Operating under the Kaniyambatta Agricultural Office, the group has launched cultivation across eight acres spread over the Kaniyambatta Government Homoeo Hospital premises, Kappam Kunnu and Karimbadakkuni areas.

Of the total area under cultivation, three acres are devoted to vegetables such as snake gourd, pumpkin, long beans, brinjal, green chilli and ash gourd, while plantains are being cultivated on the remaining land. The first harvest of the season was carried out on Thursday.

The collective says their steady success comes from the unity and shared purpose of all ten members. Yet, despite producing vegetables in good volumes, they continue to struggle to find a consistent and fair market for their yield.

They note that a weekly market organised by the panchayat for direct sale of farm produce would greatly ease this challenge and help farmers secure better prices. The group has urged the authorities to initiate steps in this direction.