Alappuzha farmer’s ‘bundle farming’ technique makes terrace cultivation easier

For those with limited space and time for farming, Kalesh Kamal, a farmer from Kuttanad, proves that ingenuity can turn even the smallest area into a productive farm. His innovative bundle (Kizhi) farming technique is already transforming home-based cultivation, making it easier than ever to grow vegetables year-round.

Kalesh's method involves preparing a specially formulated potting mixture, filling it into garden nets to create compact 'bundles', and placing these bundles on pots for planting seedlings. The success of this technique is evident in the thriving tomato farm on the terrace of Kalesh’s house at Cherukara in Alappuzha, where rows of ripening red tomatoes flourish in beds. Alongside tomatoes, he also grows cabbage, chilli, eggplant and spinach using the same bundle-filled pots.

The idea was born out of the challenge of growing vegetables year-round in Kuttanad, where heavy rains often flood the house. To prevent waterlogging, he set up raised pots with GI pipes on a 30-cent plot and arranged trays and grow bags to start cultivation. However, maintaining nutrient levels, plant health and replacing the soil mixture after each crop posed challenges, which led him to develop a potting mixture that can be reused for up to five years.

A recipient of the Department of Agriculture’s award for innovative farming techniques, Kalesh conducted extensive research to develop his special potting mixture. The mixture combines enriched soil, rice husk ash, neem powder, cow dung, selected organic fertilisers, and some microorganisms. About 2.5 kilograms of this mixture are filled into a garden net, tied into a compact bundle and placed in the pot before planting seedlings.

According to Kalesh, the same bundle can be used for up to five years, requiring only a small amount of dolomite before each new planting. More additional fertilisers are necessary. The mixture retains moisture for up to three days, and plants can easily be moved to another pot if required. Kalesh has also applied for a patent for this innovative bundle-farming method using his self-developed mixture.

Where innovation grows
In addition to bundle farming on his home premises, Kalesh cultivates rice on five acres of land and grows vegetables using open-precision farming on one acre. A small pond on the property teems with fish. He has also developed a self-designed drip irrigation system using plastic containers and pipes, while growing lotus and azolla plants in trays made from used tyres.

Tyres of various sizes serve multiple purposes: small ones are perfect for saplings, while large tire-based pots can be used for fish or lotus cultivation. Meanwhile, kitchen waste from his home is recycled into compost and slurry using his self-designed system of large plastic containers and pipes.