From Field to Table: A Look at the Life of a Kunbi Farmer in Goa"
Farmers are the backbone of every nation. Farming is one of the most well known occupation of Goa. They are the once who provide us with all the food that we depend on. A farmer lives a very Simple life he goes to the field early in the morning when the rest of the world is sleeping comfortably in their warm beds, he rarely cares for the heat or rains or the cold. He has to face all the climatic conditions without any complaints.
A farmer is someone who we all know. He is engaged in farming on a small farm. He grows various crops including paddy, wheat, pulses, Onions, chillies, oilseeds, sugarcane, corns etc. The life of a farmer is not full of joy. He works day and night in his crop field and works very hard during the sowing and harvesting season.
On 15 March i visited one of the Field just to look for someone who would give me some answers to my questions but luckily i met Rosa vaz who was a well known neighbour of mine. She lived a very simple and hardworking life. she told me that she and her husband were working in the field together for nearly 20 years but after the death of her husband she had to take the responsibility to look after her three childrens.
The goans can't live without fish,curry and rice as it is the staple food of goans. In some places the paddy is grown twice in a year and in some places only for once depending upon the climate and irrigation facilities. The paddy which is grown from May to August is called Sorad and the paddy grown from September to February is called Aigon.
Rosa said "I am carrying forward my parents profession, i have been working in the field since my childhood along with my parents" i have done this job and raised my childrens.she says " when i was a small kid i used to work in the fields in the morning,and take the buffaloes for grazing in the Evening and then go for night school i have not studied much just passed 4, but i have educated my children by doing this work and i am proud of this"
The farmers ready their fields before rainy season and use to ploughed their fields by making either use of buffaloes or tractors. They also make use of fertilizers and manures. The transplanting of paddy is done after 40 days." Being a farmer i am very proud of myself "said Rosa. She added that nowadays Children search for high posted jobs no one wants to take forward goan occupations like farming, mollekars, fishing etc. Now a generation think that these are local jobs but doing the same jobs we have raised and educated our childrens.
They also have to maintain their fields by removing weeds and during the harvest time the farmers have to dry the water from the field. In olden times, the harvesting was done by using primitive tools but now the harvesting is done by machines. After the harvest, the paddy is out for drying and after farmer's sell their paddy in government agriculture department because the farmers get subsidy on it that is why the farmers sell their paddy or store it for rainy season to fill their stomach .
She used to get up early in the morning at 5 clock to water the crops there were no water pumps but nowadays the farmers use water pumps to water their crops, but in olden days they used to get water in matka from nearly 2km away from their wells, which was a very difficult job but there was no other option added Rosa.
They work very hard all day long there is no rest. Most of the time nature is very kind to them. If there is good harvest, their children get food, and clothes, Sometimes, nature is very rude to them. Drought burns their crops, floods wash away their crops. In the month of November to May if the nature is kind to them they grow chillies, corns, beetroot, sweet potato, coriander, carrots, Red baji, brinjals, ladyfinger etc. During these days they get up early in the morning at 4clock to wash vegetables and sell these in SGPDA market Margao.
The central government promised that the loans of the farmers upto Rs 10,000 would be waived. The life of an Indian farmer twenty years hence would be quite different from his life today, he would be healthy, happy and prosperous. Our farmers are very hardworking they grow food for us and build our national economy.
Good quality seeds, fertilizer and pesticides are already being provided to him.Tractor training has now become a common sight, more and more improvement are taking place daily so his future is bright. It gives me a proud feeling to say that farmers are our greatest pride.
MEZEL BARRETO
2203229
FY BCOM B
