Retired forester strives to create model permaculture farm in Asifabad

The former forest officer Koduri Ravinder in 2020 embarked on a mammoth task of developing a piece of 11.5 acres of land as a model integrated permaculture farm

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: This retired forest development officer has for the last three years striving to realize his childhood dream of converting his barren land into a model integrated farm and a training centre on the outskirts of Yellaram village in Asifabad mandal on Asifabad-Utnoor road.

Meet Koduri Ravinder, hailing from Karimnagar town settled in Asifabad town, who in 2020 embarked on a mammoth task of developing a piece of 11.5 acres of land as a model integrated permaculture farm aimed at growing diverse crops without using harmful fertilizers and pesticides and rearing livestock.

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Invests retirement benefits

He invested Rs.30 lakh that he received when he retired from the department after working for 28 years, on this innovative project. He purchased the land envisaging to set up a farm 25 years ago.

“Developing a farm has been my passion since childhood. Working with the forest department helped me to learn the art of conserving trees. I always wanted to live in an ecology similar to the forest. By drawing inspiration from the forest where various crops are naturally grown in a calendar year and due to profound impact left me for working with the forest department, I have been raising agriculture, and horticulture crops, forestry species, livestock and poultry for three years,” Ravinder told ‘Telangana Today.’

Integrated permaculture farm

He was initially doubtful whether he would succeed in the mission, but is now accomplishing it at much faster pace than desired as he harvested guava, mango and papaya crops recently. He is growing agriculture, horticulture crops, certain forestry species by dividing his farm into two parts and using a special imported soil, experience and converting waste into fertilizers.

20 various crops

Ravinder is raising 20 different crops including mango, guava, Malabar plum or jamun, coconut, sapota, papaya, sugar apple, watermelon, water apple, etc., in 8 acres of land, while commercial cotton crop is grown in 3.5 acres of land with the help of two farmhands. He was rearing three sheep and scores of indigenous breeds of chickens in two sheds in addition to the crops.

Depends on mechanization of farming

Ravinder depends on mechanization of farming in order to address shortage of laborers, a major challenge for agriculture. He bought modern farm equipment, including a brush cutter from Jabalpur of Madhya Pradesh, rotavator from Maharashtra, a digger in Ghaziabad of Uttar Pradesh and bed-maker from Gujarat.

Learns intricacies using books, internet

The success formula in permaculture, he says, was effective management of seeds. He learnt intricacies of various forms of farming by reading books, research articles on the internet, and functioning, maintenance and repairing of the farm equipment watching videos on YouTube by spending at least five hours a day.

Leads minimalist life at his farm

Ravinder exuded confidence that he would be able to reap riches in permaculture by harvesting all horticulture crops by a decade. He was leading a minimalist life in a shed constructed in the middle of the farm located around 5 kilometres from Asifabad. He was relying on solar power generated from 2 kilo-watt roof-top solar planes. He does not use a refrigerator and consumes food cooked in clay pots.

First permaculture farmer

The 63-year old says he is the first farmer to venture to this unusual farming from Telangana. He said that he would like to stand as a role model to farmers in the field of permaculture and train those interested in this way of farming at his farm in future.