Their flags may vary from deep red to saffron to the tricolour, but if there is one hue that unites political parties in Kerala, it is green. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Congress and the BJP, all seem to be competing to establish their green credentials.
They are directly cultivating rice and organic vegetables, breeding fish, and even setting up stalls to market them. This is a huge step for a consumerist state, which is largely dependent on neighbouring states for daily subsistence. In the run-up to the 2016 assembly elections, organic farming had found a prominent place in party manifestos.And, though the elections were almost a year ago, the momentum has not been lost. Taking the lead is the ruling CPI(M), which had kick-started the organic movement three years ago. And, thanks to its organisational strength, the party is successfully farming in 2,500 acres across the state. It has also set up 1,020 permanent stalls and sold produce worth Rs 15 crore last year.
“The party decided to take up organic farming realising the grave situation the state was in,” CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told THE WEEK. “At that time, we had no option but to eat the pesticide-laden vegetables and rice we buy from other states; farming had become a thing of the past. The party was determined to change that mindset and we have succeeded to a large extent.”
The CPI(M) has directed all district and area committee offices to take up farming wherever possible—most party office terraces have turned into organic farms. “We collectively do reviews every six months to track the programme. It is one of our top priorities,” said Balakrishnan.
The CPI(M) had recently organised the national conference of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, its youth wing, which had more than 1,000 representatives. The food for the conference came from the party’s own farms, said P. Rajeev, former MP and current Ernakulam district secretary. “The greatest achievement of the organic movement is the awareness it has generated among the common man, especially the younger generation,” he said.
The Congress is also catching up. A couple of years ago, former state party president V.M. Sudheeran, who himself is an avid farmer, had launched a movement called the Gandhi Haritha Samridhi, which is expected to spearhead the organic movement. The Congress has distributed organic seeds to all constituencies and the Gandhi Haritha Samridhi conveners have been told to follow it up.
Moreover, Congress leaders such as MLA Anil Akkara and Thrissur district committee president T.N. Prathapan have been putting in a lot of effort at the individual level. Akkara, while he was a panchayat president, had successfully brought out branded rice and coconut oil named after his panchayat, Adat. Despite the comparatively higher price, the products have always been in demand.
The BJP, the latest entity in Kerala politics, has also joined the green bandwagon. It is practising organic farming in limited areas, but is focusing more on water conservation and a greener environment. “We recently held a water parliament, which Water Man Rajendra Singh attended,” BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan told THE WEEK. “Our priority is to replenish our water sources and, to achieve this, every district unit has formed a Jal Swaraj Samithi.”
The BJP has also decided to plant 10 lakh fruit trees across the state. “We will be planting only fruit trees,” said Rajasekharan. “Mostly jackfruit, mango and tamarind, so that they will be useful to every living being—humans, birds and animals.” The party has also started distributing pamphlets to its cadres on water preservation and better ways of cultivation.
All these ventures are significant as the production of every crop, including paddy, has come down drastically. According to government data, the state had produced 10,68,000 tonnes of rice in 1960, but only 5,58,000 tonnes in 2016.
“The government is trying to reverse this trend through various innovative measures and we are happy that it has received overwhelming support from the people,” Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar told THE WEEK. The positive role being played by all political parties at the local level is a welcome change, he said.
“This will have a long-term impact in the way politics is played out in the state,” said environmentalist P. Raghunath. He said if this trend continued, politics of annihilation would give way to politics of creativity.
“It is so rare to see political parties taking part in such constructive engagements,” said actor-director Sreenivasan, who pioneered the green movement in the state.
He is one of several Mollywood celebrities who have taken to farming, which has encouraged the common man.
The state government has chosen actor Manju Warrier as the brand ambassador of the organic movement. One of her recent movies, How Old Are You?, had stressed the importance of growing one’s own vegetables. Several other actors, including Mammootty, Sreenivasan and Kunchacko Boban, are self-proclaimed organic farmers. Directors such as Sathyan Anthikad and Rajeev Ravi are also into organic farming. “I firmly believe that cinema has a great influence on society and I see to it that every film of mine has a character who has something to do with farming,” Anthikad told THE WEEK. “There is a consciousness and people are trying to grow whatever and wherever they can. Many even call us to say thank you for inspiring them to grow their own stuff. I am happy to see the younger generation getting interested in farming.”
