From giant Yam to waste management

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Seek the help of Ulloor-based farmer R Raveendran, and he would not only give you an effective waste management method but also  a vegetable garden on your rooftop. Raveendran knows the method to make the most effective manure from waste which could be used in rooftop gardens.A farmer who entered the Limca Book of Records last year with a 275-kg white yam that he grew in his garden, Raveendran has a number of innovations in farming to his credit.  While the people in the city were troubled over how to dispose of waste following the shutdown of the Vilappilsala plant, Raveendran developed three methods to convert the organic waste in his kitchen to manure. A vermi-compost unit to decompose vegetable waste, another to dump curry waste and a third to decompose meat and fish.  He even placed the vermi-compost unit in the sit-out of his house in order to make people aware that it won’t cause any foul smell.  Since hot and sour food cannot be used in a vermi-compost, Raveendran used another bin where leftover rice and curry could be dumped with jaggery solution.“The waste of meat and fish can be used to make amino acid. For example, sardine (‘mathi’) and jaggery must be mixed in the ratio 1:1. This mixture, when kept for one month, would make an excellent manure for vegetables,” Raveendran said. The vermi-compost developed by Raveendran would cost ` 1,500. Raveendran is ready to provide support to city residents who want to make use of this method in their house. He would also supply saplings required for a small family. “Our family does not buy vegetables even during Onam,” he said. Raveendran conducts classes for students on farming.  One day, a student asked him to show a rice plant. Then he started cultivating rice (using seeds of ‘Uma’ which is used for fallow land cultivation) in pots. “We can plant three seeds each in 10 pots. The rice from these pots is enough for a day’s meal and breakfast,” he said.Raveendran recently grew a 140-kg white yam, 68-kg tapioca, 26-kg yam etc. He also grew a 5-kg ginger in a bucket. He started growing vegetables in 2005. Raveendran is ready to help those who are interested. His address: Reji Bhavan, Ulloor, Pongummoodu. Phone: 9048282885 or 0471-2552196.