Keri: Locals of Maina-Navelim in Bicholim, have taken up revival of fallow land on the right of the Mandovi. Once predominantly an agricultural village, Navelim saw its farming heritage threatened by haphazard mining activities that left many fields unused.However, state govt’s recent ‘back to agriculture’ initiative has encouraged Navelim locals to go back to cultivation.“Together, 40 farmers brought almost 2.5 lakh sqm under cultivation of various crops throughout the year. Last season, we reaped 7 to 10 tonnes of Alsande. We have also successfully grown moringa trees. Now, we have sown Jaya and Jyoti varieties of paddy,” said Vishwambhar Gawas of Navelim.He said member secretary of Goa State Biodiversity Board, Pradeep Sarmokadam has provided the Raktasaal variety of paddy which he has sown in his field. “For ploughing, we have used tractors and other machines collectively, but every farmer has been taking interest individually in cultivation of various crops,” Gawas said.Historically, Navelim’s farmers reclaimed coastal land through a network of bunds and sluice gates to prevent tidal saltwater intrusion, enabling integrated rice–fish farming. Large-scale mining later disrupted agriculture and forced fields to remain fallow.As part of its corporate social responsibility, Vedanta Sesa Goa launched ‘back to agriculture’ initiative collaborating with the zonal agriculture office of Bicholim, which has proved helpful for locals to bring fallow land back into active cultivation.
