Professionals scouting for land to turn farmers despite stringent restrictions

By Divya Shekhar

BENGALURU: S Laxminarayan, 39, is a software engineer whose penchant for nature and urban farming goes beyond the terrace, kitchen or backyard gardening. Along with 10 friends, he has purchased around 10 acres of land near Malavalli, some 90 km from the city, where he farms every weekend, along with family. Laxminarayan and his gang represent a new breed of professionals in Bengaluru who turn farmers on weekends, working their way out of numerous legal tangles to practise community farming.

"Weekend farming is a norm in our lives as we all abide by environmental conservation and sustainability,” said Laxminarayan, whose community farming initiative is called ‘Betta Budadha Thota’ (Farm at the base of the mountain). Procurement of land, however, was the biggest hurdle.

According to Section 79A of Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961, you can purchase land for agricultural purposes only if (a) you are an agricultural worker by profession and had purchased agricultural land before 1974; and (b) if your average annual income is below Rs 2 lakh. "When 11 of us decided to get into community farming, we registered the land in the name of two of our parents who have a farming background," Laxminarayan said. "Though the monetary contribution came from all of us... all this is based on mutual trust," he added. Urban farming enthusiasts who cannot afford to purchase land have the option of renting a plot at subsidised rates. Laxminarayan, for instance, has also taken on lease a 2-acre property on Bannerghatta Road, which has been rented out to 7-8 families for weekend farming. Called Brindavan Gardens, each family is allotted 1,000 sq ft. of land and the remaining area is cultivated as joint or community patches.

Dr BN Vishwanath Kadur, President of Garden City Farmers, an organisation that promoters urban farming, said young professionals scouting for cultivation land is a recent trend. "Weekend farming is going to be the future, considering the growing pressure on land, and more people migrating to cities for better lifestyle prospects," he said.

Clinical psychologist Shirley Peries is an active farmer in Brindavan Gardens, who farms every weekend with her husband and two children. "All families gather rental funds annually so that we do not need to worry about it on a monthly basis. The expenses for communi ty patches, de-weeding, watering and security are borne by us collectively," she said.

These weekend farmers grow grains like ragi, millets and tur dal, 8-10 varieties of fruits (including mangoes, strawberries and sapota) and vegetables (coriander, onions, potatoes, onions, ginger and greens like palak, methi and amaranths). Needless to say, these are all organic, with minimum use of pesticides.

"Once the needs of each family is met, we barter excess proceeds," says Shirley, as she points out that land cultivation is the most demanding form of urban farming. "However, you do not need specialised knowledge for it as tilling the land, sowing, watering, de-weeding and harvesting is a knowledge that you will imbibe gradually."

For the rest of the week, the weekend farmers have hired a family to stay in the property to ensure the farms are watered and protected.

"Unlike plants, crops can survive even if they are watered once in 2-3 days," Laxminarayan said. "Children these days grow up in a closed environment. I have noticed how climbing trees, watching chickens and birds in the farm and growing vegetables builds their curiosity, and makes my kids active and cheerful," Shirley said.