Tiruppalai: Few in Tamil Nadu knew P Prasanna until a month ago. Now, science teacher from a remote village in Madurai district has become a household name in the southern Indian state.

Life changed drastically for the woman from Tiruppalai village in Madurai district after she won the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Special Award for remarkable achievement in agriculture. She recorded high yield of paddy through ‘semmai nel sagupadi’ (System of Rice Intensification). The award carried 500,000 rupees in cash and a medal.

She reaped 3,223 kilo of TRY 3 variety of rice paddy with just two kilos of the seed planted on a half acre farm in 130 days. It was the highest yield adopting SRI method in the state for 2014-2015.

In India, women do nearly 75 percent of farm works such as sowing seeds, planting saplings, removing weeds and harvesting paddy. However, only a few have become farmers.

“They find it difficult to balance between household duties and field work,” Prasanna explains. She has a solution. What they require is a little knowledge about technical inputs in agriculture and expertise in man management. “I focused on these points and that stood me in good stead,” she adds.

Prasanna’s imbibed her interest in agriculture from her farmer father. “My father used to take me to the farms when I was young and involve me in every activity from performing rituals to sowing the seeds and harvesting the crop. It motivated me and I made it a habit to visit the fields. It continues even now,” says Prasanna, who is also working as science teacher in a private school.

Married to a peasant M. Padmanaban of Tiruppalai Village, she was able to protect her interests in agriculture. The Chief Minister’s Award for farmers inspired her and knowing her interest the agriculture department encouraged her to enroll for it.

She said she used natural fertilizers in strict compliance with the government guidelines. At every stage, adjudicators from the department visited her farm to record the growth. Even the colors of the leaves were noted down by the officers and they sounded positive.

“The success behind the high yield was the space I left between two saplings. The 22.5 cm space on all sides ensured sufficient sunlight. Water requirement is also less in this method. Finally, I harvested in February 2015. On that day itself the officials sealed all the grains and took them to the warehouse.”

She said she was informed about the award on January 26, India’s Republic Day. “My four-year long dream came true,” she says.

Prasanna has made it into a practice to visit the field every morning and evening and full day during weekends. She regularly updates herself and tries to implement innovative methods. She also evinces keen interest in terrace gardening.

“Now, I am planning to use drip irrigation in sugarcane cultivation. Not many in my area have attempted this method. Hope I get the desired results,” she says.

(This appeared in The Hindu on March 3,2016 )