Cultivate fallow land for prosperity

By Ranil Wijayapala

The fresh air flushing through the green paddy leaves fluttering in the breeze gives a soothing effect on us as we walk through the paddy land surrounded by a highly residential area in Kalalgoda, Thalawathugoda in the suburbs of Colombo.

When all the surrounding paddy lands being encroached by the people for residential and other purposes as traditional paddy farmers in the Colombo suburb used to abandoning the paddy cultivation due to various reasons, this paddy land in Kalalgoda was lucky enough to receive a fair treatment.

Himani Wijetunge takes a walk through the paddy fields

Managing Director of the Harsha International (Pvt) Ltd, Himani Wijetunge who engaged in the business of supplying body armour to the Security Forces during the past decade thinking it not only as a business but also as a duty towards the nation in securing the lives of our soldiers in the battlefront, has thought of making a difference in her life by making this paddy land a part of her daily life.

Dawn of peace

Himani is known within the business circle and media for her courageous journey to get her company product, the locally made body armour that can help protecting lives in the battlefront, to the fore competing with other international products when the country was engaged in a bitter war. With the dawn of peace she also thought of engaging in a hobby that can relax her mind.

When all men and women in the business field are investing their money, just thinking only about profits, Himani had undertaken the task of cultivating this fallow paddy land at least to make an effort to preserve the beauty of a paddy land in the middle of this highly residential area.

"I had a passion for cultivations from my young age, but I never had an opportunity to make my dream a reality. By transforming this fallow paddy land to a cultivable land I have fulfilled that dream in my life", Himani says whilst walking through the paddy field in her bare feet.

At a time people are thinking only in terms of their own benefit, her effort to cultivate that fallow paddy land has benefited many in the surrounding area as the cultivation of the paddy land has improved the flow of rain water in the area during rainy season.

Canals

She had invested highly to improve the canal system of the paddy land as overflow of the canals destroys not only her paddy land but also the adjoining lands also. "If the government is assisting to improve the banks of these canals many people who had abandoned their paddy lands can start their paddy cultivations", Himani says.

Cultivating a paddy land is not the only objective in her effort but she also tries to preserve varieties of paddy like 'Rathdel', 'Ma Vee', 'El Vee' in her paddy field. Therefore, she tries to cultivate many varieties of paddy in her paddy field to have the taste of many varieties of paddy.

Chemicals

"I always try to preserve the traditional way of paddy cultivation by adopting the ancient traditions without using insecticides and pesticides and other chemicals. But it has become a difficult task as adjoining paddy lands are not being cultivated by the owners. Therefore, I had to switch to the modern way of paddy cultivation this time. But I always prefer to have a paddy harvest without using chemicals", she says.

Therefore, she gets the assistance of the farmers cultivating her paddy land to have many crops on the 'Niyara' (bank) and add beauty to the scene.

Helping hands always come her way from the people who are experienced in paddy cultivation, but she laments the lack of timely support coming from the Agriculture Development Officer in the area to get the paddy land protected from outside elements. "I always admire the assistance coming from the experts on traditional paddy cultivation but it has to come in time and not when the paddy cultivation is completely destroyed", she said. So it has become yet another struggle to save the paddy cultivation like the way she struggled with her husband Ajitha to get due recognition for their locally produced body armour.

"As a citizen of this country we have a duty by the nation. Though we engaged in a business I have a strong feeling that we did our duty towards the country by producing the best ever body armour locally to supply to the Security Forces after competing with many international bidders. I think that helped save many lives in the battlefront. In the same way I feel that I also can do something to the nation at least in a small way by preserving the paddy cultivations and its traditions", she says explaining her efforts in her life.

Meal of our own

She says that these paddy lands in the urban areas have to be preserved to enable the people to breathe fresh air and spend their free time watching the liveliness of these cultivations. "The best happiness we get from this is, we can enjoy a meal of our own without any fear. Therefore, I appeal the others also to make use of the fallow paddy land available in plenty in the suburbs to cultivate more and more crops and make use of them effectively to create a better environment in the cities like the way they are investing heavily for landscaping", she said.