Category: Green Products

** Brook at the end of tunnel along Karnataka-Kerala border

Interestingly, these plantations are green even during the harsh and humid summers, due to the traditional water management system called ‘Suranga’ or tunnel system adopted by many hardworking farmers. In this system, tunnels are dug horizontally through the slopes of the laterite hills until a water spring is found. Water that percolates through the hill flows into the tunnel. The water is then channelled to tanks through pipes, and used for horticulture crops through sprinkler and drip irrigation

 Vast swathes of land in the hilly regions along the Karnataka-Kerala border in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada, once dismissed as barren wasteland, are now lush with arecanut, banana and cocoa plantations, bringing rich dividends to farmers.

Interestingly, these plantations are green even during the harsh and humid summers, due to the traditional water management system called ‘Suranga’ or tunnel system adopted by many hardworking farmers. In this system, tunnels are dug horizontally through the slopes of the laterite hills until a water spring is found. Water that percolates through the hill flows into the tunnel. The water is then channelled to tanks through pipes, and used for horticulture crops through sprinkler and drip irrigation

** Organic growth of this woman farmer from Karnataka

The products coming out of her initiative Tadhvanam from this remote village in Davanagere district have reached different parts of the country and globe.

It was in 1987 that Saroja took the tiny step of entrepreneurship by starting a dairy farm and starting a unit to make coir products to bring her family’s economic position back on track. This initiative gave her first lessons in earning money from home.

63-year-old Saroja Nagendrappa Patil from Nitturu village in Harihar taluk not only grows crops organically, but also adds value to her produce, increasing her earnings. She has now become a model for the womenfolk in the region.

She also took up teaching fellow women and men farmers through an agriculture department initiative and taught them how to use available resources in their neighborhood, organic pest management and other ways of growing crops. Her stint at guiding other farmers made her a better leader and also gave her new ideas to grow crops naturally. Though initial successes were small, sustained efforts helped her in enriching the family’s 30-acre plot that gave her ever better yields.

** Researchers document 43,118 butterflies in Dakshina Kannada

The ‘winged beauties’ are a good indicator of the ecological health of a habitat

Butterflies are excellent communities to monitor the ecological health of a place. A team of researchers from Mangalore University, in collaboration with other two institutes, has identified and documented 43,118 butterflies (individuals) belonging to 175 species in Dakshina Kannada.

Of them, 22 species were habitat specific. The researchers were pursuing the ‘winged beauties’ for the past two years

** MBA grad now a farmer, sells organic fruits

With Sankranti round the corner, an MBA graduate, who has turned a farmer, is offering basketfuls of organic, homegrown fruits to corporate offices.

Usharani Vinay, the founder of Skyo Farms, had worked in several IT companies. During the pandemic, however, she found her love for farming. She impulsively bought a piece of land in her village, Yelagalavadi in Kunigal taluk, and started farming. “We had moved back to our village during the pandemic, when we came across a piece of land for sale. I bought it and started farming,” she told TNIE.

** Doctor by day, farmer by night: Meet the Bengaluru doc behind Chikkaballapura’s ecomuseum

If Dr Narasimhaiah Srinivasaiah is not donning his white coat, he is practising ‘tropical forestry’ at his eco-museum on the foothills of Nandi Hills .

For a doctor who is treating one of the most dreaded diseases, cancer, finding time off from work is quite challenging. However, Dr Narasimhaiah Srinivasaiah is a person who wants to be close to ‘Mother Earth’. An individual who likes to see, smell, and live amidst nature, Srinivasaiah believes this to be the cure of all ailments. When is off medical work, Srinivasaiah is a horticulturist, florist and agriculturist. Following his extensive travel around US and Europe during the early 2000s, he realised the untapped horticultural space in India. Thus gave birth to Nandi Nisarga Dhama (NaNidam), an eco-museum situated on the foothills of Nandi Hills, in Chikkaballapura. 

** Karnataka’s Transport Dept. receives first application for e-bike taxis

But before issuing the licence, Govt. has to approve and notify fare structure

Six months after unveiling the ‘Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi Scheme’, the Transport Department has received only one application for a licence from Bengaluru-based mobility solutions platform, Bounce.

** Techie-turned-farmer teaches kids about forgotten flora

He is a storehouse of knowledge on Indian trees, plants and herbs, and in his farm, which is nothing like the traditional setup, the flora grows wildly and naturally.

The farm has over 300 species of plants and trees, all either edible or used for medicinal purposes. 

Srivathsa Govindaraju, a software engineer-turned-farmer, started his farm 13 years ago with the intent of “respecting nature as it is and to understand how it functions”.

** Fair showcasing products made by women SHGs registers significant success

Asmite, a State-sponsored fair for showcasing products of women self-help groups held in Belagavi recently, has achieved significant success.

The week-long trade fair that coincided with the first week of the Winter Session of the State Legislature saw a total sales of ₹60 lakh.

The trade fair has also seen some other benefits such as exposing women entrepreneurs to other markets and to introduce consumers to several products that could be made by women’s groups, Minister for Higher Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood C.N. Ashwath Narayan said in a release.

As many as 140 stalls, including seven food stalls, were put up during the fair. They achieved sales worth ₹60 lakh, including pre- and post-order bookings.

Yashoda Self-Help Group from NRLM, Vijayapura, which makes jute bags, achieved the highest sales figure of ₹1,26,900.

Mata Savitri Bai Self-Help Group of Belagavi, which makes cotton bags and quilts, received orders worth over ₹1.19 lakh.

Chamundeshwari Self-Help Group from Mysuru, whose members create wood inlay works, received orders worth ₹1.1 lakh, Sri Revansiddeshwar Self-Help Group of Bagalkot that weaves Ilkal saris registered sales worth ₹1 lakh and Janavani Matha Self-Help Group, Belagavi, that makes jewellery and paintings, sold products worth ₹87,420.

** BMTC launches electric bus services in Bengaluru

The first service will be to Kengeri

In a green milestone, the first fleet of electric buses and BS-VI diesel standard buses hit the city’s road on Monday. With this, the long wait for green public transport of seven years has come to an end.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai flagged off the State’s first batch of these buses deployed on a long-term basis on Monday morning and the buses hit the streets making their maiden trips later in the day.