Mr Sundararaman Iyer nurtures turmeric and banana in Kettavarampalayam, a village in Erode, Tamil Nadu. Although he completed a diploma in electrical engineering, he considers himself an agricultural professional through and through. After graduating, Mr. Sundararaman’s brother encouraged him to take over the family farm management from his mother and guided him throughout his initial journey. As the Green Revolution began in India, Mr. Sundararaman initially embraced chemical fertilizers, seeing its benefit to crop yields. This seemed like the only option as expenses were increasing and labor declining. However, as pests grew immune and he needed to mix even larger quantities of multiple pesticides and fungicides, Mr Sundararaman grew skeptical of the methods. When he also found that the soil’s fertility was degrading, he decided to revert to organic farming. He began addressing his sustainability concerns under the guidance of his brother and agricultural scholar SN Nagarajan. He now has a 10-acre farm and has switched to less labor-intensive and perennial crops like turmeric and bananas.
Sundararaman was inspired by agricultural researchers - Shripad A. Dabholkar, educator & activist and Dr. Andre Leu, International Director at Regeneration International who both lay emphasis on optimizing soil fertility. His sustainable practices now involve planting multi variety seeds between crops, adding 20 tonnes of organic matter per acre, and promoting microbial activity in the topsoil. Mr. Sundararaman's dedication to enhancing organic carbon content has contributed to improved nutrient management and an increase in yields. He still faces difficulties with labor and expenses, but he persists knowing the environmental benefits. Through his organic-certified farm and educational videos on sustainable practices, Mr.Sundararaman also teaches his methods to over 30 farmers. Together, theyproduce 100-150 tonnes of turmeric for export buyers. Indeed, Mr. Sundararaman is not just cultivating crops; he's cultivating a sustainable future for his community.