Shivamogga: In an age of modern agricultural machinery, Sharadamma, a farmer from Sagar taluk of Shivamogga district, continues to practise traditional farming using bullocks.
A resident of Kagodu village, Sharadamma walks nearly two kilometres daily to reach her farmland in the Mandagale area and carries out cultivation despite several challenges.
Her biggest concern is the lack of irrigation. Though she owns two acres of land, she depends entirely on rainfall. Due to water scarcity, crop production has suffered, with her farm yielding only around five bags of paddy last year.
“Planting is possible, but without water the crops dry up. Wild animals also damage the fields. A borewell would help us continue farming,” Sharadamma said.
She has appealed to local representatives and officials to provide borewell facilities under the government’s Ganga Kalyan Yojana, stating that a single borewell could transform her farming and livelihood.
Despite having no transport facility, Sharadamma walks to her field every day with her bullocks. She personally ploughs the land and continues traditional paddy cultivation methods.
She said she prefers bullock-based farming as excessive use of machinery has reduced fodder availability for cattle.
Sharadamma’s dedication has drawn attention to the struggles of small farmers who continue agriculture despite limited resources. Her appeal has raised hopes that the government and Agriculture Department will provide the required irrigation support to help her sustain farming.
