Chicalim Youth Farmers Club

The Chicalim Youth Farmers Club, headed by Rev Fr. Dr. Bolmax Pereira the local parish priest who has completed his Ph.D. on Goa’s Wetlands, has been encouraging the local youth towards farming activities. Fr Bolmax says that he came up with the idea of getting the youth to work in the fields as they are the future of Goa. Currently, the Chicalim Youth Framers club has around 30 members. The revival of fallow fields in Chicalim is its primary goal with the secondary goal being, to present agriculture as viable economic industry. It will be mentored by traditional farmers and informed members of civil society in collaboration with St. Francis Xavier Church, Chicalim. The CY Farmers Club in addition promotes agriculture, defends ecological justice, supports environmental conservation and explores new learning avenues.

1. What is the mission of the Chicalim Youth Farmers Club?

– Our mission is:
a) To promote awareness, inculcate importance in the field of agriculture, ground water, soil and water conservation.
b) To achieve its goals on agriculture, integrate the development of water resources, animal husbandry, fish farming, renewable sources of energy, etc.
c) To promote the export or sales of any agricultural products, including advertising and market research
d) To promote better farming by facilitating activities such as:
● Assisting in education and training of farmers.
● Ensuring the improvement and maintenance of farming standards among its members.
● Circulate latest appropriate agriculture technology and farming innovations to its members.

2. What type of initiatives and projects does the CY Farmers Club take up on and support?

● Participated in the Plantation drive 2.o with the theme, Zhadd Roi…..Jivit Fuloi on 15th August 2020.
● Attended the Mollem Campaign on 13th September 2020.
● Attended the Save Mollem Protest on 30th September 2020 near St. Andrews Church, Vasco.
● Participated in the Peace walk (Shanti Padyathra) , a global climate change movement on 2nd October 2020.
● Attended the People’s Biodiversity discussion
● We have done flash mobs at various locations, covering more than 50 places.
● We took up the Jerusalema Challenge and shot a video giving a social message to the people by making them aware of the three mega projects happening in Goa. We have covered many places such as We started with St. Jacinto, Orlim, Bogmalo, Miramar, Majorda, Vasco, Calangute, Siridao, Nauxim,Verna, Panjim, Mollem, Mapusa

3. What were some of the difficulties you faced while trying to do this work?

– Fortunately, the lockdown helped us gain more time and participate in more events. In the beginning, getting in new members was tough cause youth are normally of the view that agricultural work is of low esteem, but luckily that is changing now. We have more and more youth joining us, so the stereotype is breaking. When it comes to finance, people have been very supportive and kind towards us, so we manage with whatever little we have.

4. What were the new learnings for the members of the CY Farmers Club?

– Most of us have never done any agricultural work, so working on the field was very new to us. Soon We’re going back to farming, and we will see how that goes. Other than that we’re actively participating in awareness campaigns too, this whole experience of meeting people, talking to them, exchanging views, etc. has been a roller coaster ride. The lockdown proved to be a blessing in disguise.

5. What was the most rewarding part of this experience?

– For us the most rewarding part is knowledge. We acquired a lot of theoretical knowledge while we were in school, high school and college, but the best was learnt while we worked out practically and understood the geography, history, science and mathematics.

6. What do hope will be the biggest lesson in all of this for the public and everybody that hears of the work taken up by the CY Farmers Club?

– Coming back to the days how our ancestors lived would be a peaceful life. The government insist on aatmanirbhar or being self reliable. This will be only possible if we get back in our friends or plant vegetables. Even small businesses are motivated by the CYFC because we have studied the wages or salaries offered to a graduate or even a post graduate person. By being self reliable a family will have a chance to work together and this will also create a good family bond which is missing these days because all the members work and hardly have any time to sit together and talk.

7. What is your plan moving forward?

– The main motive behind Cyfc is participating in agricultural activities and not only on social issues. We have already started the working according to the planner made by the committee. Cycf will be cultivating various crops and vegetables with help of the mentors and the youth.

8. What type of support do you need, if any to continue the work you are doing on ground?

– We want support from our mentors in guiding us and teaching abt the activities we will be handling.