Fr Inacio Almeida digs his hands into the vermicompost pit,pulling up a mound of dirt and earthworms. “Look. It’s such a simple process.People pay large amounts of money for earthworms but you can create greatcompost from wet waste and use it for your gardens and farms,” he states. Hispassion for the land is reflected in his eyes and his actions, as he surroundshimself by trees, plants, seedlings and other nature. Today, Fr Inacio takescare of the Pilar Society farm in Sattari and its initiative Action Sattari.This is his green kingdom, where he teaches aspiring and established farmersand school children alike, on how to bring forth nourishment, sustenance andgreen cover from God’s good earth.
The good priest’s love for the land started as a child, whenhe first got his hands into fertile soil, helping his mother harvest theirpaddy fields in Macazana, Curtorim. In 1957, he joined the Pilar Seminary,where his passion and talent for gardening and farming was recognised by hissuperiors. “The rector asked me to manage the garden at the Pilar Society. Afterthat I went to different places across India to study farming, like Allahabad.I came back and was stationed at Collem for 14 years. I even went to Japan forspecific research.” At Collem, Fr Inacio got the farmers to invest in sugarcaneand grow it in the different wards. This soon became a successful crop. Thiswas not his only success. Over the years Fr Inacio has taken it upon himself toturn Sattari’s lands green, encouraging farmers not to give up on the land andtry new methods of cultivation.
Today, the Jagoti Nature Farm in Sattari, Fr Inacio’s base,has become a “Centre of Knowledge.” He explains, “We teach grafting too. We’vemanaged to successfully get farmers to graft cashew trees. We’ve alsointroduced a method of paddy farming called SRI (System of RiceIntensification). A French Jesuit Father Henri de Laulanié came up with hismethod in Madagascar and we’ve started it here too.” Fr Inacio spent a lot oftime in Madagascar perfecting SRI, before he attempted to teach it to the localfarmers. Such is his dedication to the cause.
His experience and knowledge doesn’t just stop at the naturefarm or the farms of the people who come to him for help. His guidance wassought for the Goa Vision 2035 document, where he suggested ways to improveagriculture in Goa. “Right now, the Chief Minister has sought a 6 per centincrease in agriculture in Goa. We’re with him, ready to support the cause. InBandodkar’s time, we had gram sevak’s who spent their time in the fields of Goaencouraging farmers. There were zonal agricultural offices then. Today, all theofficers are busy with paperwork and no one has time to actually guide thefarmers. Look at the requirements for subsidies. There’s so much paperwork andeven more red tape.”
Fr Inacio still feels that Goa’s lands can be fertile andproductive again. “We need to utilise our resources instead of worrying aboutmigration. If that happens, migration will slow down and stop automatically.”
