MARGAO
Call it the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown effect or otherwise, one may soon find Goan lads replacing migrant operators from across the borders to man the paddy harvesters.
Around 17 farmers from South Goa have successfully completed training not just to man the harvesters, but also look after its repair and maintenance.
Another batch of 22 farmers from North Goa will undergo similar training to operate the harvesters from October 1 – thanks to the Agriculture Department’s initiative under the Agriculture Technology Management Agency, South.
With 60-70 per cent of paddy now being harvested by the mechanical harvesters to cut down the labour cost, the Agriculture Department’s training venture will ensure that the state need not depend on migrant labour to operate the harvesters.
The exercise assumes significance given that the service providers of 20 harvesters had to run from pillar to post to get the migrant operators during the lockdown, but could not get any during the interstate movement of men and vehicles during the country-wide lockdown.
Says Agriculture Director, Nevil Alphonso: “Goan farmers had a terrible time to harvest the paddy during the lockdown earlier this year. The service providers had the harvesters, but no men to operate them. We realized the deficiency of skilled manpower in the state since most of the operators were hailing from across the border.”
Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar had even knocked the doors of the District Collector South to allow harvesting machine operators to enter the state, but the MHA guidelines had barred interstate travel.
Alphonso said the Agriculture Department has given a try with the permission of the Deputy Chief Minister to train Goan youth in operating the harvesters and look after their maintenance.
The department has roped in a professional mechanic Greg to ensure that the local lads receive the right training to man the harvesters.
After having been roped in as a resource person by the Agriculture Department, Greg has trained the 17 local youth in handling the harvesters and their maintenance during the five-day training.
“They have been imparted the practical knowledge of handling harvesters. They will be taken to the fields on October 15 for actual harvesting. That will be their final class before they go out and operate the harvesters,” Greg added.
Expressing his satisfaction that local youth evinced interest in the training programme to operate the mechanical harvesters, Kavlekar thanked the department officials for the initiative, saying it will go a long way in making the state self-reliant in manpower.
