| Organic farm in South Poigainallur Contact: M. Revathi, Tamil Nadu Organic Farmer's Trust (94433 43336)
This area is located between Akkaraipettai and Velankanni; while the death toll in these two villages was in the thousands, the loss of life in South Poigainallur was limited to 12. Of this number, 10 villagers were visiting Velankanni that morning and 2 villagers were near the shore fixing a dyke. This limited death toll is attributed to the man-made sand dune built along the shore, a knowledge that has been passed on through generations for over 500 years. Within a few meters from the seashore there is lush greenery with indigenous vegetation. The villagers rely on their ancestral knowledge to protect their agricultural water from seawater infiltration and for other agricultural techniques. This village is almost untouched by modernity, as evidenced in the agricultural watering being done by hand.
The force of the tsunami waves broke through the drain, provided for agricultural water drainage, and destroyed part of the dune. It inundated the fields with seawater and sand. Once the seawater spread across the agricultural land it stagnated because the unaffected parts of the dune kept the water from receding.
Their drains and the soil need immediate attention. While the loss of lives was limited in this village, the damage to the agricultural sector has been significant. The farmers rely on the land for their livelihood. Sale of vegetables was a very lucrative business prior to the tsunami, and this has now dwindled considerably – an 8-10 Lakh Rupees revenue has been reduced to about 2 Lakhs Rupees.
Revathi, Executive Director of the Tamil Nadu Organic Farmers Trust, feels very passionate about restoration of the villages around the Nagapattinam area. She wants to use South Poigainallur as a model to rehabilitate the agricultural sector. According to Revathi, the government believes that it will take 15 years for the agricultural soil to return to its pre-tsunami condition. But she feels that within 6 months she can restore the productivity of the soil by planting specific seedlings that absorb salinity. She requires financial support to help her meet this goal. The immediate priority is restoration of agricultural land. She also has other equally important proposals for the ecological maintenance of the area. She has the following requests:
1. Fixing of drain/ dyke: The tsunami destroyed a few hundred feet of the sand dune; the PWD fixed it by gathering the sand in the destroyed area. However, there is no drain in this area and one is needed to allow for excess irrigation water and the seawater that comes in during high tide to flow out. A drain with a gate that can be closed whenever necessary would be ideal. She needs funding for this project; she will use local unemployed farmers to work.
2. Drainage system in the agriculture field is now entirely covered with sand; the sand needs to be cleared. She would need to rent 3 earthmovers for approximately eight to ten weeks to clear two kilometers of drainage. In addition, she needs funds to pay for the drivers, fuel, etc. It may take up to 3 months for the completion of this project. She will take care of overseeing the work – she has the manpower.
3. Biodiversity Register: There is a need to document the biodiversity of these villages. She plans to do this with the help of school children, as such a project will make them aware of their environment as well as instill knowledge, interest and pride in the current generation, while documenting information for future generations. It will help in handing down knowledge and experience of the past generations.
4. Aforestation work must be done along the seashore. This will provide a natural barrier from the elements using indigenous trees and shrubs. Currently, the Department of Forestry’s bid to plant casuarinas is unsuccessful as it is not indigenous to the area. Revathi also maintains that planting mangroves for this area will not be successful. The aforestation project can provide employment for the currently inactive farmers using food for work/cash for work program.
5. Women are neglected in this community; the widow rate is high. There are 440 widows in the age group of 18-30. Although this is not tsunami-related, there is a need to positively divert women energy. They are displaced because there is very little agricultural work. They need to be given training to channel their energy and empower them with new skills.
The kind of plants that the people have used over hundreds of years to build these dunes is interesting. Lots of palm tree-shave been used. A plant called 'ravanan's meesai', (ravan's moustache) which literally clamps itself on to the sand and creeps across for hundreds of yards rooting along the way, has been used to help compact the sand.
Flowering, sand-loving bushes the leaves of which are used as herbal remedy are present all over the dunes. The wells on each plot are shallow and the water in these wells is protected from evaporation by trees planted around it forming an umbrella.
The current sand dune stretch is about 7 km. Apparently sand dunes stretched the entire coast of Nagapattinam for hundreds of years. In the name of development most of it has been removed. Also there is a place called Pillaiperumal Koil, where the sand dunes were removed by a prominent construction company to raise the level for the construction of their factory near the coast. This has apparently caused extensive loss of lives and property when the tsunami hit the coast.
Addendum: Since this visit, a German organization has funded the rehabilitation of the agricultural fields in South Poigainallur. Revathi intends to follow a similar program for the rehabilitation of other villages around that area. | 
