“People are suffering because they do not respect mother earth and the soil,” says Adarsh Kishor Sori studying in Daman’s CPS Tokarkhada. Children generally dream of becoming something fancy, however, this young boy is very realistic in his dreams; he wants to become a farmer.

Adarsh says, “I feel this area is still unexplored. People want to reach the moon but are completely ignoring the soil. How is this possible?” He adds on further saying ‘chand ke chakkar mein zameen toh nahi bhool sakte’ (We cannot forget the land while aiming to reach the moon). He aims to become a farmer not as his fate, but due to his love and passion for the motherland.

He recollects a story from the past and narrates as if the scene was recreated right in front of his eyes. His uncle’s house was on uneven farmland but had grown beetle nut and banana trees in the property. However, during monsoon seasons, the top layer of soil is always washed away and the farmers in the neighbouring area under huge losses. He hadn’t understood what was so different, as they were all farmers at the end of the day and followed similar practises. 

On have a deep discussion with his uncle, he realised that their farming practices were different. While the rest of them chose to use chemical fertilisers to feed their crops, his uncle used home-made compost to feed his plants. Due to this practice, the soil in his farm was more fertile when compared to theirs and his plants grew faster. Adarsh says, “Everyone wants to run behind making money. Nobody has the time and patience to invest in planting trees. They forget that for them to be protected, they have to protect their soil too. Working with nature is a two-way process.”

Adarsh further adds that he has seen people suffer due to the lack of rich soil and that they have forgotten how to revive the nutrients in the soil. He wants to be the one who sets an example. But, he is aware that taking care of his family responsibilities is quite important and that he cannot think of doing things on a large scale.

Adarsh says, “I love the soil. I respect mother earth because this is where we get our food from. If the soil is well-fed, we will be fed with healthy yields too.” Saying that reminds him of the healthy food that is provided at school. He further explains, “The food we get here is one of my bigger joys. I have never wasted even a single grain on my plate. I know how valuable food is and for me, getting food matters the most.” He says he waits for the days they are served with dal tadka and vegetables along with rice as it is his favourite dishes.