Name: Tamil Nadu farmers learn to thrive despite water scarcity
Uploaded: 2026-01-20T09:31:59.042Z
Duration: 3 min 31 s
Description: From drought‑hit tapioca fields to thriving vegetable farms, climate‑resilient agriculture is securing livelihoods in Tamil Nadu even as rainfall declines.

From drought‑hit tapioca fields to thriving vegetable farms, climate‑resilient agriculture is securing livelihoods in Tamil Nadu even as rainfall declines.

Tamil Nadu

Farmers in the Pachamalai mountains of Tamil Nadu, India, have been transitioning away from traditional tapioca cultivation due to insufficient rainfall and irrigation challenges. Supported by the Antanay project, a government initiative, they are now growing a wider variety of crops such as okra, tomatoes, beans, and mangoes, which allows for year-round harvesting and reduces reliance on outside work.

The programme provides seeds, tools, and training, helping farmers increase their incomes and stability. Notably, participants like Palani have seen significant improvements, no longer needing to seek labor in neighboring states and even employing others locally. The shift has led to a marked decline in tapioca farming and improved prospects for the next generation.

Tamil Nadu farmers learn to thrive despite water scarcity

Since time immemorial, cassava has been a staple, along with the tapioca starch in its roots. But in Tamil Nadu's Pachamalai mountains, many farmers have stopped growing the crop as it requires moderate irrigation and there is not enough rain. I made the switch two years ago. When I was farming tapioca, it was difficult to manage my household expenses. If your crop depends on rainfall, only you earn money when it rains. But your spending remains high, whatever. We also have to rely on others for help, which adds to the cost. Until a few years ago, many farmers were forced to go to neighbouring Kerala to find work, just to make ants' meat. To support these tribal communities, the Tamil Nadu Tribal Welfare Department teamed up with the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research to launch the Antanay project. Through the programme, farmers receive free seeds, seedlings and fertilisers along with agricultural tools and machinery and training in crop management. Under this scheme, we provide farmers with different seeds like okra, tomatoes, beans and more. The main goal is to help farmers increase their income. By cultivating different vegetables, they can harvest something throughout the year, reducing the need to seek outside work. Initially, 125 farmers signed up for the government programme, switching from a tapioca monoculture to growing a wide variety of crops including beans, tomatoes, chillies and mangoes. Palani and his wife joined the programme a while ago. It has changed their lives. They haven't had to go to Kerala for a long time. Even if I work for 10 acres of land in Kerala, I'm still just a labourer there. When we were working in Kerala, the farm owner would scold my husband for one thing or another. I really felt bad to see him being treated this way. But now, in our own place, with nearly 15 people working for him, I feel so proud and happy. Palani's reputation is now firmly established. In September 2025, he won an award because his harvests outperformed most other farmers in the programme. He's convinced that sustainable farming with multiple crops is key to a secure future, also for the next generation. When farmers don't get a good harvest, they can't even send their children to school. Many children go to government schools and leave when they are just 12. Our scheme teaches them about farming so they can provide for themselves later, without having to go to Kerala or elsewhere like we did. They can feel confident about their future. A future in Tamil Nadu. The prospects here aren't bad. Tapioca farming has shrunk by more than a third in this region over the past decade, replaced instead by many more vegetables and more for the farmers to live on.

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