The ongoing COVID19 pandemic has brought with it a major concern for global food shortage. As such, it’s high time for people to start honing their green thumbs. With a similar vision in mind, the renowned tattoo artist from Manipur, Mo Naga has put his needle down and picked the shovel to spread the awareness on the need of self-sustainance.
Mo reached his native village in Manipur from Delhi just a day before the announcement of the nationwide lockdown. He utilized his isolation period to plan out his gardening project.
The artist started growing a melange of fruits and vegetables in his gardening plot. Starting from local vegetables to the imported ones, Mo has planted pumpkin, bitter gourd, tomatoes, beans, corn, lettuce, cabbage, brinjal, Spring onions, cape berries, bhoot jolokia/ king chilli, regular green chillies, lady finger, passion fruits etc. He used to buy an imported breed of sweet tomatoes in Delhi which is not found locally. Mo kept the seeds with him. The seeds, originally from abroad, travelled with him all the way from Delhi and finally rested in Manipur. Now, Mo is expecting tomatoes soon from this firangi plant.
Alongside, Mo has also started backyard poultry farming to take care of the protein requirements. He, even prepared a chicken coop with the available resources. When it comes feeding them, Mo uses leftover vegetables from his garden like cabbage or lettuce leaves which are not only healthy for the chickens but also reduces wastage.
To make people aware about the importance of this self-sustaining hobby, Mo has been sharing his ‘gardening diaries’ everyday on his social media platforms.
Mo, who was among the only three Indian to be featured in the ‘World Atlas of Tattoo’ believes that self sustainance is the need of the hour now. He is also of the view that this whole concept of ‘growing your own food’ should be included in the education system.
According to the tattoo artist, this practice of backyard gardening will keep people busy. It will also bring out positivity required to fight this gloominess, panicky and fear caused by this pandemic.
If an artist like Mo Naga of international level can get back to the land, then we all can.
Also, growing your own food at this stage will not only keep your fridge full in a crisis like this. But also save your money, lead to utilization of unused space and provide you fresh organic food.
As the theme for the International day of Biologocal Diversity this year goes “Our Solution is in Nature”, the solution for THIS crisis is also nature. You never know when this global catastrophe is going to end. Instead of brooding about it, just get up and start growing your own food.
If you are a beginner and wondering how to start, then watch the following video.
DIY grow your own food – Guwahati Foodie
