Driving out into this massive area we were able to see various cultivations. The first stop was the mango section - 40 acres of mango trees, neatly grown in rows
Traveling from Colombo and reaching Hingurakgoda we stopped and asked for directions to Polonnaruwa. The roads are busy. As we move towards our destination there are boards warning us of elephants, crossing from the forest often in search of water. We reached the road leading to the legendary Somawathiya Temple - having travelled almost 230 kilometres. The sky was painted in beautiful shades, giving an alluring sunset to this ancient edifice built by our glorious monarchs. From here taking the Seruvila road we encountered a herd of wild cattle along the sand track.
After driving another 6 kilometres we could see the outline of the sign board, indicating that we had reached the famous Kandakadu Farm, which was set up sometime during 1960. Presently the farm is under the direct supervision of the Directorate of Agriculture and Livestock of the Army. This is a vast area of land- 3502 acres. After settling into our chalet and having dinner, it was lights out.
On Wednesday morning, I was woken by an unfamiliar birdcall. I moved the curtain to witness a spectacular sight- 3 magnificent peacocks right next to the window. What a colourful start to the day. After breakfast we met with Captain Sandaruwan the officer in charge of the farm. Driving out into this massive area we were able to see various cultivations. The first stop was the mango section- 40 acres of mango trees, neatly grown in rows. Sandaruwan explains “These trees belong to the TEJC type which produces the tasty alfonso mango, which is famous in Colombo. These trees are pruned, and once the mangoes appear we bag them with brown paper bags- to prevent birds pecking and eating’. The aroma of the ripening juicy mangoes is indeed a temptation.
The next plantation area had 50 acres of cashew trees, along with oranges and pomegranates. For centuries Ceylon was known as the grain house of Asia. These planting traditions remain alive at Kandakadu- 200 acres of paddy. I was able to walk along the paddy fields and see almost 26 different types of grain including kalu heenati, vedha heenati, patcha perumal and suhandhal.
The most important element of the Kandakadu Farm is the workforce. The Kandakadu village and surrounding villages are made up of low income families. Thankfully the army has trained and employed more than 120 young people whose lives have been truly transformed. At the banana cultivation there were around 15 young women, busy at work. I spoke to three of them- Malkanthi, Dhammika and Kumari from the village of Kalingavila, Welikanda. Malkanthi explains “We are happy that we are able to work on this farm. We are gainfully employed for the past 5 years. The work is quite demanding, but we come from farming families and we are used to the field. Each of us earns 50,000 rupees every month- this enables us to be independent and also take care of our families. Working under the kind supervision of the army we have learnt much about agriculture. We leave home by 6 am to get to the farm”. The girls stop for a tea break.
From here we drive to the vegetable cultivation that has an abundance of pumpkin, brinjal, okra, beetroot, radish, bitter gourd, beans, lime and other leaf vegetables. At a nearby hut there is a juice bar in operation and we take a refreshing glass of chilled watermelon.
After lunch and a short rest it’s time to see the animals. The Livestock and Poultry section is nestled on a 5 acre patch of grassland. The first stop is the large shed that houses the goats. My attention is directed to a large robust ram. I asked the young man Wasantha to take this magnificent animal outside. Wasantha also comes to work from a nearby village and adds “This goat is a breed from India known as Jamuna-Pari, as you can see it is a large and strong male. He is used for breeding and he helps maintain the clan”. I try to feed this huge goat but he remains mildly defiant and returns back to his cage.
Next stop was at the poultry where 250 hens are eating and cackling. These are ‘layer’ hens that yield eggs. From a distance the smell of cow dung rises. Walking towards the main cattle shed we see an assortment of cows and calves. The playful calves are just 2 months old. As we stand to take in this view an inquisitive brown cow comes out of her stall and stands near me. I am told she likes to have her forehead rubbed, and I oblige this docile creature who is so friendly and she begins to lick my hand. Shortly a few other cows have boldly stepped out of their open stalls and gather around me, as if to engage in some sort of welcome orientation!
These gentle cows give their milk twice a day. Their first round of milking is at 6.30 am and second round is at 5.30pm. The cows are led to the milking station and their udders are cleaned. They begin to release their fresh milk. They are fed with a special fodder that has been enriched with molasses. The army farm collects 600 litres of milk on average. The milk is tested at a lab, where using a lactometer the technician is able to read the fat, water and nutrition content of the milk.
Another facet is the buffalo farm. The buffaloes also contribute their milk which is set in clay pots- which in 6 hours becomes fresh tasty curd. As we walk around their stall the keeper Premananda summons a massive black beast known as thoratiya breed (in Sinhalese). He calls out “kaluwa, kaluwa” and the massive buffalo walks toward him like an obedient child. It was a beautiful moment which shows that even a wild animal can respond to a loving voice.
The young rural youth working along with some soldiers have laboured to create an artificial lake called Isuru Wewa - which sustains the cultivation. Modern solar panel powered pumps and irrigation systems are used in cultivation. In addition they are also entering Agro based tourism with a lovely tree house villa, built adjacent to the river. Another innovative project is the Spirulina - algae induced protein product cultivation that is done in large water tanks. The entire farm is under the purview of prudent Brigadier A.K.B. Gunaratne. We spent 2 days here, talking to the young people who work hard and earn an honest living. The Kandakadu Farm is a lush oasis that has transformed the lives of more than 100 rural youth, giving them a vibrant future. The farm can be visited with prior permission.