Complex Crop Patterns in Ambasamudram

 Complex Crop Patterns in Ambasamudram

At many places in and around Ambasamudram, we came across a unique matrix of crops - paddy fields, coconut trees, marigold flowers, and banana trees. At first glance, we were hugely surprised to see this seemingly chaotic arrangement of crops. However, as the pattern continued, we became curious about the reason for this. One plausible explanation is the need to reuse water. Paddy and banana are both water-intensive crops, and coconut trees also require a lot of water. The canals flowing through the paddy fields irrigating them also fed the surrounding crops. The nearby dam was also an important factor in this unique cropping pattern. We were also made aware that flowers and bananas are two of the highest-selling crops in the district, thus governing the amount of land dedicated to these two plants. Overall, it was fascinating to learn about the reasons people decide to plant certain crops together and understand the ecological reasons layered beneath the socio-economic ones.