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Achieve - Farmer's
Notebook
 Solar-powered
sprayer that solves many problems
M. J. PRABU, Agriculture, The Hindu, December
29, 2011
Once charged during the night it can be operated for nearly eight
hours. Viable Alternative: David demonstrating to farmers to use of
the solar sprayer.
Solar-powered sprayer that solves many
problems. One need not be a genius to develop any commonly used
devices. Take the case of the humble yet important knapsack manual
sprayer (hung on the shoulders). Though many models are available on
the shelves, priced at different rates, most of them last for only a
few years. “Regularly filling them with water, pesticides and fuel (in
case of fuel operated ones) makes it difficult to lift and hang them
on the shoulder. After an hour of spraying, the weight of the machine
creates a backache and shoulder pain for farmers,” says Mr. David Raja
Beleau, Assistant Director of Horticulture Kadayam, Tamil Nadu, who
developed a solar powered battery operated sprayer for farmers.
Those who are interested can contact Mr.David Assistant Director of
Horticulture Kadayam through his mobile number 9486285704 or
microeconomicsdavid@yahoo.co.in
 Authorities
must experience problems to solve them
M. J. PRABU, Agriculture, The Hindu, December 15, 2011
Can a farmer ever contact the Agriculture minister to voice his
grievance?
There is a lot of difference between
seeing and experiencing. “Unless one experiences a headache he will
never know how it feels. Mere words or a visual can never convey it,”
says Mr. Deepak Nanaji Barde a progressive farmer from Wardha. “In
Israel or Cuba, farmers in possession of even two acres live in
luxury. But in India a 10 acre farmer wallows in poverty. Why?” he
asks. Mr. Deepak practices organic farming in his 2.5 acres and has
developed 52 varieties of crop. It took him nearly seven years to
establish a seed bank.
For more details readers can contact Mr.
Deepak Nanaji Barde, Bawapur taluka, Wardha , Phone : 9272610252 and
Mr. Manish Kawade Project Associate MSSRF, emails: manishkawade45@gmail.com
and
waifad_vrc@rediffmail.com, Phone: 07152-285043, Mobile:
09890795456.
 Debt
increases with dependence on fertilizers, pesticides
M. J. PRABU, Agriculture, The Hindu, November 10, 2011
Mr. Vishwasrao's search brought him in contact with several farmers
practising organic farming. They impressed on him the need for making
one's own input for the crops and that it drastically saves money for
the farmer and helps get a good yield. ...
For more details contact Mr. Vishwasrao
Narayanrao Bunde at Pedgaon taluka, Risod district, Washim, mobile:
9765815472 and M. S Swaminathan Research Foundation village resource
centre, Karda district, phone: 07251-226544.
Read more...
 Natural
inputs, multicropping advised for Vidharbha region
M. J. PRABU, Agriculture, The Hindu, November 2, 2011
Such measures may have prevented a few of the suicides in the region.
The names Vidharbha or Wardha immediately evoke memories of farmers'
suicides. “Several reasons such as growing only one crop, total
dependence on monsoon, lack of infrastructure and irrigation
facilities, small land holdings, poor marketing, and insensitive
government policies towards farmers are attributed to this. Visiting
the region drives home one point, that not all of Vidharbha is a
graveyard of dead farmers,” says Mr. Praful Bansod, Scientist MSSRF
village Resource Centre, Yavatmal.
For more information contact Mr. Praful
Bansod, Scientist MSSRF, Village Resource Center Yavatmal, email:
prafulbansod@gmail.com, mobile: 9420960830 and Mr. Mahajan at Karanji
Bhoge, Deoli taluk, Wardha, mobile: 9552955897 and 9922354663.
Read more...
 Good
harvests do not always translate into money in the bank
M. J. PRABU, Agriculture, The Hindu, October 19, 2011
Minimum support price that is announced is never paid in full. Tilhar
lies about 300 km east of Delhi in the fertile plains of northern
India. Here, acres of wheat stand sturdily in the fields, slowly
changing colour from green to yellow. “If all goes well the farmer can
get a good harvest, but whether it will bring prosperity to their
lives or not is a big question. Will the crop in the field translate
into money in the bank? Unlikely,” says Dr. Suman Sahai, Convener,
Gene campaign, New Delhi. “The Prime Minister says internal security
is the country's largest crisis. Fixing agriculture and putting money
in the farmers' pocket is a dead sure way of finding our way out of
this crisis. When will we achieve that?” she enquires.
Contact Dr. Suman Sahai, blog: sumansahai-blog.blogspot.com, email:
mail@genecampaign.org, J-235/A, Lane W-15C, Sainik farms, New Delhi-
110-062, phone:011- 29556248 and 29555961.
Read more...
 Unbridled
real estate business threatens farmers' livelihood
M. J. PRABU, Agriculture, The Hindu, October 13, 2011
The Will the voice of poor farmers be heard in the portals of power?
While there seems to be raging debate going on among a section of
activists whether farmers should go in for Bt crops or not, a few
hundred farmers in Vadakipalayam village, Pollachi, are in the final
stages of harvesting Bt cotton and maize.
“We are not bothered about varieties as long as we are able to get a
good yield, a sure market, and better income, says N. Murugesan an
aged farmer growing Bt cotton in his four acres.
The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University provides all the technical
support and guidance for these farmers and a private seed company is
providing the cotton seeds.
“It is funny when some politician or bureaucrat talks about food
security or a farmer-friendly government. Just look at the open
grounds before my fields. All those areas, once fertile fields are
being sold off as housing plots,” he says, adding:
Readers can contact Mr. N. Murugesan at
no 4/56 Vadakipalayam, Koil Palayam via Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, mobile:
9942833929.
Read more...
 Lightweight
machine weeds out paddy farmers' woes
The compactly developed conoweeder being tested by a farmer in his
field. “In the last two decades the technique is fast becoming popular
among millions of farmers worldwide. In India the success of SRI can
be perceived as being made possible by many small farmers who dared to
experiment and innovate new techniques,” says Mr. Senthilkumaran,
Director, Information, Education and Communication, M. S. Swaminathan
Research Foundation (MSSRF), Chennai.
Simple and efficient
Take the example of the conoweeder, a simple, hand-operated device to
remove weeds from the paddy field. To encourage small farmers to adopt
this cultivation the State Governments passed orders to their
respective agriculture Universities to make the machine available to
farmers through their Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) freely as and when
they require. With the numbers being limited, the KVKs' in many areas
found it difficult to cater to the demand.
For more details contact Mr. S. Karthikeyan, Om sakthi agri
industries, No 9/1 Lal Bahadur Sastri road, Kumbakonam: 612-001,
email: karthi_omsakthi@yahoo.co.in, mobile: 09789618131, phone:
0435-2401231. And Mr. Senthil at Third Cross Road, Institutional Area,
Taramani, Chennai 600 113, email: senthil@mssrf.res.in; senthilrural@gmail.com,
Phone: 044 22541229, 22542791.
Read more...
 Power
from waste: Vivekanda Kendra shows the way
The town Panchayat is today powered by the biogas-generated
electricity
Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu is an internationally renowned tourist
destination.
Though the town itself houses a modest population of just 12,345 in
about 400 households, it generates a huge volume of waste – mainly
kitchen waste from various hotels and restaurants.
An NGO from Kanyakumari called Vivekananda Kendra (Vk- nardep) built a
solid waste management shed at the town panchayat for collecting and
processing the entire waste for feeding into a bio-gas plant.
“The Kendra constructed the biogas plant (of 100 cubic metre volume) —
a floating drum like device attached to a designed biogas engines that
are in turn connected to specially designed control panels.
For more details and visit readers can contact Mr. G.Vasudeo,
Secretary, Vivekananda Kendra - NARDEP, Kanyakumari - 629 702, Tamil
Nadu, e.mail : vknardep@gmail.com, website: vknardep.org, phone 04652-
246296 (office).
 Farmers
would quit agriculture if they had an alternative -
The Hindu -
August 25, 2011
UNCERTAIN: Climate change has made farming even more risky.
Electoral politics plays with rice and wheat as gimmicks to get votes
Some years ago the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) reported
after its study on agriculture that roughly half the farmers in the
country did not wish to continue farming.
“They would rather quit if they had an alternative. This shameful
reality reflects the despair farmers feel and is based on the fact
that agriculture is a loss making enterprise and the farmers are
unable to either feed themselves or turn a profit,” says Dr. Suman
Sahai, Convener, Gene campaign, New Delhi in her blog (sumansahai-blog.blogspot.com)
on Why farmers don't farm.
Readers can contact Dr. Suman Sahai at mail@genecampaign.org, J-235/A,
Lane W-15C, Sainik farms, New Delhi- 110-062, phone:011- 29556248 and
29555961..
 Tackling
rural India's problems is the mission of 28 youngsters
The Hindu, August 18, 2011
BIG DREAMS: Ankit Walia, a fellow, trying his hand on a gonoweeder.
Photo: Special Arrangement
Many farmers want more youth to take part in the programme.
‘Nothing changes' is the cynical reaction to the multitude problems
plaguing the country's massive rural sector, from farmer suicides to
depleting resources.
“These issues are debated profusely, triggering circular blame games,
with a general conclusion that the responsibility lies in the hands of
the country's youth to put things right. Yet, every year we see the
educated youth overlooking this sector which is crying out loud for
their attention,” says Dr. G.N. Hariharan, Principle co-ordinator,
M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Chennai
For interacting with these fellows readers can contact Dr. G.N.
Hariharan, Principle co-ordinator, M.S. Swaminthan Research
Foundation, Taramani, Chennai, email: gnhariharan@mssrf.res.in,
mobile: 9444904765 or Ms Geeta Verghese, SBIYFI co-ordinator. email
chacko5@yahoo.com, Mobile 09620272251.
.jpg) Rural
employment scheme making life miserable for small farmers-
The Hindu -
14th July, 2011.
"What can we poor ryots do against the
might of money and power"?
“In the last 60-odd years several
governments have come to power, and some of them got toppled for
various reasons. Politicians become crorepathis in four or five years;
but the condition of farmers is deteriorating from from bad to worse,”
says Mr. Shamanna Nayak a small farmer from Odilnala village,
Belthangady taluk in Dharmasthala.
“In the name of development, fertile
lands are being developed into industries, Special economic zones, IT
parks, new airports and power plants, or developed into real estate.
How can we then talk of ensuring the country's food security?” he
asks.
For more details contact Mr. Shamanna
Nayak, Moolottu House, Oilanala Post & Village, Oilanala, Belthangady
Taluk, Karnataka.574214, mobile: 09141105398.
.jpg) Clay
pellet method of rice cultivation maximises yield -
The Hindu -
29th June, 2011.
Farmers need not wait for monsoon to
start sowing under this method.
In our culture, innovation is dubbed as
craziness, but our success lies in identifying more 'crazy' people so that the innovation
revolution can spread across the country. The present generation is
fast losing out on scientific knowledge. In the last several years we are losing many such
affordable scientific knowledge due to sheer neglect,” says Prof K.
Anil Gupta, Vice Chairman, National Innovation Foundation, Ahmedabad.
For more details contact Mr. Ram Abhilash Patel, Vill. Tikari, Po.
Kanti, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh 212107, Mobile: 08127199855.
 Financing
small farmers through an innovative scheme -
The Hindu -
6th June, 2011.
Consumers book orders through phone for
buying the fruits.
Farmers are provided financial assistance
of up to 40 times their savings
Farmers know the difficulty in obtaining loans for their farming
activities in the country.
Though many financing institutions promise all necessary help to
farmers, sadly most of it remains only on paper.
The Kshethra Dhamasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP), an NGO in
Dharmasthala effectively makes use of the self help group approach
called pragathibandhu for promoting union among small farmers and to
access loans for its members.
For more details contact Dr. L H Manjunath, Executive Director, SKDRDP,
Dharmashri Building, Dharmasthala, Blethangady Taluk, Dakshin Kannada
District, Karnataka – 574216, email: ed@skdrdpindia.org, mobile:
09448469009, phone: 08256-277215.
 Helping
small jackfruit boost yield and income -
The Hindu -
28th April, 2011
Consumers book orders through phone for
buying the fruits.
The farm of Mr. K. Narasimhaiah in
Doddaballapur taluk in Hubli is easy to locate. Almost every person in
the region seems to know him.
The reason: a 300-year-old jackfruit tree that stands majestically in
the midst of several mango trees in the field.
“The last Maharajah of Mysore Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, and former
Diwan of the royal palace, M. Visvesvaraya relished the fruits of this
tree and loved their taste. In fact Mr. Visvesvaraya used to take some
fruits back home whenever he visited my place,” says the farmer
proundly pointing to the tree.
For more details contact Mr. K.
Narasimhaiah, Kachahalli village, Tubagere hobli, Doddaballapur taluk,
Bangalore rural district, mobile: 09916961666 and Mr. K.N.
Srinivasappa at 09845774509.
.jpg) Onion
variety that yields well and is drought resistant -
The Hindu -
21st April, 2011
Government's version of trying to control
price rise is not helping.
An onion cannot be dismissed as just
another vegetable.
“In fact no other vegetable seems to be backed by a strong lobby like
the humble onion. Especially in our country, Governments can be
toppled and unseated if the vegetable records a meteoric price rise.
When onion price fluctuates it becomes front page news,” says Mr.
Manaram Chowdhary from Sikar, Rajasthan.
Officials from the agriculture extension department in Sikar and
research station, Durgapur (Jaipur) appreciated the variety developed
by Mr. Choudhary.
“Several onion farmers end up ploughing their crops back into the soil
in frustration as they are not able to get a good price for their
produce. The weather also creates problems for us.
“It suddenly starts raining during peak summer and sometimes there is
little rain for years together,” says Mr. Sundaram Verma, Honey Bee
Network collaborator Rajasthan.
False claim
“The transport cost to the mandis does not even make up for our
investment expenditure. The Government's claim of trying to control
the rise does not seem to be of much help to poor farmers.
“The media must also throw light on plight of onion cultivators, their
problems, and new methods if any, to increase area of cultivation and
encourage other farmers to start cultivating onion, instead of just
reporting on price rise and how it affects consumers and the
Government's reply and control mechanism to the same,” adds Mr.
Manaram.
For more information readers can contact Mr. Manaram Chowdhary,
Village Sanvloda Ladkhana, District Sikar, Rajasthan at 09799237178.
 Farmer's
organization can play a more constructive role -
The Hindu -
7th April, 2011
Though Panchayati Raj is beneficial it
destroys harmony in villages.
“On trying to compile an endless
suffering that farmers need to bear, one is left wondering if there
exists a magic pill that can solve their problems,” says Mr. Ajay Vir
Jakhar, Chairman, Bharat Krishak Samaj, New Delhi.
The biggest bane of the farmers according to him, “is that they vote
on caste or religious lines, nudged by political leaders and later
expect the government to deliver their needs as a community of
farmers. Unfortunately, today, dearth of farmer leaders exists in
all-political parties. Leaders represent their own individual
communities and castes to win their elections,” he says.
he Panchayati Raj today acts like a double edged sword — providing
much needed empowerment and benefits to the rural community on the one
hand, and on the other destroying the social harmony in the villages .
“It acts to divide farmers on political lines by pitting one against
the other in every street, to the point that farmer solidarity may be
lost for ever,” regrets Mr. Ajay
For more details contact Mr. Ajay Vir Jakhar, Chairman, Bharat Krishak
Samaj, A-1 Nizamuddin West, New Delhi-110013, email:
aj@bks.org.in, phones: 011–
46121708 and 65650384.
 Sprinkling
water using Chandraprabha rain gun -
The Hindu -
10th March, 2011
The system can irrigate an acre in about
one and half hours.
Unlike the knowledge and awareness of the
present day, about 25 years ago farmers never knew the effectiveness
of water conservation and the need for preserving groundwater by using
tubes and buckets for irrigating their crops. But in that phase,
Annasaheb Udagavi, from Sadala village of Chikkoditaluka in Belgaun
district, North Karnataka, developed a sprinkler system that covers as
much as 140 feet radius to irrigate sugarcane crops. “To save my
betel-vine orchard from acute scarcity of water, I fitted PVC pipes
used in electrical fittings, after making perforations using nails. I
spent Rs. 30,000 to cover two acres of betel-vine two decades ago for
irrigation,” he says.
For more details contact Mr. Annasaheb
Bhavu Udagavi, Pattan Modu thotta, Examba Road, Sadalge, Chikodi,
Belgaum, Karnataka 591239, mobiles: 08330- 251676, 09342212732.
 Why
agriculture policies are outdated and contradictory -
The Hindu -
24th February, 2011
The Government does not bother to know
what crops are being sown.
“India's daily turnover from vegetables
and fruits could be easily about Rs. 275 crores (US$ 59 million). The
estimated cost of ‘wastage' per day, is around Rs. 130 crores (US$ 27
million). In summary, it's a lot bigger than some of the Indian IT
sector's daily turnover”, says Mr. Venkat Subramanian, Founder and
Managing Director, Matchbox Solutions, a company that uses technology
to solve critical issues in agriculture.
For more details contact Mr. Venkat at
email:
venky@matchboxsolutions.in and
efarm.venky@gmail.com, mobile: 98847
61354, phone:044- 43577236(off) and 24450613 (res).
 Reviving
traditional methods to protect farm livestock -
The Hindu -
6th January, 2011
Popularising these methods will revive
our culture and local knowledge.
“Apart from lands, animals remain a
potential source of investment and income generation for small
farmers. “And investments are not risk free. They need to be
protected. If a low cost and effective protection can be made
available, then naturally farmers tend to use it,” says Dr. N.
Punniamurthy, professor and head, Ethno-Veterinary Herbal Training and
Research Unit, Veterinary University Training and Research Centre,
Thanjavur.
For more details readers can contact Dr.
N. Punniamurthy, Prof and Head, Ethno veterinary herbal training and
research unit, Nanjikottai road, Thanjavur- 613-006, phone:
04362-255462, email: murthyvcri@hotmail.com, mobile: 98424-55833.
 Can
privatizing agriculture solve marketing problems? -
The Hindu -
25th November, 2010
‘Experts must learn from Mumbai
dhabawallahs on supply management'.
“Contrary to popular opinion, the real
crisis in Indian agriculture does not stem from poor farming
practices, but because of a deficient marketing, supply and
distribution chain in the country,” says Mr. Venkat Subramanian,
Founder, eFarm solutions, Chennai. eFarm is a farm-to-home supply
chain platform for procuring and delivering farm based produce to
consumers . It basically attempts to link farmers, intermediaries,
logistics providers, distributors and small time retailers. Mr. Venkat
believes that privatizing Indian agriculture could solve much of the
existing marketing problems
For more details contact Mr. Venkat
Subramanian at email: venky@matchboxsolutions.in and efarm.venky@gmail.com,
mobile: 98847 61354, phone:044- 43577236(off) and 24450613 (res).
 Empowering
poor rural women to take charge of their future -
The Hindu -
28th October, 2010
The two SHG's have so far generated an
income of Rs 84,000.
Empowerment of rural women is one of the
central issues in developing countries all over the world. “Income
generation for rural women is an important aspect in agriculture
production. Unless rural women are not trained to be independant
interms of economic income a country cannot progress,” says Dr. M.
Shivamurthy, Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension
University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra
(GKVK), campus, Bangalore.
For more details contact Dr. M.
Shivamurthy, Principal Investigator & Professor, Department of
Agricultural Extension, UAS , GKVK, campus, Bangalore-560 065, email:
murudaiah.shivamurthy@ gmail.com and mobile: 09449044975.
 Government
subsidy scheme for drip irrigation fraught with corruption -
The Hindu -
21st October, 2010
Several farmers in the region face the
same bitter experience.
Interesting feature about his farm is
that Mr. Rao grows black turmeric. Black turmeric variety is usually
grown in the Himalayas and interior ghat regions of Orissa. Black
turmeric is a rare species and visitors from as far as Hyderabad visit
his farm regularly to gather a few handfuls of this turmeric.
For more details readers can contact Mr.
M.C. Rao can be reached at Venkatapuram village, Tidigam Panchayat,
Kasinagar block, Ganjam district, Orissa, phone: 08946-211026 (res)
and mobile: 08895962391.
 Food
security depends on small and marginal dryland farmers:
The Hindu -
6th May, 2010
About 40 villages in Tirunelveli
have stopped using chemical fertilizers. Vilathikulam, in Tuticorin district,
being drought prone most of the year, forced many farmers till a few
years ago to either sell their lands or leave them barren. But today
more than 600 farmers in the region are successfully growing different
crops ranging from sunflower to chillies, using low cost input
technologies called Panchagavya (PG) for raising their crops. Few
years back. “Till a few years back, due to drought, many of the lands
in our village lay fallow and unploughed. We walked several kilometres
every day in search of potable water. The situation turned even worse
during summer. Though a few big farmers continued to carry on with
some farming activity, severe shortage of fertilizers forced them also
to give up," says Mr. T. Antony a farmer in the region.” Today,
inspite of acute water scarcity and power cut problems, we are growing
different crops such as sunflower, plantains, paddy, chilli, and
groundnut successfully. Some farmers in our area earned nearly a lakh
of rupees from growing small onions as intercrops in chilli fields,”
adds Mrs. S. Jayalaxmi another farmer.
For visits and more information
readers can contact Sands, Suviseshapuram (via) Ittamozhi-627652,
email:
sands_suviseshapuram@yahoo.com, phone: 04637-278173, mobile:
9444582911 and Prof. Venkatraman at 9488418719.
Bicycle inspired
plougher and weeder gains popularity -
The Hindu -
29th April, 2010
More than 200 farmers are using the
multi-purpose weeder today. It gives the much needed
independence to a small farmer who does not own bullocks or a
tractor,” says Dr Nitin. For details readers can contact Mr. Gopal Bhise, Shendurni,Taluka: Jamner, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, phone:
9970521044 and Dr. Nitin Maurya at email: nitinnif@gmail.com and info@nifindia.org,
phone: 079-26732456 and 26732095.
Mobile helps
find right price for farmers produce -
The Hindu -
5th November, 2009
 About
3,000 farmers and 200 scientists are already using this facility now.
“Their daily visits encouraged a
good rapport among the several dealers which helped us to get the
right information,” explains Prof. Vadivel. But how many farmers use
computers in villages? True, the use of internet by farmers is meagre.
However the mobile phone network has expanded in leaps and bounds.
Virtually every farmer has a mobile today. Those with mobiles
can easily access this information. Right now, about 3,000 farmers and
200 scientists are already using mobile-based SMS on commodity and
market information.
Readers can contact Dr. E. Vadivel,
Project officer, e- Extension Centre, Directorate of Extension
Education, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore – 641 003,
website: www.tnau.ac.in
and
www.agritech.tnau.ac.in, e-mail:
info@tnau.ac.in, phone:
0422-6611383.
Enhancing plant
growth using organic inputs -
The Hindu -
15th October, 2009
 The
father used conventional methods while the son favoured organic
practices. Organic farmers and those practising conventional farming
are mostly at loggerheads regarding cultivation practices, and are in
mutual disapproval. The battle now seems to have entered within a
family at Theni, Tamil Nadu as the father Mr. S. Pandiaraj practises
conventional methods, while his son Jeya Prakash, who has an MSc in
Bio technology, seems to favour organic methods.
“Several farmers in Uthamapalayam (Ambasamuthuram) Theni district,
Tamil Nadu, grow vegetables in conventional way using chemicals.
Readers can contact Mr. Jeya Prakash, no 8/3A, VOC Nagar, New Colony,
Ist street, Anna Nagar (East), Chennai: 600102, email: v5organic@gmail.com,
mobile: 96008-77686 and 98417-92530.
Switching to
forefather's methods to cut down expense on inputs -
The Hindu -
10th, September
2009
 Hundreds
of cultivable areas are turning into residential plots. “There is a
popular adage in English, “give a man a fish he lives for a day, teach
him to fish he lives for a lifetime,” This is exactly what our farmers
need today. “Instead of buying external inputs such as seeds, chemical
fertilizers and pesticides, they should learn to make and use their
own bio pest repellents, and plant growth promoters,” says Dr. G.
Namalwar, organic scientist from Tamil Nadu. If one studies the
agricultural scenario of the past 40 years, one observes that hundreds
of cultivable areas are turning into residential plots.
Why is this happening in a country with more than 1,500 years of
agricultural heritage?
For more information readers can contact Dr. G. Namalwar through
email: sadhguru@gmail.com and
mobile: 94425-31699.
Zero farming:
no investment, yet guarantees good yield -
The Hindu -
11, June 2009
 Three
tonnes of paddy have been harvested from an acre by this method
Zero farming method requires no investment but
guarantees good yield. It dispels the myth that hybrid seeds,
fertilizers, and pest-control techniques alone can guarantee good
yield. “Visitors can personally come and see my farm and if they
desire, can emulate it,” says Mr. Murthy. Switching directly from
chemical farming to natural farming is a risky proposition, according
to him
For more information contact Mr. M.K. Kailash Murthy, Academy of
Natural Farming, Doddinduvadi village, Kollegal, Chamarajanagar
district, Karnataka, website:
www.the-anf.org, email:
kailashnatufarm@gmail.com, mobile: 9880185757 and 9845125808.
Self-help is
the best help: that should be every farmer's motto -
The Hindu -
19th March 2008
 Self
reliance seems imperative for any farm related activity. Whether the
farm is big or small, it really does not matter as long as it is self
reliant.
“What I mean by self reliance is that a farmer should not depend on
any external sources for seeds, manures or other items. Everything
must be available in the farm itself,” says Mrs. A.L. Somala Devi a
farmer from Mandya district in Karnataka.
For more information readers can contact Mrs. A.L Somala Devi, No
145-Hemmanahalli, Athgoor, Hobali, Maddur taluk, Mandya district,
Karnataka:571428, mobile:9845746046.
Humic acid
increases yield substantially in watermelon -
The Hindu -
12th March 2008
 Mr. V.
Veeraraghavan, Mudaiyur village, Thirukazhikundram, (about 5 kms from
the temple) Tamil Nadu, is a good example of how a farmer with only
2-3 acres as ancestral property, successfully grows watermelon in 120
acres.
In the last one year Mr. Veeraraghavan has sold nearly 10,000 tonnes
of fruits and has made a net profit of more thanRs.50 lakhs.
For details readers can contact Mr. V.Veeraraghavan, Mudaiyur village,
603 109, Thirukazhikundram, Tamil Nadu, mobile: 9894145143.
Sustainable
farming: Low investment, maximum returns -
The Hindu -
1st December 2008
 Fertile
soil and adequate water resources, though important, cannot alone
ensure a good yield. Inputs such as fertilizers and manures are
essential. "Today chemical fertilizers cost a lot, and a sudden
shortage in their availability makes a small farmer desperate for an
alternative," says Dr. G. Namalwar, organic scientist. On advice from
Dr. Namalwar we first did multi-seed sowing (with various minor
legumes and grains) in the land and after a month the germinated seeds
were mulched back into the soil. And since then we have never looked
back," Mr. Arunachalam says.
For more information, readers can
contact Mr. V.S. Arunachalam, email:
elunkathir@gmail.com,
Kulavikaradu, P.vellalapalayam,(po), Gobichettipalayam, Erode, Tamil
Nadu, Pin:638476, mobile: 9443346323.
Low budget fish
gunabajalam proves effective for crops -
The Hindu -
18th December 2008
 Spraying
should be done either early in the morning or evening. The last few
decades have really brought about a drastic change in agriculture. In
the name of increasing yield, mindless dumping of chemical fertilizers
and spraying pesticides have made agriculture a business oriented
exercise. Whether, these chemicals have helped the farmers to
get profitable yields is questionable going by the number of suicides
and those selling their traditional lands with frustration that
agriculture has let them down,” says Dr. Kamalasanan Pillai, Head of
the R&D, VK- NARDEP, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.“Many farmers have
forgotten the time tested and proven traditional practices done and
followed by their grandparents.
For more details readers can contact Mrs. M. Thangam,
Kozhikoottupothai, Kumarapuram thoppu P.O., Kanyakumari district,
Tamil Nadu, mobile: 9952607450 and Dr. Kamalassanan Pillai, Bio
technologist, Head of the R&D, VK- NARDEP, Vivekanandapuram,
Kanyakumari - 629 702, Tamil Nadu, email:
azollapillai@gmail.com,
mobile:9387212005.
Scope for
converting human waste into useful crop manure -
The Hindu -
4th December 2008
But scientific studies in different parts of the world have proved
that human excreta particularly urine will become as precious as gold
if only mankind knows how to manage it scientifically," says Mr. M.
Subburaman , Director, Society for Community Organization and People's
Education (SCOPE) at Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu.
For personal visits and more
information contact Mr. M. Subburaman, phone: 0431-2774144,
mobile:94431-67190,
email:scopeagency86@rediffmail.com and Mr. V.Ganapathy, email:
v_ganapathy@dataone.in ,
mobile: 94431-09032.
Bit by bit, he
filled his well -
India Together -
August 3rd, 2008
 S
Ganesh Mallya, a high school teacher cum Sunday farmer in Yedapadavu
in Karnataka, has greened his plot without borewells. Using simple
techniques to catch rainwater, he has managed to raise the water level
in his open well and grow a bountiful farm.
For more information readers can
contact
Mr. Ganesh Mallya, (0824) 2221777 or
mallyaganesh3112@yahoo.co.in
Taking a
leaf from the book of ancient, time-tested practices -
The Hindu - June
5th, 2008
Input cost has greatly decreased and yield has increased
considerably
Well
before modern science had invented crop growing strategies and pest
control measures, Indian farmers were growing crops successfully and
at the same time were able to control crop infestations using
traditional methods which were handed down to successive generations
by word of mouth.
Though the traditional methods may
vary from place to place, their efficiency in terms of pest control
has been proven and accepted by those who use them.
For example in Kozhikottu pothai,
a small village in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, several farmers
are using one or more of the traditional formulations for managing
pest menace to their crops.
For more information readers can
contact Mr. S. Aravindan, Social scientist, Vivekananda Kendra-Natural
Resources Development Project, VK-Nardep, Vivekanandapuram,
Kanyakumari - 629 702, Tamil Nadu, India, email.
ngc_vknardep@sancharnet.in
and vknardep@gmail.com,
mobile: 9443748714, phone: 04652 246296 and 04652 -247126.
Using
enterprising methods to achieve success in apiculture -
The Hindu May 8th,
2008
 Making
about five lakh rupees as net profit per year from apiculture
Though bee rearing is quite prevalent among many farmers in the
country, Bihar seems to top the list as it happens to be the largest
producer of honey- producing about 21,000 metric tonnes of honey
annually, and has about 20,000 bee keepers who are engaged in honey
production.
“A majority of honeybee farmers in Bihar are small producers who are
exploited by middle men. “Most of them either sell the honey to a
local cooperative store or to private buyers. Some of them form
associations to sell the honey,” said Dr. R.K.P. Singh, Advisor, State
Farmers Commission, Patna, Bihar.
Mr. Shashi has been conferred the ‘Honour Award’ by the Agricultural
Produce Export Development Agency (APEDA) and National Bee Board. The
State government conferred on him the ‘Kisan Shree’ award for his
contribution to honey production and processing. He imparts training
to farmers for honey production, processing and packaging on his farm.
For more information readers can contact Mr. Shashi Kumar at Vidyarthi
Bhawan, Janakpur, Buniyadganj, Gaya, 823003, Bihar and Dr. R.K.P.
Singh, Advisor, State Farmers Commission, Pant Bhawan, Bailey Road,
Patna, Bihar: 800001, mobile 09431245480, email: rkpsingh2k3@rediffmail.com
and kisanayog@gmail.com, phone: 0612- 2206169.
Role of a live
fence in a small farm -
The Hindu 24th April 2008
 It
acts as a shelter for a variety of useful birds, reptiles and other
animals
The word fencing usually brings to mind a long cement wall surrounding
a plot of land or barbed steel wires attached to granite pillars
around the periphery of the land. For a variety of reasons a small
farm needs to be fenced. A fence marks the boundary of the farm and
keeps away stray animals. The investment for either constructing a
wall or putting up steel wires is quite heavy. Small and marginal
farmers cannot invest a huge sum for erecting such a fence. "They will
bring seeds of plants from far off places and their excreta brings new
kinds of micro organisms to our soil," said Dr. Nammalvar. A
good example of a live fence is at Kolunchi, centre for training and
research on ecological food production located in Odugampatti village
at a distance of 11 kilometers from Keeranur, Pudukkottai district. It
is established and maintained by Kudumbam, a Non-Governmental
Organization engaged in LEISA (Low External Input and Sustainable
Agriculture).
For more information readers can contact Dr. G. Nammalvar at No 17/9,
5th cross, Srinivas nagar, Thiruvannaikoil, Tiruchi- 620005, Tamil
Nadu, email: nammalvar@gmail.com, mobile: 9442531699.
An ingenious
irrigation technique for small holdings -
The Hindu 10th April 2008
 It
is low cost, farmer friendly, easy to install and requires no
maintenance
A depleting water table and rise in salinity because of indiscriminate
use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have made water
conservation imperative for farmers. Over the years, several water
harvesting and conservation methods have been adopted in agriculture
to recharge and conserve ground water. Some of the methods practiced
and still in use by local farmers are cost effective and proven.
For example, in the coastal areas of Kerala, farmers have been using a
simple indigenous technique called pitcher irrigation which greatly
reduces the demand for water.
For
more information readers can contact Readers can contact Prof. K.V.
Peter, Professor of Horticulture and Former Vice-Chancellor, KAU, PO,
Vellanikkara, Thrissur, Kerala, email:
kvptr@yahoo.com, mobile:
9446513017.
Bio-pesticides:
ginger garlic extract measures up-
The Hindu 3rd
April 2008
Organic practices avoid investment on costly chemicals
There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that in the past 4-5
decades there has been an excessive dumping of chemical toxins on the
soil. As a result the soil has become barren and ground water toxic,
in many places.
Contrast this with organic inputs that are safe, non toxic, and cost
much less. For example, if using chemical pesticides and fertilizers
for growing a crop in a hectare works out to about Rs.6,000-7,000 the
cost of growing the same crop using organic inputs may come to only
about Rs.500 - Rs. 1,000, according to Ms. Rajareega of Raasi organic
farms at Muthupatti village in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu.
For more information readers can contact
Readers can contact Ms. Rajareega, Raasi organic farms, Muthupatti,
via Kallal, A. Siruvayal (post), Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu,
email:
rajareega@rediffmail.com, mobile: 9865-582142 and phone:
04565-284937.
 At
last, compost yards come to life
- The Hindu - 4th April 2008
Madambakkam is
the latest urban local body to go for composting. After remaining idle for a
very long time, compost yards built in most of the town panchayats around
Tambaram have started functioning.
Vegetables can
be grown successfully even near the seashore-
The Hindu 20th March 2008
 Farmers
must take the initiative to personally market their produce
Does agriculture
always mean or involve vast stretches of fields, that too in villages?
A visit to Mr. T.K.
Venkataraman’s two ground plot at Akkarai on the East Coast road, just
over 15kms from Chennai, will change such an impression.
The plot is near
the sea (about 250 feet away from the seashore), sandy in nature and
suitable for growing only coconut and casuarina trees. With the area
developing as an IT corridor and land prices zooming, his land was
sought for a prime price.
"I became
interested in converting my land into a regular income generation unit
rather than selling it after reading a series of articles on success
stories of small farmers."
For more information readers can contact Mr. T.K. Venkataraman can be
reached at No-117-E, 16th cross road, Besant Nagar, Chennai, Tamil
Nadu-600090, email:
bhavani_venkataraman@yahoo.com, phone: 044-24914299 and mobile:
98407-77459..
Value Addition
leads to 'no tension agriculture' -
The Hindu 13th March 2008
 A
hectare fetches the farmer a gross income of Rs. 2 lakhs in 10 months
There are two ways
in agriculture for a farmer to earn money. One is by growing and
selling the harvested crop, second is to go in for some value added
products. Farmers are encouraged by scientists to try and explore
value addition technology areas as it enhances the marketability of
the produce. Compared to selling the raw harvested produce, value
addition requires more financial inputs, proper guidelines, and backup
technologies to ensure success.
Mr. Shanker
Kishore Chaudhary, a progressive small scale farmer of Vaishali
district, Bihar, is a farmer who cultivates elephant foot yam
(commonly called as Ool in North India) in his three-acre field. He
calls Ool cultivation 'no tension agriculture' as it requires no cold
storage, poses no marketing problem, and the income is good.
For more information readers can contact Mr. Ramadhar, Chairman, Bihar
State Farmers Commission, Pant Bhawan, 1st Floor, Bailey Road, Patna-
800001, e-mail: ramadhar@vsnl.com
and kisanayog@gmail.com,
phone: (0612) 2206169 and 2232847.
Only market
driven strategies can boost organic farming -
The Hindu 6th
March 2008
 Lack
of genuine marketing infrastructure was a big problem for the growers
Though organic
farming has been proved to be a low investment technology for growing
crops, marketing organically produced crops has not been an easy task
especially for some farmers
For more details: Readers
can contact Mr. M. Sekar, Meekeri, B. Manihatty P.O., The Nilgiris and
Mr. R. Ranganathan at No16-Vanigar street, Thirupporur, Tamil Nadu-603
110, email:
tedetrust@rediffmail.com, phone :044-27478669 and 27446793,
mobile: 94433-46369
Using nature to
improve fertility
- The Hindu 26th
February 2008
 Natural
methods not only benefit the farmer but also the consumer, says
Chinthala Venkata Reddy.
"The secret lies in the earthworms. These worms increase the soil
fertility. When they die they would become compost and further improve
the fertility. A healthy bed of grass would provide the natural
habitat for earthworms to grow. I have proved that grass is indeed
beneficial to a grape garden," Reddy explains.
Related to:
*
Progressive farmer
*
Patent for innovative farmer's model
*
Farmer's Innovation to restore fertility
*
A farmer's record
For more details readers can contact Mr. Chinthala Venkat Reddy, #
6-46/B, Old Alwal, Secunderabad - 500010, Mobile: 9866883336.
How an NGO
comes to jatropha cultivators' rescue
- The Hindu 7th February 2008
 The
growers seek Government banks' assistance for their crops
Water shortage and
labour problems are like twin razors which can make agricultural
activity come to a grinding halt. Crops which require both these
inputs in minimal measure are indeed a blessing for farmers and
Jatropha curcas seems to fit the bill well, especially in the southern
parts of India.
For more details readers can contact Mr. R. Kanakaraj, Managing
Director, AHIMSA, No. 2/38, Dr. J.J. Nagar East, Chennai - 600 037,
Email: ahimsaace@yahoo.co.in,
Tel. No. (044) 43550159 / 43550253, Mobile: 9444402253.
Continuing
success of precision farming in Tamil Nadu
- The Hindu 31st January 2008
 A
farmer has earned more than 5 lakhs from 120 cents in 11 months
New innovations and technologies for increasing crop yield have mostly
been the fort of agricultural scientists and researchers. Mr. P.M.
Chinnasamy is one such precision farmer from Somenahalli village who
has earned more thanRs. 5 lakh from his brinjal crop grown in 120
cents in about 11 months. A progressive farmer can get only 60 tonnes
per hectare whereas Mr. Chinnasamy has harvested about 170 tonnes in
120 cents, which is quite a feat. It is 467 per cent higher than the
conventional system of cultivation, said Dr. Vadivel, Director of
Extension Education, TNAU. Giving details he said, the seeds were sown
in protrays raised under shade net and transplanted on the 35th day
after sowing.
For more details readers can contact Dr. I. Muthuvel, Assistant
Professor (Horticulture), TNAU, Coimbatore, email: muthu_hort@yahoo.co.in,
mobile: 9443715948 and Mr. P. M. Chinnasamy, Somenahalli, Dharmapuri
district, Tamil Nadu.
It is important
to educate farmers on working capital management
- The Hindu 17th December 2007
 It
is important to educate farmers on working capital management
The common thread, which runs in all these suicides, is that most of
these farmers have grown pure crops (monocrops) in large areas and had
failed to get a good harvest.
In many cases the crops grown were not suited for that area or soil,
said Mr. Balaji Shankar, a successful organic farmer at Sirkali,
Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu.
For more
information Balaji Shankar can be reached at No 2/12 Tirupura Sundari
Nagar, Then Pathi, Sirkali: 609 111, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu,
email: balaji@earth.org.in, Phone: 04364-271170, mobile: 99655-52252.
Waste not, want
not, wealth from waste
- The Hindu 27th December 2007
 Reducing
input costs is the immediate need of the hour for farmers
Agriculture scientists would like the farmers to realise that
reduction of chemical based fertilizers and pesticides can benefit
both man and earth over the long run, and in particular for farmers,
as a major portion of whose money is spent on buying these chemicals.
Value of waste- The focus, they believe must shift to educating
farmers on the value of waste matter being generated in both their
fields and homes and the technology to convert these waste into
wealth.
Innovative model - According to P. Alagesan, Programme
Coordinator, IFD is an innovative model especially designed for small
scale farmers in improving farm productivity in a sustainable manner
through integrating farm resources by recycling farm and home wastes.
"The main concept of IFD is to integrate the animal and human wastes
into useful and productive components such as for the manufacture of
vermicompost, pest repellants and biogas thereby reducing input cost
for farmers," he said.
Bio pest repellants - For example, in villages, the urine and
dung from cattle is usually washed into a drain or the dung is
collected, dried and used as cooking fuel.
For more information readers can contact Mr. P.Alagesan, Programme
Coordinator, Myrada Krishi Vigyan Kendra, No: 57 - Bharathi Street,
Gobichettipalayam - 638 452, Erode District, Tamil Nadu, e-mail :
myradakvk@dataone.in, website: www.myradakvk.org, Phone : 04285 226694
and 226695, fax : 04285 221176.
Multicropping,
self-help are the best help
- The Hindu 20th December 2007
The farmer gets
more than Rs. 4 lakhs as gross income per year
 The
advantage with multicropping and some other allied activities such as
dairy, poultry, and vermicompost units is that even if there is an
unexpected loss from one of the crops, the income from the others will
help the farmer to make up for it.
Mr. T.J. Abraham of Kozhikode was mainly a monocrop farmer who was
growing about 500 areca nut palms in his 8-acre land. When a majority
of the trees started to die due to yellow leaf infestations, Mr.
Abraham approached the Krishi Vigyan Kendra of the Indian Institute of
Spices,(IISR) Kozhikode, for help.
"Realising the benefits of organic farming, I formed a young farmers’
SHG (self help group) for organic farming, and as a first step towards
organic farming I was trained in vermicomposting and coirpith
composting," he said.
During harvesting season the village is thronged by buyers for the
produce
 Mr. M.
Manimaran of Kothavasal village in Tiruvarur district applying algae
manure to his paddy crops.
Farmers adopting organic methods and achieving good yields have always
been a good model for other ryots. But for an entire village to adopt
organic practices and succeed in getting a bumper yield is by no means
a small achievement. The name of the village is Kothavasal, in
Nannilam taluka of Tiruvarur district in Tamil Nadu.
Contact:
Mr. M. Manimaran, Panchayat Union Chairman at Kothavasal village,
Nannilam taluka, Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu, phone: 04336-238347,
mobile: 9486044229.
Rosemary shows
the way to keep wild animals at bay
- The Hindu 29th November 2007
 Puttiyamma
earned more than Rs. 30,000 in three years from half an acre
"It was then that
I heard from sources in my village about MYRADA KVK (Mysore
Resettlement and Development Agency Krishi Vigyan Kendra) which has
been encouraging farmers in our area to grow Rosemary (an aromatic
herb) and are also helping them to market the produce through the
Rosemary Group (created mainly for farmers growing Rosemary)," she
explained.
Arecanut
dehusker addresses labour shortage problems
- The Hindu 22nd November 2007
 Priced
at Rs. 2650, the unit can dehusk about 160 kg of nuts in a day
Cultivating
Studies made with respect to the cost of processing of arecanut to
remove the nuts have revealed that about 35-40 per cent of the total
cost of processing is spent for dehusking arecanut alone, which of
course, is generally done by farm workers particularly women,
according to Dr. B. Ranganna, Professor & Research Engineer, Post
Harvest Technology Centre, University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS),
Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra (GKVK), Bangalore. The machine can be
operated by employing four persons to dehusk arecanuts simultaneously.
The dehusking assembly consists of two sharp edged flaps, one being
stationary and the other movable, operated by the pedal through a
linkage mechanism. The unit has a hopper to hold about 20 kg of
arecanuts. Made of mild steel, the entire unit is mounted on an angle
iron stand and the dehusking mechanism is made of spring steel.
This is suitable for dehusking freshly harvested mature green
arecanuts of all varieties under cultivation, said Dr. Ranganna. The
dehusking capacity of the unit is 160 kg per day with a running time
of eight hours and the unit is priced at Rs.2,650 (does not include
packaging and forwarding charges).
Model farmer
coaxes more crops from less land
- The Hindu 25th October 2007
In the last
five years he has sold earthworms worth about rupees one lakh
Big farmers have
more land, finance and manpower at their disposal when compared to
small and marginal farmers who grow their crops in 3-4 acres and still
succeed in getting a good yield. One such small farmer is Mr. K.O.
Sebastian, in Kozhikode district of Kerala who has rubber, coconut,
areca nut and black pepper in his four-acre land.
Intercropping
of medicinal plants and trees in coconut gardens
- The Hindu 11 October 2007
 It's
offers a scope for increasing nut production and income
Coconut in India
is primarily a small farmer’s crop. Growing coconut alone as a
monocrop does not provide employment through out the year and the
income derived from small holdings is not sufficient to sustain a
farmer’s livelihood.
Coconut based intercropping in the interspaces of coconut trees and
integration with other enterprises such as cattle offer good scope for
increasing coconut production.
Growing crops
by following the lunar calendar
- The Hindu 4th October 2007
 Eco-friendly:
Mr. R. Jeyachandran BD farmer at Ariyanoor village, in Tamil Nadu
seen burying the cow horns into the soil. "Biodynamic farming is quite
eco-friendly as there is no great investment involved. There are
nearly 100 farmers practicing this system in Tamil Nadu and about
1,000 all over the country," said Mr. R. Jeyachandran, a BD farmer in
Ariyanoor village of Madhurantakkam taluka, Kanchipuram district in
Tamil Nadu. The basic theory in BD farming is that the lunar cycle
(waxing and waning of the moon) plays a key role in the timing of
biodynamic practices, such as making of biodynamic preparations,
timing of planting the seeds and harvest, according to Mr.
Jeyachandran. Mr. R. Jeyachandran can be reached at , Ariyanoor
village, Madhurantakkam taluka, Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu,
Phone: 044-27539608.
Related to:
Courtesy: The Hindu and Business Line
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