Two local entrepreneurs Prabodh Kumar Mohanty and Priyadarshan Routray have made strides in the field through I-Concept initiative
PIPILI: After almost sixty years since the introduction of HYV seeds in various states of the country, Odisha has some catching up to do in terms of agricultural productivity. Prabodh Kumar Mohanty and Priyadarshan Routray from Pipili launched the I-Concept initiative in 2016 with a common mission to produce fresh and organic vegetable efficiently. The duo always believed in green revolution. After working for six months with the farmers, they realised that unless they demonstrate their ideas to the farmer, they won’t accept it.
Hence, it was decided that they will set up a demonstration field on organic farming in Kothabada, Dandamakundapur, Pipli, Puri. They named the demonstration unit as ‘Maa Mati’. Accordingly in November 2017, they first ventured into 2400 square feet land into organic farming by planting Brinjal, Chilly and leafy vegetables.In the initial stage, they were very curious to learn how the system worked and gradually learned more about it and started scaling up to other fields. They read articles and journals about the process of organic farming and its ingredients for manure and pesticides. Gradually the team started preparing organic manure and pesticides.
At present Maa Mati is fully equipped to support for organic manure and pesticides. A number of training and exposure programs are being conducted for various stakeholders and school children to learn about organic products and cons of chemical products. The organisation is working with 1917 farmers in five districts of the state for farming on Cereals, Pulses, Horticulture, Species, Floriculture and Ayurvedic medicinal plants through organic processes.
After six month of experimentation, the team send a group of six member’s team to south India to learn about the organic farming practices. Travelling and seeing organic farms in south India, they firmly believed organic agriculture could succeed anywhere. It is our best hope for feeding the world as well as improving the health of both our land and people.
Although the principles of organic agriculture build on crop rotations and soil building activities are universal, there really is no perfect way to apply those principles in organic systems. Even on the same farms, organic systems must adapt to changes in climate, weed and disease pressure and soil health. The team advises new organic farmers to keep that in mind.
The initiative is a 3rd millennium development organisation with high priority on enhancing livelihood of small and marginal farmers, promote low cost and easy to operate water lifting device, organic farming, capacity building on organic farming and handholding of community to manage themselves. As per the national statistics, consumption of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are low in Odisha compared to the national average.
The farmers in Odisha have traditionally been the custodian of rice genetic diversity. Traditional farming is still in practice in the inland non irrigated pockets of the state. This has placed Odisha in an advantageous position to resort to Organic farming, as the lands are virgin and less-contaminated. However as per the requirement and international demand, value can be added by way of its certification. Organic farming in irrigated and intensive farming areas holds another kind of promise, a source of sustainable and value added commercial farming.
Chaitali Shome, OP
