Daringbadi: The combined efforts of a farmer couple in Brahmanigaon, a backward village under Daringbadi block in Kandhamal district, have proved that joint initiatives can be of great help for earning a livelihood.
Not too long ago, the couple was broke and struggling to make ends meet. Now, they have become self-reliant after taking up mushroom farming, and have now set an example for others in the area.
The journey of Marian Uthansingh and his wife Kuntula Uthansingh is not only an inspiration but a source of hope for farmers in the area who wish to take up mushroom farming for a living.
Due to repeated crop loss, the farmers were forced to work as labourers in other states. However, the couple tried things differently. With their persistent efforts, they won accolades for their work, and they credit their success to their unflinching hard work and dedication.
“Like all farmers, we too faced tough times and had to bear heavy crop loss. Instead of leaving behind our children and going to work as labourers in other states, we took up mushroom cultivation,” Marian said calling out other farmers to stop working as labourers.
Marian was born into a farmers’ family in 1962. He assisted his father on his field and quickly learnt the ropes. However, due to repeated crop loss, he later took up work as a tailor.
Things changed for the better when he came across an NGO which imparted a training programme in the village about different kinds of cultivation. Drawing inspiration from the training programme, he took up mushroom cultivation. Since then, there has been no looking back for Marian. He was assisted by his wife Kuntula in the process.
Marian says his journey has not been easy due to lots of financial constraints. They have also stumbled due to crop loss in initial years, the couple said. On several instances, they had to drop cultivation and depend on turmeric, pulses and other farming for a living. However, their hard work paid off in the long run.
The couple also grows mango, coconut, pomegranate, lemons, cashew and other fruits in their orchard. Despite several losses and obstacles, the hard work of the couple is really inspiring, say locals who prefer to buy their mushrooms instead of buying from the market.
The couple has a huge customer base with a large number of people queuing up outside their farm early in the morning for mushroom. They also import it to Berhampur, Mohana, Baliguda and other areas.
When contacted, the couple said a little assistance from the administration would be of great help for them. They pleaded with the administration to take notice of their efforts and help them expand their cultivation. PNN