Jajpur: Two farmer siblings at Chitri village under Danagadi block in this district, who had once given up cultivation, have been able to bring a turnaround in their lives by adopting modern agricultural practices, a report said.
Siblings Susant Sahu and Atul Sahu were once reeling under distress and penury but have become ‘lakhpatis’ by undergoing training on modern agricultural practices as well as making judicious use of water. Susant and Atul are not the only farmers but many in their village have been able to augment their livelihoods with these practices.
The change has come not in a day or two but due to sustained efforts carried out by the corporate social responsibility (CSR) wing of Tata Steel having its steel plant at Kalinganagar.
The farmlands in this industrial area which were once remaining uncultivated have now acquired a lush green look due to the efforts undertaken by the steel major.
The farmers have been able to conserve water and increase their production as well as profit margin by adopting modern agricultural methods. The siblings are not only cultivating paddy but have also ventured into vegetable cultivation like tomato, cabbages, chilly and potato after undergoing training under the steel firm’s CSR initiative. Their better halves, who were once confined to their homes, have come out to help them in the farm works.
Reports said that agriculture was the only form of livelihood for these people hailing from poor financial backgrounds. The male members of these families carry out cultivation while their female members cook food and look after the wellbeing of the families. A good harvest was important for them not only for their survival but to store harvested seeds for next year’s cultivation.
The CSR wing of Tata Steel decided to adopt long term goals to increase crop production by the local farmers. They launched a programme ‘Arunima’ and imparted training to the farmers on using quality seeds, maintaining the fertility of the land, use of manure and water for cultivation.
Initially, 11 wells were dug up in Salijanga, Chitri and Nadiabhanga panchayats to help the farmers get water for their cultivation.
This helped the farmers to irrigate their farmlands with the water drawn from wells and raise their production. Reports said that a single well fulfills the water needs of four farmers. As a result, the annual income of 20 farmers has increased to over Rs 1.5 lakh. The farmers who were earlier earning Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 from cultivation in a year have been able to augment their incomes with these modern practices.
PNN
