Angul: Rapid industrialization in this district has failed to wean away farmers from farming. Instead of switching over to other means of earning livelihood like working at factories or opening business units, they are still practicing cultivation and earning profits as well.
Giving up traditional methods, they are using modern technologies. This is exactly where the district Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) is playing an instrumental role in implementing the central government’s Doubling Farmers’ Income (DFI).
DFI has been operational since 2016-17. The aim and objective of it is to help farmers increase their earnings by two times.
In the financial year 2017-18, the DFI strategy was introduced and is reportedly doing well. Under this, the district Krishi Vigyan Kendra adopted two villages namely Ragudiapada and Talagarh under Angul block. Later, it took up more three villages, one each from Banarpal, Chhendipada and Athmallik blocks.
In the first phase, ten farmers, that is five farmers from Ragudiapada village and five from Talagarh village, were given training. The training included modern farming technology, seed disinfection, disease and soil management, organic methods, marketing and crop preservation.
In the initial stages, the farmers were guided through their mobile phones and at times, agronomists also paid visits to them.
Now, the efforts of the farmers and KVK officials are paying dividends.
Listed below are a few success stories of farmers who managed to toil hard and reap rich dividends.
Bibhuti Pradhan, a farmer is cultivating tomato, particularly of Arka Rakshak variety which has a triple disease resistant power along with bottle gourd, cauliflower, cabbage, pointed gourd, bitter gourd and some others on his seven acres of land applying Trellis Drainage System. From October till now, he has carried out a business of Rs 2 lakh from selling bottle gourd alone, it was learnt.
Similarly, Mayadhar Pradhan, Kruttibas Biswal, Shantilata Sahu and Saila of Talagarh are growing mushrooms, papaya and rearing hens, ducks and ornamental fish. If Shantilata’s business is considered, she is learnt to have been selling mushrooms to the tune of Rs 1, 00, 000.
Expressing his satisfaction, Bibhuti Pradhan, a farmer of Ragudiapada said, “We used to grow crops applying the traditional methods. If we are presently growing crops double the volume of what we used to do once, it is only because of KVK’s guidance. Besides knowing about agricultural procedures, we have also learnt how to preserve our crops and how to market them so that we can have better value for our crops.”
When contacted, senior agronomist and head, KVK, Angul, Binita Satpathy said they are working towards presenting Angul as an ideal for others in 2022 when the final DFI report shall have to be submitted. “The farmers are being given training at the KVK and sometimes our scientists are also visiting them. Our efforts are bearing fruits,” she added.
According to deputy director, agriculture, Basant Kumar Sahoo, there is a subsidy facility for all the farmers including the ones of adopted villages provided they have identity cards. Identity cards will enable them to avail themselves of all sorts of government facilities.
PNN
