Vizianagaram: Farmers taste success with natural farming
The farmers, who have been into zero-based natural farming (ZBNF) method are happy with this kharif season as they got bountiful yields this year in paddy and other crops.
Vizianagaram: The farmers, who have been into zero-based natural farming (ZBNF) method are happy with this kharif season as they got bountiful yields this year in paddy and other crops. The farmers from various mandals in the district have adopted ZBNF giving up chemical fertilizers and pesticides for the past three years.
The farmers cultivating paddy are happier this year as they got unexpected yield. On the other side, their crop expenditures have also drastically come down. The farmers in district are happier to follow these methods and ready to continue in next year too.
Around 37,000 farmers are practicing ZBNF and growing paddy, millets, vegetable crops in 14,800 acres. The farmers never used urea for fast growing of crop or pesticides to eradicate pests and diseases. They used huge quantity of cow dung, Ghana Jeevamrutham and Dravajeevamrutham to increase fertility of soil and used Neemastram and some other herbal extracts to control pests and diseases.
Recently Collector Dr M Harijawaharlal announced that 51 villages were totally converted as bio-villages and not even a single farmer used chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
The farmers witnessed good results in December after conducting crop cutting experiments in the presence of agriculture officers and experts in ZBNF. A Sanyasi, a farmer of Dhulikuppa village in Kurupam mandal, said "This year I wondered to see the yield in my one acre of paddy field.
I earned net income of Rs 28,000 from an acre paddy crop. I paid only for labour and harvesting but I didn't spend for urea or other pesticides. Even the price of paddy is more than the paddy grown with chemical fertilisers. So, I am very happy this year. I have got more than 25 per cent of yield this year." D Parinaidu, an expert in natural farming and trainer, said, "We are promoting natural farming in two mandals and 8,000 farmers are trained.
Most of them have adopted these methods and producing grains in a healthier way. Our farmers are happy with this method for being a part of this eco-friendly and healthier mode of farming. Even the farmers are getting premier price for their paddy than the other farmers.
We will increase the extent of land in next kharif season and even we are planning to encourage the farmers to grow the paddy in Rabi too." District Project Manager K Prakash stated that the farmers came to know about the real results of natural farming after experimenting it. "We have conducted around 50 crop cutting experiments in paddy and found good results with less expenditure," he said.
