RELIANCE FOUNDATION DIGITAL FARM SCHOOL HELPS GOLEKHA NAYAK SAVE CROPS, BOOST INCOME
Bhubaneswar(15/09/2023): Golekha Nayak, a 58-year-old farmer from Balipata village in Chhendipada block in Angul district of Odisha, who has been battling with the presence of pests in his agricultural fields, has now become successful in saving his crops by enrolling himself as a member of the Reliance Foundation Digital Farm School.
Golekha’s passion for farming dates back to his childhood, where he witnessed his father and grandfather cultivating to their land.
Despite his eagerness for education, he could only attend school up to 4th standard due to the absence of a proper school in his village and other financial constraints.
Since then, he has dedicated himself to farming.
The farmer says, “I own a total of 2 acres of land, with 1.5 acres dedicated to rice cultivation and the remaining 0.5 acres used for growing vegetables such as chilly and groundnut.
My family, which includes my wife, two sons, and a daughter, relies on the income generated from farming.
Over the years, I have encountered several challenges dealing with pests and diseases such as caseworm, leaf folder, grain discoloration, blast, and bacterial leaf blight (BLB) in my paddy fields.
I used to travel to Balipata to purchase pesticides from a local vendor, but my efforts often fell short in effectively controlling pests.
In May 2022, our village was fortunate to be reached by the Reliance Foundation, which introduced us to their various agricultural information services.
They selected ten villages in our block, including ours, to launch their digital farm school program.
This initiative prompted me to enroll in to the program and it has been a transformative experience.
During the previous Kharif’2021, our village faced various challenges, including blast, foot rot, BLB, BPH and leaf folder infestations.
Recognizing our need for guidance and training, we requested Reliance Foundation to impart training in this regard.
Throughout the Kharif season in 2022, Reliance Foundation conducted numerous training programs at the digital farm school, covering topics such as paddy crop protection, nursery management and nutrient management.
I actively participated in all these training sessions, engaged myself in audio conferences, and had one-on-one consultations with agricultural experts.
Additionally, I sought assistance through the Reliance Foundation helpline at 18004198800, seeking solutions to various paddy cultivation issues, including BPH, BLB, and blast management.
Implementing the expert advice and recommendations yielded remarkable results, as I was able to harvest 26 quintals of paddy compared to the 21 quintals from the previous year.
I am deeply thankful for the Reliance Digital Farm School program, which not only safeguarded my crops but also boosted my yield by an additional 5 quintals this season at the cost of Rs 2,040 per quintal, and I got additional income of Rs 10,200.” Moreover, the Reliance Foundation established a WhatsApp group, where more than sixty farmers from our village, including myself, joined as active members.
This platform allows us to stay in constant communication with agricultural experts, promptly addressing any concerns or issues related to our crops through image sharing and messaging.
I am immensely grateful for the tireless efforts of the scientists, staff members, and the Reliance Foundation team, he shares. Golekha strongly recommended that such valuable services continue to be made available to them on a regular basis .
