RELIANCE FOUNDATION'S DIGITAL FARM SCHOOL HELPS FARMER KEEP PESTS AT BAY
Bhubaneswar (23/12/2023): Manulal Pradhan, a 54-year-old farmer from Adring village under Narla block of Kalahandi district, has become successful in keeping the pests at bay by adopting sustainable pest management strategies recommend by the Reliance Foundation Digital Farm School.
For over a decade, Manulal has been cultivating crops, relying solely on the income generated from his agricultural endeavors to support his family of four, which includes his wife and two sons. Despite his keen interest in education, financial constraints prevented him from completing education beyond the metric level. Since then, he has dedicated himself to farming, incorporating advanced and modern technologies.
His agricultural venture spans across 5 acres of land where he predominantly cultivate paddy. However, in recent years, he encountered challenges in cultivation, particularly dealing with insect pests. To address this issue, he relied on local pesticide shops, investing significant amounts of money without achieving effective pest control.
In May 2023, Reliance Foundation visited his village, introducing various information service initiatives and a Digital Farm School program. Throughout the Kharif, 2023 growing season, the Foundation organized farmer training programs, covering topics such as paddy seed selection, soil testing, nursery management, nutrient management, crop protection, harvesting, and storage.
The Foundation conducted a soil testing campaign in his village, enlightening Manulal about the significance of soil testing and providing recommendations for fertilization. The soil test revealed that his land had acidic soil with low organic carbon and medium potash and phosphorus levels. Armed with this knowledge, he took steps to reclaim the soil using recommended agents like Zypmite Plus and followed the fertilization recommendations on the soil health card.
The farmer says, "Participating in Reliance's audio conference program, field-based sessions, and pest diagnostic camps, I sought guidance on managing various issues in my field, such as BPH, leaf blast, bacterial leaf blight, and sheath blight. Utilizing the toll-free helpline-18004198800, I consulted agricultural experts to address pest and disease problems in my paddy fields. Implementing their suggestions, I found that majority of the issues from the previous year were effectively addressed. Moreover, adherence to the soil test recommendations led to reduced expenses on fertilizer applications.
As a result of these efforts, I achieved a substantial paddy crop this year, harvesting 71 quintals from my 5 acres compared to 54 quintals the previous year. I plan to sell 65 quintals in the local marketing society, fetching around Rs.1,30,000 while reserving 6 quintals for personal consumption. The Reliance Digital Farm School program not only helped me cut cultivation costs and safeguard my crops but also enabled me to earn an additional 17 quintals of paddy, equivalent to approximately Rs.34,000. This year, I am pleased to have secured both food and income for my family. Looking ahead, I anticipate double income from fallow crops like green gram and black gram, employing the recommended practices outlined in the soil health card." With these achievements, he expressed his gratitude for the commendable work undertaken by the scientists, employees, and members of Reliance Foundation and wished for continued access to such valuable services .
