Vast tracts of lush green paddy fields in seven blocks of the tribal-dominated Sundargarh district are an indication to a new era of green revolution. Farmers in those areas are replacing their traditional farming practices with modern farming.
Around 7,000 hectares of land have been cultivated in seven rain-fed blocks of Bisra, Nuagaon, Bonai, Kutra, Bonai, Sadar, Tangarpali and Hemgir in this kharif season under ‘line transplantation’ method.
This is being done under the Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India (BGREI), an initiative of Union Ministry of Agriculture.
While last year seven other blocks were covered under the initiative, this year, another seven blocks have been taken up. The remaining three blocks of the district - Kuanrmunda, Koida and Gurundia - would be covered next year.
Sundergarh-based Deputy Director of Agriculture Narendra Behera said in 2012, a whopping yield of 55 to 65 quintals per hectare was achieved, while paddy yield from traditional method used to fetch 23 to 30 quintals. He said the programme involves assured irrigation, deep ploughing to pulverise the soil, application of micro-nutrient like zinc sulphate, systematic line transplanting of paddy seedlings and measures to protect the plants till crop cutting.
Farmer Benudhar Singh of Bisra block in Panposh sub-division said he is upbeat about the paddy crop prospect from his 3.8 hectares of land. Another farmer Rama Mahato said in his four hectares of land at Teterkela village, he was following the traditional practice of random transplantation and the crop yield used to be nominal. “If all goes well, this kharif season the harvest would be 1.5 times higher,” he said.
Under the BGREI scheme, a patch of 1,000 hectares of continuous land is chosen in each of the seven blocks. For assured irrigation, community deep bore-wells and lift irrigation are provided. For deep ploughing, farmers are given Rs 1,500 per hectare which follows with free seed distribution and supply of Rs 1,250 per hectare for line transplantation.
Moreover, beneficiary farmers are given necessary chemicals for root deep treatment and weed control along with need-based application of pesticides.
Panposh District Agriculture Officer (DAO) PC Sha said intensive care is taken to ensure crop growth and farmers are advised not to apply pesticide once the plants reach flowering stage. He hoped for bumper crops from Bisra and Nuagaon blocks.
Although the BGREI scheme insists on growth of at least five quintals per hectare, going by the trend in the district the growth prospect appears to be 12 to 20 quintals per hectare.
The Initiative
■ Around 7,000 hectares of land have been cultivated in seven rain-fed blocks in this Kharif season
■ The cultivation is being done under the Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India (BGREI), an initiative of Union Ministry of Agriculture
■ Although BGREI insists on growth of at least five quintals per hectare, the trend suggests that it will be 12 to 20 quintals