BALISHANKARA (SUNDARGARH):Traditional farmers including women in Balishankara block of Sundargarh district are gradually resorting to ecological farming with use of less expensive organic manures and indigenous seeds.Ecological farming free from chemical inputs and genetic engineering contents promotes biodiversity to protect soil health and local environment besides enhancing income of farmers.
Sources informed that 1,496 farmers including 690 women have been included in 30 clusters of Birkaldihi, Kinjirkela, Beheradihi, B Karuabahal, Kusamura and Bhubendand gram panchayats in the block for ecological farming under Paramparagat Krishi Vikash Yojana (PKVY). Local NGO Centre for Integrated Rural and Tribal Development (CIRTD) will implement the scheme of ecological farming over 1,500 acre of land.
CIRTD Secretary Natakishore Mishra said they have taken care to ensure involvement of village women in the scheme to give them recognition as women farmers. He said though women are fully involved in farming activities, they are not being recognised as farmers. Of around 690 women farmers, 300 are landless and have taken land on lease for ecological farming.
He said conservation of indigenous varieties of seeds is underway in the block with cluster approach of farmers. For manures, they use ‘Ghana Jibaamruta’ (solid bacteria culture) using cow dung, jaggery and besan (gram flour) and ‘Tarala Jibaamrut’ (liquid bacteria culture) using cow urine, jiggery, gram flour, water and virgin soil which additionally acts as pest repellant, Mishra said.
Organic pesticide ‘Handi Aushad’ is prepared with mix of cow urine, jaggery and leaves of Neem, Karanja, Arakha, Bel and custard apple while a special method of waste decomposer is also used to enhance micro-nutrients and fertility of soil besides its water retention capacity. Mono cropping has been replaced with micro cropping on the same field, he said.
Mishra further said ‘Ragi’ and ‘Jowar’, which are in small millets category, are promoted as major crops under System of Millets Intensification. The growth has been three times higher at about 12 quintals per acre against the previous four quintals, he added.
Sundargarh Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA) RN Satpathy said promotion of ecological farming in the block through 30 clusters is in its first year and the Government is supplying organic inputs and implements to farmers besides imparting training and holding mass awareness campaigns. The DDA said after third year, their produce would be given organic certification labels which would fetch them higher prices.Two days back, the farmers were taken on exposure visits to agriculture fields of successful farmers for sharing of information and experience.