Inspiring Stories from Innovative Farmers National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) (An organization of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India) Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500030, Telangana State, India www.manage.gov.in Inspiring Stories from Innovative Farmers 1 Published by National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) (An organization of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers welfare, Govt. of India) Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500030, Telangana State, India © MANAGE, 2018 Compiled and Edited by Dr. Muttanna Senior Research Fellow (SRF) Centre for Agricultural Extension Policy, Public Private Partnership in Extension and International Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Extension National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500030, Telangana State, India E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Lakshmi Murthy Deputy Director (Documentation) National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500030, Telangana State, India E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Saravanan Raj Director (Agricultural Extension) National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500030, Telangana State, India E-mail: [email protected] Printed at: Vamsi Art Printers Pvt. Ltd. 2 Inspiring Stories from Innovative Farmers Message India has made tremendous advancement in food production moving from a food deficit to a food surplus country, as a result of scientific research, innovations, technological advancements and developed extension services. Studies indicate that of late, many farmers are quitting agriculture due to various reasons and moving to cities in search of better livelihood. Often this is attributed to distress but there are many farmers who have been highly successful and flourishing despite the challenges and constraints. Through innovations and efforts, these farmers have not only transformed their own lives but that of others too. Documenting and disseminating success stories of farmers can inspire millions of farmers across India. MANAGE has compiled the stories of different farmers with a view to inspire farmers Dr. S.K. Pattanayak to strengthen their belief in themselves and their own abilities. Secretary (AC & FW) I compliment and congratulate MANAGE for documenting and skillfully depicting the challenges of individual farmers who have tasted the fruits of success in the end. (S.K. Pattanayak) Inspiring Stories from Innovative Farmers 3 Acknowledgement MANAGE would like to acknowledge everyone who contributed to the compilation of success stories of farmers. MANAGE extends sincere gratitude to all the farmers from different states of India for providing valuable information that helped us to strengthen the book considerably. Last, but most important, we also thank all faculty members and technical staff for their contribution during the preparation of this book. 4 Inspiring Stories from Innovative Farmers Sl. No. Title Page. No. 1 The Millet Man of Telangana 7 2 Award-Winning Piggery Enterprise of Bijapur 9 3 Trendsetter of Cattle based Organic Farming in Andhra Pradesh 11 4 The Spice Rich Farmer of Karnataka 13 Contents 5 The Way Forward for Sustainable Agriculture 15 6 Rural Entrepreneurship through Amla Farming 17 7 All is Well in Integrated Farming 19 8 Integration in farming leads to prosperity 21 9 The Sweet Taste of Success with Bee-Keeping 23 10 Farmer converts Adversity into Opportunity 25 11 Success in Agriculture leads to Success of Ecosystem 27 12 Every drop counts 29 13 More Crop per Drop 31 14 Crop Diversification is the way forward in Punjab 33 15 Dairy Farming flourishes with fodder crops 35 16 Prosperous Dairy Farming through Crossbreeds in Karnal 37 17 Zero Budget farming 39 18 Integration is the New Success Mantra for Sustainable Agriculture 41 19 Award winning horticulture farmer from Karnataka 43 20 Composite farming 45 21 Where there is a will, there is a way 47 22 Empowered Women run a Successful Dairy Venture 49 23 Success through Post-Harvest Technologies & Marketing of Fruits 51 24 Leading the way in Fisheries: Kailash Fisheries Aquatics 53 25 Enriching Natural Resources for Sustainable Farming 55 Inspiring Stories from Innovative Farmers 5 6 Inspiring Stories from Innovative Farmers He takes up millets in June-July with the onset of the south-west monsoon. He manages to get a good yield from millets (foxtail millet 3-3.5 quintals/acre, bajra 4-5 quintals/acre, sorghum 4-5 quintals/ acre and finger millet 4-5 quintals/acre) with proper management The Millet Man of Telangana practices at the right time even though his village receives meagre rainfall. Mr. Veer Shetty Biradar (44) is from Gangapur village, Jharasangam mandal, in Sangareddy district of Telangana State, India. He is a graduate and owns 13 acres of dryland and 5 acres of irrigated land. He grows sugarcane, chickpea, red gram, jowar, bajra, foxtail millet and finger millet. Once, while travelling to Maharashtra, Mr. Biradar could not get any food to eat and suffered from starvation as a result. He started thinking of producing food for the future generations after coming back from Maharashtra. He started growing millets and entered the field of value-added millet products under the technical guidance of Dr. C.L. Gowda, Deputy Director General, ICRISAT, and Dr. C.H. Ravindra Reddy, Director, MSSRF (M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation), Jeypore, Odisha. According to Mr. Biradar, millets are super foods for the future generation because the risk of pest and disease attack is comparatively One of the reasons for focusing on value added millet products is low, except for bird damage. He believes a farmer and a jawan are the emergence of lifestyle diseases among the urban population and the two eyes of our country. Keeping the farmer in mind, he started prevalence of junk food consumption among the youth. Keeping a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) called Swayam Shakthi all these factors in mind, in 2009, Mr. Biradar started a value- in Huda Colony, Chandanagar, Hyderabad. The NGO covers 1000 added centre for millets in Huda Colony, Chandanagar, Hyderabad, farmers from 8 villages from Sangareddy district. The main purpose Telangana, India, in the name of SS Bhavani Foods Pvt. Ltd. Within a of the NGO is to disseminate timely information to farmers and take span of seven years, his company developed 60 value-added millet new technologies to the doorstep of the farming community. products from sorghum, bajra, foxtail millet and finger millet. Inspiring Stories from Innovative Farmers 7 Mr. Biradar received technical guidance about millet processing, Mr. Biradar’s work has types of machinery etc. from Indian Institute of Millets Research been acknowledged (IIMR), Hyderabad, Telangana. He also started working with an Indian through several awards Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) project called FARMER FIRST for his remarkable in collaboration with IIMR. He started another value-added centre achievements in millets- (shop) on February 27, 2017, to expand the coverage of millet-based based value-added value-added products. He also delivered a seminar on “Underutilized products, including crops for nutritional security” at MSSRF, Jeypore, Odisha, followed ‘Best Farmer Award’, by a field visit to educate farmers in Odisha. from MS Swaminathan Research Foundation He believes all millet-based value-added products should be made (MSSRF), Jeypore, available all the year round for everyone irrespective of the place. Mr. Odisha in 2017, Biradar faced many challenges in his journey of developing millet- ‘Dr. M.V. Rao Memorial based value-added products and quotes the proverb “stones and Award’ from Professor sticks are thrown only at fruit-bearing trees” when remembering his Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) in 2017 journey. He earns Rs. 1 lakh per month from SS Bhavani Foods Pvt. and ‘Best Millet Misharayya Award’ from Indian Institute of Millet Ltd. Research (IIMR) Hyderabad in 2017. He earns Rs. 3-4 lakh annually from agriculture, apart from millet-based value-added products. In future, he wants to start ready-to-eat millet foods and wishes to cover maximum regions across the country. Mr. Veer Shetty Biradar Gangapur Village, Jharasangam Mandal, Sangareddy District, Telangana State, India. Mobile Number: +91 7702860613 Authors: Dr. Muttanna, Senior Research Fellow (SRF), Dr. Ravi Nandi, Program Manager FTF-ITT, Ms.Shakera Parveen, Program Executive, FTF-ITT, National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500030, Telangana State, India. 8 Inspiring Stories from Innovative Farmers horticulture crops; in this way, he has reduced the usage of chemical fertilizers by 50 to 60 per cent. Award - Winning Piggery To reduce the feed cost, he formulated a homemade concentrate feed for piglets using available grains such as corn, rice, wheat, groundnut, Enterprise of Bijapur mineral mixture and salts in an appropriate proportion. In the morning, he gives concentrate feed to the pigs, and in the evening, he feeds Mr. Somanna Siddappa Bhasagi (39) is from Alamel village, Sindagi taluk, Bijapur district, of Karnataka, India. He started farming in 2009, before which he was a scrap merchant. In 2009, he purchased 2.5 acres of land, which yielded 40 to 45 tonnes of sugarcane per acre. In 2010-11, he leased 6 acres of land and continued the earlier subsistence farming system. He was not satisfied with the market