Expressbuzz, Feb 3, 2010
BHAWANIPATNA: Dambarudhar Gartia of Boringpadar village in Narla block harvested 90 quintals of paddy on three acres of land this kharif against 40 quintals during the previous season. This is despite fickle monsoon. He earned Rs 90,000 against an investment of around Rs 5,000.
Gartia is not the only farmer reaping profits from the SRI (system of rice intensification) method of cultivation.
Nearly 50 farmers of the village took to the SRI method last year and reaped profits. The lead farmers of Kalahandi shared their experiences with experts at a farmers workshop held here recently.
With nominal seed requirement in SRI method compared to the traditional process and total investment of nearly 25 to 40 per cent less than the traditional method, the number of takers for SRI cultivation has increased from just three in 2007 to around 30 in 2008 and 50 last year.
Says Prahallad Budhia of Kanakpur village of Bhawanipatna block, a lead banana cultivator who opted for the method along with his three brothers, ‘’timely care and use of weeder at regular intervals have helped in a good harvest.’’ The method of paddy cultivation also helps increase production, income of farmers and protect environment in view of the apprehended food crisis.
There has been a gradual shift from traditional to SRI method in the western Orissa districts of Kalahandi, Balangir, Nuapada and Bargarh. With many making profit, the method has now been taken up by 1,778 farmers of 239 villages in the four districts.
In Kalahandi district alone the Agriculture Department launched a campaign for SRI and during last Kharif season 4,000 acres were covered under SRI method and it is targeted to cover 6,000 acres this season.
The workshop organised by NGO-SVA and Lokbigyan Sanstha, Dehra Dun, was inaugurated by Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Chudamani Seth. Among others, botanist Akhaya Kumar Nanda, agronomist Chitaranjan Satpathy and District Agriculture Officer Kailash Chandra Behera participated.
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