Seventeen years of painstaking effort in developing and maintaining a new onion variety by a small farmer, Balwan Singh from Haryana, bore fruit when the National Innovation Foundation – India (NIF) under the leadership of Prof Anil Gupta recognised this variety at the national level. NIF honoured the farmer in its sixth biennial award ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi recently. This onion variety named “Balwan Pyaj” has a longer shelf life as compared to other commercial varieties due to its tightly adhered bulb skin. The variety’s yield per hectare is over 30 tonnes, and is believed to be resistant to pests and diseases occurring in onion. Its dark red coloured globular shaped bulbs with about 50-60 gm weight, appear more attractive than common ones with firm, bright red coloured, bulbs yielding about 20 tonnes per hectare. That is the new variety developed by the farmers yields nearly 50 tonnes. Many years back Mr. Balwan Singh brought some onions from a neighbouring village. He observed the bulbs to be large in size, red in colour, and the skin to be tight. Being an experienced farmer, he knew that good quality plants yield good fruits bulbs hence he started grading and breeding this particular onion through selection, considering parameters such as the plant health, tightly adhered bulb skin, size and well shaped red coloured bulbs. Year after year, he repeated the same process to purify the variety and stabilise its characteristics. After many years of perseverance he could finally develop this variety. The family also maintained the year wise performance data for the crop, which exhibited good performance. “It is just persistence that kept him going. He did not do it for honours or recognition,” says Prof Gupta about the entire process. NIF facilitated that the testing of variety at the Vegetable Research Farm, Department of Vegetable Science, Choudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana during 2010-11. According to the results, the onion variety showed significantly higher yield (of more than 30 tonnes/ha), bulb weight and bulb diameter, than existing variety named Hisar-2. Other features, which distinguish this variety, are dark green colour of foliage, good thickness of rings, a predominant axis and symmetrical cross section. The farmer has distributed the seed of his variety to about a thousand farmers of Haryana and around. He specially recognises the support of scientists of the Haryana Agriculture University who guided him from time to time, and helped him with technological updates. NIF also provided him an opportunity to display his variety at the Innovations’ Exhibition at the President House in 2011. He has been participating in different agricultural exhibitions of agricultural products and winning prizes as well. His work has been covered in local as well as national media. “There are hundreds of brilliant solutions to tackle everyday problems in many villages. What we need is an honest effort to look out for them and then the patience to try them. In fact many of these solutions are simpler and more effective than those provided by formal science. In some cases such grassroots solutions even extend the frontiers of science,” says Mr. Gupta. The foundation has been systematically documenting several hundreds of innovations from different parts of rural India and providing the innovators with a platform to present their findings. Many of these grassroots developments though appearing to be simple can be easily replicated and used by others. To know more interested readers can contact the farmer Mr. Balwan Singh, PO: Shivana village: Alakhpura, Bhiwani, Haryana, Mobile: 09992696963 and email Prof Anil Gupta at anilgb@gmail.com
Month: August 2012
School drop-out helps preserve traditional paddy seeds
Adhirangam is a small village in Kattimadu block, Thiruthuraipoondi in Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu. All these years the village, except for its ancient temple, was nondescript. But today the number of people visiting the village has gone up. All of them ask for one name, that of R. Jayaraman. “It seems the person is a store house of information on native paddy seeds, their availability and cultivation methods,” says a tea shop owner on the outskirts of the village. Best choice And several farmers and associations around Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, and Nagappattinam vouch for the fact that Mr. Jayaraman is the best choice when it comes to seeking information on some lost and ancient paddy seeds. Poor financial situation at home compelled him to discontinue studies and take up some odd jobs. During his late teens he joined Fedcot (Federation of Consumer Organization) and got elevated as agriculture training director. “I am supposed to be the only person to achieve this position without any academic qualification in agriculture,” he smiles. Seeing his enthusiasm, an NRI donated his nine acres land for crop cultivation and for organizing training programmes for the benefit of the farming community. “Since delta districts are predominantly paddy oriented my initial interest was on organic rice production. Later, I realized that the coastal districts are more prone to the climate variations and every year farmers face problems either with flood or cyclone, and seek compensation for their crop loss,” he explains. He happened to get more information about the diversity of traditional paddy cultivated by coastal farmers and its potential to withstand different climate variations and characteristics of adaptability from Dr. Nammalvar, who inspired him to seek and find. Several varieties From that day, he started locating several traditional paddy varieties in the coastal districts as well as in other parts of Tamil Nadu and documenting information about them. He identified about 15 traditional paddy varieties and started growing all of them on the donated farm. “I wanted to increase the seed availability to others,” he says. In 2005, he organized the first traditional paddy seed festival. That year, he distributed 2 kgs of traditional paddy seeds of 15 varieties to more than 300 farmers. The overwhelming response motivated him to organize more such functions every year. The recently organized traditional paddy seed festival Adhirangam was the eighth, and about 64 different traditional varieties have been distributed to more than 1,000 farmers. “I distribute these varieties to farmers with a promise that they must return double the quantity of seeds in the next season,” says Mr. Jayaraman. Maintains record He maintains records and registers of farmers who benefit ted from the seed festival. Some of the important varieties he maintains are Kattuyanam (best suited for flood condition), Poongkar (suited for saline soil), Karunguruvai (best for making biriyani), Kuzhiyadichan (for alkaline soil), Kudavaalai, Gauvuni, Mappillai Samba (for high energy), Samba Mosanam (best suited for making flat rice), Arupatham Kuruvai (short duration variety (60 days). All the varieties can be easily cultivated under the SRI (System of Rice Intensification) method. Since he is well known in the region, mobilizing financial support especially from banks or Nabard proves quite easy for him. In addition, he helps banks to organize debt recovery camps in villages and makes the farmers understand the importance of repaying the loans. His association with ‘Create,’ an organization working for consumer awareness based at Thiruthuraipoondi, under the save our rice programme, has motivated him to revive the traditional rice varieties. He has trained a team of farmers in all the above three districts and regularly updates them on the current issues that affect farmers and encourages them to participate and raise the issues at the farmer’s grievance day. Guest lectures Last year, the State Government conferred the best ‘Organic farmer award’ on him. Till now, he has visited and delivered talks in nearly 300 schools and colleges in the delta district on the importance of preserving native seeds. Those interested in knowing more can contact Mr. R. Jayaraman at Kattimedu, Adhirangam, Thiruthuraipoondi, Tiruvarur District, Mobile: 094433 20954.
A bus conductor links bee security to food security
Rarely do we come across individuals who apart from their regular work become obsessed with something that becomes their passion, dream and conviction. Mr. A. Parthiban is one such person who is popularly known as honey bee man in Gobichettypalayam, Tamil Nadu. Working schedule The man works as a bus conductor on the Gobi-Madurai route for nearly 12 hours a day, three days a week. During the rest of the week he is busy catching honeybees, installing bee boxes in several fields, orchards and coconut groves. Hailing from an ordinary farming family Mr. Parthiban seems to realize the importance of the bees in the ecological cycle. “The insects are essential for our food security. Without them many of our fruits, vegetables or flowers would become extinct. But sadly modern science doesn’t seem to realize this. In the name of advancement we are destroying many things that play an important role. Productive and rapidly declining honeybees are one such,” he says. Western countries have recognized the effect of honey bee pollination and are doing their best to protect and encourage these insects. “But here in our place we call them a nuisance. We either smoke them away or drive them using fires.” he adds. Though initially Mr. Parthiban’s interest appeared weird to his friends and neighbours, they started supporting him once they started realizing that he was speaking some sense. Lot of calls Today he is flooded with calls from different areas requesting him to set up bee boxes or catch the bees hovering in the orchards and godowns. “People find the bees scary. They think the insect will sting them. Normally the insects do not sting anyone unless disturbed,” he says. The main popularity of the man in the region is that apart from setting up bee boxes he also offers to take care of the box and the bees (maintenance). “Maintaining the insects was one area which did not have many takers,” he says and adds: “I thought if I could step in it would increase the interest among many people to set up bee boxes in their place.” Two approaches He advocates two types of approaches in promoting this enterprise. One is installing the bee-boxes by the farmers’ investment and the sale from honey is given to the owner. Two, Mr. Parthiban himself installs the boxes and maintains them. The income from honey is shared between the owner of the farm and him. Mr. K.K. Ramaswamy of Vaiyakadu thottam in kolapalur village had approached Mr. Parthiban to obtain a remedy for flower setting in his tamarind tree. Parthiban placed the bee boxes and advised Mr.Ramaswamy to wait for some months. Increase in yield And as predicted the tamarind farmer harvested 4,350 kgs of tamarind compared to previous yield of 1,000 Kgs from 250 trees. Apart from his monthly income the bees seem to have provided him with an additional income of nearly Rs. 20,000 a month. More than the danger involved in climbing trees to catch some bees, because of the painful stings, it is the feeling that he was doing something worthwhile, seems to be his conviction. Recently the district science forum in the region awarded his son Mr. Jawahar Raja an 8th class student for developing a solar melter for melting the honey combs. Usually after the honey has been extracted the empty comb is heated in a pot or vessel for making candles. Through this solar melter the comb gets melted and the liquid oozes out through a outlet and collected in moulds. “A humble earthworm during its lifetime makes the soil fertile, a silkworm before it dies spins some silk threads, aren’t we, endowed with a sixth sense, supposed to do better?” he asks. Interested readers can contact Mr. A. Parthiban at 11/18 Makali amman, street, Kollapur post, Gobichettypalayam, mobile: 9442171818.
Gearing up to face the challenges of a possible drought
The lessons learned from the 2009 drought could be the guiding factor to prevent a repeat in loss of agriculture production.
“The indication of a below normal monsoon in North West and South India by the experts of the Meteorological Department during a conference was a wakeup call to all concerned.
“Since Kharif season is monsoon-dependent, any forecast on the delayed or abnormal rain fall must be taken seriously,” says Dr.V.Rajagopal formerly Director of Central Plantations Crop Research Institute (CPCRI) Kasaragod and an expert on drought research for over four decades.
Possible drought
The official forecast was made on the monsoon by the Indian Meteorology Department during mid May, followed by the Union Agriculture Minister issuing a warning on a possible drought.
“There is need for the Ministry of Agriculture to take adequate steps now itself to plan the strategies,” he says.
The lessons learned from the past when there were problems to face the drought must serve as guiding factor for preparedness to help the farmers to overcome the vagaries of weather.
During that year over 50 lakh hectare area with rice crop suffered due to delayed monsoon and the seedlings almost died, which resulted in a huge loss of over 13 million tonnes.
“As many as 262 districts were declared as in the ‘deficient’ rainfall zone. Sugarcane and many horticulture crops also faced adverse impact of drought; food inflation followed.
The unpreparedness of all concerned departments to manage the situation caused by an unprecedented drought in recent years was evident,: lamented Dr. Rajagopal.
Adverse impact
It was definitely avoidable and the adverse impact could have been minimized had the contingency plans been in place at the right time.
Since sizable area in the Southern region is rain fed, with many important crops like millets and oil seeds with high nutritive value, and many farmers depend for their livelihood, the dry land farming technologies developed by the ICAR Institutes and the ICRISAT need to be implemented with contingency plans during / after the sowing season of various crops.
“The advisory team comprising scientists from the Institutes, State Agriculture Universities and the extension personnel from the Department of Agriculture/Horticulture/Veterinary and Fisheries must be on alert to come to the rescue of the farmers in case of an impending drought situation.
“Any sign of unpreparedness is bound to reflect not only on deficit in agriculture production but extraordinary distress among the farmers whose suicidal tendencies will increase,” he warns.
High demand
The country cannot afford to lose more farmers when the demand for food production is pretty high to feed millions of citizens.
As many small farmers in the country depend on rainfall during the farm operations, they have to be educated adequately on the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ during the occurrence of drought, based on value addition to weather data.
Their helplessness was evident during 2009 when some farmers in drought affected areas were not guided properly about the seed materials, sowing operations and alternate approaches.
In Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh, the delayed distribution of groundnut seeds to farmers after the rainfall affected the entire field operations, and therefore their income.
This resulted in heavy economic losses, which forced some of them to borrow money from the lenders at high interest rates.
Farmer suicides
Failure to repay the debts culminated in suicides. The fact that Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh States topped the list for high farmer suicides reflect on the unsatisfactory remedial measures to compensate the losses suffered due to drought like conditions.
Dr. Rajagopal published a book on ‘Drought tolerant crop species of India’ in 1996, with over 80 crops well documented on all aspects.
“It is time to update the same, so that the promising drought resistant varieties of crops are made available to the farmers in drought prone areas,” he says.
He feels that an inventory of such varieties with reasonable high yield even under low moisture availability must be the priority.
Bridge the gap
One way of bridging the gap between the potential yield and actual yield will be to replace the drought susceptible varieties with relatively resistant/tolerant varieties to sustain overall production, according to him.
Contact Dr. V.Rajagopal at e mail rajvel44@gmail.com, mobile: 094412 00217.
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