Rainfed Farming - Farmer's Notebook

5/2/2016
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Solarpowered
sprayer that solves
manyproblems
M.
J.
PRABU,
Agriculture, The Hindu,
December29,2011
Publications
News&Media
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UsefulLinks
Downloads
Once charged during

the night it can be
operated for nearly
eight hours. Viable
Alternative: David demonstrating to farmers to use of the solar
sprayer.
Solarpoweredsprayerthatsolvesmanyproblems.Oneneednotbe
ageniustodevelopanycommonlyuseddevices.Takethecaseof
the humble yet important knapsack manual sprayer (hung on the
shoulders). Though many models are available on the shelves,
priced at different rates, most of them last for only a few years.
Regularly filling them with water, pesticides and fuel (in case of
fuel operated ones) makes it difficult to lift and hang them on the
shoulder. After an hour of spraying, the weight of the machine
createsabackacheandshoulderpainforfarmers,saysMr.David
Raja Beleau, Assistant Director of Horticulture Kadayam, Tamil
Nadu,whodevelopedasolarpoweredbatteryoperatedsprayerfor
farmers.
ThosewhoareinterestedcancontactMr.DavidAssistantDirectorof
Horticulture Kadayam through his mobile number 9486285704 or
microeconomicsdavid@yahoo.co.in
http://www.rainfedfarming.org/farmers_notebook_1.htm
1/31
5/2/2016
Authorities
must
experience problems to
solvethem
M.J.PRABU,Agriculture,The
Hindu,December15,2011
Canafarmerevercontactthe
Agriculture minister to voice
hisgrievance?
There is a lot of difference

between
seeing
and
experiencing. Unless one
experiences a headache he
will never know how it feels.
Merewordsoravisualcanneverconveyit,saysMr.DeepakNanaji
Barde a progressive farmer from Wardha. In Israel or Cuba,
farmersinpossessionofeventwoacresliveinluxury.ButinIndiaa
10 acre farmer wallows in poverty. Why? he asks. Mr. Deepak
practices organic farming in his 2.5 acres and has developed 52
varietiesofcrop.Ittookhimnearlysevenyearstoestablishaseed
bank.
For more details readers can contact Mr. Deepak Nanaji Barde,
Bawapur taluka, Wardha , Phone : 9272610252 and Mr. Manish
Kawade
Project
Associate
MSSRF,
emails:
manishkawade45@gmail.com and waifad_vrc@rediffmail.com,
Phone:07152285043,Mobile:09890795456.
Debt
increases
with
dependence on fertilizers,
pesticides
M.J.PRABU,Agriculture,The
Hindu,November10,2011
Mr. Vishwasrao's search
brought him in contact with
several farmers practising
organic
farming.
They
impressed on him the need
for making one's own input
forthecropsandthatitdrasticallysavesmoneyforthefarmerand
helpsgetagoodyield....
For more details contact Mr. Vishwasrao Narayanrao Bunde at

Pedgaontaluka,Risoddistrict,Washim,mobile:9765815472andM.
SSwaminathanResearchFoundationvillageresourcecentre,Karda
district,phone:07251226544.
2/31
5/2/2016
Readmore...
Natural
inputs,
multicropping advised for
Vidharbharegion
M. J. PRABU, Agriculture, The
Hindu,November2,2011
Such measures may have
prevented a few of the
suicides in the region. The
names Vidharbha or Wardha
immediately evoke memories
of farmers' suicides. Several reasons such as growing only one
crop, total dependence on monsoon, lack of infrastructure and
irrigation facilities, small land holdings, poor marketing, and
insensitive government policies towards farmers are attributed to
this. Visiting the region drives home one point, that not all of
Vidharbhaisagraveyardofdeadfarmers,saysMr.PrafulBansod,
ScientistMSSRFvillageResourceCentre,Yavatmal.
For more information contact Mr. Praful Bansod, Scientist MSSRF,

VillageResourceCenterYavatmal,email:prafulbansod@gmail.com,
mobile:9420960830andMr.MahajanatKaranjiBhoge,Deolitaluk,
Wardha,mobile:9552955897and9922354663.
Readmore...
Good harvests do not always
translateintomoneyinthebank
M.J.PRABU,Agriculture,TheHindu,
October19,2011
Minimum support price that is
announced is never paid in full.
Tilhar lies about 300 km east of
Delhiinthefertileplainsofnorthern
India. Here, acres of wheat stand
sturdilyinthefields,slowlychanging
colour from green to yellow. If all
goeswellthefarmercangetagood
harvest, but whether it will bring
prosperity to their lives or not is a
big question. Will the crop in the
field translate into money in the bank? Unlikely, says Dr. Suman
Sahai, Convener, Gene campaign, New Delhi. The Prime Minister
saysinternalsecurityisthecountry'slargestcrisis.Fixingagriculture
and putting money in the farmers' pocket is a dead sure way of
finding our way out of this crisis. When will we achieve that? she
enquires.
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Contact Dr. Suman Sahai, blog: sumansahaiblog.blogspot.com,

email:mail@genecampaign.org,J235/A,LaneW15C,Sainikfarms,
NewDelhi110062,phone:01129556248and29555961.
Readmore...
Unbridledrealestatebusiness
threatensfarmers'livelihood
M. J. PRABU, Agriculture, The
Hindu,October13,2011
TheWillthevoiceofpoorfarmers
beheardintheportalsofpower?
While there seems to be raging
debate going on among a section
of activists whether farmers
shouldgoinforBtcropsornot,a
few
hundred
farmers
in
Vadakipalayamvillage,Pollachi,areinthefinalstagesofharvesting
Btcottonandmaize.
Wearenotbotheredaboutvarietiesaslongasweareabletoget
agoodyield,asuremarket,andbetterincome,saysN.Murugesan
anagedfarmergrowingBtcottoninhisfouracres.
The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University provides all the technical
supportandguidanceforthesefarmersandaprivateseedcompany
isprovidingthecottonseeds.
It is funny when some politician or bureaucrat talks about food
security or a farmerfriendly government. Just look at the open
grounds before my fields. All those areas, once fertile fields are
beingsoldoffashousingplots,hesays,adding:
Readers can contact Mr. N. Murugesan at no 4/56 Vadakipalayam,

KoilPalayamviaPollachi,TamilNadu,mobile:9942833929.
Readmore...
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5/2/2016
Lightweight machine
weeds out paddy
farmers'woes
The
compactly
developed conoweeder
being tested by a
farmer in his field. In
the last two decades
the technique is fast
becoming
popular
among millions of
farmersworldwide.InIndiathesuccessofSRIcanbeperceivedas
being made possible by many small farmers who dared to
experiment and innovate new techniques, says Mr.
Senthilkumaran,
Director,
Information,
Education
and
Communication,M.S.SwaminathanResearchFoundation(MSSRF),
Chennai.
Simpleandefficient
Take the example of the conoweeder, a simple, handoperated
devicetoremove weeds from the paddy field. To encourage small
farmers to adopt this cultivation the State Governments passed
orders to their respective agriculture Universities to make the
machine available to farmers through their Krishi Vigyan Kendras
(KVKs) freely as and when they require. With the numbers being
limited, the KVKs' in many areas found it difficult to cater to the
demand.
For more details contact Mr. S. Karthikeyan, Om sakthi agri
industries,No9/1LalBahadurSastriroad,Kumbakonam:612001,
email:karthi_omsakthi@yahoo.co.in,mobile:09789618131,phone:
04352401231. And Mr. Senthil at Third Cross Road, Institutional
Area, Taramani, Chennai 600 113, email: senthil@mssrf.res.in
senthilrural@gmail.com,Phone:04422541229,22542791.
Readmore...
Power from
Vivekanda
showstheway
waste:
Kendra
The town Panchayat is

today powered by the
biogasgeneratedelectricity
Mamallapuram in Tamil
Nadu is an internationally
renowned
tourist
destination.
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Thoughthetownitselfhousesamodestpopulationofjust12,345
in about 400 households, it generates a huge volume of waste
mainlykitchenwastefromvarioushotelsandrestaurants.
An NGO from Kanyakumari called Vivekananda Kendra (Vk
nardep) built a solid waste management shed at the town
panchayat for collecting and processing the entire waste for
feedingintoabiogasplant.
The Kendra constructed the biogas plant (of 100 cubic metre
volume) a floating drum like device attached to a designed
biogas engines that are in turn connected to specially designed
controlpanels.
For more details and visit readers can contact Mr. G.Vasudeo,
Secretary,VivekanandaKendraNARDEP,Kanyakumari629702,
TamilNadu,e.mail:vknardep@gmail.com,website:vknardep.org,
phone04652246296(office).
Readmore....
Farmers
would
quit
agriculture if they had an
alternativeTheHinduAugust
25,2011
UNCERTAIN: Climate change has
madefarmingevenmorerisky.
Electoral politics plays with rice
and wheat as gimmicks to get
votes
Some years ago the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO)
reportedafteritsstudyonagriculturethatroughlyhalfthefarmers
inthecountrydidnotwishtocontinuefarming.
They would rather quit if they had an alternative. This shameful
reality reflects the despair farmers feel and is based on the fact
that agriculture is a loss making enterprise and the farmers are
unabletoeitherfeedthemselvesorturnaprofit,saysDr.Suman
Sahai, Convener, Gene campaign, New Delhi in her blog
(sumansahaiblog.blogspot.com)onWhyfarmersdon'tfarm.
ReaderscancontactDr.SumanSahaiatmail@genecampaign.org,
J235/A, Lane W15C, Sainik farms, New Delhi 110062,
phone:01129556248and29555961..
6/31
5/2/2016
Readmore....
Tackling rural India's

problems is the mission
of28youngsters
The Hindu, August 18,
2011
BIG DREAMS: Ankit Walia,
afellow,tryinghishandon
a gonoweeder. Photo:
SpecialArrangement
Manyfarmerswantmoreyouthtotakepartintheprogramme.
Nothingchanges'isthecynicalreactiontothemultitudeproblems
plaguingthecountry'smassiveruralsector,fromfarmersuicidesto
depletingresources.
These issues are debated profusely, triggering circular blame
games,withageneralconclusionthattheresponsibilityliesinthe
handsofthecountry'syouthtoputthingsright.Yet,everyyearwe
seetheeducatedyouthoverlookingthissectorwhichiscryingout
loud for their attention, says Dr. G.N. Hariharan, Principle co
ordinator, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF),
Chennai
For interacting with these fellows readers can contact Dr. G.N.
Hariharan, Principle coordinator, M.S. Swaminthan Research
Foundation, Taramani, Chennai, email: gnhariharan@mssrf.res.in,
mobile: 9444904765 or Ms Geeta Verghese, SBIYFI coordinator.
emailchacko5@yahoo.com,Mobile09620272251.
Readmore....
Rural
employment
scheme
making life miserable for small
farmersTheHindu14thJuly,2011.
"What can we poor ryots do against
themightofmoneyandpower"?
In the last 60odd years several

governmentshavecometopower,and
some of them got toppled for various
reasons.Politiciansbecomecrorepathis
infourorfiveyearsbutthecondition
of farmers is deteriorating from from
bad to worse, says Mr. Shamanna Nayak a small farmer from
Odilnalavillage,BelthangadytalukinDharmasthala.
In the name of development, fertile lands are being developed

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intoindustries,Specialeconomiczones,ITparks,newairportsand
powerplants,ordevelopedintorealestate.Howcanwethentalk
ofensuringthecountry'sfoodsecurity?heasks.
For more details contact Mr. Shamanna Nayak, Moolottu House,

Oilanala Post & Village, Oilanala, Belthangady Taluk,
Karnataka.574214,mobile:09141105398.
Readmore....
Clay pellet method of

rice
cultivation
maximises yield The
Hindu29thJune,2011.
Farmers need not wait for monsoon to start sowing under this
method.
In our culture, innovation is

dubbedascraziness,butour
success lies in identifying
more 'crazy' people so that
the innovation revolution
can spread across the
country.
The
present
generation is fast losing out
on scientific knowledge. In
thelastseveralyearswearelosingmanysuchaffordablescientific
knowledge due to sheer neglect, says Prof K. Anil Gupta, Vice
Chairman,NationalInnovationFoundation,Ahmedabad.
For more details contact Mr. Ram Abhilash Patel, Vill. Tikari, Po.
Kanti,Allahabad,UttarPradesh212107,Mobile:08127199855.
Readmore....
Financing small farmers

through
an
innovative
schemeTheHindu6th June,
2011.
Consumers book orders through
phoneforbuyingthefruits.
Farmers are provided financial

assistanceofupto40timestheir
savings
Farmers know the difficulty in
obtainingloansfortheirfarmingactivitiesinthecountry.
Though many financing institutions promise all necessary help to
farmers,sadlymostofitremainsonlyonpaper.
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The Kshethra Dhamasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP),

an NGO in Dharmasthala effectively makes use of the self help
groupapproachcalledpragathibandhuforpromotingunionamong
smallfarmersandtoaccessloansforitsmembers.
For more details contact Dr. L H Manjunath, Executive Director,
SKDRDP, Dharmashri Building, Dharmasthala, Blethangady Taluk,
Dakshin Kannada District, Karnataka 574216, email:
ed@skdrdpindia.org,mobile:09448469009,phone:08256277215.
Readmore....
Helping small jackfruit

boost yield and income
TheHindu28thApril,2011
Consumers book orders

through phone for buying
thefruits.
The farm of Mr. K.

Narasimhaiah
in
Doddaballapur taluk in Hubli
is easy to locate. Almost
every person in the region
seemstoknowhim.
The reason: a 300yearold
jackfruit tree that stands
majesticallyinthemidstofseveralmangotreesinthefield.
The last Maharajah of Mysore Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, and
former Diwan of the royal palace, M. Visvesvaraya relished the
fruits of this tree and loved their taste. In fact Mr. Visvesvaraya
usedtotakesomefruitsbackhomewheneverhevisitedmyplace,
saysthefarmerproundlypointingtothetree.
For more details contact Mr. K. Narasimhaiah, Kachahalli village,

Tubagere hobli, Doddaballapur taluk, Bangalore rural district,
mobile:09916961666andMr.K.N.Srinivasappaat09845774509.
Readmore....
Onion variety that

yields well and is
drought resistant
TheHindu21stApril,
2011
Government'sversionoftryingtocontrolpriceriseisnothelping.
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5/2/2016
Anonioncannotbedismissedasjustanothervegetable.
In fact no other
vegetableseemstobe
backed by a strong
lobby like the humble
onion. Especially in
our
country,
Governments can be
toppled and unseated
if
the
vegetable
records a meteoric
price rise. When onion price fluctuates it becomes front page
news,saysMr.ManaramChowdharyfromSikar,Rajasthan.
Officials from the agriculture extension department in Sikar and
research station, Durgapur (Jaipur) appreciated the variety
developedbyMr.Choudhary.
Severalonionfarmersendupploughingtheircropsbackintothe
soilinfrustrationastheyarenotabletogetagoodpricefortheir
produce.Theweatheralsocreatesproblemsforus.
It suddenly starts raining during peak summer and sometimes
there is little rain for years together, says Mr. Sundaram Verma,
HoneyBeeNetworkcollaboratorRajasthan.
Falseclaim
Thetransportcosttothemandisdoesnotevenmakeupforour
investment expenditure. The Government's claim of trying to
controltherisedoesnotseemtobeofmuchhelptopoorfarmers.
The media must also throw light on plight of onion cultivators,
their problems, and new methods if any, to increase area of
cultivation and encourage other farmers to start cultivating onion,
insteadofjustreportingonpriceriseandhowitaffectsconsumers
andtheGovernment'sreplyandcontrolmechanismtothesame,
addsMr.Manaram.
For more information readers can contact Mr. Manaram
Chowdhary,VillageSanvlodaLadkhana,DistrictSikar,Rajasthanat
09799237178.
Farmer's organization can
play a more constructive
role The Hindu 7th April,
2011
10/31
5/2/2016
ThoughPanchayatiRajisbeneficialitdestroysharmonyinvillages.
On trying to compile an endless suffering that farmers need to

bear,oneisleftwonderingifthereexistsamagicpillthatcansolve
theirproblems,saysMr.AjayVirJakhar,Chairman,BharatKrishak
Samaj,NewDelhi.
The biggest bane of the
farmers according to him, is
that they vote on caste or
religious lines, nudged by
political leaders and later
expect the government to
deliver their needs as a
community
of
farmers.
Unfortunately, today, dearth
offarmerleadersexistsinall
political parties. Leaders
representtheirownindividual
communities and castes to
wintheirelections,hesays.
he Panchayati Raj today acts like a double edged sword
providing much needed empowerment and benefits to the rural
communityontheonehand,andontheotherdestroyingthesocial
harmonyinthevillages.
Itactstodividefarmersonpoliticallinesbypittingoneagainstthe
otherineverystreet,tothepointthatfarmersolidaritymaybelost
forever,regretsMr.Ajay
For more details contact Mr. Ajay Vir Jakhar, Chairman, Bharat
Krishak Samaj, A1 Nizamuddin West, New Delhi110013, email:
aj@bks.org.in,phones:01146121708and65650384.
Readmore....
Sprinkling
water
using
Chandraprabha rain gun The
Hindu10thMarch,2011
Thesystemcanirrigateanacreinaboutoneandhalfhours.
Unliketheknowledgeandawarenessofthepresentday,about25
years ago farmers never knew the effectiveness of water
conservation and the need for preserving groundwater by using
tubes and buckets for irrigating their crops. But in that phase,
Annasaheb Udagavi, from Sadala village of Chikkoditaluka in
Belgaun district, North Karnataka, developed a sprinkler system
thatcoversasmuchas140feetradiustoirrigatesugarcanecrops.
11/31
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To save my betelvine orchard from acute scarcity of water, I

fitted PVC pipes used in electrical
fittings, after making perforations
using nails. I spent Rs. 30,000 to
cover two acres of betelvine two
decadesagoforirrigation,hesays.
For more details contact Mr.

Annasaheb Bhavu Udagavi, Pattan
Modu thotta, Examba Road, Sadalge,
Chikodi, Belgaum, Karnataka 591239,
mobiles:
08330
251676,
09342212732.
Readmore....
Why
agriculture
policiesare
outdated
and
contradictoryTheHindu24thFebruary,2011
The Government does not bother to know what crops are being
sown.
India's daily turnover from vegetables and fruits could be easily

about Rs. 275 crores (US$ 59 million). The estimated cost of
wastage' per day, is around Rs. 130 crores (US$ 27 million). In
summary,it'salotbiggerthansomeoftheIndianITsector'sdaily
turnover, says Mr. Venkat Subramanian, Founder and Managing
Director, Matchbox Solutions, a company that uses technology to
solvecriticalissuesinagriculture.
For more details contact Mr. Venkat at email:

venky@matchboxsolutions.inandefarm.venky@gmail.com,mobile:
9884761354,phone:04443577236(off)and24450613(res).
Readmore....
Reviving traditional methods to

protect farm livestock The
Hindu6thJanuary,2011
Popularising these methods will revive our culture and local

knowledge.
Apartfromlands,animalsremainapotentialsourceofinvestment
andincomegenerationforsmallfarmers.Andinvestmentsarenot
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risk free. They need to be protected. If a low cost and effective

protection can be made available, then naturally farmers tend to
use it, says Dr. N. Punniamurthy, professor and head, Ethno
Veterinary Herbal Training and
Research Unit, Veterinary University
Training and Research Centre,
Thanjavur.
For more details readers can contact

Dr.N.Punniamurthy,ProfandHead,
Ethno veterinary herbal training and
researchunit,Nanjikottairoad,Thanjavur613006,phone:04362
255462,email:murthyvcri@hotmail.com,mobile:9842455833.
Readmore....
Can privatizing agriculture

solve marketing problems?
TheHindu25thNovember,2010
Experts must learn from Mumbai

dhabawallahs
on
supply
management'.
Contrary to popular opinion, the

realcrisis in Indian agriculture does
not stem from poor farming practices, but because of a deficient
marketing, supply and distribution chain in the country, says Mr.
VenkatSubramanian,Founder,eFarmsolutions,Chennai.eFarmis
afarmtohomesupplychainplatformforprocuringanddelivering
farm based produce to consumers . It basically attempts to link
farmers, intermediaries, logistics providers, distributors and small
time retailers. Mr. Venkat believes that privatizing Indian
agriculturecouldsolvemuchoftheexistingmarketingproblems
For more details contact Mr. Venkat Subramanian at email:

venky@matchboxsolutions.inandefarm.venky@gmail.com,mobile:
9884761354,phone:04443577236(off)and24450613(res).
Readmore....
Empowering poor rural

women to take charge of
theirfutureThe Hindu
28thOctober,2010
ThetwoSHG'shavesofargeneratedanincomeofRs84,000.
Empowerment of rural women is one of the central issues in

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developing countries all over

theworld.Incomegeneration
for rural women is an
importantaspectinagriculture
production.
Unless
rural
women are not trained to be
independant
interms
of
economic income a country
cannot progress, says Dr. M.
Shivamurthy, Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension
University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Gandhi Krishi Vigyan
Kendra(GKVK),campus,Bangalore.
FormoredetailscontactDr.M.Shivamurthy,PrincipalInvestigator
& Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension, UAS , GKVK,
campus, Bangalore560 065, email: murudaiah.shivamurthy@
gmail.comandmobile:09449044975.
Readmore....
Government subsidy scheme for drip

irrigation fraught with corruption
TheHindu21stOctober,2010
Several farmers in the region face the

samebitterexperience.
Interesting feature about his farm is that

Mr. Rao grows black turmeric. Black
turmeric variety is usually grown in the
Himalayas and interior ghat regions of
Orissa.Blackturmericisararespeciesand
visitorsfromasfarasHyderabadvisithisfarmregularlytogathera
fewhandfulsofthisturmeric.
FormoredetailsreaderscancontactMr.M.C.Raocanbereached
at Venkatapuram village, Tidigam Panchayat, Kasinagar block,
Ganjam district, Orissa, phone: 08946211026 (res) and mobile:
08895962391.
Readmore....
Food security depends on

small and marginal dryland
farmers: The Hindu 6th May,
2010
About 40 villages in Tirunelveli have stopped using chemical

fertilizers. Vilathikulam, in Tuticorin district, being drought prone
mostoftheyear,forcedmanyfarmerstillafewyearsagotoeither
sell their lands or leave them barren. But today more than 600
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farmers in the region are

successfullygrowingdifferentcrops
ranging from sunflower to chillies,
using low cost input technologies
calledPanchagavya(PG)forraising
theircrops.Fewyearsback.Tilla
few years back, due to drought,
manyofthelandsinourvillagelay
fallowandunploughed.Wewalked
several kilometres every day in
search of potable water. The
situationturnedevenworseduring
summer.Thoughafewbigfarmers
continuedtocarryonwithsome farming activity, severe shortage
of fertilizers forced them also to give up," says Mr. T. Antony a
farmer in the region. Today, inspite of acute water scarcity and
power cut problems, we are growing different crops such as
sunflower, plantains, paddy, chilli, and groundnut successfully.
Some farmers in our area earned nearly a lakh of rupees from
growing small onions as intercrops in chilli fields, adds Mrs. S.
Jayalaxmianotherfarmer.
For visits and more information readers can contact Sands,

Suviseshapuram
(via)
Ittamozhi627652,
email:
sands_suviseshapuram@yahoo.com,
phone:
04637278173,
mobile:9444582911andProf.Venkatramanat9488418719.
BicycleinspiredplougherandweedergainspopularityThe
Hindu29thApril,2010
More than 200 farmers are using the multi

purpose weeder today. It gives the much
neededindependencetoasmallfarmerwho
doesnotownbullocksoratractor,saysDr
Nitin. For details readers can contact Mr.
Gopal Bhise, Shendurni,Taluka: Jamner,
Jalgaon, Maharashtra, phone: 9970521044
and
Dr.
Nitin
Maurya
at
email: nitinnif@gmail.com and info@nifindia.org, phone: 079
26732456and26732095.
ContinuingReading....
MobilehelpsfindrightpriceforfarmersproduceTheHindu
5thNovember,2009
15/31
5/2/2016
About 3,000 farmers and 200 scientists are

alreadyusingthisfacilitynow.
Their daily visits encouraged a good rapport

among the several dealers which helped us to
get the right information, explains Prof.
Vadivel. But how many farmers use computers
invillages?True,theuseofinternetbyfarmers
ismeagre.Howeverthemobilephonenetwork
has expanded in leaps and bounds. Virtually
every farmer has a mobile today. Those with
mobilescaneasilyaccessthisinformation.Rightnow,about3,000
farmersand200scientistsarealreadyusingmobilebasedSMSon
commodityandmarketinformation.
Readers can contact Dr. E. Vadivel, Project officer, e Extension

Centre,DirectorateofExtensionEducation,TamilNaduAgricultural
University, Coimbatore 641 003, website: www.tnau.ac.in and
www.agritech.tnau.ac.in, email: info@tnau.ac.in, phone: 0422
6611383.
EnhancingplantgrowthusingorganicinputsThe Hindu
15thOctober,2009
Thefatherusedconventionalmethods
while the son favoured organic
practices. Organic farmers and those
practising conventional farming are
mostly at loggerheads regarding
cultivation practices, and are in
mutual disapproval. The battle now
seemstohaveenteredwithinafamily
at Theni, Tamil Nadu as the father Mr. S. Pandiaraj practises
conventionalmethods,whilehissonJeyaPrakash,whohasanMSc
inBiotechnology,seemstofavourorganicmethods.
Several farmers in Uthamapalayam (Ambasamuthuram) Theni

district, Tamil Nadu, grow vegetables in conventional way using
chemicals.
Readers can contact Mr. Jeya Prakash, no 8/3A, VOC Nagar, New
Colony, Ist street, Anna Nagar (East), Chennai: 600102, email:
v5organic@gmail.com,mobile:9600877686and9841792530.
Switchingtoforefather'smethodstocutdownexpenseon
inputsTheHindu10th,September2009
16/31
5/2/2016
Hundreds of cultivable areas are turning into

residential plots. There is a popular adage in
English, give a man a fish he lives for a day,
teachhimtofishhelivesforalifetime,Thisis
exactlywhatourfarmersneedtoday.Instead
of buying external inputs such as seeds,
chemical fertilizers and pesticides, they should
learn to make and use their own bio pest
repellents, and plant growth promoters, says
Dr.G.Namalwar,organicscientistfromTamilNadu.Ifonestudies
the agricultural scenario of the past 40 years, one observes that
hundredsofcultivableareasareturningintoresidentialplots.
Whyisthishappeninginacountrywithmorethan1,500yearsof
agriculturalheritage?
FormoreinformationreaderscancontactDr.G.Namalwarthrough
email:sadhguru@gmail.comandmobile:9442531699.
Zero farming: no investment, yet guarantees good yield

TheHindu11,June2009
Three tonnes of paddy have been harvested
fromanacrebythismethod
Zero farming method requires no investment but guarantees good
yield. It dispels the myth that hybrid seeds,
fertilizers,andpestcontroltechniquesalonecan
guarantee good yield. Visitors can personally
come and see my farm and if they desire, can
emulate it, says Mr. Murthy. Switching directly
from chemical farming to natural farming is a
riskyproposition,accordingtohim
For more information contact Mr. M.K. Kailash
Murthy, Academy of Natural Farming, Doddinduvadi village,
Kollegal, Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka, website: www.the
anf.org, email: kailashnatufarm@gmail.com, mobile: 9880185757
and9845125808.
Selfhelp is the best help: that should be every farmer's

mottoTheHindu19thMarch2008
Selfrelianceseemsimperativeforanyfarm
relatedactivity.Whetherthefarmisbigor
small,itreallydoesnotmatteraslongasit
isselfreliant.
What I mean by self reliance is that a

farmer should not depend on any external
sourcesforseeds,manuresorotheritems.
17/31
5/2/2016
Everything must be available in the farm itself, says Mrs. A.L.

SomalaDeviafarmerfromMandyadistrictinKarnataka.
FormoreinformationreaderscancontactMrs.A.LSomalaDevi,No
145Hemmanahalli,Athgoor,Hobali,Maddurtaluk,Mandyadistrict,
Karnataka:571428,mobile:9845746046.
Humic acid increases yield substantially in watermelon

TheHindu12thMarch2008
Mr. V. Veeraraghavan, Mudaiyur village,
Thirukazhikundram, (about 5 kms from the
temple)TamilNadu,isagoodexampleofhow
a farmer with only 23 acres as ancestral
property,successfullygrowswatermelonin120
acres.
In the last one year Mr. Veeraraghavan has sold nearly 10,000
tonnesoffruitsandhasmadeanetprofitofmorethanRs.50lakhs.
For details readers can contact Mr. V.Veeraraghavan, Mudaiyur

village, 603 109, Thirukazhikundram, Tamil Nadu, mobile:
9894145143.
Sustainable farming: Low investment, maximum returns

TheHindu1stDecember2008
Fertile soil and adequate water resources,

though important, cannot alone ensure a good
yield.Inputssuchasfertilizersandmanuresare
essential. "Today chemical fertilizers cost a lot,
and a sudden shortage in their availability
makes a small farmer desperate for an
alternative," says Dr. G. Namalwar, organic
scientist.OnadvicefromDr.Namalwarwefirst
did multiseed sowing (with various minor legumes and grains) in
the land and after a month the germinated seeds were mulched
backintothesoil.Andsincethenwehaveneverlookedback,"Mr.
Arunachalamsays.
For more information, readers can contact Mr. V.S. Arunachalam,

email: elunkathir@gmail.com, Kulavikaradu, P.vellalapalayam,(po),
Gobichettipalayam, Erode, Tamil Nadu, Pin:638476, mobile:
9443346323.
18/31
5/2/2016
Low budget fish gunabajalam proves effective for crops

TheHindu18thDecember2008
Spraying should be done either early in the
morningorevening.Thelastfewdecadeshave
really brought about a drastic change in
agriculture. In the name of increasing yield,
mindless dumping of chemical fertilizers and
spraying pesticides have made agriculture a
business oriented exercise. Whether, these
chemicals have helped the farmers to get
profitable yields is questionable going by the number of suicides
and those selling their traditional lands with frustration that
agriculturehasletthemdown,saysDr.KamalasananPillai,Head
oftheR&D,VKNARDEP,Kanyakumari,TamilNadu.Manyfarmers
have forgotten the time tested and proven traditional practices
doneandfollowedbytheirgrandparents.
For more details readers can contact Mrs. M. Thangam,

Kozhikoottupothai, Kumarapuram thoppu P.O., Kanyakumari
district, Tamil Nadu, mobile: 9952607450 and Dr. Kamalassanan
Pillai, Bio technologist, Head of the R&D, VK NARDEP,
Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari 629 702, Tamil Nadu, email:
azollapillai@gmail.com,mobile:9387212005.
Scopeforconvertinghumanwasteintousefulcropmanure
TheHindu4thDecember2008
Butscientificstudiesindifferentparts
oftheworldhaveprovedthat human
excreta particularly urine will become
as precious as gold if only mankind
knows
how
to
manage
it
scientifically,"
says
Mr.
M.
Subburaman , Director, Society for
Community Organization and People's Education (SCOPE) at
Tiruchi,TamilNadu.
For personal visits and more information contact Mr. M.

Subburaman, phone: 04312774144, mobile:9443167190,
email:scopeagency86@rediffmail.comandMr.V.Ganapathy,email:
v_ganapathy@dataone.in,mobile:9443109032.
Bitbybit,hefilledhiswellIndiaTogetherAugust3rd,2008
19/31
5/2/2016
S Ganesh Mallya, a high school

teacher cum Sunday farmer in
Yedapadavu in Karnataka, has
greened his plot without borewells.
Using simple techniques to catch
rainwater, he has managed to raise
thewaterlevelinhisopenwelland
growabountifulfarm.
For more information readers can contact Mr. Ganesh Mallya,

(0824)2221777ormallyaganesh3112@yahoo.co.in
Taking a leaf from the book of ancient, timetested

practicesTheHinduJune5th,2008
Input cost has greatly decreased
and
yield
has
increased
considerably
Well before modern science had

invented crop growing strategies and
pest control measures, Indian farmers were growing crops
successfully and at the same time were able to control crop
infestationsusingtraditionalmethodswhichwerehandeddownto
successivegenerationsbywordofmouth.
Thoughthetraditionalmethodsmayvaryfromplacetoplace,their
efficiency in terms of pest control has been proven and accepted
bythosewhousethem.
For example in Kozhikottu pothai, a small village in Kanyakumari

district,TamilNadu,severalfarmersareusingoneormoreofthe
traditionalformulationsformanagingpestmenacetotheircrops.
FormoreinformationreaderscancontactMr.S.Aravindan,Social
scientist, Vivekananda KendraNatural Resources Development
Project, VKNardep, Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari 629 702,
Tamil Nadu, India, email. ngc_vknardep@sancharnet.in and
vknardep@gmail.com,mobile:9443748714,phone:04652246296
and04652247126.
Using enterprising methods to achieve success in

apicultureTheHinduMay8th,2008
20/31
5/2/2016
Making about five lakh rupees as net

profitperyearfromapiculture
Thoughbeerearingisquiteprevalentamongmanyfarmersinthe
country,Biharseemstotopthelistasithappenstobethelargest
producer of honey producing about 21,000
metrictonnesofhoneyannually,andhasabout
20,000beekeeperswhoareengagedinhoney
production.
A majority of honeybee farmers in Bihar are
small producers who are exploited by middle
men. Most of them either sell the honey to a
local cooperative store or to private buyers.
Someofthemformassociationstosellthehoney,saidDr.R.K.P.
Singh,Advisor,StateFarmersCommission,Patna,Bihar.
Mr. Shashi has been conferred the Honour Award by the
Agricultural Produce Export Development Agency (APEDA) and
National Bee Board. The State government conferred on him the
Kisan Shree award for his contribution to honey production and
processing. He imparts training to farmers for honey production,
processingandpackagingonhisfarm.
For more information readers can contact Mr. Shashi Kumar at

VidyarthiBhawan,Janakpur,Buniyadganj,Gaya,823003,Biharand
Dr. R.K.P. Singh, Advisor, State Farmers Commission, Pant
Bhawan,BaileyRoad,Patna,Bihar:800001,mobile09431245480,
email: rkpsingh2k3@rediffmail.com and kisanayog@gmail.com,
phone:06122206169.
RoleofalivefenceinasmallfarmTheHindu24thApril2008
Itactsasashelterforavariety
of useful birds, reptiles and
otheranimals
The word fencing usually brings to

mindalongcementwallsurrounding
a plot of land or barbed steel wires
attached to granite pillars around
the periphery of the land. For a variety of reasons a small farm
needstobefenced.Afencemarkstheboundaryofthefarmand
keepsawaystrayanimals.Theinvestmentforeitherconstructinga
wall or putting up steel wires is quite heavy. Small and marginal
farmerscannotinvestahugesumforerectingsuchafence."They
will bring seeds of plants from far off places and their excreta
21/31
5/2/2016
brings new kinds of micro organisms to our soil," said Dr.

Nammalvar.AgoodexampleofalivefenceisatKolunchi,centre
for training and research on ecological food production located in
Odugampattivillageatadistanceof11kilometersfromKeeranur,
Pudukkottai district. It is established and maintained by
Kudumbam, a NonGovernmental Organization engaged in LEISA
(LowExternalInputandSustainableAgriculture).
FormoreinformationreaderscancontactDr.G.NammalvaratNo
17/9, 5th cross, Srinivas nagar, Thiruvannaikoil, Tiruchi 620005,
TamilNadu,email:nammalvar@gmail.com,mobile:9442531699.
An ingenious irrigation technique for small holdings The

Hindu10thApril2008
It is low cost, farmer friendly,
easy to install and requires no
maintenance
A depleting water table and rise in

salinity because of indiscriminate use
of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
have made water conservation
imperativeforfarmers.Overtheyears,
several
water
harvesting
and
conservation methods have been adopted in agriculture to
recharge and conserve ground water. Some of the methods
practiced and still in use by local farmers are cost effective and
proven.
For example, in the coastal areas of Kerala, farmers have been
usingasimpleindigenoustechniquecalledpitcherirrigationwhich
greatlyreducesthedemandforwater.
FormoreinformationreaderscancontactReaderscancontactProf.K.V.Peter,Professorof
Horticulture and Former ViceChancellor, KAU, PO, Vellanikkara, Thrissur, Kerala, email:
kvptr@yahoo.com,mobile:9446513017.
Biopesticides:gingergarlicextractmeasuresupTheHindu
3rdApril2008
Organic practices avoid investment on
costlychemicals
Thereisagrowingbodyofevidencetosuggestthatinthepast45
decades there has been an excessive dumping of chemical toxins
on the soil. As a result the soil has become barren and ground
watertoxic,inmanyplaces.
22/31
5/2/2016
Contrastthiswithorganicinputsthataresafe,
non toxic, and cost much less. For example, if
using chemical pesticides and fertilizers for
growingacropinahectareworksouttoabout
Rs.6,0007,000 the cost of growing the same
crop using organic inputs may come to only
about Rs.500 Rs. 1,000, according to Ms.
RajareegaofRaasiorganicfarmsatMuthupatti
villageinSivagangadistrict,TamilNadu.
FormoreinformationreaderscancontactReaderscancontactMs.Rajareega,Raasiorganic
farms, Muthupatti, via Kallal, A. Siruvayal (post), Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, email:
rajareega@rediffmail.com,mobile:9865582142andphone:04565284937.
Atlast,compostyardscometolife The
Hindu4thApril2008
Madambakkamisthelatesturbanlocalbody
togoforcomposting.Afterremainingidlefor
averylongtime,compostyardsbuiltinmost
of the town panchayats around Tambaram have started
functioning.
Vegetables can be grown successfully even near the

seashoreTheHindu20thMarch2008
Farmers must take the initiative to
personallymarkettheirproduce
Does agriculture always mean or involve vast
stretchesoffields,thattooinvillages?
AvisittoMr.T.K.Venkataramanstwoground
plot at Akkarai on the East Coast road, just
over15kmsfromChennai,willchangesuchan
impression.
Theplotisnearthesea(about250feetaway
fromtheseashore),sandyinnatureandsuitableforgrowingonly
coconut and casuarina trees. With the area developing as an IT
corridorandlandpriceszooming,hislandwassoughtforaprime
price.
"I became interested in converting my land into a regular income
generation unit rather than selling it after reading a series of
articlesonsuccessstoriesofsmallfarmers."
For more information readers can contact Mr. T.K. Venkataraman can be reached at No
117E, 16th cross road, Besant Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu600090, email:
23/31
5/2/2016
bhavani_venkataraman@yahoo.com,phone:04424914299andmobile:9840777459..
ValueAdditionleadsto'notensionagriculture'The Hindu
13thMarch2008
A hectare fetches the farmer a
gross income of Rs. 2 lakhs in 10
months
Therearetwowaysinagricultureforafarmertoearnmoney.One
isbygrowingandsellingtheharvested
crop,secondistogoinforsomevalue
added
products.
Farmers
are
encouraged by scientists to try and
explorevalueadditiontechnologyareas
as it enhances the marketability of the
produce. Compared to selling the raw
harvested produce, value addition
requires more financial inputs, proper
guidelines, and backup technologies to
ensuresuccess.
Mr.ShankerKishoreChaudhary,aprogressivesmallscalefarmerof
Vaishalidistrict,Bihar,isafarmerwhocultivateselephantfootyam
(commonlycalledasOolinNorthIndia)inhisthreeacrefield.He
calls Ool cultivation 'no tension agriculture' as it requires no cold
storage,posesnomarketingproblem,andtheincomeisgood.
For more information readers can contact Mr. Ramadhar, Chairman, Bihar State Farmers
Commission, Pant Bhawan, 1st Floor, Bailey Road, Patna 800001, email:
ramadhar@vsnl.comandkisanayog@gmail.com,phone:(0612)2206169and2232847.
Onlymarketdriven strategies can boost organic farming

TheHindu6thMarch2008
Lack of genuine marketing

infrastructure was a big
problemforthegrowers
Though organic farming has been
proved to be a low investment
technology for growing crops,
marketing organically produced
crops has not been an easy task
especiallyforsomefarmers
Formoredetails:ReaderscancontactMr.M.Sekar,Meekeri,B.ManihattyP.O.,TheNilgiris
andMr.R.RanganathanatNo16Vanigarstreet,Thirupporur,TamilNadu603110, email:
tedetrust@rediffmail.com,phone:04427478669and27446793,mobile:9443346369
24/31
5/2/2016
Using nature to improve fertility The Hindu 26th February

2008
Natural methods not only benefit
the farmer but also the consumer,
saysChinthalaVenkataReddy.
"The secret lies in the earthworms.
These worms increase the soil fertility.
When they die they would become
compost and further improve the
fertility. A healthy bed of grass would
providethenaturalhabitatforearthwormstogrow.Ihaveproved
thatgrassisindeedbeneficialtoagrapegarden,"Reddyexplains.
Relatedto:
*Progressivefarmer
*Patentforinnovativefarmer'smodel
*Farmer'sInnovationtorestorefertility
*Afarmer'srecord
FormoredetailsreaderscancontactMr.ChinthalaVenkatReddy,
#646/B,OldAlwal,Secunderabad500010,Mobile:9866883336.
How an NGO comes to jatropha cultivators' rescue The

Hindu7thFebruary2008
The growers seek Government banks'

assistancefortheircrops
Water shortage and labour problems are like
twinrazorswhichcanmakeagriculturalactivity
come to a grinding halt. Crops which require
both these inputs in minimal measure are
indeed a blessing for farmers and Jatropha
curcasseemstofitthebillwell,especiallyinthe
southernpartsofIndia.
For more details readers can contact Mr. R. Kanakaraj, Managing
Director, AHIMSA, No. 2/38, Dr. J.J. Nagar East, Chennai 600
037, Email: ahimsaace@yahoo.co.in, Tel. No. (044) 43550159 /
43550253,Mobile:9444402253.
Continuing success of precision farming in Tamil Nadu

TheHindu31stJanuary2008
25/31
5/2/2016
A farmer has earned more than 5 lakhs from

120centsin11months
New innovations and technologies for increasing crop yield have

mostly been the fort of agricultural scientists and
researchers. Mr. P.M. Chinnasamy is one such
precision farmer from Somenahalli village who has
earned more thanRs. 5 lakh from his brinjal crop
grown in 120 cents in about 11 months. A
progressive farmer can get only 60 tonnes per
hectare whereas Mr. Chinnasamy has harvested
about170tonnesin120cents,whichisquiteafeat.Itis467per
cent higher than the conventional system of cultivation, said Dr.
Vadivel, Director of Extension Education, TNAU. Giving details he
said,theseedsweresowninprotraysraisedundershadenetand
transplantedonthe35thdayaftersowing.
For more details readers can contact Dr. I. Muthuvel, Assistant
Professor
(Horticulture),
TNAU,
Coimbatore,
email:
muthu_hort@yahoo.co.in, mobile: 9443715948 and Mr. P. M.
Chinnasamy,Somenahalli,Dharmapuridistrict,TamilNadu.
It is important to educate farmers on working capital

managementTheHindu17thDecember2007
It is important to educate farmers on

workingcapitalmanagement
The common thread, which runs in all these

suicides, is that most of these farmers have
grown pure crops (monocrops) in large areas
andhadfailedtogetagoodharvest.
In many cases the crops grown were not suited for that area or
soil,saidMr.BalajiShankar,asuccessfulorganicfarmeratSirkali,
NagapattinamdistrictinTamilNadu.
For more information Balaji Shankar can be reached at No 2/12

TirupuraSundariNagar,ThenPathi,Sirkali:609111,Nagapattinam
District, Tamil Nadu, email: balaji@earth.org.in, Phone: 04364
271170,mobile:9965552252.
Waste not, want not, wealth from waste The Hindu 27th
December2007
26/31
5/2/2016
Reducing input costs is the

immediate need of the hour for
farmers
Agriculture scientists would like the
farmers to realise that reduction of
chemical based fertilizers and
pesticides can benefit both man and
earth over the long run, and in
particular for farmers, as a major
portion of whose money is spent on
buyingthesechemicals.
ValueofwasteThe focus, they believe must shift to educating
farmersonthevalueofwastematterbeinggeneratedinboththeir
fields and homes and the technology to convert these waste into
wealth.
Innovative model According to P. Alagesan, Programme
Coordinator, IFD is an innovative model especially designed for
smallscalefarmersinimprovingfarmproductivityinasustainable
manner through integrating farm resources by recycling farm and
homewastes."ThemainconceptofIFDistointegratetheanimal
andhumanwastesintousefulandproductivecomponentssuchas
for the manufacture of vermicompost, pest repellants and biogas
therebyreducinginputcostforfarmers,"hesaid.
BiopestrepellantsForexample,invillages,theurineanddung
fromcattleisusuallywashedintoadrainorthedungiscollected,
driedandusedascookingfuel.
For more information readers can contact Mr. P.Alagesan,
Programme Coordinator, Myrada Krishi Vigyan Kendra, No: 57
BharathiStreet,Gobichettipalayam638452,ErodeDistrict,Tamil
Nadu,
email
:
myradakvk@dataone.in,
website:
www.myradakvk.org, Phone : 04285 226694 and 226695, fax :
04285221176.
Multicropping, selfhelp are the best help The Hindu 20th

December2007
ThefarmergetsmorethanRs.4lakhsasgrossincomeper
year
27/31
5/2/2016
The advantage with multicropping and

someotheralliedactivitiessuchasdairy,
poultry, and vermicompost units is that
even if there is an unexpected loss from
one of the crops, the income from the
otherswillhelpthefarmertomakeupfor
it.
Mr. T.J. Abraham of Kozhikode was
mainlyamonocropfarmerwhowasgrowing about 500 areca nut
palms in his 8acre land. When a majority of the trees started to
die due to yellow leaf infestations, Mr. Abraham approached the
Krishi Vigyan Kendra of the Indian Institute of Spices,(IISR)
Kozhikode,forhelp.
"Realising the benefits of organic farming, I formed a young
farmers SHG (self help group) for organic farming, and as a first
steptowardsorganicfarmingIwastrainedinvermicompostingand
coirpithcomposting,"hesaid.
ContinuingReading...
Duringharvestingseasonthevillageisthrongedbybuyers
fortheproduce
Mr. M. Manimaran of Kothavasal village in

Tiruvarur district applying algae manure to his
paddycrops.
Farmersadoptingorganicmethodsandachieving
good yields have always been a good model for
other ryots. But for an entire village to adopt
organic practices and succeed in getting a bumper yield is by no
meansasmallachievement.ThenameofthevillageisKothavasal,
inNannilamtalukaofTiruvarurdistrictinTamilNadu.
Contact: Mr. M. Manimaran, Panchayat Union Chairman at

Kothavasalvillage,Nannilamtaluka,Tiruvarurdistrict,TamilNadu,
phone:04336238347,mobile:9486044229.
RosemaryshowsthewaytokeepwildanimalsatbayThe
Hindu29thNovember2007
Puttiyamma earned more than Rs. 30,000

inthreeyearsfromhalfanacre
"ItwasthenthatIheardfromsourcesinmyvillageaboutMYRADA
KVK(MysoreResettlementandDevelopmentAgencyKrishiVigyan
28/31
5/2/2016
Kendra)whichhasbeenencouragingfarmersin
our area to grow Rosemary (an aromatic herb)
andarealsohelpingthemtomarkettheproduce
throughtheRosemaryGroup(createdmainlyfor
farmersgrowingRosemary),"sheexplained.
Arecanut dehusker addresses labour shortage problems

TheHindu22ndNovember2007
PricedatRs.2650,theunitcandehusk
about160kgofnutsinaday
CultivatingStudiesmadewithrespecttothe
costofprocessingofarecanuttoremovethe
nuts have revealed that about 3540 per cent of the total cost of
processingisspentfordehuskingarecanutalone,whichofcourse,
isgenerallydonebyfarmworkersparticularlywomen,accordingto
Dr. B. Ranganna, Professor & Research Engineer, Post Harvest
Technology Centre, University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS),
GandhiKrishiVigyanKendra(GKVK),Bangalore.Themachinecan
be operated by employing four persons to dehusk arecanuts
simultaneously. The dehusking assembly consists of two sharp
edgedflaps,onebeingstationaryandtheothermovable,operated
bythepedalthroughalinkagemechanism.Theunithasahopper
to hold about 20 kg of arecanuts. Made of mild steel, the entire
unit is mounted on an angle iron stand and the dehusking
mechanismismadeofspringsteel.Thisissuitablefordehusking
freshly harvested mature green arecanuts of all varieties under
cultivation,saidDr.Ranganna.Thedehuskingcapacityoftheunit
is160kgperdaywitharunningtimeofeighthoursandtheunitis
priced at Rs.2,650 (does not include packaging and forwarding
charges).
ModelfarmercoaxesmorecropsfromlesslandTheHindu
25thOctober2007
In the last five years he has

sold earthworms worth about
rupeesonelakh
Big farmers have more land,

finance and manpower at their
disposal when compared to small
and marginal farmers who grow their crops in 34 acres and still
29/31
5/2/2016
succeedingettingagoodyield.OnesuchsmallfarmerisMr.K.O.
Sebastian,inKozhikodedistrictofKeralawhohasrubber,coconut,
arecanutandblackpepperinhisfouracreland.
Intercropping of medicinal plants and trees in coconut

gardensTheHindu11October2007
It's offers a scope for increasing nut

productionandincome
CoconutinIndiaisprimarilyasmallfarmerscrop.Growingcoconut
alone as a monocrop does not provide
employment through out the year and the
income derived from small holdings is not
sufficienttosustainafarmerslivelihood.
Coconut based intercropping in the
interspaces of coconut trees and integration
with other enterprises such as cattle offer
goodscopeforincreasingcoconutproduction.
Growing crops by following the lunar calendar The Hindu

4thOctober2007
Ecofriendly: Mr. R. Jeyachandran BD farmer

atAriyanoorvillage,inTamilNaduseenburying
the cow horns into the soil. "Biodynamic
farmingisquiteecofriendlyasthereisnogreat
investment involved. There are nearly 100
farmers practicing this system in Tamil Nadu
andabout1,000alloverthecountry,"saidMr.R.Jeyachandran,a
BD farmer in Ariyanoor village of Madhurantakkam taluka,
KanchipuramdistrictinTamilNadu.ThebasictheoryinBDfarming
is that the lunar cycle (waxing and waning of the moon) plays a
key role in the timing of biodynamic practices, such as making of
biodynamicpreparations,timingofplantingtheseedsandharvest,
according to Mr. Jeyachandran. Mr. R. Jeyachandran can be
reached at , Ariyanoor village, Madhurantakkam taluka,
Kanchipuramdistrict,TamilNadu,Phone:04427539608.
Readmore....
Relatedto:
AnimalHusbandry
Aquaculture
Arecanut
Cocoa
Coconut
Cotton
Cultivation
Farm
30/31
5/2/2016
Equipments
Floriculture
Foodgrains
Herbs
Horticulture
Intercrop
Cultivation
Macadamia
nuts
Millets
Oilseeds
Organic
Farming
Pests
Poultry
Pulses
Rice
Sericulture
Soil
Management
Spices
Sugar
Tea
Technology
Weather
Wheat
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Rainfed Farming - Farmer's Notebook

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Rainfed Farming - Farmer's Notebook

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5/2/2016

Achieve Farmer's Notebook

Once charged during

There is a lot of difference

For more details contact Mr. Vishwasrao Narayanrao Bunde at

For more information contact Mr. Praful Bansod, Scientist MSSRF,

Contact Dr. Suman Sahai, blog: sumansahaiblog.blogspot.com,

Readers can contact Mr. N. Murugesan at no 4/56 Vadakipalayam,

The town Panchayat is

Tackling rural India's

In the last 60odd years several

In the name of development, fertile lands are being developed

For more details contact Mr. Shamanna Nayak, Moolottu House,

Clay pellet method of

In our culture, innovation is

Financing small farmers

Farmers are provided financial

The Kshethra Dhamasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP),

Helping small jackfruit

Consumers book orders

The farm of Mr. K.

For more details contact Mr. K. Narasimhaiah, Kachahalli village,

Onion variety that

On trying to compile an endless suffering that farmers need to

To save my betelvine orchard from acute scarcity of water, I

For more details contact Mr.

India's daily turnover from vegetables and fruits could be easily

For more details contact Mr. Venkat at email:

Reviving traditional methods to

Popularising these methods will revive our culture and local

risk free. They need to be protected. If a low cost and effective

For more details readers can contact

Can privatizing agriculture

Experts must learn from Mumbai

Contrary to popular opinion, the

For more details contact Mr. Venkat Subramanian at email:

Empowering poor rural

Empowerment of rural women is one of the central issues in

developing countries all over

Government subsidy scheme for drip

Several farmers in the region face the

Interesting feature about his farm is that

Food security depends on

About 40 villages in Tirunelveli have stopped using chemical

farmers in the region are

For visits and more information readers can contact Sands,

More than 200 farmers are using the multi

About 3,000 farmers and 200 scientists are

Their daily visits encouraged a good rapport

Readers can contact Dr. E. Vadivel, Project officer, e Extension

Several farmers in Uthamapalayam (Ambasamuthuram) Theni

Hundreds of cultivable areas are turning into

Zero farming: no investment, yet guarantees good yield

Selfhelp is the best help: that should be every farmer's

What I mean by self reliance is that a

Everything must be available in the farm itself, says Mrs. A.L.

Humic acid increases yield substantially in watermelon

For details readers can contact Mr. V.Veeraraghavan, Mudaiyur

Sustainable farming: Low investment, maximum returns

Fertile soil and adequate water resources,

For more information, readers can contact Mr. V.S. Arunachalam,

Low budget fish gunabajalam proves effective for crops