Biscuts from Millets . Healthy alternatives.

Munching on millets

Subha J Rao

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They taste like nothing you’ve eaten before. They look like regular cookies, but there’s this crunch of goodness, the flavour of the food your forefathers ate and a feeling of lightness. Welcome to the world of millet cookies. Everyone’s licking the last crumb off the plate.
While the trend is fairly recent, the seeds were sown long ago by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) and some enterprising men and women. When you enter the Post Harvest Technology Centre at TNAU,(Contact number 0422 6611268) the aroma of buttery, freshly baked cookies envelops you. D. Malathi, professor, Food Science and Nutrition, walks you around the baking plant with three ovens.
Here, barnyard millet (kudhiravaali), little millet (saamai), kodo millet (varagu), foxtail millet (thinai), proso millet (panivaragu), finger millet (ragi), bajra/pearl millet (cumbu) and sorghum are converted into cookies and bread, and retailed in an outlet outside the campus. They make about five kg of biscuits in a single batch. Many who learnt from them are also making cookies now. Some of them have gone commercial too.
“We spent time on R&D before coming out with these products. We tried everything from an infusion of 10 per cent millet flour to 90 per cent refined flour to 100 per cent millet flour. What worked was a 50:50 combination,” says Dr. Malathi. But, what’s the favourite? Sorghum, probably. “It’s the first product we made,” she says. Another lady chips in: “The taste, the crunch…it is unmatched.”
Joule Foods, run by P. Sathiyamoorthi, is another popular brand that sells millet cookies.
“We don’t use artificial colour or flavour,” he insists. When he started in 2011, he made five kg of cookies a day. Today, the company manufactures 1 to 1.25 tonnes a day and supplies across Tamil Nadu and Bangalore and has orders from Malaysia and Singapore.
Joule Foods (Ph: 0422-6555312) retails under the Combo Mimix brand and My Mix Navagrains cookies. It combines millet flour with whole wheat, doing away with refined flour.
Why this sudden interest in millets? “That’s because they are rich in nutrients. The glycaemic index is low. It is a good crop to cultivate because it needs very little water to thrive. Also, millets are not prone to pest attacks. So, farmers benefit too,” says Sathiyamoorthi, a PhD in food technology. Another reason, he says is that technology has made it possible to process millets into an easily acceptable, familiar form. “Even children love the cookies.”
The company is part of the Agri Business Incubator (ABI) of TNAU and an incubatee of PSG STEP. The factory is in Kasthurinaickenpalayam.
H. Poomalai of Coronet Food (Ph: 0422-6503231) is another local manufacturer who retails under the Dhaaniyam brand. Poomalai has been making millet-based foods for 14 years now, but says they have become popular only in the past two to three years.
Her company, which has factories in Kalapatti and Vadavalli, is also part of TNAU’s ABI. Coronet Foods makes 500 kg of millet-base products every day.

High-density planting increases banana yield

original hindu article http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/article3809480.ece

High-density planting increases banana yield and brings hope

M.J. Prabu

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Almost 90 per cent of Israeli technologies are field-oriented

Good growth: one of the beneficiary farmers in the demonstration field.- Photo: Special Arrangement

Compared to several western countries, India though endowed with a lot of natural resources, lags behind in agricultural production.

“The main reason for this is that developed technologies are not percolating to the farmers.

“They remain mere project theses on paper. The main reason for Israel doing so well in agriculture is that almost 90 per cent of their technologies are field-oriented and aimed at helping farmers earn more,” says Dr. Prabhukumar, Zonal Project Director, ICAR, New Delhi

Able to deliver

“We can claim to be farmer oriented only if we are able to transform the developments in labs to the open fields. Our recent research on high density banana planting on the farmers’ fields in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala proves that farmers readily accept new techniques if they are genuinely going to help them get a better yield and income,” he says.

Today apart from rubber, banana is the most popular crop grown by farmers in the region. According to latest statistics available, the crop is grown in an area of 4,642 hectares.

The steady demand for banana due to its varied uses and wide adaptability to different farming situations makes it the small farmer’s favourite crop. The dwindling farm holdings also make this a practical alternative to other crops.

Among several varieties, the Nendran variety occupies the first choice among Keralites as the fruit is in good demand in the State.

Compared to varieties as Grand Nain (golden yellow coloured) that can produce bunches weighing more than 45 kg, Nendran variety produces bunches with an average weight of 7-10 kg only, pushing down productivity and profits.

Since more than 70 per cent of banana cultivation is done on leased lands by resource-poor farmers, obtaining maximum income from a unit area under cultivation assumes utmost importance.

Different technologies

Several research institutes developed different technologies for pushing up productivity. High density planting developed by Kerala Agricultural University helps the farmer to earn better.

In 2007, the Christian agency for rural development, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala offered this trump card to farmers.

By organizing farmer participatory research trials, demonstrations, seminars, training, and field visits in the subsequent years, the

institute effectively perfected the technology for easy adoption by the farmers.

According to Mr. Rajan Nair Vavolil, Naranganam, the technology helped him obtain a yield of more than 27t/ha while his fellow farmers got only 8tonnes per heactre.

“From the small demonstration plots of 0.25 ha in 2007, the technology has spread rapidly and in 2012 occupies more than 150 hectares under cultivation involving more than 1,500 farmers in the Pathanamthitta district alone.

“By planting Nendran at a recommended spacing about 2,500 Nendran suckers can be planted in one hectare of land,” says Rincy K Abraham, Horticulturist working at the institute.

In high density planting, banana rows are made at a distance of 3mts and pits of 50 cm x 50cm x50cm size are taken at a spacing of 2mts in each row.

Increased suckers

Then banana plants are planted in each pit at a spacing of 30-45 cm, perpendicular to the direction of rows. The modified plant spacing reduces pit numbers to 1,666 hectares but increases the total number of plants planted to 3,332 in a hectare of land.

Mr. Mohanan Pillai Varikolil, an award-winning farmer says, “double planting helps the plants to utilize water and fertilizer more efficiently through increased root density. It also helps the plants resist winds more effectively and cost for staking was considerably reduced.”

He was able to avoid stakes by tying two plants together or by using only one stake for both the plants.

Uniform growth

Uniformly growing tissue cultured Nendran plants are the best planting material for doing high-density banana cultivation.

“However, sucker plantations can also be raised successfully if due care is given to planting equal weighing suckers in the same pits.

“Planting banana suckers of different sizes in the same pits lead to uneven growth and reduction in yield,” says Rincy.

For more information, Contact Rincy K Abraham, Subject matter Specialist (Horticulture), CARD Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Pathanamthitta email. cardkvk@gmail.com, Ph: 0469 2662094.

Contact info of Organic farmers in tamilnadu

 

ஜீரோ பட்ஜெட் தமிழக விவசாயிகள்...!!!!!
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தமிழகத்தில் ஜீரோ பட்ஜெட் விவசாயம் செய்யும் விவசாயிகளின் பெயர்களும் தொலை பேசி எண்களும்.

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6) கிரிஷ் எம் (நெல்-20 ஏக்கருக்கு பைகள், வாழை + வெங்காயம் + மிளகாய் + முருங்கை + மேரிகோல்டு + பூசணிக்காய்) தொலைபேசி: 04347231149 குண்டு கோட்டை, Tq-தேங்க நஞ்சகோட்ட , Dt-கிருஷ்ணகிரி-635107

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எம் லோகேஷ், தொலைபேசி: 04344200734, 09443983855 No -4 / 765, பெட்டபெடகனஹல்லி , Tq-ஒசூர், Dt-கிருஷ்ணகிரி

9) எஸ் நவீன் குமார், S / o எம் செல்வராஜா (நெல், கரும்பு) At-சி என் பூண்டி, Tq-ஹோப்லி , Dt-ஷோளிகர் தொலைபேசி: 04172216240, 09341821034

10) நாகேஷ் பி (பாக்கு, தேங்காய்) தொலைபேசி: 04994232058, 09895914298 விஜய நிவாஸ், மோக்ரல் புத்தூர் போஸ்ட், Tq Dt-கசர்கோத் – 671128 (கேரளா)

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12) கே விஜயகுமார் (வாழை) 140, அன்னூர் ரோடு, மேட்டுபாளையம் , Dt-கோயம்பதோர் Mb-09842524282

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15) எஸ்.கே. சேதுராமன் (தேங்காய் + சீமை அகத்தி) கஞ்சம்பட்டி , பொள்ளாச்சி, Dt-கோயம்பத்தூர் அருகில் ‘திருவள்ளுவர் பார்ம்ஸ்’, தென்குமரபாலயம் Mb-09842253540

16) பி முத்துச்வாமி (நெல், மக்காச்சோளம், மா, சப்போட்டா, நெல்லி , தென்னை, தேக்கு) At-கனிசோலை, மேட்டுக்கடை , கொடுமடி சாலை, முத்தூர் , Dt-ஈரோடு-638105 தொலைபேசி: 04257255365, 09965929098

17) KP துரைசுவாமி (நெல், புகையிலை, தேங்காய், மஞ்சள், தேக்கு) Mb-09443430335 வள்ளனமை சமமல் , ததரகாடு, தபால்-வாழைத்தோட்டம் , சிவகிரி-638109, Dt-ஈரோடு

18) ஆர் ஸ்ரீ குமரன் (மா, தென்னை, சப்போட்டா, கொய்யா) தொலைபேசி: 04523292013, 09443592425 ப்ளாட் No.8, சக்தி இல்லம், ராஜ்நகர் , 1st சாலை, சாந்தி நகர், மதுரை 625018

19) ஏ ஜி ராஜ் (திராட்சை) 2, மாடசுவாமி பிள்ளை, Tq-போடி நாயக்கனூர் , Dt-தேனி Mb-09944447722

20) ஆர் கிருஷ்ண குமார் (80 விவசாயிகள் குழு) (நெல், கரும்பு) 43, ஈஸ்வரன் கோயில் தெரு, கோபிசெட்டிபாளையம் -638452, Dt-ஈரோடு தொலைபேசி: 04285222397, 09842775059

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22) ஆர் கோவிந்தசாமி (காய்கறிகள்) பழனியப்பா தோட்டம் , வெள்ளலூர் சாலை, சிங்கநல்லூர் , கோயம்புத்தூர் 641 005 செல் எண்: 09976450367, 093457 16598

23) ஆர் மணி சேகர் (நாட்டு மாட்டு வழங்குபவர்) தொலைபேசி: 08026543525, 04282221241, 09449346487 புத்திர கௌண்டர் பாளையம் , Dt-சேலம் 636 119

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30) TS தனோடா பானி (கரும்பு, நெல், காய்கறிகள்) A/P- ராமபக்கம், Dt-விழுப்புரம்-605705 தொலைபேசி: 04132699023, 09786484243

31) பி ஸ்ரீனிவாசன் (நெல், காய்கறிகள்) Mb-09791379855 மெயின் ரோடு, கொங்கம்புட்டு, தபால்-ராமபக்கம் , Tq & Dt-விழுப்புரம் – 605105

32) ஜி கிருஷ்ண மூர்த்தி (கரும்பு, நெல், சோளம், கேழ்வரகு, காய்கறிகள்) At-கொங்கம்பட்டு , தபால்-ராமபக்கம் , Dt-விழுப்புரம் தொலைபேசி: 04132699921

33) பி வெங்கடேஷ பெருமாள் (கரும்பு, காய்கறிகள்) Mb-09486366082. 2 / 105, மெயின் ரோடு, கொங்கம்பட்டு , தபால்-ராமபக்கம் , Dt-விழுப்புரம் – 605105

34) ஆர் ரவிக்குமார் (தேங்காய்) Mb-09943978256 ரவி கணினி, 2, பை பாஸ் ரோடு, உடுமலைபேட்டை, Dt-கோயம்புத்தூர்

35) என் அண்ணாதுரை (நெல்) Mb-09976383567 At-உமையாள்புரம் , தபால்-செவேந்தளிங்கபுரம் , Tq-முசிறி , Dt-திருச்சி-621202

36) பிரபு ராம் (நெல்) மணி நாய்டு தோட்டம் , குனியமுத்தூர் , கோயம்புத்தூர் Mb-09363147111

37) திருமதி அன்னபூர்ணா (பனை) 12, SSD சாலை, திருதம்கோடு , Dt-நாமக்கல் தொலைபேசி: 04288253310, 09842350275

38) முகேஷ், S / o எம் சதாசிவம் (நெல், தென்னை, வாழை) தொலைபேசி-04563288519 2/181-A, வடக்கு தெரு, சேது நாராயணபுரம் , via வற்றப் , Dt-விருதுநகர்

39) ஜி சக்திவேலு , பசுமை சேமிக்க குரல் NGO (நெல், பிளாக் கிராம், பச்சை கிராம்) 4 / 92, யாதவ தெரு, போஸ்ட்-சிக்கில் , Dt-நாகப்பட்டினம் Mb-09994200246

40) YM முத்துக்குமரன் (நெல், கரும்பு, காய்கறிகள்) Mb-09443062264 17, அரசு தோட்டங்கள், மில்லர் சாலை, ஆரணி -1, Dt-திருவண்ணாமலை

41) டி திம்மையா, S / o எம் திரு மேசாமி (தேங்காய், சூரியகாந்தி) A/P- கோனூர் , via கமிவடி , Dt-திண்டுக்கல்-624705 Mb-09360565596

42) விஜயசேகரன் (தேங்காய்) Mb-09842226668 கிராமம் -மதன்காடு அவில்பட்டி , தபால்-ஏ நாகூர் , TK – பொள்ளாச்சி, Dt-கோயம்புத்தூர்

43) ஏ இளங்கோ (நெல், நிலகடலை , பிளாக் கிராம், பச்சை கிராம்) Mb-09442693700 கிராமம் -கச்பகரனை , தபால்-அசொகபுரி, T.K. & Dt-விழுப்புரம் – 605 203

44) ஆர் ராமச்சந்திரன் (முந்திரி & முந்திரி பதப்படுத்தும்) கிராமம் -மனடிகுப்பம், தபால்-வல்லம், TK-பண்ருட்டி , Dt-கடலூர் – 607 805 தொலைபேசி: 04142266366, 09976993536, 09976993411

44) பி ஸ்ரீநிவாசன் (நெல் 20 ஏக்கர்) Mb-09791379855 கிராமம் -கொங்குபெட் , தபால்-ராம்பக்கம், Dt-விழுப்புரம்

45) டி எஸ் தண்டபாணி (கரும்பு) Mb-09786484243 1 / 92, சிவன் கோயில் தெரு, ராம்பக்கம் , Dt-விழுப்புரம்

46) எஸ் பாலமுருகன் (வாழை + வெங்காயம் + பட்டாணி + காய்கறிகள்) (கரும்பு உள்ளூர் பிளாக் வெரைட்டி) தொலைபேசி: 04288254864, 09843007477 எண் 6, C.H.B. காலனி, தெரு எண் 7, வேலூர் சாலை, திருச்செங்கோடு – 637 214, Dt-நாமக்கல்

47) டி கே பி நாகராஜன் (நெல், Osambu, மீன் குளம்) தொலைபேசி: 04374239757, 09944344608 கிழக்கு தெரு, இரும்போதலை , via -சாலியமங்கலம் , Dt-தஞ்சாவூர்

48) என் விவேகாநந்தன் (கரும்பு + வெங்காயம் + மாட்டு EPA + மிளகாய் + தானியங்கள்) Dt-ஈரோடு கிராமம் -சின்னப்பள்ளம் , தபால்-நேவிரிகிபேட்டை, TK-பவானி, Mb-09444294095

49) ஆர் காமராஜ் (கிச்சன் கார்டன்-அனைத்து காய்கறிகள்) Mb-09894227114, 09787488632 எண் 8, ஸ்ரீனிவாச நகர் , நல்லன் பாளையம் , கணபதி போஸ்ட் , கோயம்புத்தூர்

50) கே முத்துக்குமார், S / o எம் கதிரேசன் (காபி, ஆரஞ்சு) கரியாம்மாள் கோவில் தெரு, TK-கொடைகனல் , Dt-திண்டுக்கல் Mb-09486162801, 09486373767

51) ஆர் தேவ தாஸ் (நெல், காய்கறிகள் ) தொலைபேசி: 04622553541, 09443155309 A-4, A-காலனி, ஜவஹர் நகர், திருநெல்வேலி – 627 007

52) எம் லாவண்யா W / O முருகன் (தேங்காய்) Mb-09942665059, 04373-274705 கிராமம் -மருங்கப்பள்ளம் , TK-பெறவுரணி , Dt-தஞ்சாவூர்

53) எம் பெரிய சுவாமி (தேங்காய், Eucaliptus) Mb-09787742192, 04257-250249 Dt-ஈரோடு vi-கந்தசாமி பாளையம், தபால்-மங்கலப்பட்டி, TK-காங்கேயம் ,

54) கே முத்து குமரேசன் (நெல், நிலகடலை , மரவள்ளிக்கிழங்கு, மஞ்சள், குள்ள தேங்காய்) கிராமம் -கூலமேடு , தபால்-கடம்பூர் , TK-ஆத்தூர், Dt-சேலம் 636 105 Mb-09843638825

55) தமிழ் மணி , S / o பாதமுத்து (பருத்தி, தக்காளி) 55-A, பரா சக்தி டெக்ஸ்டைல், வைத்யா லிங்க புரம், TK-ஸ்ரீவில்லிபுத்தூர் , Dt-விருது நகர்

56) எஸ் உடையப்பன் (பருத்தி) கிராமம் -உசிலம்பட்டி , தபால்-கருங்கலகுடி , TK-மேலூர், Dt-மதுரை

57) ஏ கே நேதாஜி (நெல் உள்ளூர்) தொலைபேசி: 044126330217, 09940267627 கிராமம் -அங்காடு, தபால்-புதூர் , TK-பொன்னேரி , Dt-திருவள்ளூர்

58) கே வரதராஜன் (நெல்) Mb-09444554466 ஓரக்கேன் போஸ்ட், TK-பொன்னேரி , Dt-கடலூர்

59) பி ராமகிருஷ்ணன் (மஞ்சள், சேனைக்கிழங்கு, நெல்) 51, M.V.K. நகர், பெரம்பலூர்-621 212 தொலைபேசி: 04328275763, 09443954642

60) சி கரகராஜ் (வாழை + நிலகடலை ) Mb-09843719794 கிராமம் -நக்க சேலம் , TK-குன்னம் , Dt-பெரம்பலூர்

61) ஆர் பாண்டியன் (வாழை + நிலகடலை ) Mb-09344422966 11, இளங்கோ வளாகம், கோர்ட் ரோடு, தஞ்சாவூர்-1

62) ஜி மணிவண்ணன் (தென்னை, மா, நெல்லி ) தொலைபேசி: 04362279726, 09443155075 தஞ்சை சந்தோஷ் பேக்கரி , 85, கோர்ட் ரோடு, தஞ்சாவூர் 613 001

63) SR திருவேங்கடம் (தென்னை, தேக்கு, கிச்சன் கார்டன்) Mb-09486043165 வடக்கு தெரு, வடுவூர் – 614 019, Dt-திருவாரூர்

64) என்.கே. சக்திவேல் (தேங்காய், முருங்கை , சூரியகாந்தி, நிலகடலை , எள், அனைத்து காய்கறிகள்) வில்-மந்தபுரம் , V மேட்டு பாளையம் போஸ்ட் , via வெல்ல கோவில் – 638 111, Dt-ஈரோடு Mb-09865263375

65) வஜியடனே , S / o இருசப்பனே Mb-09786902281 எண் 493, பிள்ளையார் கோவில் தெரு, கட்டியம் பாளையம் , தபால்-பண்றகொட்டை , TK-பண்ருட்டி , Dt-கடலூர்

66) எஸ் பி சுப்பிரமணியன், S / o எஸ் கே பழனி (வாழை) Mb-09443711937 7/146-1, கரத்தன் காடு, செம்போட பாளையம், சதுமுகை அஞ்சல், சத்தியமங்கலம் TK, Dt-635 503 ஈரோடு.


நன்றி: ஜீரோ பட்ஜெட் இனைய தளம்...

Arali seeds as pest controller in farm

Pest repellant

How to use arali (Tamil name) seeds ( Neerium indicum ) as pest repellants?

R. Gomathi

Tamil Nadu

The seeds of Neerium indicum plants are good insect and pest repellents for a variety of crops. You can dry the seeds for 2-3 days, powder them and mix it in 9-10 litres of water along with some khadi soap solution and leave it overnight.

You can get Khadi soap from any Khadi gramodya Bhavan. The mixture can be sprayed the next day. It acts as an effective control against a wide variety of pests and infestations.

NGO helps farmer how to use local inputs for betterment

Using local inputs helps cut cost and also increases yield

M.J. Prabu

Until a decade back several farmers had mounting debts to be repaid

Changed outlook: A training session in progress.- Photo: M.J. Prabu

Drought, financial strain and scarcity of labour all make the life of a farmer difficult. The choices for a farmer are quite bleak. He can

neither get a job in the town nor sell his lands as it would mean the end of life for him.

“The only option available for him is to use inputs that are not costly, at the same time increase yield and also make use of his family labour (if possible) to work in the fields,” says Dr. J.H.S. Ponnaya, President, Suviseshapuram and neighbouring development organisation (Sands) an NGO in Tirunelveli.

Sands has been conducting training programmes in different villages in and around Tirunelveli for farmers in making their own inputs.

Street plays

They have also been conducting street plays to highlight the efficiency of these natural inputs that can help farmers.

Until a decade back, several farmers in and around this region had either sold off their fields or left them barren because for them farming proved too costly and the government was just not pro-active in its outlook to help them.

But today more than 27-odd villages are successfully cultivating different crops and vegetables and make their own inputs, according to him.

Mr. Jason Dharmaraj, a farmer in the area, says that he used to trudge many miles some years back for potable water. “what can be said about crops? When we did not have even water to drink how could we water our crops? he asks and adds, “we left our fields fallow for some years and went to nearby towns to work.

“But after some time the pull of our native soil was strong and we came back to do farming,” he says.

Training

Mr. Dharmaraj undertook training from Sands on making his own inputs and today like several other farmers in the area vouches for the efficiency of farm yard manure and Panchagavya (simple inputs that can be easily made by farmers and found effective in increasing crop yield.)

In fact Sands has been advocating the use of both these inputs among farmers for the last decade. “Especially in a drought prone area like ours we find that both these local inputs are quite encouraging and effective. In addition to increasing crop yield they also prevent water erosion on the fields,” says Dr. Ponnaya.

Many of the farmers in the region had debts ranging from a few hundred to thousands some time back.

They could not pay the retail fertilizer shop as rainfall was scarce, and crops failed.

Accumulating interest

“Naturally the interest on their debts also accumulated. Added to this burden was the responsibility of taking care of their family. So one could easily imagine how difficult it could have been for them,” says Dr.Ponnaya.

And he adds, “We felt that the solution lay in using an efficient alternative that could be beneficial and at the same time eco-friendly to the farmer.

We found out that panchagavya (a combination of milk, ghee, curd, rotten fruits) and farm yard manure made with locally available materials is bet suited for our farmers and encouraged them to use it.

Today hundreds of farmers in this region and surrounding areas are using it and experiencing personally its benefits.”

“I use these inputs for my one acre field and find it useful. More importantly it helps me save some money and also increases yield,” says Mrs. Madha Dhanasekaran, another farmer.

Changed outlook

“We find that the outlook of the farmers has changed today. They are willing to adopt any good practice that is pocket-friendly and at the same time effective.

“If one farmer succeeds, then there are many in line wanting to try it out. This is how we have been able to make these practices popular here,” smiles Dr. Ponnaya

To know more readers can contact , Dr. J.H.S. Ponnaya, President, Suviseshapuram and neighbouring development organisation (Sands),Suviseshapuram (via) Ittamozhi-627652, email: sands_suviseshapuram@yahoo.com, phone: 04637-278173, mobile: 9444582911.

original article here http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sci-tech-and-agri/article3354584.ece

Government needs to harness IT for innovative agriculture

M.J. Prabu

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The model disseminates site specific knowledge at no cost to farmers

Ideal tool: Thiruchelvam (left) interacting with some groundnut farmers of Andhra Pradesh.

There appears to be a general consensus that the country's agriculture sector can do better with some encouragement, motivation to youngsters who are driven with a passion, and a dream to do something for the rural poor.

“Ironically the government which keeps talking about encouraging youth to take up agriculture, does nothing to help us chip in,” says Mr. R.M. Thiruchelvam an IT professional from Alampattu, Sivaganga district Tamil Nadu.

Several problems

Mr. Thiruchelvam left a lucrative job as well as business plans nine years ago to take up the cause of rural development.

With the support of like-minded friends he and his team did four years of intensive study of the social, economic, and administrative problems that are wrecking rural India.

The team designed a comprehensive web system, it-rural.com to provide information and communication to increase the “per capita earning” of villagers.

Specific knowledge

“The model disseminates site specific knowledge at the village level at no cost to farmers. It is an employer-employee model. So a local person is not going to own the knowledge centre.

“It is designed to overcome typical constraints such as social, geographical, and commercial barriers that are prevalent across the world in taking technology to the grassroots,” explains Mr. Thiruchelvam

It comprehensively addresses the key components of agricultural sector such as good quality and yield, better price realization to farmers, balanced production and strengthening institutional credit systems.

Lack of input

“There is no effective input validation available at the grassroots in the present system for rural activities, particularly farming. Information on demand forecast, cultivation procedures, input supply management, disease control, marketing, glut in production, desperate selling, impact of drought and flood are absent,” he says.

The team wanted to showcase the model on a large scale to prove its efficiency. Their hard work yielded results. The Andhra Pradesh

Government provided an opportunity for them to carry out a pilot project in Pulivendala, Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh. About 30 villages, 12 Panchayats, 40,000 people and 20,000 acres of agricultural land benefited.

But the success lasted only for a short while. Sudden developments in the state political scene saw these youngsters grounded due to lack of financial support.

In fact, for the past two years Mr. Thiruchelvan is running from one state to another to meet different officials and experts to explain and showcase his findings.

He believes that this concept can definitely provide a key to unlock different problems in the rural sector. But sadly, he has been ignored or refused an appointment.

Ideal tool

“IT is an ideal tool today for addressing several glitches a farmer faces. We are very eager to get the Government interested in this.

“But sadly we are not able to get any opening in the government circles. Recently I had to keep calling for an appointment with a Secretary to Government and literally begged his secretary to get me an appointment,” he says in a voice chocked with emotion.

The secretary initially granted him 20 minutes but shortened it to 10 minutes and rushed through his concept.

“He asked me to contact the officials in his department but till date they have not responded,” he says with frustration and sadness.

Cant he try to take this concept further with private funding agencies rather than depend on the Government?

Seems daunting

“In India, a major part of agriculture activities is still under Government control. To reach out to hundreds of farmers we need the Government's support and funding. Even at the state level we require the local University and the state agriculture departments' support. But getting it seems daunting.

“If any Government is prepared to encourage us we are ready to join hands on a PPP model (public private partnership) as we are sure that this concept will benefit small farmers,” says Mr. Thiruchelvam hopefully.

Despite several attempts by The Hindu, the Agriculture Secretary was not available for his comments on this proposal.

For more details contact Mr. R.M.Thiruchelvam, Originator and Project Director, website: www.it-rural.com, email: thirurm@gmail.com, mobile:9840374266.

Self-reliance and diversification in farming

The article published in hindu 

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sci-tech-and-agri/article3329814.ece

Self-reliance and diversification may bring in profits

M.J. Prabu

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A field must be like a kirana store where one can buy practically anything

Brilliant idea: Sadananda has converted his old scooter into a power sprayer.

Farming requires patience and consistence. The development of civilisation and the plough are directly linked.

“Whatever be the development in any sphere, without agriculture it cannot be sustained.

“But the sad fact is, in our country it is the farmers who are being neglected and suffer for no fault of theirs,” says farmer Sadananda from Tapasihalli village, Doddaballapura taluk, Karnataka.

Mr. Sadananda has been conferred several State and national awards in recognition of his work on integrated farming.

The most important features of Mr. Sadananda's farming are, use of own manure, least dependence on external input, and use of family labour.

Income gap

“An IT professional may earn Rs.50,000 in just six months of joining a company whereas a farmer who is growing crops in 10 acres, is not able to afford even Rs. 10,000 to meet some expenditure.

“Even big farmers find it difficult to get their daughters married as they don't have the cash on hand. They need to pledge their lands to raise the money. What to say of small farmers then?” he queries.

“Though today this might not be true for several farmers in the country, I want to differ on this. Look at my area, just 2 acres and some cents, and my annual income is between Rs. 7 lakh and Rs. 8 lakh in a year,” he says.

“Earning money is not a difficult job for farmers.” The secret lies in making use of the available land area and making best use of available resources and technologies according to him.

Mr. Sadananda started cultivating vegetables initially and realized a reasonable income. But he says “the income and marketing did not prove satisfactory”.

He planned the cropping pattern in such a way that it included a combination of perennial, annual, and seasonal crops as well as livestock rearing.

Different crops

Accordingly, he planted 50 coconut trees, most of them around the field borders, and also planted Chikku, Jack (bearing round the year), Agase (fodder trees), Teak, Silver Oak, Pongamia and other trees. In about 20 cents he planted arecanut and adopted organic mulching.

“Till 2003-04, I planned my own cropping pattern including dairy, sheep, and biogas, obtaining a net income of around Rs. 3 lakh. During 2005-06 I came into contact with the Rural Bioresource Complex Project (RBRC) project staff from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, and acted on their advice to shift the cropping pattern from more of vegetables to floriculture, nursery raising, adding improved breeds of sheep, vermicomposting, backyard poultry, and azolla production,” he explains.

And also animals

The farmer started rearing poultry birds in the arecanut plantation by using shade net as fencing material and planted rose in one acre and twenty cents of land. Subsequently, he started raising a vegetable nursery in an area of 10 cents based on the local demand. Two cross-bred cows generate 6,000 litres of milk annually.

A water storage tank dug at the entrance to the field is used for fish rearing and also for irrigating the crops.

“Since I got free cow dung I set up a bio gas plant and also erected drip irrigation to use water judiciously. Since labour is a problem, I modified my old scooter into a power sprayer for spraying, and fertigation for my crops,” he adds.

According to him, money generation serves as a big energy booster for a farmer. “What farmers in our country need today is finance. Practically all other inputs are available for them. Whatever be the technology, they must be able to deliver results — be practical and feasible. Merely talking cannot solve the problem,” is his conviction.

Useless information

He further adds, “If you look at some of the available government and international websites, they give details of the area of sowing, the seasons, cropping, and other information.

“But in reality this information does not help grassroots farmers. Of what use are these data for farmers when they are suffering?” he asks.

There is absolutely no basis for expecting the impossible. Careful study, interacting with other experienced farmers, and experts alone will help, according to him.

“A field should be like a kirana store (provision store),” he says. “One can get almost any edible item from the shop. Similarly a farmer must start growing different crops along with fish, poultry, and cattle.

“Crops are like long term deposits and animals are for the short term, that mature in some months. Even if one fails, the others will bail him out,” he explains.

For more details readers can contact Mr. Mr. Sadananda at Tapasihalli village, Doddaballapura taluk, Bangalore rural district, phone: 808-7659151 and mobile No.9342022146.