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Organic farming gaining pace
The Agriculture department in the district is promoting natural farming cluster villages to raise plantations and agriculture crops through natural farming manure. In each cluster, 10 villages would adopt natural farming methods and techniques to completely do away with the use of chemicals and fertilisers. In each cluster, 4,550 farmers from 10 villages will be practicing natural farming
Anantapur: The Agriculture department in the district is promoting natural farming cluster villages to raise plantations and agriculture crops through natural farming manure. In each cluster, 10 villages would adopt natural farming methods and techniques to completely do away with the use of chemicals and fertilisers.
In each cluster, 4,550 farmers from 10 villages will be practicing natural farming methods. Already 10 clusters are demarcated as natural farming zone involving about 50,000 farmers and covering an acreage of 2.5 lakh acres in the villages include Vajrakarur, Kambaduru, Raptadu, Somandepalle, Amadaguru, Madakasira and other surrounding villages.
Agriculture officer Lakshma Naik told The Hans India that the number of organic clusters have been increased from 10 to 18 clusters. Farmers, who have reaped the benefits of natural organic farming, are moving away from use of fertilisers and pesticides to organic farming by using only animal dung and agriculture waste as manure.
The farmers are even using 'Jeevamrutham' which is an amalgamation of animal dung, urine and other botanical waste. Farmers in organic clusters are raising horticulture crops, vegetable, mulberry, groundnut and even millets adapting natural farming techniques.
Joint Director of Agriculture (JDA) AV Srirama Murthy speaking to The Hans India said that the farmers are being educated on the benefits of natural farming and those who have taken to organic fertilisers are themselves spreading good news associated with it. He stated the organic farming cultivation reduces costs, boosts soil health and increases the crop yield.
Vajrakakrur farmers are enthusiastic about organic farming due to negative effects of fertilisers and pesticides usage.
Rajanna, an organic farmer, says that organic farming is 80 per cent cheaper than usage of fertilisers. He said that earlier he used to spend Rs 4 lakh on pesticides and fertilisers on his 5-acre vegetable crop but all that remained for him as profit was Rs 50,000 or so.
Now, with organic fertlisers usage reduced by 80 per cent and all that he incurred on organic fertilisers was a mere Rs 25,000, his profit turned out to be Rs 4 lakh for his 5-acre crop. Many farmers after studying the organic farming have switched over to it and are reportedly saving 80 per cent of investment on their crops.
The Agriculture department is supplying cows to every farmer for producing organic manure with cow dung. A three-member committee appointed by the department is guiding and overseeing the smooth transition from chemical fertilisers to organic farming.
By Ravi P Benjamin
