Integrated Farming With Areca Nut
This woman farmer increased the family's income through her experiments, earning lakhs of rupees a month. Know why the graduation degree holder chose the path of farming
Usually after graduation one is looking for further studies or a good job. Moving away from this league, a woman from Bagalkot district of Karnataka chose farming. Ashma M. Honbal, 29, a graduation degree holder, comes from an agricultural family. Her family has been involved in Areca nut cultivation for several decades. Seeing the livelihood of the family completely dependent on agriculture, Aashma decided to experiment in farming. Today, the way she has adopted the Integrated Farming model in her 10-acre farm is commendable.
Banana and coconut farming also started
Aashma, a resident of Cholachagudda village in Badami town of Bagalkot district, has also started banana and coconut cultivation keeping in view the demand of the local market. Badami city is a tourist destination. There is a steady flow of tourists throughout the year. Because of this there is always a demand for coconut and banana in Badami.
Benefits of direct marketing
Ashma is constantly in touch with the ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bagalkot, for conducting new experiments with the aim of increasing the income in agriculture. Ashma believes that farmers can earn good income through market demand, availability of resources and direct marketing. This is also the reason for his success.
Adopted Integrated Farming Model
Areca nut is one of the most important commercial crops of Karnataka. Areca nut farming is done on a large scale in Karnataka. This is because, compared to other crops in Karnataka, betel nut farming is considered more profitable. It is a perennial crop. Once planted, it gives yield for 30 years.
On an average, a plant produces about 18,000 leaves in a year. About 6000 leaves can be harvested every year. Ashma is cultivating betel nut in 3 acres of land. She is earning a profit of Rs 36,000 per month from its cultivation.
Besides betel nut, Aashma also cultivates bananas in an area of two acres. She gets a profit of Rs 50,000 by cultivating G9 and Rajapuri varieties of bananas. Though the yield of Rajapuri Banana is low, it fetches good price in the market. On the other hand, the G9 variety of banana gives more yield.
On one acre of land, she is also cultivating many types of vegetables. By cultivating cowpea in one acre, she gets a profit of about 15 thousand rupees per season. Apart from this, she has also planted guava, curry leaves and lemon plants, which provide additional income along with domestic consumption.
She has also planted coconut, drumstick and neem saplings along the ridges of the field. She gets a profit of 50 thousand rupees per month from 200 coconut plants. They have put a barricade around the farm.
Earning 30 thousand rupees every month only from animal husbandry
Ashma also rears five buffaloes, one Holstein Friesian breed cow (HF Cows), three goats and 10 birds. Fertilizer is prepared from their waste. Ashma is earning around 30 thousand rupees per month from the livestock unit itself.
In this way, Ashma is working with complete strategy understanding the nuances of farming. Her farm also has a borewell for water supply.
There are total 6 members in Ashma’s family. Everyone helps her in the work of farming in their own way. This saves labour cost. She sells her produce in the nearby market, without depending on middlemen. Today she is one of the progressive farmers of her area.
Contact details: If farmers want to share information or experiences related to farming with us, then they can do this by calling us on the phone number 9599273766 or by writing an email to kisanofindia.mail@gmail.com or by sending your recording. Through Kisan of India, we will convey your message to the people, because we believe that if the farmers are advanced then the country is happy.