Know how to do smart farming with natural farming from progressive farmer Manoj Kumar Singh of Lucknow

Lucknow farmer Manoj Kumar Singh has presented an inspiration for young farmers by adopting smart methods of natural farming.

Slowly, farmers are coming towards natural farming, although the number of such farmers is still limited, but seeing the smart methods of farming of Manoj Kumar Singh, a resident of Lucknow, young farmers will definitely want to adopt his model. Actually, progressive farmer Manoj Kumar cultivates many crops simultaneously instead of growing just one crop and that too in a completely natural way. He discussed in detail about his unique method of farming and natural farming with Kisan of India correspondent Sarvesh Bundeli.

When did it start?

Manoj Kumar has been doing farming since 1994, but in a chemical way. He says that production was good in chemical farming, but in 2019, one of his relatives, who also does natural farming, inspired Manoj Kumar for this farming and on his advice, he started organic farming. Manoj Kumar started organic farming with the seeds given by him and now he is also making seeds himself.

When he started natural farming in 2019, first of all he planted mahogany trees on the edge of the field and then dug a drain on the side so that urea and other chemicals from other’s fields do not flow into his fields. Then he planted mango, guava, amla and lemon trees in between so that the infestation of pests etc. is reduced.

Co-cropping with sugarcane

Manoj Kumar believes in co-cropping farming, away from the traditional method of farming, that is why he has planted more than one crop in each of his fields. He is doing natural farming in 3 acres. Which also includes a sugarcane field. Manoj tells that sugarcane is planted at a distance of 9 feet from row to row and paddy is planted in the space between.

He has planted Orissa paddy which gets ready in 60 days there, but in Barbanki it gets ready in 90 days. After paddy, he also plants lentils, urad etc. In this way, by the time sugarcane crop is ready, three more crops are obtained.

Vegetables with mustard

Apart from sugarcane, he has also planted many types of vegetables along with mustard in the mustard field. He tells that he has planted a vegetable called bakla along the edge of the mustard field, which gives seeds like peas, so first its green vegetable is made and then dal is made from its pods. And its gram flour is made and used in Jeevamrit.

Apart from this, kidney beans, coriander leaves and sweet peas are also grown in the mustard field and radish crop is planted on the boundary of the fields. The process of planting many crops together is called mixed cropping. Regarding this, Manoj Kumar says that all the crops complement each other. Some crops do the work of nitrogen fixing, while some need more nitrogen.

Vegetables with bananas

Manoj Kumar has also planted bananas along the edges of the field and in the middle area, last year he had planted chilli, brinjal, tomato, this time he has planted soya, fenugreek, spinach. He says that once a banana is planted, the tree dies after harvesting the fruit. In such a situation, the tree is cut into small pieces and put in a pit, which is used to prepare manure.

Bananas are also usually planted in November and the rainy season. He plants banana trees at a distance of 6-8 feet so that he can grow another crop in between. He has planted three varieties of bananas G9, China Banana and Gonda’s Sabzi Wala.

Tank for Jeevamrut

He has built a tank in the field itself to make Jeevamrut in which he puts excess cow dung, farm waste, rotten banana trees, and the remaining part of Jeevamrut. He has installed a portable spray pump for spraying Jeevamrut. 

Potato cultivation

Manoj Kumar is cultivating vegetables like beans, gourd, pumpkin, bitter gourd, ridge gourd, ridge gourd, parwal. He has also planted potatoes in his field and the special thing about this is that he has sown gram along with potatoes for nitrogen fixing. He tells that after planting gram and potatoes, the crop was covered with straw so that the moisture does not decrease and there is no need for frequent irrigation. This also reduces the weeds or they do not grow at all. A thin drain has been made to drain out the water from the field. He has planted a famous variety of potato which is a local variety and gets ready after 90 days.

Difference between chemical and natural

Manoj Kumar says that there is a huge difference between chemical and natural farming. There is a saying that the person who eats food will have the same taste. Humans fall sick by consuming chemical crops whereas natural crops keep the health healthy. Yes, the yield in natural farming is a little less, but eating these will not cause illness.

He says that his entire family eats only vegetables and grains grown naturally. He says that when he used to do chemical farming, he used to harvest 20 quintals of paddy in one bigha, but in the first year of natural farming, only 2 quintals of paddy were produced. But gradually the production starts increasing.

Some special varieties

Manoj Kumar has planted some special varieties of crops in his field, one of which is black rice. He says that people who take it from him once, ask for the same rice again and again. Apart from this, he also has varieties of Kathiya wheat, Chawal Katha, Paigabi or Sona Moti wheat. He says that he also provides wheat seeds and flour. Not only this, on the advice of the doctor, they prepare flour by mixing barley and gram in wheat, which is very nutritious.

How much is the profit?

Manoj Kumar says that if someone does organic farming properly, then he can earn 4-5 lakh rupees per acre. As far as he is concerned, he sells different crops at different prices. Like he extracts oil from mustard and sells it at the rate of 300 rupees per liter, he sells green vegetables at 60 rupees per kg, whatever the market price is.

The price of rice is different according to its variety, like Kala Namak rice is sold at 250 rupees per kg, Nan Chuniya Basa at 200 rupees per kg, Kalpana at 70 rupees, Jai Shri Ram at 100 rupees per kg. He says that his crop is completely natural and it has also got organic certificate.

Manoj Kumar, who has won about 10 awards for natural farming, says that chemical farming will increase problems in the future and despite knowing this, people are doing it because it requires less effort compared to organic farming. Also, the market for natural farming is also a problem. Organic crops are a bit expensive. For this, the government needs to help the farmers as well as spread awareness among the people. 

Seed Production: Farmers should produce grain seeds with new techniques for more profit

Seed is the basic foundation of any crop. The use of high quality seeds (advanced seed production techniques) improves crop yield, disease resistance and quality. Advanced seeds not only ensure higher production, but are also more tolerant to environmental stresses, such as drought or excess rainfall. This provides farmers with a consistent and stable income.

Seed production is an important part of agriculture, which not only affects the quality and yield of crops, but is also a major means of increasing the income of farmers. Especially in the context of grains, farmers can significantly increase their income by using advanced seed production techniques. In this article, we will discuss the importance of seed production of grain crops, advanced techniques and the economic benefits it provides.

Importance of Seed Production

Seed is the basic foundation of any crop. The use of high-quality seeds improves crop yield, disease resistance and quality. Advanced seeds not only ensure higher production but are also more tolerant to environmental stresses, such as drought or excess rainfall. This provides farmers with a consistent and stable income.

Advanced Seed Production Techniques

1. Use of hybrid seeds: Hybrid seeds are produced by cross breeding two different varieties of plants, the first generation of which produces plants with high yield and better qualities. For example, in India, the use of hybrid rice varieties is high in states like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, where farmers have adopted it due to its high yield.

2. Development of climate-resistant seeds: Keeping in mind the effects of climate change, scientists are developing seeds that are resistant to extreme temperatures, erratic rainfall and new diseases. For example, agricultural research institutes in India have released 109 climate-resistant seed varieties that give good yields even with less water and are resistant to diseases.

3. Seed priming and coating techniques: Seed priming involves soaking seeds in special solutions before germination, which makes their germination faster and uniform. Seed coating involves coating the seeds with nutrients, pesticides or growth promoters, which improves the initial growth of plants.

4. Advanced seed storage techniques: Proper storage is essential to maintain the quality of seeds. Using modern storage techniques can increase the germination capacity and lifespan of seeds, making high-quality seeds available to farmers on time.

Economic benefits

Advanced seed production techniques have a direct impact on the income of farmers. For example, the use of hybrid rice varieties has seen an increase in yields by up to 10 quintals per acre, providing additional income to farmers. Additionally, using climate-resistant seeds reduces the chance of crop losses, leading to stable income. 

PMMSY: Government schemes to promote fisheries and dairy sector

There are many schemes running for the development of fisheries and dairy sector. Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) is playing an important role in empowering fishermen with insurance, financial assistance and modern technologies.

Government schemes for fisheries and dairy sector are proving to be a powerful measure to bring farmers and fishermen across the country to a better economic condition. Various schemes implemented by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying of the Government of India have played an important role in improving the living standards of fishermen and dairy farmers. One of the major schemes among these is Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), which provides insurance and other benefits especially for fishermen engaged in deep sea fishing.

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and its benefits

The objective of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) is to increase sustainable use of fisheries and marine resources. Under this scheme, many facilities are given to the fishermen, including insurance cover. This scheme acts as a safety shield especially for the fishermen who fish in the deep sea.

Under this scheme, fishermen get Accidental Insurance, in which the Central and State Government pay the entire insurance premium amount. Fishermen get compensation of Rs 5,00,000 on death or permanent disability due to any accident under this scheme. Apart from this, the government bears the expenses of up to Rs 2,50,000 for permanent partial disability and Rs 25,000 on hospitalization in an accident.

Along with this, many other social security schemes have also been implemented for fishermen under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) scheme, which has a provision of insurance subvention scheme for fishing vessels. Through this scheme, fishermen get insurance cover to compensate for losses caused by natural disasters and accidents.

Marine fishermen will get security cover

The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) is an important initiative for fishermen who fish in the sea. Deep sea fishing is a risky job, and in such a situation, insurance cover acts as a security for the fishermen. Under this insurance scheme, fishermen are given insurance for fishing vessels at a premium rate of 2%, which bears part of the losses caused by natural disasters and accidents.

Implementation of this insurance scheme by the government helps fishermen to become self-reliant, as they do not have to face financial losses due to any unexpected event. Apart from this, training and capacity building programs are also run for fishermen under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) scheme. These include training on fish farming, marine culture, seaweed culture, and other modern fish farming techniques, which introduces fishermen to the latest techniques.

Support of Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF)

Important schemes have also been implemented by the Government of India for the development of infrastructure in the fisheries and fishing sector. A fund of Rs 7522.48 crore has been made available under the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), which aims to bring about structural development in the fisheries sector.

This fund is used for the construction of infrastructure such as fishing harbors, fish landing centers, cold storage. Apart from this, this fund is also used for projects like fish processing units, fish feed mills, and marine fin-fish hatcheries. Under FIDF, fishermen get interest rebate, which helps them in the construction of infrastructure.

Supporting Dairy Cooperatives

Under the Government of India’s scheme Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations (SDCFPO), farmers are also supported through cooperative dairy societies and farmer producer organizations. Under this scheme, the government provides financial assistance to promote dairy production and fish farming as well as to increase the income of farmers.

National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) and Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF)

Apart from this, schemes like National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) and Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) also play an important role in the development of farmers and the dairy sector. Under these schemes, the government approves projects for modernization, processing and infrastructure development in the dairy sector. 

Year-wise budget allocation under various schemes implemented for development of fisheries and dairy sector during the period 2021-22 to 2025-26:

State-wise details of funds released under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) (from 2020-21 By 2024-25) 

📌 (Amount: in Lakh Rupees) 

State/UT wise details of projects sanctioned under Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) so far for development of infrastructure in fisheries sector:

Development of infrastructure in fisheries

Details of funds released to States under National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) during last five years (2020-21 to 2024-25):

Details of funds released

States for Infrastructure Development Support to Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organisations (SDCFPOs) during last four years (2020-21 to 2024-25):

Details of funds released to States for infrastructure development assistance under Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) during the last four years (2020-21 to 2024-25) up to 31-12-2024:

Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund

NCDC’s projects 

Conclusion

Schemes implemented by the Government of India such as Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), and Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations (SDCFPO) are ushering in a new era for fishermen and farmers. Through these schemes, fishermen are getting a safety net while structural and technological improvements are taking place in the dairy and fisheries sector.

These schemes of the government aim to enable fishermen and farmers to not only increase their income but also lead a sustainable and prosperous life. These schemes are proving to be a strong support for them, which is proving to be an important step towards making them self-reliant.