Success Story of Two Farmers of Gujarat

By Info. Dept., Govt. of Gujarat, New Delhi: Gujarat's two farmers Jayantibhai Chimanbhai Patel and Kharadi Zinabhai Fatabhai were today felicitated by Union Agriculture Minister Shri Sharad Pawar for their remarkable achievement in field of agriculture. In a function of the release of Coffee Table Book titled - Harvest of Hope, Mr. Patel and Mr. Kharadi were honored with memento and certificate. Total 101 success story of farmers were published in this coffee book including two farmers of Gujarat.

Success Story of Two Farmers of Gujarat:
Chimanbhai Patel's farm in village Kesargam in the Bharuch district of Gujarat was no different from many others in the vicinity. He grew cotton and some pigeon pea, and had a traditional irrigation system that just about sustained his needs. He then heard about various activites of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK). Year 2001 onwards, he began to make use of Micro (drip) Irrigation Horticultural Department schemes apart from schemes of NABARD and the Agriculture Department. All these intervention helped him nurture his crops in the most cost effective way.

Mr. Patel was using drip irrigation on his farm, saving precious water. He constructed a check dam for water harvesting and on the advice of scientists, diversified into papaya cultivation. The measures he took increased the net income per hectare to a lakh and a half of repees from ten thousand rupees. He also saved forty percent expenses on his water and electricity costs and half of his earlier fertilizer costs. His product showed a marked improvement in quality and he got access to larger and more lucrative markets like Delhi and other states. Today, Jayantibhai is looked up to by farmers in his locality, who come to him for advice and help. His one simple mantra for everyone is "Shake off those age old ways, think big, think smart and see your life flourish."

While Kharadi Zinabhai Fatabahi was a castor farmer in vaillage Vagadadi in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat. The traditional farming practices he employed not only resulted in low yield but also resulted in wastage of soil nutrients due to excessive tillage. He was very keen to adopt new scientific farming method on his farm. After getting advice from scientists, a determined Kharadi put all his energy into introducing new methods. The quantity and quality of his crops improved considerably and the net income per hectare increased by an impressive five times. The soil on his farm was conserved and, therefore, he continued to get better produce due to minimum tillage. His confidence and expertise in scientific methods improved his social standing too; he was not only elected to the Village Panchayat, but also became its Education Secretary. He is now a respected members of the Farm Science Club.

Mr. Patel and Mr. Kharad both farmers have shown the way to other farmers by adopting new scientific and innovative method in agriculture.