Tag: Fish Farming

Amarpreet Singh

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Unlocking Agricultural Potential: The Journey of a Visionary Farmer Towards Integrated Farming Success

In the sacred grounds of Chamkaur Sahib, where the echoes of historic battles still linger, a modern warrior treads a different path. Amarpreet Singh, a farmer with a relentless spirit, has harnessed the power of integrated farming techniques to revolutionize his 28-acre farm. Drawing inspiration from his forefathers’ bravery, Amarpreet has rewritten the story of agriculture in his own way, utilizing innovative methods to maximize his land’s potential and secure a sustainable future.

Embracing Change: The saga of Amarpreet Singh’s agricultural journey began when he decided to trade his corporate suit for the farmer’s plow. In 2010, Amarpreet left behind his role as an Assistant Manager at HDFC bank to pursue his calling in farming. His father’s fishery business laid the groundwork, but Amarpreet’s vision extended beyond traditional boundaries. Armed with an MBA degree, he fused modern business acumen with ancestral wisdom to craft a thriving and sustainable plan.

The Rise of Fishery: Fish farming, often fraught with market unpredictability, became a canvas for Amarpreet’s ingenuity, which he practiced in 21 acre of farm. Recognizing the need for strategic marketing, he ventured into collaborations with local vendors. By forging partnerships with chicken vendors, he ensured a steady market for his fish. Technical expertise gained from the Fisheries Department, Ropar, was pivotal in mastering the nuances of fish farming. Five distinct breeds (Golden or Common Carp Fish, Rohu Fish, Grass Carp Fish, Catla Fish, and Mrigal FIsh), recommended by the Punjab Government, took root in his farm, enabling a consistent and quality fish yield.

Managing a fishery isn’t without its challenges. Amarpreet’s insight unveils the delicate dance of nurturing fish to optimal size for market demand. Subsidies from the Punjab Government ease the financial burden, making fishery a viable venture. Wise netting practices, combined with innovative tactics such as underground pipelines, optimize water usage and harvest yields. His farm now resonates with the symphony of diverse activities that contribute to a harmonious ecosystem.

Pig Farming: Amarpreet Singh specializes in breeding large white Yorkshire pigs, a choice driven by their rapid growth rate and substantial litter size. On average, a female pig produces ten offspring. Presently, his farm is home to 63 pigs, with an average weight ranging from 60 to 65 kg. In terms of feeding, there are three primary methods: utilizing commercial feed, preparing homemade feed, or relying on waste products. Amarpreet Singh Ji favors commercial feed due to its superior formulation and mechanized production processes. Notably, the use of commercial feed enhances litter size; on this regimen, he records an average of 10 offspring per cycle, which occurs at least twice.

Sales transactions take place on the farm, facilitated by vendors who assess the pigs’ weight before making purchases. The average pig’s weight falls within the range of 80 to 85 kg. Typically, this sales approach involves immediate cash payment to the farmer.

In some instances, pig farming encounters challenges such as the disruption of pig sales caused by African Swine Fever. This viral disease can lead to a temporary suspension of sales for approximately a month, after which regular business operations resume as usual.

Goat Farming: Amarpreet Singh’s agricultural journey continues to evolve, as he ventures into goat farming with the Beetal breed, a recommendation by the Punjab Government. Despite his relatively short six months of experience, he has already witnessed growth in this sector. This growth is particularly evident due to the significant number of pregnant goats under his care, contributing to a growing inventory of approximately 20 goats in total.

In the midst of successfully integrating various farming aspects, Amarpreet Singh envisions further expansion by incorporating duck farming into his repertoire. Recognizing the potential benefits for his fisheries business, he believes that introducing ducks could enhance his overall farming dynamics.

Amarpreet’s dedication and accomplishments have garnered recognition, including the Chief Minister’s Award in 2019 for his achievements in piggery and integrated farming. Presented by the Punjab Government, this award was bestowed by the former Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, during a ceremony held at the PAU University in Ludhiana. Over the years, Amarpreet Ji has also earned multiple certifications, showcasing his commitment to honing his expertise.

Throughout his journey, Amarpreet attributes a substantial portion of his success to his supportive family. He acknowledges their instrumental role, particularly during his transition from a private job to becoming a full-time farmer. His wife, who is also well-versed in fish farming, provides valuable insights and guidance that have propelled his agricultural pursuits forward.

Thriving in Diversity: In addition to fishery, pig farming, and goat farming, Amarpreet’s farm boasts poultry and crops such as pulses, mustard, and turmeric. His prudent land use practices exemplify his commitment to maximizing returns. Poplar trees stand as a testament to his holistic approach, nurturing nature as much as his profits.

A Glimpse into the Future: As his journey continues, Amarpreet envisions integrating duck farming, yet another promising venture that complements his existing operations. Awards and certifications acknowledge his dedication, culminating in the Chief Minister’s Award for his contributions to piggery and integrated farming.

Family, Learning, and Advice: Amarpreet credits his family’s unwavering support for his success, particularly during his transition from the corporate world to farming. He encourages educated individuals to embrace integrated farming, highlighting its role in bridging the gap between mankind and nature. A testament to resilience, he urges fellow farmers to diversify their income streams and embrace integrated farming as a route to sustainable growth.

Conclusion: The story of Amarpreet Singh’s transformation from a corporate professional to an integrated farming pioneer is a testament to the untapped potential of modern agriculture. Through innovative techniques, thoughtful collaborations, and a deep commitment to environmental harmony, he has not only maximized his land’s yield but also set an example for a new generation of farmers. His journey showcases how harnessing the power of integration can pave the way to prosperity while treading lightly on the Earth.

Gurwinder Singh

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Gurwinder Singh: A Pioneer in Bee Farming and Fish Farming

Recognizing the potential for diversification, Gurwinder ventured into fish farming, implementing the RAS method. His farm boasts 15 tanks, each with a diameter of 4 feet and a depth of 4.5 feet, capable of accommodating 7000 fishes. With careful feeding and maintenance, the fish are ready for sale within 5 to 6 months, offering a considerable profit margin of ₹70,000 per tank.

Gurwinder’s success can be attributed to his meticulous approach and continuous learning. He availed a 5-day training program from a government centre in Haryana and extensively researched online to enhance his knowledge. Notably, he has introduced the Vietnamese and Singhi fish variety, which exhibits a low susceptibility to diseases.

An advantage of Gurwinder’s farming endeavours is their low labour requirement. A single person can manage bee farming, and the trading of fishes can be done directly with buyers or through the Mandi in Ludhiana. To maintain optimal conditions, the farm employs a well-designed roofing structure that aids in regulating temperatures throughout the year. In winter, the tanks are completely covered, while in summer, a green net cover is used, complemented by the RAS system filters. Temperature monitoring meters have also been installed to ensure precise control.

Gurwinder Singh’s success story demonstrates the potential of sustainable and profitable agriculture practices. Through his dedication and family support, he has transformed his small-scale ventures into flourishing enterprises. Aspiring farmers can learn from his experiences and strive to make a difference in the agricultural landscape by embracing innovative approaches and leveraging the wealth of opportunities available closer to home.

Message to farmers

Gurwinder Singh’s achievements stand as an inspiration to fellow farmers. He encourages them to explore local opportunities and highlights the importance of focusing on labour within India, even in small-scale businesses. In a noble gesture, he extends his support by offering free training to any farmer interested in learning these techniques.

Harbhajan Singh

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A farmer who succeeded in running 5 different professions on a single platform and therefore is recognized as Shaktiman of Farmers- Harbhajan Singh

Diversification is a vital process to achieve successful outcomes in this rapidly changing, fast-paced world. It is hard to adopt but very necessary these days. Everyone in the universe is born to do something unique and distinctive. However, many people are afraid of the change and hence, they hold back their thoughts on diversification. Only some people can realise their uniqueness and reach the stars to change the world. This story is about one such person.

Where most farmers go with the traditional way of cultivating Wheat and Rice, Harbhajan Singh, a farmer from Malakpur village, Mansa, contributes his efforts towards the multiformity in Agriculture. He is successfully running an integrated farm on 11 acres of his land in which he rears fish, pigs, hens, goats and quails. Moreover, he has also taken 55 acres of Panchayati land on rent in which he rears fish.

After completing his graduation in 1981, Harbhajan Singh started a mechanical workshop and along with that, he was helping his family with agricultural work. At that time, his friend suggested him to start rearing fishes. So then, he began researching the fish rearing process and soon took a village pond on rent to nurture fishes.

I made a significant profit by rearing fishes and hence, decided to work on my private land– Harbhajan Singh 

He was benefited from this work, therefore, in 1995 he decided to get training from Punjab State Fisheries Development Board, Mansa and started working more effectively on his own land. Harbhajan Singh prepared a pond on 2.5 acres on his own land and later bought additional 2.5 acres of land adjoining his pond. His fish production at that time was 6 tonnes per hectare. Later, he decided to get training from the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odisha and bought 6 breeds of fish (Rohu, Katla, Murakh, Grass Carp, Common Carp and Civil Carp) and 3 aerators to increase the fish production. The government provided these aerators with a half subsidy. The productivity of the fish rose to 8 tonnes per hectare after the use of aerators.

I had to buy fish seeds from the government hatchery, which was a costly process; therefore, I prepared a hatchery of my own– Harbhajan Singh 

Along with fish rearing, he prepared a hatchery to produce Fish Seeds as it was costly to buy seeds from other hatcheries. Generally, the hatcheries are government-made, but Harbhajan Singh was so hardworking and dedicated that he prepared his own hatchery with a large initial investment. The hatchery provides artificial rain to the fishes to help them breed. He produced about 20 Lakh finger-sized fish seeds in the hatchery and sold them for 50 paise to 1 Rs per seed.

Over time, he initiated Pig farming in 2009 with 50 pigs of large white Yorkshire breed and decided to sell them as live weight. This type of marketing was not effective enough, so he decided to start processing pig meat. He gained training in Meat products from CIPHET, PAU, GADVASU and processed pig meat into pickle. Marketing the meat pickle was a great success; his income almost got doubled.

At present, Harbhajan has around 150 pigs and he uses pig waste to feed the fishes. This saved him 50-60% of the cost, and the fishes’ production rose about 20%. And, now he produces 10 tonnes of fish per hectare.

He started a Fish Pork Processing Self Help Group of 11 members. This gave employment to many people and added to their incomes.

Harbhajan Singh was also awarded by the Chief Minister of Punjab for his success in integrated farming.

Things did not stop here! He had a long way to go.

As there is an increase in water scarcity, Harbhajan found a way to save nature by recycling the water. He reuses water by first using it for bathing the pigs; then, the same water is released to flow into the fish pond and the wastewater from the fish pond is used to irrigate the crops in the field. This water is organic and provides fertilisers to the crops; hence the only half amount of fertilisers is required to be added artificially. The Punjab CM, Parkash Singh Badal was very impressed with Harbhajan Singh’s efforts and visited his farm.

I got training from KVK, Mansa, to initiate Goat Farming– Harbhajan Singh

Furthermore, he decided to include goats in his farming; hence, he got training from KVK, Mansa and started working with 30 goats, including Beetal and Sirohi, in the beginning and at present, Harbhajan has 150 goats. Later in 2017, he started visiting Kisan Mela at PAU, from where he got the inspiration to rear Quails and Hens. Hence, he bought 2000 Quails and 150 Kadaknath Hens from Chandigarh. These hens are allowed to roam openly and find their feed on their own from the leftovers of other animals’ feed. Currently, he rears 3000 Quails at his farm.

All the feed for the animals is prepared at the field by him with the help of machines. Today, Harbhajan runs his farm successfully with his two sons, who help him in the farm works. He manages all the farming with the assistance of only one helper. He sells fish seeds for 2 Rs per seed. Besides, he sells the goats in Malerkotla on Bakar Eid’s occasion and prepares Goat pickles from the meat. The eggs of Kadaknath hen are sold for Rs 15-20 and the chicken meat is sold for Rs 700- 800. Harbhajan then got training from ICAR-CIFE, Kolkata, for making fish pickles, fish soup etc and marketed the product in the home market. He sells his product under the name “Khiala Pork and Fish Products”.

Marketing of the products is done at my farm itself– Harbhajan Singh

All the marketing process is done in his field itself; he does not need to go anywhere to sell his products. He motivated many young farmers and they visit him for taking his advice regarding integrated farming. He became an inspiration for others and encouraged many other people to run an integrated system of farming.

Future Plans

Harbhajan Singh wants to increase his income and take his farming to a higher level. He wants to be more successful in integrated farming and teach people about the benefits of organic and diversified farming.

Message

Harbhajan Singh advises young farmers to pursue organic farming. If any farmer wants to start integrated farming, he should begin from a base level and gradually add other aspects to their business.

Sapinder Singh

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Sapinder Singh Taking Allied Agricultural Activities to the Next Level in Punjab by Integrating Fishery with Piggery

In most part of India, farmers are adopting integrated agricultural allied activities to support their domestic economy. And why not they would be doing that, Integrated Farming System not only provides reasonable livelihood to the rural community but also provides a backup support in case if one of the business faces loss due to any reason. Following the same example, progressive farmer Sapinder Singh from Sangrur adopted fisheries along with pig farming and is setting an impressive example for the other farmers in Punjab.

This is the story of a retired personnel – Sapinder Singh, who after dedicating 18 years of his life to the Military Engineering Service decided to come back to its roots in Punjab and devote the rest of his life to farming. Coming from an agriculture background, it was not difficult for Sapinder Singh to continue farming again. But the major crops, Wheat, and Paddy was not a profitable venture from him, which was one of the reasons he was influenced towards allied agriculture activities.

In-between this period, once Sapinder Singh visited Sangrur city for some personal affair and there he came to know about the process of fish seed production at a Fish Seed Farm. After approaching the workers at the fish farm he came to know that 5-days-training-program is organized once in a month to train the ambitious farmers who want to adopt fish farming as their career for life.

“And this was when I decided to follow fish farming. My mother and I took five days training program in October 2013. From there I came to know that fish seed is supplied only from March to August.”

Not missing even a single moment after the training, Sapinder Singh decided to prepare his own pre-culture tank (nursery tank) and stock it with fish seeds. For the tank preparation, he dug a pond on his land after getting his land checked under soil and water testing. Fishery department also helped him in loan application and loan instalment process was also very smooth for Sapinder Singh.

“For fish farming, I applied for a loan of Rs. 4.50 lakhs and after sometime Rs 1.50 Lakh was the first loan instalment that I received. The remaining loan payment was also on time, due to which I never faced any type of financial problem during the establishment of my fish farm. ”

Fishery officers played the important role in enlightening Sapinder Singh with the information at the right time. They suggested Mr. Singh about integrated farming and then he decided to start pig farming as well. After undergoing the training process, Sapinder Singh applied for the loan of Rs 4.90 lakh to establish the piggery shed.

Currently, Sapinder Singh is following fish farming in 3.25 acres with 200 piglets. There was a profit of net worth Rs. 8 Lakh from the integrated farming system of fish with pig farming. Fishery and Animal husbandry, both the departments disbursed Sapinder Singh subsidy of Rs. 1.95 Lakh and Rs. 1.50 Lakh. Both Departments and District Administration fully co-operated and provided him full opportunity to flourish his business.

Currently, Sapinder Singh is running his farm successfully and whenever he gets the chance he tries to motivate the farmer to join KVK training camps, District Training Programmes by GADVASU for proper farming knowledge.

With his accelerating curiosity, he wants to stay one step ahead always. Sapinder Singh also knows what should be his next step to progress, and that is why he is planning to invest in processing plant of pig-fish unit.

Sapinder Singh is a modern progressive farmer who changed his farming method according to the latest trends and took advantage of every opportunity. Other farmers also have to understand Sapinder Singh’s approach if they want to progress in the agriculture field.

Message

If farmers want to earn well and improve their domestic status economically then they have to adopt Agri-allied professions along with crop cultivation.

Karamjeet Kaur Danewalia

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HOW A WOMAN PURSUED HER PASSION OF FARMING AFTER HER MARRIAGE AND IS LIVING THROUGH IT SUCCESSFULLY

Generally, in India, when daughters are married away and sent to their husband’s home then they get so busy in their life after marriage that they forget to think about their interest and hobbies, they just get bounded to the household chores. But one such woman who pursued her passion even after marriage and outliving it is Mrs Karamjeet Kaur Danewalia. Instead of just becoming house woman she chose to step outside the house and pursue her hobby of orchard farming.

Mrs Karamjeet Kaur Danewalia is a woman who was born raised in a typical Punjabi farmer’s family of a small village. As coming from a farming background, Mrs Karamjeet was always fascinated towards farming and had an interest in helping his father in the fields. But she never get a chance to be a helping hand to her father before marriage.

Soon she was married to Mr Jasbeer Singh, to a business class family. She never thought that after marriage she would get an opportunity to fulfil her dreams and pursue it as her profession. Just after few years of marriage, in 1975, with the support of her husband, she decided to start with the fruits orchards and give a chance to her interest. With the help of leveller machine and workers, she levelled 45 acres of land and prepared it for orchard farming. She planted kinnows in 20 acres, Plums, pear, peach, java plum, banana, naak pears on 10 acres and in the rest of the 5 acres she planted wheat in winter and cotton in summer.

Her hobby changed into passion and she decided to continue it. In 1990 she build up a pond and stored rain water in it so that, she can irrigate her orchards with it. But later on, she started fish farming in it and used it for both purpose fish farming as well as irrigation. To expand the business to one level ahead she also started preparing seedling herself.

In 2001 she created a record of Kinnow production in India. And to make the kinnow orchards business more successful, she especially went to California in 2003 to take kinnow packaging and processing training. After coming back she implanted that training and gained a huge profit from it. Since she has started kinnow farming from that year her kinnow quality is always no. 1 in district level and state level, every year. And because of her growing popularity in kinnow production, Prakash Singh Badal (Former CM of Punjab) entitled her as the Kinnow Queen in 2004

For the farming purpose, she has every type of modern technological farming equipment and machinery at her farm. Her popularity in the horticulture field has made her member of many prestigious communities and recipient of many awards. Some of them are listed below:

• Awarded First Prize in State Level Citrus Show by Agriculture Minister S. Gulzar  Ranika (2001-02)
• Awarded Desh Seva Rattan Award by Ravi Chopra by Shahee Memorial International Seva Society, Ludhiana. (2004)
• Entitled by Punjab’s Former CM- Prakash Singh Badal as Kinnow Queen in 2004
• Best Kinnow Grower Award by Agriculture Minister by S. Jagjit Singh Randhwa in 2005
• Awarded 2nd prize in state level citrus show kinnow crop (2012)
• 1st prize at district level citrus show kinnow crop (2012)
• 2nd prize district level citrus show kinnow crop (2010-11)
• 2nd Prize in state level citrus show kinnow crop (2010-11)
• Best women kinnow grower awarded by agriculture minister- S. Such Singh Langhah (2010)
• State awarded as innovative women farmer at kissan mela by PWD Minister S. Shranjit Singh Dhillon & V.C PAU, Ludhiana (2012)
• Champion Female Farmer Award for excellence in agriculture at 7th National conference on KVK at PAU, Ldh. Presented by Mr. Sharad Pawar Minister of Agriculture, Govt. Of India. (2012)
• Award of Honor in progressive women farmer on 64th Republic Day at Amritsar presented by Chief Minister, Punjab, S. Parkash Singh Badal. (2013)
• Award of appreciation in innovative contribution to Indian agriculture at global agri connect (NSFI) IARI, New Delhi presented by Dr. R.R Hanchinal, Chairperson PPUFRA, Govt. Of India, Ministry of Agriculture. (2013)
• National Awarded as Best Kinnow grower of Punjab at NRCC (National Research Centre of Citrus Nagpur) (2012)
• Bharat Jyoti Award for Meritorious Service, Outstanding Performance & Remarkable role in Agriculture presented by Dr. Bhisham Narain Singh(former governor of Tamilnadu & Assam) (2013)
• Bharat Gaurav Award as in Recognition of contribution and dedication to worthy cause and your achievement in keeping the flag of India high presented by Justice OP Verma former governor of Punjab at New Delhi. (2015)
• Zee Punjab/Haryana/Himachal Agri Award as best farmer horticulture of her outstanding contribution as a horticulturist in adoption & promotion of kinnow farming presented by Agriculture minister S. Tota Singh and Cabinet Minister S. Gulzar Singh Ranika and Mr. Dinesh Sharma editor, Zee Punjab Haryana Himachal.
• Member of PAU Kisan Club,
• Member of Punjab AGRO,
• Member of Punjab Horticulture Department,
• Member of Mandi Board,
• Member of Changi Kheti,
• Member of Kinnow Utpadak Sanstha,
• Member of Co-operative Society,
• Member of Kisan Salahkar Committee.
• Member of PAU, Ludhiana Board of Management

Despite being a recipient of so many awards and appreciation, she is always curious to learn something new and that’s why she never misses any district level agricultural events or meetings. She also regularly visits farms of the farmers who are associated with PAU and Hisar Agriculture University to learn something new from there and gain knowledge.
Today she is harvesting 130 ton of kinnows per hectare and generating revenue of 1 lakh and 65 thousand from it. From the rest of the fruit orchards and wheat and cotton crops, she is making revenue of 1 lakh each in every season.

Behind all her success, she gives credit to his husband who supported her dreams also helped her in farming all these years. Other than farming she is also contributing to a very good cause for the society; she helps in poor girls get marriage by providing financial help and other marriage material also. Her future plan is to make agriculture a more profitable commercial business.

MESSAGE TO FARMERS-
“
Farmers have to start maintaining their expenses properly and stop showing off what they don’t have. Today, agriculture field needs more attention, so young kids even daughters should also be involved and taught about this field. And everyone should remember one thing that every human being in the field of agriculture is a farmer first and then a businessman.
”

Gurjatinder Singh Virk

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Success Story Of A Farmer Who Started Fish Farming In Compulsion, But Today He Has Become An Inspiration For Others

Never thought by anyone, a land that had been lying vacant for the last 100 years, can be so productive and useful today. The reason that no one ever tried of doing anything on that land was, it remained waterlogged for 11 months in a year. But with the every coming new generation there comes a new thinking. We all know that to make a minor change in the surrounding and environment, great effort is needed, and that great effort can only come into action with strong willpower and passion. And with such a different outlook, intellect, and zeal, to do something for his motherland and for his community came Gurjatinder Singh Virk.

Gurjatinder Singh Virk residence of village Kandola, District Roopnagar, started fish farming on that 5 acres waterlogged land in the year of 1985, which came to him from ancestral property. As he was left with no other choice, so he especially visited Gurdaspur and took 5 days training before starting fish farming. He started fish farming almost 30 years ago, and since then, with his hard work and diligence, he has spread that 5 acres of land to 30 acres. His revolutionary step towards fish farming motivated many other farmers in following the same path, and ultimately it leads to manifold effect which helped in developing the whole wasteland into a fish farming area.

Today, about 300-400 acres of waste land is being used for the purpose of fish farming in the same area.

It all started years ago with a piece of land and one man’s effort, and today it has inspired many people. Eventually, that little step is helping in improving the livelihood of the farmers and many other localities by uplifting their living standard. Now, a community of passionate fishing farmers has been created in that area and their endeavours are ultimately resulting in the economic development of the area which is adding to the economic growth of the state and the nation.

Now, coming to the Mr. Virk’s farming method and economic progression. Gurjatinder Singh Virk farms breeds of common carp fishes like Catla and Rohu. 2000 fingerling fish seeds are needs for one pond is of one acre nearly. So, he use to put 2000 fingerling fishes, and the growth of the fishes depends upon the conditions of the water, quality of diet, and the predators present in the water. Generally, he puts two breeds of fishes in one pond and maintain an ideal condition for the good yield. He sold the fishes at Rs 80/Kg, whereas the market price is Rs 120/kg, and despite selling the fishes at a lower prices, he is earning in lakhs and making enough profit.

Gurjatinder Singh Virk has also taken many steps in preserving the nature; one of his important steps, he took is- reducing the carbon footprint by using solar pump sets to irrigate his own kitchen garden and also to fill up the pond. For the good work done by MR. Virk, he has received many awards and achievements, some of them are listed below-

He received District level award for Agriculture Technology Management and letter of Commendation by Roopnagar Administration for best agricultural practices. He was also awarded by Zee Networks for developing the area. In 2011 he was awarded as Best Citizen India Award, later on, followed by Bharat Jyoti Award and Fish Farmer Award.

His good work in the field of farming leads him to achieve membership in many prestigious committees and societies. Today, he is a member of Advisory Committee (ATMA) and Board of Management at GADVASU. He is also one of the 11 members of Kisan Vikas Chamber (which is set up to the pattern of major industry association of India like CII, FICCI, and ASSOCHAM); and the work done by this chamber is to upgrade the state’s deteriorating agrarian economy and bring it back on track by providing farmers with the latest updates related to farming. He was also Ex- grame warden (Forest Department) for Village Cooperative Society under NABARD for the District of Roopnagar and Mohali.

One of the major steps, taken by Gurjatinder Singh Virk in improving the fish farming method was visiting China with ex-chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, to know more about the technology being used in China for fish farming.

Apart from his global achievements, he has also worked very hard in making his surrounding a beautiful place full of greenery. He has his house in the centre of the ponds, and on that piece of land where he has his house, he has grown all types of vegetables and fruits. His farm has peaches, almonds, tangerine, mandarin, mango, pomegranate, apple, pine tree and more than 17 vegetables and pulses. He has developed the land around his house so well that, some of the rarest and common species of birds like fish-hawk, kingfisher, fork tail, geese, parrot, peacocks, etc., can be easily seen chirping around his farm. In short, development work on his homeland has created a diversity of the different species of birds.

All this way, the best motivation and companion who helped him in achieving what he has today, is his wife Rupinder Kaur Virk, she was with him in every step of life and helped him in every work. She also has a professional role in his life and that is maintaining accounting records of all the farm work. In the free time, she also loves to make pickles and candies for selling purpose, by using the own farm grown fruits. Gurjatinder Singh Virk manages all the farm work with the help of his wife and only two servants, and for the future development, he is working on the plan of making his farm a tourist place.

After the China visit Gurjatinder Singh Virk concluded that by using better technology, better production can be obtained, so he wants the farmers to start adopting new technologies for better production. He also mentioned that not having electricity supply 24-hour in their village is resulting into less farming produce and in the future, if they are provided with 24-hour electricity facility, then they can offer better results in the farming field. He thinks that from hard work you can reap anything from a piece of land, the only difference will be in the shape and appearance of the fruit and vegetable.

Gurcharan Singh Mann

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How Gurcharan Singh Mann Getting the Most Out Of His Land through Diversification of Crops and Other Allied Activities

The trend of diversified farming is not so common in India. Wheat, rice and other traditional crops like barley are the major crops that farmers prefer to grow, unaware of the fact that conventional farming not only affects the soil fertility but also affects the farmer and sometimes also makes them vulnerable. On the other hand, diversified farming gives a boost in the farmer’s income if done properly. One such a farmer who recognized benefits of crop diversification and earned profit from it by implementing it when he was totally down and out, is Gurcharan Singh Sandhu.

Gurcharan Singh Sandhu was an ordinary farmer from Tungwali village of Bathinda district. The place from where he belongs is an arid and underdeveloped area, but these hindrances were nothing in front of his strong willpower.

In a young age, he left his studies and started farming, it’s a matter of 1992. He already had 42 acres of land, but he was never satisfied. Growing wheat and paddy was not a successful venture for him, due to the aridness of that area. After many attempts, when Gurcharan was not successful from traditional or conventional farming trend, then he decided of bringing a change in his farming methods. He adopted diversified farming trend and because of this initiative he has been chosen as the best farmer of the year by Punjab Agriculture University and has been honoured with “Parwasi Bharti Puraskar” instituted by Maninderjit Singh Sandhu, a former PAU teacher, for adopting diversification.

Today, out of 42 acres, he has orchards in 10 acres, vegetable farming in 2.5 acres, fish farm in 10 acres and banyan trees in half an acre. However, the real game changer other than diversified farming for him was beekeeping. He started with just 7 bee boxes, and today he has more than 1800 bee boxes from which the total produce is one thousand quintal of honey every year.

Mr. Gurcharan is so perfect in his work that the honey produced by him is excellent in quality and is recognized in many countries. His success in beekeeping led district administration to establish a honey processing plant in his village, and this plant is giving employment to 15 people who come under below poverty line. His beekeeping business is not only profiting him but also many other people by providing them employment.

Mr. Gurcharan has truly understood the meaning of diversification and he has implemented it not only in vegetable farming but also in his occupation. He has orchards, fish farm, dairy farm, and he is also actively involved in organic farming. From beekeeping business, he has started other allied activities such as Bee Box making and Wax Candle making.

“One thing that every farmer should get it done is soil and water check. And the second thing that farmer should understand is that if one farmer is growing potatoes than other should grow garlic, they should never chase other’s actions.”

Since beekeeping has now become his primary occupation, so he has named his farm “Mann Makhi Farm” and apart from honey he also makes jam, pickles, spices like turmeric powder and red chili powder. He markets all these products under the name of “Maan”.

Currently, his farm comes under Punjab Tourism because of its surrounding and landscape; his farm is encircled by more than 5000 species of trees and visiting there gives the real sense of being close to nature.

According to him, whatever he has achieved today is just because of PAU (Punjab Agriculture University); from the beginning, he always practiced that was recommended by the PAU Experts. To bring more professionalism in his work he also pursued the higher education and graduated in technical and scientific inventions later.

His main key to success is reducing the production cost, taking the products in the market himself and being less dependent on the government. By following these main things he is making a good profit.

He also discussed his views related to government initiative towards farming: –

“Government should pay more attention towards encouraging the modern farming techniques, availing more funds for research work, deciding the right collaboration cost for the cash crops, then only farmers can easily adopt the modern farming trends.”

Message:
“Farmers shouldn’t follow the trend that other farmers are doing, they should do from which they can be benefited. And if they need help than they can take it from agriculture experts, whether they are from PAU or any other university, because they always suggest the best.”

Rajwinder Pal Singh Rana

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HOW A FARMER IS EMPOWERING FISH FARMING INDUSTRY WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY

Agricultural practices and farming trends differ globally, on the other hand, breed variety and location also plays a very important role. And living in a country like India, where both land and climatic conditions are in favour of agriculture, it’s a plus point for the farmers to reap benefit. But, the field in which the Indian farmers are lacking behind is the farming technology. One such a farmer who is bringing the modern farming technology from abroad to his motherland is Rajwinder Pal Singh Rana. He is a residence of Mandiani, Ludhiana, Punjab.

For Mr. Rana stepping into the field of fish farming was a totally new thing in 2000, but today by seeing his achievements nobody can say that. He started fish farming with 1.5 acres of land. But before this, he covered a long successful path as a marketing professional. As being an MBA graduate in Advertising and Sales Promotion he worked for a couple of years for many well-recognized brands like Coca-Cola and Johnson & Johnson.

But, maybe working as a marketing pro was not what he wanted to do in his life. He felt a something missing in his life and decided to return to his roots in Punjab. After taking the advice of a senior official from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), he decided to pursue a career in fish farming. He undertook training programs at PAU and Fish Farmer Development Agency, Ludhiana respectively, before venturing into commercial fish farming business.

In a span of 16 years, his farming venture has expanded to 70 acres. And in these years he has visited a new nation every year, to learn latest farming practices and technologies used in fish farming.

“People in Holland and Israel share the information while Russians are a bit secretive!” he says in a lighter vein.

His Inventions
From the beginning, Mr. Rana was always very curious and interested in knowing about new technologies. So after his foreign exploration, Mr. Rana invented new fishery products and machinery from his mastermind and implemented at his farm.

Machine to track the growth of fish in the pond
The first thing that he invented after his visit to Holland experience was a tag tracking machine for fishes. This machine helps in tagging and tracing every fish. Originally it’s a Dutch machine and is not affordable for an ordinary farmer, so Rajwinder created an Indian version of that machine. By using this machine a farmer can closely tag track a fish and can take the desired action in case of any risk to the other fishes.

Fish dung manure
The second thing he invented was fish dung manure. He invented a procedure in which fish waste is mixed with jaggery and decomposed for 45 days in a deep ditch and then it can be used directly. And this manure is very beneficial for horticulture purpose.

Device for carrying live fish for sale in the market
As we all know live and fresh fishes fetches better returns, so he developed a special water tank in which a 12 V DC motor will pump air through an air blower and will keep the fish alive and fresh, while the farmer carries it to the market.

Fashion accessories made from fish skin
Fish skin releases an acid like substance, due to which the fish skin remain shiny 24/7 in the water. So, Mr. Rana recognized its use and instead of discarding the fish skin, he used it for making mobile covers. Punjab Agriculture University helped him in making this project successful. The mobile covers made from the fish skin are very beneficial, as they prevent the emission of mobile radiations and safeguard humans from ill effects. He also understood that fish skin can also be used for making bags as a women accessory. Moreover, in the international market fish skin is valued at 600 Euros/inch. Mr. Rana has already applied for the patent on mobile covers and is waiting for government approval.

He also discussed the challenges faced in the fishery industry of India, –

“Banks in India don’t support fishery projects. There are other issues related to the availability of electricity and water. Lack of literacy among the farmers is another factor which has hampered the growth of fishery sector in India.”

He believes that Government of India should help in this regard by sponsoring trips of groups containing one scientist and nine farmers to foreign countries for training.

Currently, Rajwinder is raising rohu, catla and murak fish breeds at his Raj Aqua World farm for commercial purpose. Many other fellow farmers also benefited by using his techniques. He has developed successful fishing partnerships with other farmers and is selling large quantities of fish to other states. The fish-lets have been purchased from the government at subsidized rates. All thFrom the beginning, Mr. Rana was always very curious and interested in knowing about new technologies. So after his foreign exploration, Mr. Rana invented new fishery products and machinery from his mastermind and implemented at his farm.is success is the result of his ability to adopt new technology, innovations, and experimentation.

Future Plan
His plan is to focus on aquaponics in the future. He insists that expensive fish breed should be used in aquaponics for better results.

Awards & Achievements:

• Received award for Best Farmer of Punjab – 2004-05 from PAU Kisan Club (Regd.) for best utilization of waste water in aquaculture

• Best Fish Farmer of Punjab – 2005-06, Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development and Fishery from Mr. Jagmohan Kang

• Best Input Technology in Water Harvesting in Aquaculture – 2005, Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development and Fishery from Mr. Jagmohan Kang

• Best Production Award in low level water harvesting technology – Fish Farmers Development Agency, Moga (35 qt.) – 2005

• Best Farmer Award for water quality management – 2006-07

• Award for Storage of Aquaculture water and reusing agriculture resources – 2008-09

• Award for best utilization of sewage water in aquaculture – 2010-11