How the deteriorating health of this farmer enlighten him to recognize his mistake and switch to organic farming
Angrez Singh Bhullar, this 53 old year farmer from Giddarbaha, after recognizing what mistakes he has made and how it is affecting his health, made the most enlightened decision of his life.
In the young age of 4, Angrez Singh Bhullar lost his father. His family conditions were deteriorating day by day, as there was no bread earner. They were surviving on the money they were getting from their land rented to the relatives. There were two elder sisters in his family and fulfilling the family needs was becoming very difficult for his mother day-by-day. Due to worsening financial conditions, Angrez Singh received academic qualification until 9th class only and his sisters never went to school.
After dropping off from the school, Angrez Singh used to spend time with his uncles on their farm and learn some farming techniques from them. Until 1989 the land was rented to relatives, but after that Angrez Singh was big enough to take the responsibility of the family, so, he decided of taking his land back, and start farming on it.
On the behalf of whatever he learned from his uncle and by seeing other farmers of his village, he also started chemical farming. He started earning well and financial conditions of his family were improved. Soon after some time he got married and was living a happy family life.
But in 2006, he got sick and suffered from major health issues. Earlier he used to take this problem lightly but later after getting diagnosed, he came to know that his intestine are swelled up which can lead to serious problem in the future. At that time, many people use to visit him to ask him about his well-being, and someone told him that using chemical in farming is the reason behind your health issues and you should start organic.
Although many people told him many things to do, to get cure, but the one thing that knocked his mind hardly was switching to organic. He took this matter very seriously and started organic farming in 2006 with 2.5 acres of land. He grew wheat, vegetables, fruits, lemon, guava, sugarcane and paddy and earned good profit from it. To multiply his profit, he thought of processing his produce on his own and then he started making jaggery out of sugarcane. He adopted manual jaggery processing method as he was starting this venture on his own. In the beginning, he was unsure that how it is going to benefit him, but slowly his village people started liking his jaggery. Slowly the jaggery demand rose up to a level that he started making jaggery on advance booking. After sometime he also established vermicomposting plant at his farm to reap good harvest from homemade manure.
• Participated in 90 days training of Artificial Insemination organized by Verka Plant Bathinda in 1985.
• Attended 3-days-training of Hybrid Seeds Preparation organized by PAU, Ludhiana in 1988.
• Received Yog Teacher’s Training Certificate for participating in Patanjali Yog Samiti from 9 July to 14 July of 2009.
• Appreciation from the Director of Kheti Baadi Vibhag, Punjab, 28 Sep, 2012.
• Participated in Vibrant Gujarat Global Agricultural Summit held at 9 & 10 Sep on 2013.
• Appreciation Letter for Natural Farming & Environmental Fair which was help on 26 July, 2013 by Kheti Virasat Mission.
• Received appreciation for attending Rabi Crops Farmer Training Camp at state Level- by Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) on 21st Sep, 2014, Organized by Kheti Baadi Vibhag, Dist. Shri Muktsar Sahib, Punjab.
• Appreciation Letter by Kheti Baadi Vibhag at shri Muktsar sahib on 21st Sep, 2014 for State Level Farmer Training Camp.
• Participated in Advance training course of Bee Breeding 7 Mass Bee Rearing Technique organized by PAU on 12-14 Oct, 2014.
• Attended Poultry Farming Training of 2 weeks organized by Department of Animal Husbandry, Punjab at Sarkari Murgi Sewa Kendra, Kotkapura.
• Registered as a Beekeeper by National Bee Board
• Received CRI Award.
• Attended Kharif Crop Farming 1-day-Training camp organized by KVK, Goniana.
• Attended 10 days beekeeping training organized by PAU Ludhiana.
• Attended 1-day-Training Pest Control in Grains stored in Storehouse organized by KVK, Goniana.
• Participated in Organic & Herbal Products Mela organized by department of Rural Development, NITTTR, Chandigarh.
• Participated in workshop training programme- “MARKET LED EXTENSION” conducted by PAMETI (Punjab Agriculture Management & Extension Training Institute), PAU.
Angrez Singh Bhullar is a futuristic farmer of Punjab who understands the importance of going organic. Today, we need more farmers like him to deal with the worsening environment conditions.
“If we don’t start organic farming now then our future generation will be in a big problem.”
