Tag: Horticulture Crops

Brijesh Kumar

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Brijesh Kumar: Cultivating Innovation in the Heartland of Agriculture

In the fertile lands of Dangarh, Bulandshahar, Uttar Pradesh, where agriculture is a way of life, the story of Mr. Brijesh Kumar unfolds—a tale of unwavering dedication, passion, and innovation that has transformed him into a beacon of success in the world of farming. It is said that when you follow your passion with true dedication, the power of the mind leads you down a path of innovation and accomplishment, and Brijesh Kumar’s journey is a testament to this belief.

With about 8 acres of his own land and additional leased land at his disposal, Mr. Brijesh Kumar has been cultivating crops round the year since 2010. His journey into farming started early in life, as he completed his Senior Secondary school and dived headfirst into the field of agriculture. Over the years, he has honed his skills and expertise in farming through an integrated farming system approach.

Brijesh Kumar’s specialty lies in a diverse array of crops, including horticulture crops like potatoes, cauliflower, and brinjal. He also ventures into animal husbandry, raising 4 Sahiwal cows and 4 buffaloes. His focus on potato seed production, particularly varieties like Jignasa 1, Jignasa 3 Neelkanth, Raisoni, spans approximately 20 acres, while rice varieties 1692 and 1502 find a home on about 5 acres of his land. Brijesh Kumar actively engages in direct sales of these seeds, contributing to his substantial income. Additionally, he cultivates seasonal mushrooms, further diversifying his agricultural portfolio.

What sets Brijesh Kumar apart is his ability to maximize profits through multiple avenues within agriculture. His success story encompasses a wide spectrum, ranging from field crops like paddy, maize, and wheat to horticultural delights like potatoes, cauliflower, and brinjal. His livestock, including cows and buffaloes, also contribute to his thriving enterprise. Moreover, poultry farming adds to his diverse income streams.

In his pursuit of knowledge and innovation, Brijesh Kumar has harnessed the power of social media. He actively uses platforms such as YouTube and Facebook to connect with fellow farmers and stay updated on the latest advancements in farming techniques. His thirst for learning led him to seek guidance from farmers in his locality, participate in Kissan melas, and undergo training at the nearest Krishi Vigyan Kendra for poultry farming and mushroom production. YouTube, in particular, plays a pivotal role in helping him stay at the forefront of modern farming practices.

Like any farmer, Brijesh Kumar faces his share of challenges, from unpredictable weather conditions to seed availability and the issue of spoilt seeds due to pesticides. However, his commitment to sustainability is evident through his dedication to organic farming on approximately 2 acres dedicated to potatoes and rice production.

To stay at the cutting edge of farming technology, Brijesh Kumar has secured government funding for upscaling technologies and implementing high-tech production methods. A significant portion of his produce, around 25%, is sold through direct channels, further boosting his income and fostering strong community connections.

In his pursuit of excellence, Brijesh Kumar encourages farm visits from various agricultural scientists, fostering knowledge exchange and community growth. His dedication and innovative farming methods even caught the attention of DD National, where he was featured for his groundbreaking approaches to agriculture.

Brijesh Kumar’s journey has been punctuated by accolades and recognition, underscoring his contributions to the agricultural landscape. In 2022, he was honored with the prestigious IARI Fellow and Innovative Farmer Award. Various institutions and organizations have also appreciated and awarded him for his dedication and innovative approaches. Government funding further validates his efforts and commitment to sustainable farming practices.

As Brijesh Kumar continues to innovate and expand his farming horizons, his story serves as an inspiration to all those who believe that passion, dedication, and innovation can lead to remarkable success, even in the heartland of agriculture. His journey reinforces the idea that farming is not just a livelihood but a canvas for innovation and a path to economic prosperity. In the ever-evolving world of agriculture, Brijesh Kumar is a true pioneer, paving the way for a brighter and more sustainable future for farming in India.

Sirbeerinder Singh Sidhu

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Punjab – Malwa Region Based Farmer Paired Agriculture With Mechanized Technology, Have You Tried It…

Sirbeerinder Singh Sidhu, 44, keeping in mind about the Mother Nature, implements the best Eco-friendly farming practices through which time and money, both can be saved. And this thought of working in harmony with nature comes in his mind while he was far away in a foreign land.
Farming, as we know, is an age-old practice, which was followed by our ancestors and their ancestors… to cultivate food and sustain life. But, with the revolution and change in demands, today, agriculture has come a long way creating a vast history behind. Yes, there are some negative impacts of modern agriculture practices, but now not only the farming community but a lot of individuals from the city are also taking initiative towards sustainable agriculture practices.

Sirbeerinder Singh Sidhu is also one of those individuals who realized while living in abroad that he has done nothing for the land which provided him everything since his childhood. Although he was very successful living in abroad, learning about new farming technology, machinery and serving the community, he felt very despondent. And that was when he decided to take a long respite from his life in abroad and came back to his motherland, Punjab (India).

“After completing my graduation from Punjab University, I went to Canada to pursue higher studies and later on I got settled there. But after 5-6 years I felt a strong urge from the bottom of my heart that I need to go back to where I belong.”

Already aware of the foreign agriculture practices, Sirbeerinder Singh Sidhu decided to mechanize his own way of farming and then he paired commercial farming and agriculture technology together. Moreover, he decided to start Kinnow farming rather than wheat and paddy.

“Wheat and paddy are the conventional crops of Punjab which needs only 4-5 months of labour in the field. Instead of getting stuck in the cycle of wheat and paddy, farmers should focus on horticulture crops and other agri-allied activities which can be done around the year.”

Mr. Singh designed a machine which can be taken in the orchards by attaching it with a tractor and that machine can grade the Kinnows in 6 different sizes. The machine has inbuilt 9 cleaning brushes and 4 drying brushes; mechanization of the machine up to this level has reduced the cost of labour to almost zero.

“Machine designed by me can grades around 1-1 ½ tons of Kinnow in an hour and the running cost of this machine is 10-litre diesel per day.”

According to Mr. Singh – Earlier, the main obstacle faced was during the marketing of Kinnow, labour cost of harvesting Kinnows from the orchard and then taking care of it was very time and labour consuming and also was not economical. Since the grading machine is developed by Mr. Singh, half of the problem of harvesting and grading is already solved.
This mechanized way of grading Kinnows in six different sizes has created a valuable place for Mr. Singh’s harvest in the market, as it gets more pre-eminence and better return on investment. Using this mechanized way for grading the Kinnows is a valuable addition to the “Sidhu Model Farm”, and from the last 2 years, fruits produced by Mr. Singh is achieving first and second prizes at the State Level in Citrus Shows.

This is not the only approach that Mr. Singh is following; drip irrigation, crop waste management, green manuring, bio-gas plant, vermicomposting, organic production of vegetables, cereals, fruits, and wheat, are other means through which he is trying reduce the harmful footprints of conventional farming practices on his behalf.

Sirbeerinder Singh Sidhu’s contribution in the agriculture field has bagged him many awards and honour at state and national level, out of which these two are the main:

• Won State Level Citrus Show at Abohar, Punjab
• Received award form PUSA Delhi for Innovative Farming
Along with farming, Mr. Singh is also master of other animal husbandry and agri-allied activities, just because of his hobby. He rears dairy animals, poultry birds, kennel dogs, goats, and Marwari horses. He has also maintained a fish pond in half acre and forestry which includes 7000 Eucalyptus trees and 25 Bush Bamboos.
With his 12 years of experience in the agriculture field, Mr. Singh has focused his attention on some important matters and want to give the message to the society through these issues, which are the major concerns in Punjab ….

Subsidy and agriculture schemes:
Farmer assumes that Government is helping us by giving subsidy and making different agricultural schemes, but this is not true; this is a way of making farmers handicapped and grabbing their land. Farmers have to understand their good and bad themselves because agriculture is such a wide field that if it is done properly with determination then it can make anyone rich.

Mind Set of Young Generation:
Nowadays, the young generation is all set to go abroad or get settled in the city, they don’t care what kind of work they have to do in there; for them farming is a dirty job. What’s the sake of investing in the education and employment, if ultimately it will result in brain drain! Youth is unaware of the fact that agriculture is such a prosperous and diverse field that it can provide more advantages, profit, and happiness than the life in abroad.

Marketing in agriculture field:
Today, the farmer also has to become the seller by eliminating the middlemen and this is the only way by which farmer can clinch their forgotten position from the society. Farmer has to adopt modern eco-friendly practices which will lead them towards sustainable agriculture results.

Everyone should remember that-
” once in your life you need a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman and a preacher but every day, three times a day, you need a farmer.”