Tag: Pulses

Smt. Naina Kumari

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The Inspiring Journey of Smt. Naina Kumari from Farmer to Visionary Khetipreneur

Smt. Naina Kumari, a trailblazing entrepreneur from Bhagalpur, Bihar, has revolutionized the agricultural landscape with her dedication to mechanized processing of cereals, pulses, spices, mushrooms, jaggery, and mangoes. Her adoption of cutting-edge machinery has not only minimized wastage but also significantly increased profits, marking a transformative journey from a traditional farmer to a visionary khetipreneur. Naina’s innovative approach and commitment to modernizing agricultural practices have not only benefited her community but have also set a remarkable example for sustainable and profitable farming in the region.

Naina Kumari’s established the Farmers’ Producer Organization (FPO) named ‘Vikramshila Gram Udyog.’ under the brand name ‘Shree,’ she sells a diverse range of processed items, including semolina, spices, papad, chips, mushroom, mango pickles, and jaggery. The brand has become a household name, resonating not just across India but also attracting attention from international markets.

Embracing the digital age, Naina Kumari has seamlessly integrated the online mode for selling her high-quality processed produce. This strategic move has not only expanded her market reach but has also positioned ‘Shree’ as a prominent player in the e-commerce space for agricultural products. The shift to online sales has been a game-changer, providing convenience to customers and opening up new avenues for growth.

 Beyond her success in processing various agricultural products, Smt. Naina Kumari is also diversifying her income streams through fish rearing and dairying. This multifaceted approach not only adds to her financial stability but also showcases her versatility as an khetipreneur willing to explore and innovate in different domains of agriculture. 

Naina’s inspiring journey from a local farmer to a nationally recognized entrepreneur has been widely covered by newspapers and social media channels. Her story serves as a beacon of hope and motivation, not only for aspiring khetipreneurs but for women in Bihar and beyond. The accolades she has received, such as the ‘Mahila Udyami Samman’ and the ‘Utkrisht Kisan Puruskar,’ stand as a proof of her tireless efforts in food processing and uplifting the livelihoods of fellow farmers.

What makes Naina Kumari’s story even more remarkable is the profound impact she has had on her community. Through her FPO, she trains local women, empowering them with the skills needed for khetipreneurship. By doing so, she not only boosts their incomes but also contributes to the economic upliftment of the entire community. The ripple effect of Naina’s initiatives has enhanced the market presence of these women, turning them into self-reliant contributors to the agricultural sector.

Naina’s commitment to empowering women in agriculture goes beyond the boundaries of her own success. She has become a beacon of inspiration, breaking stereotypes and proving that women can thrive in traditionally male-dominated sectors. Her recognition for the ‘Mahila Udyami Samman’ underscores the importance of acknowledging and celebrating the achievements of women in entrepreneurship.

The journey from local markets to a broader market presence is a an example of Naina’s determination and strategic vision. Once faced with skepticism, she has now become a symbol of success, with those who once doubted her abilities now eager to collaborate with her. This shift in perception highlights not only the resilience of Naina Kumari but also the transformative power of embracing innovation in agriculture. 

Naina’s success story has been notably recognized at different farmer fairs, where her stalls have received accolades for being the best. The prestigious ‘Utkrisht Kisan Award 2021’ further cements her status as a pioneer in the agricultural sector. Her dedication to quality, innovation, and community development sets a shining example for the entire farming community. 

In conclusion, Smt. Naina Kumari’s journey from a traditional farmer to a celebrated khetipreneur is a remarkable example of the transformative power of innovation in agriculture. Her commitment to mechanized processing, online sales, and community empowerment has not only brought her personal success but has also positioned her as a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women, in Bihar and beyond. Naina Kumari’s story is a attestation to the potential for growth and success when traditional practices meet visionary entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector.

Inder Singh Sidhu

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Success Story of a Punjab-Based-Farm Which Is Left Unaffected With the Impact of Green Revolution

A farmer whose whole life cycle depends on the crop yield, for them facing crop failure even once can be a devastating situation. Coping up with this situation every farmer takes preventive measures that he is capable of, to avoid the losses… and this is how our agriculture sector in the race of producing high yield, had moved towards modernization by adopting Green Revolution. But there is one farm based in Punjab which is completely left untouched from the impact of Green Revolution.

This is the story of a man – Inder Singh Sidhu, 89, and his family run farm – Bangla Natural Food Farm. A part of the story began when Green Revolution came to India. It’s a matter of time when in the name of pesticides and fertilizers harmful chemicals were put in the hands of farmers. Inder Singh Sidhu was also one of those farmers who encountered some striking incidences which made him hate the use of pesticides.

“A spray was used to kill the pest in the sugarcane field and at that time farmers were warned not to collect fodder for their livestock. Similar type of process was also practiced in the Sorghum field and the spray was so toxic that it even killed the rats and other small insects.”

After observing both of these incidences, Inder Singh Sidhu thought that if these sprays can be harmful to the livestock and pests, then it will harm us as well. Mr. Sidhu decided at that very moment, whatever happens, he will not let such poisonous things enter his farm boundaries. And this is how traditional farming practices of using farm-made manure and eco-friendly methods saved the Bangla Natural Food Farm from death-dealing sprays.

Well, Inder Singh Sidhu is not alone, his son and daughter-in-law- Madhumeet Kaur, both support him. From kitchen to kitchen garden to farm, Madhumeet Kaur takes interest in all the activities and walks beside her husband and father-in-law.

Earlier, when Britishers used to rule India, at that time people called Fazilka, Bungalow (Bangla in Punjabi), so that is why my father-in-law named the farm Bangla Natural Foods. – Said Madhumeet Kaur with a little chuckle

Inder Singh Sidhu believes in traditional farming practices but he never hesitates from adopting modernized eco-friendly farming techniques. He uses all the modern machinery at his farm by taking it on rent, and for the preparation of manure, he also uses “Waste Decomposer” on his daughter-in-law’s recommendation. In place of pesticides, he uses Sour Buttermilk spray, Neem spray, and other alternatives to keep the harmful pest away from the crops.

The main crop for which Bangla Natural Food farm is recognized is the cultivation of the oldest variety of wheat- Bansi. Bansi wheat is a 2500-year-old indigenous variety of India which is rich in vitamins and has great food value.

“When we knead the dough of naturally grown and processed Bansi Wheat flour then it always looks white and fresh even the next day, but kneaded dough of wheat flour which we buy from the market turns black after few hours. – Said Madhumeet Kaur”

Other than wheat Mr. Sidhu cultivates Sugarcane, Garlic, Onion, Turmeric, pulses, seasonal vegetables and they have also maintained mixed fruit orchard in 7 acres. In the age of 89, Mr. Sidhu is perfectly fit and fine, he never takes any day off from the farm and supervises all the farm work with the help of few workers. Many people of the village criticize the efforts of Inder Singh Sidhu and say “What is this old man doing…”, but now many criticizers have turned into customers and like to buy the vegetables and processed products from Bangla Natural Food Farm.

Besides farming Inder Singh Sidhu’s daughter in law also processes some products from the farm produce like – Vermicelli, Bulgur, Rice Vermicelli, Rice Namkeen, Guava Juice and Garlic Powder. Most of the processed products and crops are for home purpose or distributed among friends and relatives.

Property of 50 acres land divided into 3 plots, is under the possession of Inder Singh Sidhu, out of which 1 plot is cultivated naturally from the last 30 years and 36 acres land is given on lease to other farmers. For his natural farming approach, Kheti Virasat Mission has also given him certification.

The family believes in preserving the heritage and traditional way of living, they use clay utensils (kuja’s, hara etc.) for cooking. Organic durries, sandhook and manjhi’s are used in day to day living.

A lot of people visit their farm every year, which includes agriculture students, foreign researchers and some who want a touch of heritage and farm culture for a few days.

Future Plan: Planning to open a small at the farm to sell the harvest and processed products from their farm along with other local natural and organic farmers and convert their farm into a tourist place.

Message

“As we know, if the chemicals are brutal for the pests then it will be harmful to nature as well, so keeping this in mind we should avoid using such things which can ultimately hit us back in the future. Moreover, most of the insects found, are friendly and killing them with the use of pesticides is bad for the crop as well as the environment. The farmer should be aware of the friendly pests and enemy pests. And one of the most important things that matter is that if you are satisfied with your work then you can do anything.”

 

Well, good health and liveliness show that hard work and devotion towards natural farming has paid well to Inder Singh Sidhu in return, and his personality and farming practices have already made him popular in the nearby places.

Farmers not getting influenced by others criticism and doing what is good for nature and humans is what we need today. Salute to Inder Singh Sidhu and other progressive farmers like him.

Amarjit Bhattal

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Know about an Ex-Army Officer Who Turned into an Agripreneur & Is Bringing Revolution in the Field Of Agribusiness

Nowadays, very few people see a future for themselves in the field of agriculture. And the era in which we are living, most of the people are attracted towards the bright lights of the big cities. And when it comes to life after retirement, then people generally prefer to live an easy and comfortable lifestyle in which they have to do nothing, just sit at home, read the newspaper, spend time with grandchildren, do little exercising and that’s it. There are very few people who are concerned about nature and fulfil their responsibility and try to give back to the soil, that the soil has provided them all their life.

Well, one such person who is fulfilling his responsibility towards the Mother Nature and has made that responsibility as his hobby of farming and a way of relaxation is, Ex-army Officer- Mr. Amarjit Singh Bhattal. Leaving all his luxuries he is living with his father and wife in a small village of Ludhiana- Banohar (Banohad) and running a small shop with the name “JATT SAUDA”.

Well, many people have shops and retail stores along with the road, so what is that special in JATT SAUDA? The thing that makes “JATT SAUDA” unique and different from others is the organically produced vegetable, lentils, fruits and spices from his own farm which is just behind the shop. So basically, he has an “ON-ROAD FARM MARKET” where you can buy everything fresh and organic. Moreover, he also has a small poultry farm where he has around 100 chickens (desi murgiyan). The number of chickens keeps on going up and down, but the demand for the desi eggs never goes down and are sold as soon as they reach his store’s rack.

He started organic farming in December of 2012, after taking training from Kheti Virasat Mission. And from that day till now, he is so actively involved in farming that, from morning till evening, he spends all his time in the farm store and his father is always there to accompany him. It’s like the father-son duo is nurturing the small piece of land like their own child.

He has given a very rustic touch to his small shop, where you can see all the fresh seasonal veggies displayed on a side and garlic hanging from the roof. In his shop, there is a way towards the backyard which leads to his small farm where you can find small plantings of okra, ridge gourd, tomatoes, bitter melon, pigeon pea, different types of lettuce and many more vegetables. According to him, you can see the best view of his farm in the early morning or evening because at that time you can see the best natural colors of nature emerged with the farm beauty. Poultry farm is at one corner of his farm where you can see a dog tied with the hook. All in all, his whole farm will give you an ideal view of a perfect farm. He has 2 to 3 helper, which help him in farm work.

Amarjit Singh completed his M.Sc. degree from Punjab University, Chandigarh, and serving the country was one of the career choices of his life. Before farming, Mr. Amarjit Singh had one more profession and that was a consultant in an immigration firm, at that time he used to counsel children, talk to them and discuss them about their thinking and perspective for their life aims and goals. Moreover, he was also a popular advisor of Punjab’s Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. Even after achieving all these prominent titles in his previous life, today, he is not proud of anything. He believes in simple living and respecting the Mother Nature, and by doing organic farming he is trying to do his side of effort in conserving the nature and providing healthy food to the community.

Amarjit Singh has also an unseen talent. From his college days, he was leaned towards literature and was very fond of Leo Tolstoy’s work. He is also a very keen writer and now also whenever he gets time from the farming, he writes about his thoughts and thinking.

After having the conversation with him, he discussed his views on the poor consumer’s demands and according to him – “Nowadays consumer demand is very unhealthy. With the advanced technologies and modern ways of preserving the food, today you can shop and eat peas and carrot in summers and bottle gourd in winters. As we know that vegetables are an important part of human’s diet and each season offers an array of beautiful fresh produce, so if you include more organic seasonal fruits and veggies in your palate, then it will be more beneficial. Because by adding seasonal fruits in the diet you can enjoy the better taste of the veggies with higher nutritional values, without any chemicals, and it will also support the body’s need according to the season. He also said that the day consumer will be aware of the benefits of organic food, from that day the demand of organic veggies and fruits will increase. And to increase the awareness, farmers and consumers interaction is very much necessary.”

On his own behalf, he tries to make the people aware about the organic farming and he has also given presentations to school children on the importance of organic farming and foods. Currently, he is just planning to continue organic farming and make more people aware about benefits of organic farming.

In future, he is planning to:

• Upgrade the infrastructure of his on-road farm market

• Build up a net house in 2000 yards

• Give a protective environment to the crops in his farm

• Install hybrid system of irrigation

• Increase water storage


Message by Amarjit Singh Bhattal
“He has given a very wise message to today’s farmers- “You can’t control the product price and can be dependent on the government, you should do what is in your hands. The farmer should try to control the input cost and start doing organic farming as it requires less monetary input. A time will come when people will realize that conventional farming is not going to fulfil their demands. So, it’s better to understand the rising need of the hour and start acting according to it.”

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.

Gurdial Singh

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How A Farmer’s Hard Work & Passion Led the Yellow Revolution in the Gurdaspur District of Punjab

Punjab is a state where the dominance of wheat and paddy cultivation is greater as compared to the other crops because it generates a great level of profit to the cultivators. And generally, the farmer also prefer to invest in wheat and paddy farming because of the positive profit results. But there is a farmer who is different from the others, and he thought of initiating a change in the farming culture by starting the Yellow Revolution.

Mr. Gurdial Singh a turmeric farmer from Sallopur village in Gurdaspur district, has three roles by profession- a farmer, an entrepreneur and a turmeric cultivation trainer. Today he is cultivating turmeric, processing it, marketing his product himself and selling it in the market; he is not dependent on the third person to sell his produce. He chose a different path from the rest of the farmer to make his own identity in the society. At present, his yearly turmeric production is between 1500 to 2000 quintals and he is the king of Green Gold Spice Group.

Success is not achieved so easily, a person has to do hard work, face difficulties and hardships and sometimes losses also occurs. After facing all these adversities, with the spirit of not giving up and moving forward in the same direction, helps in achieving success. Gurdial Singh’s farming story is similar. After passing his matriculation he tried for government jobs, but getting failed after many attempts he decided to go hand in hand with his father to support him in farming. From the beginning, he was never satisfied with the conventional farming methods, because a farmer isn’t able to get the right worth of his crops grown from his hard work. So, in 2004 he experimented with turmeric cultivation on a small land with the guidance of Horticulture Department. And along with that he also started processing turmeric into turmeric powder but without using any machinery.

Processing turmeric into turmeric powder manually was very backbreaking. So, after the Horticulture Department suggestion, he installed mechanized processing unit for turmeric powder production. Further, he also invested in modern farming machinery, such as tractor, trolley, leveller, tiller etc. And all these steps taken by him has increased the production of raw turmeric from 60 Quintals to 110 Quintals today. By putting all these stepping stones together he started his own turmeric processing plant in 2007 and named it as Green Gold Haldi Processing Plant and Haldi Green Gold Spice is one of the products of this plant. His family including wife, two sons, one daughter, and everyone plays a major role in all the activities related to the processing of turmeric such as washing, boiling, polishing and grinding. He also has 4-5 labours working for him in the processing plant and all the packaging, sealing and stamping work is done by the equal contribution of family members in his home. After setting up all the machinery system there are still some minor problems that he is facing. Out of all the problems, not having enough space for drying up the boiled raw turmeric is the one.

The reasons behind why Gurdial Singh chose turmeric cultivation are:

• It needs less irrigation, in the time period between sowing to harvesting (8-10 months), irrigation is done only 10-12 times.

• Moreover, as turmeric is an antibiotic in nature, so the turmeric crop do not seem to catch any kind of disease from any other plants or crops, due to which less chemicals and sprays are used in turmeric farming.

• He invests around 35000 in one acre of land, and in one acre of land he sows 5 quintals of seeds and potato digger can also be used for turmeric harvesting.

• He sows turmeric in 6-7 acres of his total land, and after sometime, he rotates the crops, due which the land in which turmeric was cultivated becomes more fertile.

So, if a farmer is interested in turmeric farming then he can also start with it easily. The total machinery cost invested by Gurdial Singh in setting up the turmeric processing plant was 4.5 lakhs. He takes all the suggestion for training, types of turmeric seed from Punjab Agriculture University and also gets 25% subsidy on “Green Gold Processing Unit” as per NHM guidelines by the Horticulture Department of Punjab. For his revolutionary work and the different path he has achieved many awards and appreciations, some of them are listed below:

• Udmai Kissan Award 2014 from CM of Punjab

• Datawid Kissan Award 2015

• Awarded by P.A.U. Ludhiana and Horticulture Department Punjab at Chappar Chiri

The way he is rising and advancing his farming methods, these are just a few awards that he has received and in future, he is going to receive many more.

Apart from turmeric farming and processing it into powder, he is also helping other fellow farmers of his village by giving them the right guidelines for turmeric farming. Today, almost 60 farmers are associated with him and he gives free training to all of them. He helps other farmers by purchasing raw turmeric from them at the right price. Apart of sowing turmeric in his own land (6-7 acres), he also helps his other friends by sowing turmeric in their fields. To support all his work through marketing and promotion, NABARD supports them by giving them space in different exhibitions, events and Kisaan Mela under the Farmer Producers Organizations.

Other than turmeric cultivation and processing, Gurdial Singh has also invested in beekeeping business. He started it in 2000 from just 5 boxes and with the time and investment today he has 100 boxes. He has employed labours for beekeeping to manage it properly. In the rest of the land, he grows lentils (green mung beans), eggplant, ladyfinger, wheat and paddy for his own home use. His future plans for Green Gold Haldi Processing Plant is to advance the packaging process by using hi-tech machines.

According to his thinking, if a farmer wants to earn good profit from his farming and do something great from his harvested crops, then he has to eliminate the middle man. Farmer has to start process his crops himself and sell it himself in the market. All these things need great effort, energy, and enthusiasm. Otherwise, if the farmer feels ashamed of selling his produce himself directly in the market then he cannot earn the profit and will remain at the same level. Furthermore, if a farmer is interested in turmeric cultivation then he can refer the experts of PAU or other successful turmeric farmers because experts can tell better about the types of seeds, and types of land required, and other necessary conditions.


MESSAGE BY GURDIAL SINGH

“According to the current needs, conventional farming ways cannot help the farmer. The farmers need to diversify if they want to earn well from their harvested produce. From modern farming ways, even a small farmer can also achieve success. Today, food processing is the need of the hour, so every farmer should start thinking in a different way. Farmer has to understand that there is no need of middleman to sell their product in the market. They can also do it on their own.“