A group of farmers and their leaders from Nuzendla and Vinukonda in Guntur district took part in a study-cum-awareness programme on integrated natural farming at the Aadarana Paadi Panta farm at Hampapuram, where all available resources in an average village are being put to use to improve the soil health, without using any chemical fertilizers.
Around 50 farmers, all having small landholdings ranging between 1 acre to 4 acres, took part in the programme sponsored by the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) and the ITC. The farmers are cultivating tobacco, red gram, or have plantation of sarivudu trees (used for supports in construction) and getting only ₹10,000 per year.
Aadarana Group chairman M. Ramakrishna explained the farmers about how cows and buffaloes could be useful for their plants and the benefits of cash crops such as organic curry leaves that has a large market with price running from ₹30 per kg to ₹70 per kg depending on the season or exports.
“Curry leaf plant survives for 20 to 25 years with a production of 5 tonne per acre per cutting. It can go up to 7 tonne and six cuttings can be done per year. Farmers can expect an income of not less than ₹30 lakh per acre, given the market value of the produce now,” he said.
Citing the example of Former Zilla Parishad chairperson Pathuri Nagabhushanam from Guntur district., who is a big exporter of curry leaves, Mr. Ramakrishna said, “We have advised farmers to form a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) to jointly market their produces and speak to exporters such Mr. Nagabhushanm. The NABARD can help the farmers.”
The farmers were also sensitised in cattle care and oil extraction in traditional way.
Myarada, an NGO, which is running rural development programmes in three States, coordinated the tour. Two more batches of farmers will be taken on such tour, said Myrada executives Mallikarjuna and Tippeswamy.
