54.
Cow Dung
On The Face Of Monsanto And Its Agents In The National Capital
In November 2012, Indian government told the Supreme Court in an affidavit that it could not achieve the goal of reducing the number of hungry people by half without taking recourse to genetically modified (GM) crops, which could herald the second green revolution in the country. The central government said GM crops would not only lead to increased food security but would also reduce pressure on land use.
The central government pronounced its position backing field trials of GM crops while junking the interim report of the court-appointed Technical Expert Committee (TEC) report, which had recommended a 10-year moratorium on GM crops field trials.
But what about the farmers who are growing much more per acre than Mosanto or its forefathers can ever imagine? They are being conveniently ignored by the mainstream agricultural establishment. Why not make their techniques available to the masses?
G. Nagarathanam Naidu is one such farmer, based in South India, in Hyathnagar mandal near Hyderabad. He is producing 15.5 tons of rice per hectare by using indigenous cow based inputs in his field. His consumption of seeds, water, labour and other inputs is also much lower compared to other farmers.
The central government pronounced its position backing field trials of GM crops while junking the interim report of the court-appointed Technical Expert Committee (TEC) report, which had recommended a 10-year moratorium on GM crops field trials.
But what about the farmers who are growing much more per acre than Mosanto or its forefathers can ever imagine? They are being conveniently ignored by the mainstream agricultural establishment. Why not make their techniques available to the masses?
G. Nagarathanam Naidu is one such farmer, based in South India, in Hyathnagar mandal near Hyderabad. He is producing 15.5 tons of rice per hectare by using indigenous cow based inputs in his field. His consumption of seeds, water, labour and other inputs is also much lower compared to other farmers.
Cropping System
- A combination of Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) and System of Rice Intensification (SRI)
- Application of farmyard manure (cow, sheep and goat manure) @ 5 tons/acre.
- Incorporation of Green manure and green leaf manure (Neem).
- Application of jeevamritham directly or along with farmyard manure to soil twice as top dressing.
- Using 2 kg seed for transplanting one acre, instead of 30 kg normally used.
- Planting 12 day old seedlings.
- Planting at 25x25cm spacing.
- Running three Row Cono weeder four times.
- Adopting alternate wetting and drying
- Controlling pests and diseases with bio-dynamic formulations, neem kernel
- Formation of irrigation channels round the field and for every 2 meters which are interconnected to save on irrigation water.
- Application of farmyard manure (cow, sheep and goat manure) @ 5 tons/acre.
- Incorporation of Green manure and green leaf manure (Neem).
- Application of jeevamritham directly or along with farmyard manure to soil twice as top dressing.
- Using 2 kg seed for transplanting one acre, instead of 30 kg normally used.
- Planting 12 day old seedlings.
- Planting at 25x25cm spacing.
- Running three Row Cono weeder four times.
- Adopting alternate wetting and drying
- Controlling pests and diseases with bio-dynamic formulations, neem kernel
- Formation of irrigation channels round the field and for every 2 meters which are interconnected to save on irrigation water.
Jeevamritham Composition:
10kg cow dung
10 lit of cow Urine
0.5kg cow ghee
1kg jaggery
200g virgin red soil
Mixed in 200 lit of water
Application of bio-fertilizers (Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Phosphorus Solubilising bacteria) along with farmyard manure as top dressing.
10 lit of cow Urine
0.5kg cow ghee
1kg jaggery
200g virgin red soil
Mixed in 200 lit of water
Application of bio-fertilizers (Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Phosphorus Solubilising bacteria) along with farmyard manure as top dressing.
Benefits
- Radical improvement in the soil health.
- Saving larger quantities of seeds i.e., 28kg seeds per acre
- Saving of irrigation water by 40% compared to conventional practice
- Higher yields for national food security.
- Overall cost of cultivation reduced by 25 percent.
- Increases yields by 30 percent over conventional practices.
G. Nagarathanam Naidu hails from a remote village Balakrishnapuram in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh. After obtaining his diploma in electronics, he was settled in a job. But that could not satisfy his innate desire to be connected with the land. It was then he and his wife decided to acquire 17 acres of barren and rocky land on the outskirts of Hyderabad. They could not afford better land.
The couple converted their new land into a gold mine by sheer hard work. They now have a mini forest with its own micro-climate. They also practice floriculture and grow varieties of exotic fruits and other crops.
He travels to different parts of India to train other farmers. Students from various schools and colleges also visit his farm to learn something about natural farming.
- Saving larger quantities of seeds i.e., 28kg seeds per acre
- Saving of irrigation water by 40% compared to conventional practice
- Higher yields for national food security.
- Overall cost of cultivation reduced by 25 percent.
- Increases yields by 30 percent over conventional practices.
G. Nagarathanam Naidu hails from a remote village Balakrishnapuram in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh. After obtaining his diploma in electronics, he was settled in a job. But that could not satisfy his innate desire to be connected with the land. It was then he and his wife decided to acquire 17 acres of barren and rocky land on the outskirts of Hyderabad. They could not afford better land.
The couple converted their new land into a gold mine by sheer hard work. They now have a mini forest with its own micro-climate. They also practice floriculture and grow varieties of exotic fruits and other crops.
He travels to different parts of India to train other farmers. Students from various schools and colleges also visit his farm to learn something about natural farming.
Awards And Appreciations
Various dignitaries have visited his farm which include scientists from various countries and Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
When the former US President George Bush visited India, he was allowed to interact with him as a farmers’ representative.
In 2005, he received appreciation from the WWF international Project. In 2007, he was given a certificate of appreciation by Association for Land reforms and Development, Dhaka, Bangladesh. In 2008, he was give a letter of honor by ICRISAT for implementing organic farming practices in groundnut cultivation and generating a record yield.
Also he received a Letter of Appreciation from Jara Agro Industrial PLC, Ethiopia, in the year 2011 for his sincere efforts in educating the local farming community on high yield strategies and innovative techniques.
Recently he was honored as the “Best SRI Farmer” by WWF Netherlands in collaboration with ICRISAT.
When the former US President George Bush visited India, he was allowed to interact with him as a farmers’ representative.
In 2005, he received appreciation from the WWF international Project. In 2007, he was given a certificate of appreciation by Association for Land reforms and Development, Dhaka, Bangladesh. In 2008, he was give a letter of honor by ICRISAT for implementing organic farming practices in groundnut cultivation and generating a record yield.
Also he received a Letter of Appreciation from Jara Agro Industrial PLC, Ethiopia, in the year 2011 for his sincere efforts in educating the local farming community on high yield strategies and innovative techniques.
Recently he was honored as the “Best SRI Farmer” by WWF Netherlands in collaboration with ICRISAT.
