Successful story of an innovative vegetable farmer through contradictions to new technology

Ms. Sasikala has a generous interest in horticulture related work and has inspired women farmer members of various self-help groups to adopt the new technologies of IIHR. Ms. Sasikala is an innovative vegetable farmer from Pemmanahalli village, Udigere Hobli, Tumakuru taluk and Tumakuru district, Karnataka. He completed S.S.L.C. Have completed and are currently actively involved in the development of agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry. He owns 4 acres of land, of which 1.5 acres is irrigated.

Finest Variety of Tomatoes:

 Arka Samrat, a type she has meticulously cultivated in her fields using the innovative technique of plastic mulching. Tomatoes hold significant commercial value in India. Over the past 3-4 years, the tomato cultivation has faced major diseases such as late blight and leaf curl, emerging as serious threats to tomato crops. Tomato farmers are grappling with challenges due to climate change, leading to issues like pest and disease outbreaks, drought conditions, boron deficiency, and labor shortages. Coping with rising input costs and other related problems has become increasingly difficult for farmers. Mrs. Saroja is no stranger to these challenges. Since 2010, she has ventured into cultivating French beans, tomatoes, peas, eggplants, peppers, and leafy greens. In the past, she used to cultivate crops like ragi, field beans, red gram, and jowar. Arka Ajit, resistant to powdery mildew, has proven to be cost-effective for farmers in terms of chemical pesticide expenses. Read More.. Today Mandi Price Update

The production of French beans has ranged between 13.5 - 18.5 tons per hectare, with the highest productivity observed in the nearby villages. Saroja recognized the superiority of Arka Suvidha, considering it a better choice due to its stringless variety, fetching a higher market value. Local traders found it suitable for markets in both local areas and Bangalore. With Arka Anoop, she could achieve a yield of up to 17 tons per hectare. This variety is resistant to rust. The market price for Arka Suvidha was approximately Rs. 11 per kilogram, compared to Rs. 10 per kilogram for Arka Anoop and Arka Komal. Previously, she used to cultivate crops like ragi, jowar, field beans, and red gram in the same location, where the average net income was Rs. 20,000 per acre. Switching to short-duration vegetable crops has resulted in a specified profit of Rs. 60,000 per acre.
Market Dynamics: In contrast to the past, now vendors come to her and purchase the products at the market convergence. She has inspired other farmers in her and surrounding villages, and approximately 15 farmers are now cultivating improved varieties of French beans.

Use of Bio-Fertilizers and Bio-Pesticides: She has initiated the use of bio-fertilizers, such as phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), Azospirillum, and Azotobacter, to enrich farm manure. In addition, she is employing bio-pesticides (Trichoderma viride, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Paecilomyces lilacinus, and Pochonia chlamydosporia) for bio-control of pests and diseases. Use of vegetable specials: When he visited IIHR, he came to know about vegetable specials for tomatoes, masala and other vegetables. The quantity of French Spices Sabji Special is 2 grams/litre. She is now using it regularly, as she has noticed that the quality of the fruits has increased, and the disease resistance of the crop has improved. Read More.. Today Weather

Innovation: Mrs. Shashikala, through continuous training and dialogue with scientists, has progressed in her efforts towards pest management in French beans, addressing issues like aphids. Witnessing the potential of a new variety, she initiated seed production this year. The seeds thus produced were distributed to nearby farmers. With her assistance, people in the village have started cultivating various vegetable crops in a single season, resulting in better prices in the market. The objective was to foster positive exchange of ideas, engage in discussions on pros and cons of technologies, and more. She firmly believes that agricultural and horticultural development can be achieved through a group perspective. Understanding the significance of vegetable crops, she is expanding into other horticultural crops like tomatoes, peppers, leafy greens, and bananas.

Conclusion: Mrs. Shashikala, serving as a source of inspiration, actively engages in innovative agricultural research in her garden. She has motivated female farmer members to embrace the latest technologies from ICAR, contributing to increased activity in agriculture, horticulture, and animal husbandry in her region. Mrs. Shashikala has excelled in cultivating the superior Arka Samrat variety of tomatoes, renowned for its excellence under plastic mulching. Confronting challenges in tomato cultivation, she made a deliberate decision to adopt new technologies, resulting in enhanced productivity of her crops. Through prudent use of seed production, bio-fertilizers, and bio-pesticides, she has endeavored to maintain vitality and health in her farming. Her generous perspective and innovative thinking have made her a source of inspiration among farmers in her community. Read More.. Beginning of new golden era in agriculture sector with continuous irrigation