SC farmers concentrate on natural farming in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district

Many farmers of Scheduled Caste communities are now concentrating on Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF); thanks to the financial assistance from SC Corporation of Srikakulam. Normally, the yield is relatively lesser in ZBNF farming in the initial stage. It is one of the main reasons for the farmers to opt for farming by using pesticides and fertilizers so as to get more yield.

Many farmers of Scheduled Caste communities are now concentrating on Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF); thanks to the financial assistance from SC Corporation of Srikakulam. Normally, the yield is relatively lesser in ZBNF farming in the initial stage. It is one of the main reasons for the farmers to opt for farming by using pesticides and fertilizers so as to get more yield.

Kancharana Ramarao, executive director of the Corporation, recommended financial assistance of ₹10,000 to each farmer as part of encouraging ZBNF in the district. Around 1,300 farmers who were selected for the financial assistance from the Corporation could get training from Agriculture and Horticulture Departments to adopt ZBNF method which would rejuvenate the soil contaminated with continuous usage of fertilizers and pesticides. “Around 5,000 acres of land will get back its fertility with healthy agriculture activity,” the officials said.

A farmer named Chintala Hariprasad has been growing paddy, green gram, black gram and papaya said that the SC Corporation’s support had made him to concentrate on natural farming completely in his two acres of land in Salihundam village of Gara mandal, Srikakulam district.

“Prices of pesticides and fertilizers have gone up nearly 50% in the last six years. So, we are not getting much profit in spite of good yield. As there is no expenditure in natural farming, we are expected to get more profits very soon. The yield would also go up as the soil has become healthy in the last two years,” said Mr. Hariprasad.

Another farmer Boddepalli Sitaramaiah of Jarajam village of Etcherla mandal thanked the government for extending financial and technical support in natural farming. He said that he could learn preparation of manure and natural liquid fertilizer-Jeevamritam which were needed to improve the soil fertility.

Mr. Ramarao said the Corporation was receiving more applications from the farmers for the financial assistance. “We are planning to extend out support to at least 2,000 farmers in the next financial year under this innovative programme. We will continue to extend our support for agriculture and allied activities, including dairy development.”