Mysuru: At a time when 226 taluks have been declared drought-hit, 15 progressive farmers, including 10 women, who were felicitated during ‘Raitha Dasara’ (Farmers Dasara), have inspired many. Drought did not dampen …

Mysuru: At a time when 226 taluks have been declared drought-hit, 15 progressive farmers, including 10 women, who were felicitated during ‘Raitha Dasara’ (Farmers Dasara), have inspired many. Drought did not dampen the spirit or livelihood of award winning farmers – 33-year-old P Abhilash Puttegowda and 45-year-old R Pushpalatha Puttaswamy, as they have adopted integrated farming. Integrated farmingAt a time when many youths are shunning agriculture, Abhilash practices integrated farming at eight-acre-land in Gopalpura of Mysuru taluk. He is earning good revenue with less investment by practicing organic farming and adopting advanced technologies. He has adopted methods like sprinklers and drip irrigation which requires less water and cultivated arecanut, ginger, turmeric, banana and vegetables.Srirangapatna Dasara begins with Jamboo savariAbhilash shared that, even though the yield has reduced due to drought, his livelihood is not affected much. He has planned in such a way that he gets revenue throughout the year from multiple sources. He sells tender coconuts from 100 coconut trees once in four months; gets eight  batches of sericulture cocoons a year; 20 litres of milk everyday from four cows and so on. Pushpalatha, who is also practicing integrated farming with her husband Puttaswamy is another farmer who has not been affected, though drought has reduced crop production by 50%. They have one acre land in Hosakote of T Narsipura taluk. She uses farm technologies like tillers, and has adopted organic farming too. Besides cultivating horsegram, cowpeas, she has grown mango, moringa, curry leaves, betel leaves and others. She also practices floriculture; adopted animal husbandry and rears hens and two cows. She also leads a women’s self help group, prepares papads, pickles, stitches clothes, manufactures phenyl by managing all her time well which is fetching her good income. “When farmers develop multiple sources of income with integrated farming, their livelihood won’t be affected,” they said.  

Source: Deccan Herald