AAU-KVK, Barpeta

Name and address of the farm woman

Mrs Kalpana Barman 
Vill: Uttar Bherbheri
P.S.: Sorbhog,
P.O. Bholukadaba
Dist: Barpeta, Assam -781317
Ph. No: +919678120960

Background information regarding new technologies/innovations/skills developed implemented and disseminated among the community

Mrs Kalpana Barman earlier only used to weave traditional clothes and cultivate paddy and sesame with a very low income

Her zeal to work in different avenues made her undergo trainings on Vermicompost production, mushroom cultivation, natural dyeing of cotton yarns, horticulture nursery management in KVK, Barpeta.

With her immense success and hard work, fellow villagers also took up vermicompost production in their households. With more training, support and convergence of other departments, her village Uttar Bherbheri was declared as Vermi-village where 60 numbers of households are currently engaged in production of 500 qt vermicompost annually.

Training and motivational support to the farmers/members of the community

Mrs Barman is actively involved in uplifting the livelihood of her fellow village members. She has been appointed as ‘Krishi Sakhi’ for community development by Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission, Barpeta.

She regularly gives trainings on mushroom cultivation, vermicompost preparation and value addition of traditional clothes through natural dye free of cost to her fellow community members. Notably, earthworms required for vermicompost preparation are being provided free of cost to the new producers.

Impact in the area in terms of income/employment generation/ women’s empowerment in the community

Mrs. Barman started vermi-composting with 1 unit and then in the following year increased her vermicompost units to 4 numbers producing 40.25 qt of vermicompost per year and earned a net income of Rs 48,300.00 by selling vermicompost and vermiwash.

She encouraged the other village unemployed youths for producing vermicompost and with the support and training of KVK, Barpeta succeeded to recognise Uttar Bherbheri as Vermi-village where 60 numbers of households are currently engaged in production of 500 qt vermicompost from 65 numbers of vermi units and thus, as a whole earning a total income of Rs. 6 lakhs by all the producers.

From all of the newly adopted technologies (mushroom, vermicompost, vermiwash, clothes dyed with natural substance, potato and paddy cultivation), Mrs Barman earned Rs 1,06,300.00 as a total net income in 2020-21 in comparison to previous years i.e. before KVK intervention which was Rs 61251.00 (from paddy, sesame and woven products). Thus, Mrs Barman has increased her income up to 73.55% which encouraged other women to view her as a role model.

Noteworthily, her hand woven stales are being exported to the international market by govt. agencies.

With the success scripted, fellow villagers were also motivated with and she encouraged them through trainings and other convergence with different government agencies. She is also the co-founder of Rhimjhim Self Help Group, a self help group currently engaged in women empowerment through different employment generation activities like Mushroom cultivation, vermicompost production, weaving of traditional clothes etc. 

Awards and recognition

Mr. Kamal Talukdar is a farmer of the village Doloigaon of Bajali area. After passing his class XII examination, he completed the Certificate course on Plumber (ITI) and then he started farming. Mr. Talukdar has 2.4 ha of his own land for framing. He came in contact with Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Barpeta in the last part of 2019. Before that, he cultivated crops with traditional methods. He participated in a few training and demonstration programmes on field crops, horticultural crops and on plant protection after meeting KVK, Barpeta and started growing crops using scientific technology. At present, he grows vegetables in an area of 0.33 ha and field crops in the rest of the areas.  The major crops he grows are rice (2.0 ha), rapeseed and mustard (1.0 ha), pulses like lentil, rajma (0.26 ha). In case of vegetables, both summer and winter vegetables are grown. He put more emphasis on organic cultivation of vegetables, some high value crops like strawberry, dragon fruit, papaya, broccoli etc. Besides crops, he has one fishery covering an area of 0.40 ha and five number of cows (Cross bred Holstrain and Jersy). At present, he is running a horticultural nursery and producing vermicompost and mushroom. Mr. Talukdar has adopted the production and management technology of strawberry, offseason and organic vegetable cultivation practices, high density planting of papaya and raising and management of horticultural nursery. He has developed Papaya stem forking (at base) to enhance the strength of the papaya plant to withstand hailstorm and wind. The enterprise wise per hectare net income of Mr. Talukdar before intervention (2019-20) and during 2021-22 is given as follows:

Introduction:

Hard work with positive attitude is the prime force behind the success of an entrepreneur as proved by the dedicated farmer, Mr. Prafulla Das, a Strawberry grower of Peragaon pathar village under Sorbhog Development Block in Barpeta district of Assam. He owns only 4 bighas of land including his residence. He earns his livelihood by growing paddy and other field crops at Peragaon Pathar village with an income of mere Rs. 3000.00

KVK intervention:

In the year 2017, he first came in contact with the Scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Barpeta especially in field crops and accordingly he came to know about scientific technologies of farming. In addition, he came to know about the scope and profit from high value cash crops like strawberry, dragon fruit etc. and its potentiality as good source of earning livelihood and wholesome food supplement. With interventions like demonstration on strawberry var. Sweet Charlie & Winter Dawn, nutritive crops like black rice, Assam lemon (seedless) and introduction of Japanese quail and Kamrupa birds he got the exposure to a new avenue of income generation.

Impact of intervention:

Being inspired by the KVK support, Mr. Das was able to produce 126 kg strawberry in 1 bigha of land with a market value of Rs.450,00 per kg. With supporting farming activities like cultivation of Thailand Ber he could additionally garner Rs.40.00 per kg in 1 bigha of land. Apart from the above activities, he cultivates Assam lemon (seedless), Banana (var Malbhog & Chenichampa) in an Integrated farming System model. He also cultivates black rice, HYV Tripura Chikon and scented rice in sali season.  He also took the initiative for rearing of 100 nos. of Japanese Quail and 35 nos. of Kamrupa with scientific assistance and technical guidance from KVK, Barpeta. Now, Prafulla is a successful Agri. Entrepreneur with a yearly turnover of approx. Rs. 12 lakh and presently is one of sought after strawberry farmer in the locality and a role model for many youths for taking agriculture as a profitable means of livelihood. 

In the coming times, he has plan to expand his strawberry business in contract farming mode,an example for many aspiring agri-entrpreneurs.

Conclusion:

This success has now lead the self-confident Prafulla to dream for area expansion of high value crops setting an example for many aspiring agri-entrpreneurs.