Needful Diversification in Agriculture

  • Name of farmer        :  Mr. Sandeep Ankush Karpe
  • Address                       :  At Post – Jawalban, Tq.  – Kej, Dist. – Beed (MS)
  • Contact No                 :  9423229409                        
  • Education                    :  12thPass
  • Agri. Experience         :  15 Years (From 2002)
  • Total Land holding     :  12 ha

Situation analysis/Problem statement:

                                      Mr. Sandeep Karpe is known as innovative and progressive farmer in Beed district. Large number of farmers visit his farm and seek advice from him regarding applicable and refined crop technologies. Agriculture allied departments, farmers invite him as an resource person for discussion on agriculture issues and advise. Before 2005 he was engaged in mono-cropping of sugarcane. Sugarcane was main crop and he occasionally cultivated cotton, pigeon pea, R. Sorghum. Even if he has 10 ha of land, he used to purchase food grain, vegetable and milk from market.Continuous drought prone situation in last few years dried local water dam resulted in interruption of sugarcane mono-copping. This situation compelled him to turn towards diversified agriculture.

Plan, Implement and Support:

                                        With sound guidance and support of KVK and regular guidance by KVK scientists, state agriculture department, regular study of technologies and their application in agriculture he has developed his personality as a resource farmer. Today he is recognized for his successful diversified farming. He cultivates soybean (3.2 ha), sugarcane (2.4 ha), ginger (1.8 ha), pigeon pea + green gram (0.6 ha), cotton (0.4 ha), black gram (0.4 ha), sorghum (0.6 ha), maize (0.6 ha), red pumpkin (0.4 ha) in kharip season and chick pea (2 ha), wheat (0.4 ha), red pumpkin (0.4 ha) in rabi season and watermelon (1.2 ha) in summer season. He also gets production of green fodder (0.2 ha) and mango (0.2 ha).

Output:

Year 2017-18:

        • Introduction of cotton crop with intercropping of Green gram/black gram.
        • Processing of Ginger & turmeric.
        • Introduction of Potato in rabi season through formation of group of farmers.
        • Due to water crisis, conversion of flood irrigation area into sprinkler & drip irrigation.
        • Make available the facilities of fertigation with water soluble fertilizers on the basis of STBF.
        • Construction of biogas & use of liters, home waste for biogas preparation for meeting the demand of fuel & electricity.
        • Started rearing of Red kandari & deoni breeds of cows alongwith giriraj poultry birds rearing.
        • Started organic kitchen garden for availability of fresh vegetables for daily needs.
        • Introduction of safflower +bengalgram intercropping.
Inter Cropping System:
Crop Production (q/ha) Av. Rate (Rs/q) Income (Rs/ha) Exp.(Rs/ha) Net Profit (Rs/ha)
Cotton 30 4000 120000 37500 82500
Greengram 10 4000 40000 10000 30000
Bengalgram + Safflower 7.5 + 3.75 3000 + 2500 22500 + 9375 11000 20875
  • As per the statement, income from intercropping of cotton based cropping system was Rs. 1.33 lakhs against an expenditure of Rs.58500. The income sources like turmeric, ginger, jaggery etc. fetched Rs.22 lakhs. The total income during the year was Rs. 30 lakhs

Year 2018-19:

  • Plantation of various fruit crops like Banana, Mango, Tamarind, Guava, Anola, Custered apple.
  • Plantation of Teak, Bamboo for soil & water conservation on farm boundaries.
  • Started Azolla unit as feed supplement for livestock.
  • Diversified 15 acres of sugarcane area into other crops.
  • Started rabi Sorghum cultivation on drip irrigation.
  • Cultivation of Bengal Gram & safflower..
  • Construction of farm pond.
  • Purchase of tractor & tractor mounted machineries BBF planter, sprayers & other for farm work and services to villagers on custom hiring basis. He was trained at KVK and various centers for care & maintenance of machinery and their use.
CropProduction (q/ha)Rate  (Rs/q)Exp. (Rs/ha)Income  (Rs/ha)Net Profit (Rs/ha)
Ginger1706470/-200000/-1100000/-900000/-
Turmeric27 (Dried)6480/-45000/-175000/-130000/-
Other crops55000/-210000/-155000/-

Outcome:

  • Earthing up implement in ginger
  • Ginger washing mesh tray (Requires less water)
  • Blade in BBF planter
  • Change in cropping pattern : Crop diversification, Intercropping,
  • Use of plasti-culture technology
  • Agro-produce processing unit – Jaggary unit
  • Seed production and sale (Soybean-8, Green gram-1, pigeon pea – 2, Turmeric – 1)
  • Integrated farming system model
  • Livestock support to agriculture
  • Organic farming for family
  • Emphasis on soil health – Use of Green mannuring, trash decomposition, vermi- compost, farm compost, biogas slurry, use of cow urine, bio-fertilizers
  • Trial on varietal evaluation of 8 soybean varieties.
  • Introduction of plastic culture in watermelon, cabbage, chilly.
  • Formation of young farmers group.
  • Preparation of Homemade Organic products like biozyme, Dashaparni Ark, Jeevamrut, Neemark& Neem powder,
  • Started seed bank concept in village.
  • Horizontal spread of problem-solving technology(ies)in the neighboring villages, blocks and districts in terms of area and number of farmers; economic benefits accrued to secondary level beneficiaries, reduction in use of chemical inputs like pesticides, fertilizers, concentrate feed, improvement in quality of produce realized, improvement in the family economic status etc.estimatedoutcome (in monetary value) of technology.

Impact:

Changes in cropping pattern, use of improved and modern technologies, self-inventions, crop diversification, selection of crop types and production technology, helped him to generate remarkable farm income. He has adopted crop diversification on large scale. Precise management of irrigation resources was given more importance with use of crop production technology. Sandeep adopted changes in crop, crop production technology, number of crops, farm mechanization, jaggary production unit, seed production and other activities. He has an turnover of 40 to 50 lakhs per annum. Due to successful experiments in diversified agriculture his socio-economic status has increased to recognizable level.