NATIONAL » KARNATAKA

Published: December 24, 2015 16:35 IST | Updated: December 24, 2015 16:35 IST  RAICHUR, December 24, 2015

Govt. has to look into Bt cotton crop failure in Raichur: Experts

• Kumar Buradikatti

Independent team of cotton experts examining a Bt cotton field destroyed by pink bollworm at Gonal village near Raichur on Thursday. - PHOTO: SANTOSH SAGAR

The team of independent researchers said around 80 per cent of the Bt cotton crop was destroyed due to pink bollworm attack.

Following media reports on Bt cotton failure, an independent fact-finding team of experts visited Bt cotton fields in Raichur district on Thursday. The team visited fields in Gonal and Kadagamdoddi villages and interacted with the affected farmers.

In Gonal village, affected farmers were found desperately seeking suggestions and recommendations from the team members about alternative cotton seeds for cultivation. “We have suffered a massive blow with the failure of Bt cotton. We want some other varieties that could withstand pest attack and fetch better yield,” a farmer pleaded.

Speaking to media at a Bt cotton field in Gonal, about 15 kms from Raichur, Dr. Prakash, who headed the team, said that around 80 per cent of the Bt cotton crop was destroyed due to pink bollworm attack.

“A study report released from University of Agricultural Sciences in Raichur pointed out that around 40-50 per cent of Bt cotton crop in rain-fed area was destroyed in pink bollworm attack. We however found that the damage was over 80 per cent. The university should conduct fresh study and submit a report to government seeking appropriate actions for safeguarding the interests of affected farmers,” he said.

 Mr. Manjunath Holalu, another team member, pointed out that both Raichur and Dharwad agriculture universities had, in their Package of Practices reports recommended Bt cotton cultivation for rain-fed areas which goes against the recommendations of Central Institute for Cotton Research.

He also pointed out that Bollguard II variety of Bt cotton seeds, which was developed for controlling pink bollworm, had utterly failed.

“The instruction guide supplied with Bt cotton seed packet claims that it controls not only American, Spotted and Pink bollworms, but also highly effective against Spodoptera and Semi-loopers. But in reality it failed to control pink bollworm,” he observed. He showed the empty Bt cotton seed packets and the instructional manuals that he collected from farmers.

P. Srinivas Vasu, a team member, demanded the government hold Bt cotton seed companies responsible for the loss and compel them to pay compensation to affected farmers.

The team was comprised of Dr. H.R. Prakash, Agronomist and Rtd Additional Director, Department of Agriculture, Mr. Manjunath Holalu, Forestry and Environmentalist, P. Srinivas Vasu, ActionAid representative, Venkatesh Patel, a farmer, Syed Hafeez Ulha, convenor of Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti, Lakshman Gwoda, representative of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and others.

Lessons in integrated farming

Organic cultivation was not a choice for us, but a compulsion.” Brothers Veerappa and Rudrappa, from Vithalapura village in Tarikere taluk, who are now well known as organic farmers, share the circumstances that led them to achieve success in organic farming. “We were not financially sound and could not afford to buy chemical inputs.” 

Veerappa and Rudrappa took to farming at a very early age due the untimely demise of their father. They had to cross many hurdles and even work at others’ farms to understand the basics of farming. Compulsion turned into a passion as organic movement picked up in the State.  They visited many organic farmers including Dummalli Shivamma and D R Prafullachandra. Such exposure visits helped them get a clear picture of the intricacies of organic farming. In the process, they realised that soil nourishment is key to healthy crops. 

To ensure proper soil nutrition, they set up vermicomposting and biodigester units. They have raised about 12 cows of different native breeds like Gir, Kankrej, Hallikar, Amrutamahal and Malenad Gidda. Congo signal grass, grown on the bunds of the farm, is fed to the cattle. This grass variety, which grows even on infertile soil and doesn’t need water or manure, meets a major portion of the fodder requirement. They also feed nutritious food made or mixed at home to the cattle. Ajola, grown in ponds in the farm also serves as fodder to the cattle.  Two Gir cows yield 10 litres of milk. 

When Veerappa and Rudrappa realised that the production cost crosses the income generated by selling milk, they decided to make ghee. It has proved effective, and now they sell ghee at Rs 1,500 per kg. Cow urine is used in the preparation of biopesticide. Cow dung is used in gobargas, biodigester and vermicompost units. 

The water level in the farm is very low and a borewell is the sole source of water. Though drip irrigation is followed to supply water, they have realised that the system is not of much help in the rocky terrain of the farm. Still, they are able to maintain the moisture with the help of water harvesting structures like bunds and trenches. 

They grow a major portion of the household needs — from vegetables to fruits, grains and pulses — in the farm. Thus, along with areca nut, cocoa, coconut, banana, pepper and nutmeg they also cultivate fruit crops, grains and pulses. Forest species like teak, bamboo and hebbevu add to the biodiversity of the farm. The annual income from the farm is about 
Rs 12 lakh. 

Multiple cropping and integrated farming methods have helped them reap rich benefits with minimum investment. For example, nutmeg, cocoa and pepper are grown in the arecanut patch. Through their efforts and experiments, Veerappa and Rudrappa have realised that the secret of a successful farm reflects in the health of the soil, which gradually leads to good yield.

D M Ghanashyam Dec 15, 2015 in Prajavani

From Here & There-Vermicomposting for soil health

Shivananda G Ramagiri, an organic farmer in Mugali village of Haveri district, has maintained the fertility of his farmland by following simple principles. He mixes 100 kg of farm yard manure or vermicompost with trichoderma, mychorihza and pseudomonas (one kg each). He covers the mixture with paddy or finger millet straw, and sprays around 10 litres of water on it every day, for three days. This compost mixture is used as a base dose while sowing seeds or planting saplings.

He does vermicomposting on a large scale. In fact, the vermicomposting unit is the major source of manure for his 30 acres farm. The unit has around 18 pits of 10 X 3 X 2.5 feet size each. Agriculture bio-waste and biogas slurry are the major inputs for vermicomposting . The unit produces about 40-45 tonnes of vermicompost annually. Legumes also help him maintain the soil health.

He practices mixed cropping and does crop rotation to maintain the fertility of the soil. He grows ground nut or soybean in the kharif season, and sorghum in the rabi season. In another patch of land, he cultivates a local cotton variety and chilli in kharif while he grows cowpea in the rabi season. Rotation of monocot and dicot crops help him maintain a balance in the productivity of the farm. “Crop rotation, mixed cropping and farm-based organic manure are keys to my success in farming. It’s time farmers look at local, sustainable solutions than depending on outside input,” says Shivananda.  

Building healthy nation through healthy soil

--------------------------------------------------------------------Degradation of agricultural land, un-sustainable use of water, irresponsible uses of toxic chemicals and energy intensive production systems are all leading to loss of soil health as well as climate change disaster. The need for environmentally sound systems to ensure soil health management

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“Soil is life; Soil is work; and we are baseless without soil”, this was said by great saint and philosopher Sri Purandharadasa in his one of the devotional songs. “A nation that destroys its soil destroys itself” said by another philosopher Franklin D Roosevelt. Those lines indicate the importance of soil for our future of life. Soil is also one of the major ingredients in Naturopathy and Ayurveda treatment. The top soil determines the crop productivity and well being of the people. The Organic matter, Decomposers, Oxygen, Sunlight and Nutrient recycled microbes are very much important in maintaining the Soil life cycle. If human died goes in to the soil but soil died? This is a very philosophical question, but we all need to get the solution through proper soil health management.

The 95% of our food comes from soil and remaining is from water. Over 90 per cent of the planet's genetic biodiversity is said to be found in soils. By some estimates, a gram of soil can contain as many as 10,000 different species. Of the millions of life forms that inhabit the soil, some like earthworms are visible to the naked eye. A majority of the soil fauna, however, are microscopic. Even though we know little of their presence, each plays a crucial role ensuring soil building. Living and healthy soil is the very foundation of agriculture and thus an agro-economy like India. Healthy soils support millions of life forms, making it an ecosystem in itself - providing a healthy medium for crops to take root and enabling a steady supply of nutrients. Government policies have heavily subsidized on chemical fertilizers, which has catalyzed the indiscriminate use of these fertilizers. Moreover, the complete neglect of ecological or organic fertilization, especially during the peak Green Revolution period is the root cause of the present soil health crisis.

Living organisms in the soil play a crucial role in maintaining healthy, fertile soils, thus ensuring productivity over the long run. Government policies, however, have focused on investments and research practices on controlling these rather than maintaining living organisms that are beneficial to the soil. Healthy soil nurtures and nourishes plants. Biological productivity, capacity to regulate water flow, storing and recycling nutrients, filtering, buffering and transforming organic and inorganic materials are all  functions of healthy soils. Moreover, healthy soils serve as a genetic reserve for a multitude of life forms. If we are to ensure healthy soils, through organic methods that will optimize on multiple soil health functions

Building soil health through Vermi composting

Shivananda G Ramagiri, a 55 year old organic farmer from Mugali village of Shiggaon taluk of Haveri District in Karnataka. Generally speaking, managing Black Cotton (BC) soil health is little difficult, but he has done with simple following principles.

He takes 100kg of farm yard manure or Vermi Compost (VC) and mix with one kilo of each Trichoderma, Mychorihza and Pseudomonas under the shade condition. Mix the all four ingredient and cover with paddy or finger millet straw, and add around 10 liters of water on it for three days continuously. It has been used while sowing or while planting in the pit as a basal dose.

He has done big scale VC production unit in his backyard with proper shed. This VC unit is the instrumental catalyst to maintain his all 30 acres farm land. There are around 18 pits of 10 X 3 X 2.5ft sizes. He is able to harvest around 40 to 45 tons of VC every year by using agriculture bio-waste and biogas slurry from his own farm.

Mainly he cultivates soil binding crops every year in his entire land. He takes ground nut or Soybean in the Kharif season, and then he cultivates Muguthi sorghum in the Rabi season as rotation crop. In other piece of land, he takes Sahana Desi cotton with chilly in the Kharif season, and then he cultivates cowpea in the Rabi season. He always maintain legume versus cereals on rotation basis.

Building soil through Jeevambrutha coated farm yard manure

C D Patil, a 75 year old organic farmer from Kankanawada village of Shiggaon taluk of Haveri District in Karnataka. He is practicing four simple principles to maintain soil health. He always produce Jeevambrutha coated farm yard manure (FYM) for entire his land. He spreads the three feet height half decomposed FYM under the shade in his land. He puts ready Jeevambrutha on the spread FYM for two times in 30 days time. It will be ready after 30 days and he used treated FYM while sowing to all crops.

He always treats the seed with Beejambrutha while sowing for all kinds of seeds, especially Sorghum, Cotton, Ground nut, Banana, Green gram and Soybean.

He applies Jeevambrutha and Neem cake for all kind of crops. Another last principle is cultivating back entire crop after harvest with rotavotar machine to increase organic matters in the soil.

Building soil health through legume culture practice

A N Anjaneya (37), is a young organic farmer started legume culture practice (Incorporating Green manure crops matters before sowing main crops) in his four acres of saline affected paddy area in Kumbaluru village of Harihara Taluk of Davanagere district in Karnataka, It was implemented during 2009 with support from department of agriculture. Legume culture practice has improved over the period of years in Kumbaluru village, the extent of legume culture system was increased 40 acres in 2010; and then increase to 150 acres in 2011; 400 acres in 2012; 600 acres in 2013 and finally increased to 1,200 acres in 2014. Now, paddy growers in the village are demanding for 12,000 acres in the upcoming year. The balaga team members are mainly used green manure seeds such as Sunhemp, Velvet beans, Diayancha and Pilpesaru in their legume culture method. The entire work has been implemented and monitored by Sarana Muddanna Savayava Krushikara Balaga (It is a registered organic farmer’s society) and monitory support by district agriculture department.

The main impacts of the legume culture practice are; the cost of production reduced up to 20pc, Enhance the land fertility due to increase in the soil carbon, incidence of pest and disease decreased, Quantum of chemical fertilizer decreased and last but not the least quality of health improved a lot over the period of 5 years said by A N Anjaneya and his team members.

We all should encourage eco friendly soil building process with deep intention of manages soil health without using chemicals. At lost physical, chemical and biological properties of top soil

Diversity faming in Dry land

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------           In Karnataka, number of farmers tried with cultivating multiple horticultural crops in sterile lands and got economic gain with satisfaction.  The success stories of these farmers can be considered as a model, during the present period, where farming community is disappearing. These farmers stand unique, where the majority of farmers are with mono crop mindset. According to these successful farmers, adaptation of organic farming systems with diversified crops with minimum capital, selecting suitable crop variety which suits to the local climatic conditions and sustained effort in developing crops are the main factors for transforming sterile lands into GREENER LIVING FARMS.

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Four years back, it was a sterile or fallow land with pebbles.  Now it has been transformed into a living farm, with greener pasture occupied with diversified plants and trees.  The melody of birds and biodiversity have added value to this farm. 

This is the success story of 65 years old Panchaksharayya Rudradevara Matha from Budapanahalli of Ranebennur taluk.  At this age, with a strong belief in transforming the barren land, he has shown to the world that nothing is impossible. His farm, once a sterile land is now transformed into a greener farm.  He says mixed or diversified cropping system is the main factor for sustained income.  Under this system, he says, one can get employment for a longer period with income also.

Experiment with multiple cropping:

He was a science graduate.  He opted to do farming than approaching a dependable.  He shared with his friend and well – wisher. Mr. Shivanandappa of Haveri that he owns 10 acres of barren land with pebbles and nothing is grown there.   Mr. Shivanandappa encouraged him to adopt Sustainable Horticulture Farming by providing technical information. 

That was the beginning towards attaining satisfaction in farming for this farmer.  Today he is a successful farmer with rich experience in developing dry land horticultural crops.  Many farmers who has witnessed his enormous growth in developing dry land, now approaches his for suggestion.   He listens to them completely and then provides consultation to them.  He advices them to consider farming as a religion and to attain spirituality in farming.  He says sustainable farming is based on the spiritual aspects in farming and that is the base for any activity related to farming.  He also provides information on native medicine or traditional medicine.  During his discourses, he talks about spiritual farming systems and on religion also.  He gives conceptual clarity to farmers who approach him and providing services to the mother earth.

He did not give prominence to agricultural crops, like others, but focussed on developing horticulture crops like Guava, Sapota, Lemon, Mango and Curry leaves.  He has adopted multiple cropping system in his farm and growing agricultural crops also.  He has not faced any type of labour problem for his horticulture crops.  If care is taken to horticulture crops during the first four years, he says, there will be a sustained income from these crops for the next 30 – 40 years.  Hence, he has given prominence to horticulture crops.  He has introduced drip irrigation to utilise water judiciously.

Twice a year, he applies organic manure to the base of each plant.  He is applying Farmyard manure since the beginning.  He purchased the tree saplings developed with tissue culture, from a known source.  He has transplanted them with a scientific approach and applied Neem cake and farmyard manure to each pit.  Later he transplanted the saplings.

In his 10 acres sterile land, with sustainable horticulture crops, he made profit and also satisfied with the yield.  The 10 acres land is with 160 Guava trees, 38 lemon trees, 30 curry plants, 170 Sapota trees, 25 mango trees.  In half an acre land, he has cultivated fodder crops and has grown cowpea in another half an acre.  Along with Sapota, he grows Chilly, Greens, Onion and cowpea under mixed cropping systems.  He has planted wild variety of trees on the border of the farm land.  He has not chopped these naturally grown trees.  He says trees are in tune with farming system and more trees in a farm support farming to sustain for a longer period.  

Income from multiple cropping:

Since last three years, he got Rs.38,000/- as income from Guava trees.  From curry leaves, he got Rs.30,000/- income.  He says, till now, there is no income from Sapota and Lemon trees.  But from this year onwards, income can be expected from Lemon and Curry.  He gets required pulses and grains for his Green matha from that land only.  From this, provides an income to the tune of 5,000/-.

He initiated multiple cropping system four years back.  Earlier there was no income from this land.  But now, the land is stable to provide income of Rs. 60,000/- per year.  By next four years,  the same land will yield an assured income of Rs. 1,00,000/- per year.  The timely application of organic inputs like manures and medicine has not stopped.  If there is any problem with pests or diseases, he approaches technical experts for suggestion.

Healthy native treatment:

He is giving native medicine to those who approaches him for treatment.  He treats the normal ailments like fever, white discharge, cold, skin related diseases etc with native medicine.  He do not charge for treatment.  If the patients are willing to give, he asks them to put the money to the HUNDI. 

Future steps:

To reach more people among farming community and preaching spirituality in farming, providing information on income generating horticulture crops, rearing native breed of cows, serving organic food to the devotees of the matha, orienting rural youth on sustainable agriculture,  growing more trees etc.  

Development!

Implication of mono cropping

Importance of millets

Traditional ways to get chemical free food

Traditional agriculture