Kendrapara: When everything is getting hi-tech, why not farming? In these days of unpredictable climate change, precise information on weather conditions and solution of pest attack can go a long way in helping farmers avoid losses.
Sukanta Mohanty (34) of Baraja Bahakuda village under Mahakalapada block in Kendrapara district is one such beneficiary.
He is a B Com graduate and belongs to a farmer’s family. His family members depend on the income, which comes from agriculture activities only.
“I have six acres of land in my village. I have been using it for cultivating paddy, pulses and vegetables like brinjal, chilly, cucumber bitter gourd and ridge-guard. I always try to maximize my income by increasing the crop yield and saving my crops from pest and disease attack,” said Sukanta.
“For increasing crop production and to protect the crop from pest and disease attack, authenticated information support at the right time is required. Luckily, I came across Reliance Foundation. Now, I receive all the information from Reliance Foundation Voice SMS, Toll free help line services 1800-419-8800 and technology based interactive programme like audio and multi-location audio conference programme. I have been associated with Reliance Foundation technology platform since the 2017,” he added.
Sharing last season’s experience, Sukanta said, “I had grown cucumber and ridge gourd in one acre of land. During the flowering and fruiting stage, there was severe white fly attack. I lost all hope of getting any production from the land. I called the Reliance Foundation toll-free no 1800-419-8800 and shared the symptoms with the expert, who suggested that I use Neem based pesticide at the preliminary stage and followe it up by thiomethoxam 5 gram in every 15 litres of water twice at an interval of 10 days. I followed the expert’s recommendation, controlled the white fly and saved my crop from further pest attack.”
“I earned Rs 40,000 from cucumber farming after meeting the expenses. With this additional income, I filled the soil and raised my farm land, following which, I did not face water logging problem in my field in the rainy season. I could do farming the entire year. I also constructed one toilet for my family members with my additional income,” he added.
“Initially, I was doing only paddy and brinjal cultivation, but with the timely advisory support of Reliance Foundation, I got more confidence and expanded the other vegetable cultivation like chilly, tomato, cucumber, bitter gourd and ridge gourd etc. along with backyard poultry farming. This diversified farming not only fetches me a handsome income but also contributes to the nutritional diversity in my family food basket,” he said.
“I always trust and use Reliance Foundation agro advisory for my crop growth and crop protection, livestock health and disease management. I have also shared the Reliance Foundation toll free no 1800-419-8800 with many farmers to address their queries related to farming and livestock rearing. I am quite happy and hopeful that without a job I could succeed and secure my livelihood by better farming practices,” said Sukanta.
