Watch: PM Lauds Odisha Farmers For Adopting Integrated Farming Models

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday interacted with farmers who had gathered at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) of 600 districts and 2 lakh common service centres of India to know about their experience in integrated and modern agricultural practices, through a video conference.

The PM also spoke to farmers of Odisha’s Angul district – Benudhar Pradhan of Durgapur and Binapani Rout of Kusasinga village, on the occasion.

Benudhar has adopted integrated farming system. His father had 5 acres of land and was cultivating rice and peanut using traditional methods of farming, five years back.

“My father was cultivating on 2 acres of land and the rest remained unused. I approached KVK to know about modern techniques of farming. After getting training, I started pisciculture in my pond, vegetable farming, paddy cultivation, dairy farming, poultry farming and ornamental fish rearing,” said Benudhar during his conversation with the PM.

He had also contacted an aqua shop in district headquarters for selling ornamental fishes. “While my father could make Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,00, I am earning around 5 lakh,” he added.

Binapani, who could hardly make ends meet earlier after her husband was left disabled following an accident, is now earning more with less investment. “I took advice from the agriculture officers and the KVK and started learning modern techniques of farming,” she said.

She has formed a multi-purpose cooperative society ‘Jyotirmayee Cooperative Society’ with 151 women of the locality as its members. The cooperative society receives agricultural output from local farmers and markets the produce.

Binapani has become a source of inspiration for other women, said the PM.

He also praised and congratulated farmers of Odisha for accepting modern techniques of farming.