A woman farmer Pratibha Velip from Netravali reportedly got an opportunity to engage in a virtual interaction with PM Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister lauded her work, especially for using the new technology for cultivating several crops in addition to paddy. Velip has been successful in carrying out coconut-based mixed cropping system, wherein she grows arecanut, cashew and banana.
It is learnt that the woman farmer who received training from the Directorate of Agriculture has been using the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technology in order to grow paddy in her fields. SRI involves cultivating rice with as much organic manure as possible, starting with young seedlings planted singly at wider spacing in a square pattern; and with intermittent irrigation that keeps the soil moist but not inundated.
The system was fully tested and spread throughout the rice growing regions of the world. Use of SRI technology increases yield, saves water, reduces production costs, and increases income and these benefits have reportedly been achieved in 40 countries.
The directorate of Agriculture needs to train farmers in the SRI technology so that they yield more produce by spending less money.
