Dhamra : The soil and climatic condition of Dhamra region allow the farmers in the region to go for a single crop during Khariff. To ensure double cropping with the vision of enhancing the production and income of the farmer, Adani Foundation, the CSR arm of DPCL has started the capacity-building training programme through Farmers Field School training in support of Krishi Vigyan Kendra and District Agriculture Department in the year 2020-21. Along with the capacity-building training, the foundation has supported 20 farmers directly and 99 farmers in collaboration with District Agriculture Department through the state plan scheme to undertake SRI agriculture in 150-acre land. Where all the farmers were provided with Farmers ID, government incentive, seed support, on-field live demonstration and technical handholding support. As an output, these 119 farmers, got the yield of 29 quintal paddy per acre by following the SRI principle.
Taking the initiative forward, in 2021-22, the Foundation extended direct support to 50 farmers and in convergence with the agriculture department to 394 farmers under the BGREI scheme. All 444 farmers cultivated the paddy in 550 acres and got a yield of 31 quintals per acre.
As the principle is well accepted by the farmers from the Dhamra Locality, the foundation in the financial year 2022-23 is going to support 50 farmers of 06 of its immediate core Port GPs directly to implement the Integrated Crop Management practices through SRI principle in 50 acres of land to enhance the production against the traditional practices with the contribution from Farmers. The demonstration would be undertaken with the saline tolerance variety of truthful level paddy seed “Pradhan” recommended by the scientist of Krishi Vigyan Kendra having the crop duration of 150 – 155 days in the submerged land of Dhamra. As the farmers in the locality have already been friendly to the cultivation practice of SRI, it is anticipated that the yield will increase to 33 – 35 quintal per acre against 12 – 15 quintal per acre as per the traditional practice, leading to an income of Rs. 31,500 from Rs. 18,750 per acre.
To make the project a sustainable one, The Foundation is also investing in strengthening the Farmers Club and exploring the possibilities of backward and forward linkages with the Lead Bank and NABARD so that, the farmers will stand on their own with the limited technical support from Adani Foundation gradually within 3 yrs.
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