“With Bio-farming we have more production & less cost now ”says Dhondubai
Dhondubai convinced her husband Tanhaji Veer to convert the entire 2.5-acre family owned land chemical free after realizing the benefits of bio farming.
Male farmers like Tanhaji are learning & replicating the good practices of SSP’s model managed by the women adopters.
When women farmer Dhondubai implemented the Climate Resilient model in an acre of land by growing vegetables & pulses, her husband Tanhaji was growing sugarcane in the rest of the land with chemicals.
“It takes 18 to 24 months for growing sugarcane. I knew the risks, but I had to fund the education of my children”, says Tanhaji. “Seeing my wife successfully growing food crops with the help of locally available bio inputs, I followed my heart and changed my farming methods. It paid back.”
“Chemicals harden the soil and makes it difficult to retain moisture. I have experienced that bio fertilizers make the soil soft and it requires a lesser number of irrigations to produce the same crop. So, we have made our entire land chemical free,”
“Last year we grew Jawar (Sorghum) and cattle feed in Rabi season and Coriander in Kharif season which earned INR 81,500 without any expenses on inputs.”
He now supports his wife in preparing vermicompost and Neem ark (biopesticide) and uses them in growing his crops. “More productivity, lesser pests and reduced cost of cultivation”
The family is healthier than ever due to chemical less nutritious food they are consuming from their farm. “The family did not feel the need to visit a doctor in the last one year”, smiled the contented Veer couple.