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Enriches the soil fertility by swapping the crops and never uses any fertilizers. Maintains seed bank for conserving and sharing native seeds
Pure air and water is scarce now and so is the soil. “These resources have to be used carefully and its’ use in the farmland must be minimized as far as possible. Therefore it is mandatory to plan and grow the crops in a way that same farmland is source for oilseeds, grains, vegetables, pulses, spices and cotton for clothes using minimum natural resources precisely water. I try to produce all those things we need at home for our basic survival,” says Mr. Amarjeet Sharma , 60, progressive farmer from Village Chaina, Faridkot District, Punjab. He also runs a small dairy of desi breed ‘Sahiwal’ cows and has set-up seed bank of native variety seeds.
Mr. Amarjeet Sharma
He grows more than 70 varieties crops in his 4 acres farm. The entire cultivation schedule is planned for two years. Besides he uses only indigenous seeds and enriches the soil by mulching the waste of protein rich crops mainly the pulses. “I don’t use any fertilizer in my fields as I enrich the soil by swapping the crops. I do farming only with seeds and water rest no other farming input!” he asserts.
Pulses are grown twice than any other crop for enriching the soil fertility. “First two seasons we grow pulses, after harvesting we mulch the waste back in the soil. Third season we grow other crop such as any grain, then fourth and fifth season is again for pulses. It is the best mode for fixing the nitrogen in the soil,” he elaborates. Amongst all the pulses moong and lobia (black-eyed peas) are ideal pulses varieties to fix nitrogen in the soil. Another good source for nitrogen fixation in soil is channa (chickpeas). “Every farmer must grow these three crops once in a year.” The crop cycle begins from summer with moong, lobia, mustard, cotton, groundnut, channa, jowar, moong, lobia and then wheat. “The same sequence is followed so that the soil fertility is retained and there is no need for any fertilizer application. Other than these crops vegetables are grown round the year.”
When asked about minimizing water requirement for irrigation, he explains, “There are seven main cereals namely wheat, rice, maize, bajra, jowar, ragi and kutki. Out of all these wheat and rice consumes maximum water. Therefore, wheat and rice is only cultivated once in two years. With this, I am able to reduce water usage around 50% in my farm as I am systematically using trenches.”
Initially Mr. Amarjeet was doing chemical based farming but that lead him to extreme debts and his livelihood ran into trouble over health issues and cash crunch. He then moved to organic farming practices after taking up the short term courses to increase his knowledge on the subject and since 2005 there is no looking back! In order to help farmers with good seeds he set up Seed Bank. At this bank more than 100 varieties are collected and shared with other farmers without taking any money except one rule that every farmer taking seeds from the bank have to return the original seed quantity as well as 25 per cent extra to ensure that there is enough for subsequent customers. All these seeds are native varieties. “After harvesting every crop, ¼ portion is held back for the next season cultivation as well as to be shared with other farmers. I have collected these varieties from scratch by travelling long distance. Hence, I treasure it utmost!” he states.
Entire produce is sold to an institution looking after handicapped children after fulfilling the personal consumption and seed storage. “I get a premium price for all the products! The institution is like family to me. The biggest satisfaction from farming was experienced when the management told me that the health of children is improving and fewer drugs are required for their treatment after they started eating the produce from my farm,” he shares with a contended smile.
In time to come, Mr. Amarjeet is working on a model to grow the crops in one acre that suffices year long kitchen requirement of a family of five members. In addition he wants to plant fruit trees as well because fruits are also very important element of a balanced diet. “I want to grow fruits as well in my farmland alongside other crops. Lastly I want to develop a model in which two crops can be grown simultaneously for better returns,” he shares.
Sharing the key to increase the farm production he concludes, “Implementing diversity in cropping system and swapping the crops is the only key! If the farmer does not do it then production will not increase. He constantly needs to observe the field meticulously, learn the changes and apply the knowledge on cropping schedule. In farming sector, it is wise that everyone remains a student for entire life.”
Contact details:
Mr. Amarjeet Sharma
Village Chaina, Jaitu town, Faridkot District, Punjab
Phone: 09463550720
Pure air and water is scarce now and so is the soil. “These resources have to be used carefully and its’ use in the farmland must be minimized as far as possible. Therefore it is mandatory to plan and grow the crops in a way that same farmland is source for oilseeds, grains, vegetables, pulses, spices and cotton for clothes using minimum natural resources precisely water. I try to produce all those things we need at home for our basic survival,” says Mr. Amarjeet Sharma , 60, progressive farmer from Village Chaina, Faridkot District, Punjab. He also runs a small dairy of desi breed ‘Sahiwal’ cows and has set-up seed bank of native variety seeds.
Mr. Amarjeet Sharma
He grows more than 70 varieties crops in his 4 acres farm. The entire cultivation schedule is planned for two years. Besides he uses only indigenous seeds and enriches the soil by mulching the waste of protein rich crops mainly the pulses. “I don’t use any fertilizer in my fields as I enrich the soil by swapping the crops. I do farming only with seeds and water rest no other farming input!” he asserts.
Pulses are grown twice than any other crop for enriching the soil fertility. “First two seasons we grow pulses, after harvesting we mulch the waste back in the soil. Third season we grow other crop such as any grain, then fourth and fifth season is again for pulses. It is the best mode for fixing the nitrogen in the soil,” he elaborates. Amongst all the pulses moong and lobia (black-eyed peas) are ideal pulses varieties to fix nitrogen in the soil. Another good source for nitrogen fixation in soil is channa (chickpeas). “Every farmer must grow these three crops once in a year.” The crop cycle begins from summer with moong, lobia, mustard, cotton, groundnut, channa, jowar, moong, lobia and then wheat. “The same sequence is followed so that the soil fertility is retained and there is no need for any fertilizer application. Other than these crops vegetables are grown round the year.”
When asked about minimizing water requirement for irrigation, he explains, “There are seven main cereals namely wheat, rice, maize, bajra, jowar, ragi and kutki. Out of all these wheat and rice consumes maximum water. Therefore, wheat and rice is only cultivated once in two years. With this, I am able to reduce water usage around 50% in my farm as I am systematically using trenches.”
Initially Mr. Amarjeet was doing chemical based farming but that lead him to extreme debts and his livelihood ran into trouble over health issues and cash crunch. He then moved to organic farming practices after taking up the short term courses to increase his knowledge on the subject and since 2005 there is no looking back! In order to help farmers with good seeds he set up Seed Bank. At this bank more than 100 varieties are collected and shared with other farmers without taking any money except one rule that every farmer taking seeds from the bank have to return the original seed quantity as well as 25 per cent extra to ensure that there is enough for subsequent customers. All these seeds are native varieties. “After harvesting every crop, ¼ portion is held back for the next season cultivation as well as to be shared with other farmers. I have collected these varieties from scratch by travelling long distance. Hence, I treasure it utmost!” he states.
Entire produce is sold to an institution looking after handicapped children after fulfilling the personal consumption and seed storage. “I get a premium price for all the products! The institution is like family to me. The biggest satisfaction from farming was experienced when the management told me that the health of children is improving and fewer drugs are required for their treatment after they started eating the produce from my farm,” he shares with a contended smile.
In time to come, Mr. Amarjeet is working on a model to grow the crops in one acre that suffices year long kitchen requirement of a family of five members. In addition he wants to plant fruit trees as well because fruits are also very important element of a balanced diet. “I want to grow fruits as well in my farmland alongside other crops. Lastly I want to develop a model in which two crops can be grown simultaneously for better returns,” he shares.
Sharing the key to increase the farm production he concludes, “Implementing diversity in cropping system and swapping the crops is the only key! If the farmer does not do it then production will not increase. He constantly needs to observe the field meticulously, learn the changes and apply the knowledge on cropping schedule. In farming sector, it is wise that everyone remains a student for entire life.”
Contact details:
Mr. Amarjeet Sharma
Village Chaina, Jaitu town, Faridkot District, Punjab
Phone: 09463550720