editorialteam
New Member
Specializes in improving the soil quality and augmenting the farm production. Based at Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh
Excellent soil health would only produce excellent quality and quantity of farm products. “It is the sole mantra behind making farming profitable. To make the soil nutrient rich farmers need to unlearn their scientific agricultural practices and start fresh by learning old methodologies for growing food,” says Mr. Yash Kumar Mishra, farmer by choice, from Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.
Mr. Yash Kumar Mishra
Mr. Mishra is a businessman, associated with Art of Living organization. He volunteers for the projects for rural development that aims to guide and assist farmer to adopt natural farming practices. He has transformed his 8 acres farmland into a model farm for the farmers to make them believe that it is possible to grow food without urea and pesticides. “With just one desi cow a farmer can nourish the soil in 25-30 acres. It is the best way he can be self-reliant to fulfill the requirements of farming inputs precisely manure and natural medicines to keep the pest and disease away from the crop. It not only reduces the farming expenses to less than half but makes the soil sturdy too. Desi cows need to return back in every farm to make farming gainful and soil healthy,” he asserts.
The farmland will be chemical free in just 6-8 months with natural farming practices! Green vegetables are the best way to pull out all the chemicals present in the soil. “Spinach is grown consistently for two seasons to suck out the chemicals from the soil. The harvested spinach is dried and burnt because it is completely poisonous. Next step to improve the soil productivity is to increase nutrients content. To do so we ask farmers to grow indigenous plant Lakshmi Taru. This is a medicinal tree with high oil content, high in nitrogen, and insect resistant wood. Another must-to-do process is in farming is mulching,” he adds. “We exclusively recommend natural mulching using farm waste. However, we are strictly against the plastic mulching because plastic is bad for the soil in every way. It cannot be advocated at all hence should not be used.”
In the farm having vegetables cultivation, in between the two columns there is the one canal in which all the farm waste is dumped. Water and jeevamrutha is sprinkled. It is then covered with another layer of waste. Jeevamrutha attracts the natural earthworms that eat up the waste and leaves back potash and other vital nutrients in the soil. Humus is created adequately in the soil naturally through this mulching process. “Besides, these earthworms come on the soil from one side and returns from other side hence the soil is perforated really well and replenished,” explains Mr. Mishra. Water required for irrigation is reduced by 50% through mulching. It reduces the cost enormously.
Speaking about the production expenses per acre he highlights, “Through natural farming practices the expenses incurred varies between Rs. 5000-6000/acre. The expenses are reduced because farmer needs to produce all the farming inputs in-house at the farm be it manures, growth promoter, medicines to cure the crop diseases etc. It is all made with the desi cow urine and dung as the main component. Even seeds are purchased just once and subsequently it needs to be stored for the next season.” Natural pesticides are made from neem leaves, custard apple leaves and other different plants. All the details are shared with the farmers through the training program.
Art of Living conducts three day training program on natural farming. The three day program is good mix of theoretical and practical session that prepares farmer really well for pursuing natural farming. “Further we are always available for any guidance or help. Ours is forever association with the farmers. It is spreading rapidly around Bilaspur district. Presently we are working with 800 plus farmers to enable them quit chemical based farming completely. The response received from the farmers is overwhelming,” he asserts. The organization also provides marketing assistance by organizing farmers’ market and direct sales to consumers.
When asked about the pricing for the chemical-free agricultural commodities, he responds, “Usually organic products’ prices are exorbitant. We request the farmers to price their produce at par with chemically produced products in the market. In this way all income groups would be able to buy naturally grown food items and experience the taste difference. In addition, by practicing natural farming the expenses would be less and through direct sales farmers would be able to make good profits.” In order to increase the revenues farmers are also supported to foray into value addition. Paddy is sold at Rs. 11/kg, when processed the expenses incurred are Rs. 5/kg and the end product ‘rice’ is sold at Rs. 40-50/kg. “So farmers earn Rs. 24-34/kg profit by selling rice instead of paddy.”
Stating future plans he concludes, “We are developing novel ways through which farmers’ shall be able to sell their farm produce in domestic and International market directly from their respective farms. He need not travel far off distance to mandi to sell his farm products. He could do sell right from his farm gate. Besides, there shall be no commission to be paid to any traders or middleman. We want to make it a secured and systematic direct sales market for farmers.”
Contact details-
Mr. Yash Kumar Mishra
Kuber Stationery Distributor, Manorama Building, Near Laxmi Narayan Lodge Khaparganj, Bilaspur - 495001
Mobile: 09893332575
Email: yashmishrabsp@rediffmail.com
Excellent soil health would only produce excellent quality and quantity of farm products. “It is the sole mantra behind making farming profitable. To make the soil nutrient rich farmers need to unlearn their scientific agricultural practices and start fresh by learning old methodologies for growing food,” says Mr. Yash Kumar Mishra, farmer by choice, from Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.
Mr. Yash Kumar Mishra
Mr. Mishra is a businessman, associated with Art of Living organization. He volunteers for the projects for rural development that aims to guide and assist farmer to adopt natural farming practices. He has transformed his 8 acres farmland into a model farm for the farmers to make them believe that it is possible to grow food without urea and pesticides. “With just one desi cow a farmer can nourish the soil in 25-30 acres. It is the best way he can be self-reliant to fulfill the requirements of farming inputs precisely manure and natural medicines to keep the pest and disease away from the crop. It not only reduces the farming expenses to less than half but makes the soil sturdy too. Desi cows need to return back in every farm to make farming gainful and soil healthy,” he asserts.
The farmland will be chemical free in just 6-8 months with natural farming practices! Green vegetables are the best way to pull out all the chemicals present in the soil. “Spinach is grown consistently for two seasons to suck out the chemicals from the soil. The harvested spinach is dried and burnt because it is completely poisonous. Next step to improve the soil productivity is to increase nutrients content. To do so we ask farmers to grow indigenous plant Lakshmi Taru. This is a medicinal tree with high oil content, high in nitrogen, and insect resistant wood. Another must-to-do process is in farming is mulching,” he adds. “We exclusively recommend natural mulching using farm waste. However, we are strictly against the plastic mulching because plastic is bad for the soil in every way. It cannot be advocated at all hence should not be used.”
In the farm having vegetables cultivation, in between the two columns there is the one canal in which all the farm waste is dumped. Water and jeevamrutha is sprinkled. It is then covered with another layer of waste. Jeevamrutha attracts the natural earthworms that eat up the waste and leaves back potash and other vital nutrients in the soil. Humus is created adequately in the soil naturally through this mulching process. “Besides, these earthworms come on the soil from one side and returns from other side hence the soil is perforated really well and replenished,” explains Mr. Mishra. Water required for irrigation is reduced by 50% through mulching. It reduces the cost enormously.
Speaking about the production expenses per acre he highlights, “Through natural farming practices the expenses incurred varies between Rs. 5000-6000/acre. The expenses are reduced because farmer needs to produce all the farming inputs in-house at the farm be it manures, growth promoter, medicines to cure the crop diseases etc. It is all made with the desi cow urine and dung as the main component. Even seeds are purchased just once and subsequently it needs to be stored for the next season.” Natural pesticides are made from neem leaves, custard apple leaves and other different plants. All the details are shared with the farmers through the training program.
Art of Living conducts three day training program on natural farming. The three day program is good mix of theoretical and practical session that prepares farmer really well for pursuing natural farming. “Further we are always available for any guidance or help. Ours is forever association with the farmers. It is spreading rapidly around Bilaspur district. Presently we are working with 800 plus farmers to enable them quit chemical based farming completely. The response received from the farmers is overwhelming,” he asserts. The organization also provides marketing assistance by organizing farmers’ market and direct sales to consumers.
When asked about the pricing for the chemical-free agricultural commodities, he responds, “Usually organic products’ prices are exorbitant. We request the farmers to price their produce at par with chemically produced products in the market. In this way all income groups would be able to buy naturally grown food items and experience the taste difference. In addition, by practicing natural farming the expenses would be less and through direct sales farmers would be able to make good profits.” In order to increase the revenues farmers are also supported to foray into value addition. Paddy is sold at Rs. 11/kg, when processed the expenses incurred are Rs. 5/kg and the end product ‘rice’ is sold at Rs. 40-50/kg. “So farmers earn Rs. 24-34/kg profit by selling rice instead of paddy.”
Stating future plans he concludes, “We are developing novel ways through which farmers’ shall be able to sell their farm produce in domestic and International market directly from their respective farms. He need not travel far off distance to mandi to sell his farm products. He could do sell right from his farm gate. Besides, there shall be no commission to be paid to any traders or middleman. We want to make it a secured and systematic direct sales market for farmers.”
Contact details-
Mr. Yash Kumar Mishra
Kuber Stationery Distributor, Manorama Building, Near Laxmi Narayan Lodge Khaparganj, Bilaspur - 495001
Mobile: 09893332575
Email: yashmishrabsp@rediffmail.com