Crop Production
Crop Protection
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Sustainable Agriculture
Organic Farming
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Bio-Fuels

Success Stories

Paddy and Poverty Go togehther? ‘No’, says,  Mr. G. Jeevanadam, a multifaceted farmer

Farming has not been profitable for many farmers of Nagapattinam district, which is predominantly a paddy cultivation belt, mainly due to depletion of ground water potential and acute labour scarcity. Go ahead to read the success story of Thiru. G. Jeevanandham who had utilized the available opportunities and overcome challenges to disprove the saying : “Paddy and Poverty Go together”.

He has been practising System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method of rice cultivation since its introduction at Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute (TRRI), Aduthurai.  He has also conducted several demonstrations on behalf of TRRI, Aduthurai since 2002.

He has raised paddy seedlings in raised beds under garden land condition and used successfully for SRI planting.  The seed requirement is less than 5kg/acre.  He has used well decomposed cattle manure for his nursery at 10t/ac. 

He has also tried raising of paddy seedlings under shade net.  The growth of seedlings was satisfactory.  He has applied mixture of well decomposed cattle manure and soil to a height of 5 cm.  over polythene sheet spread on the beds.    The seedlings were vigorous and ready for planting on 14th day. Adopting all the SRI technologies recommended by KVK, Sikkal, he got higher yield and income.

Other Innovative and successful ventures

He has been self motivated in precision farming system and created garden land condition in his wet lands by digging farm ponds and filling the adjacent area to an extent of 1.0 ha and he is one of the beneficiaries under precision farming scheme of KVK.

The filled up soil was enriched with organic matter by raising sunhemp twice and  incorporating, followed by a cowpea crop to improve the fertility status of soil before installing drip irrigation system.
He has become a model precision farming farmer of this district and has raised bhendi, clusterbean, brinjal, bittergourd and maize during last kharif season.  His total income for the past season has crossed 1.0 lakh from precision farming unit making at least a net profit of Rs. 50,000/-.  He is happy to get such an income in the first season in his made up soil.

He has recorded 7.2 t of green chillies from 10 cents (72t/ac.) using the variety Priyanka of Nunhems which is a break through for Nagapattinam district to introduce hybrid vegetables.  His field was visited by hundreds of vegetable growing farmers who have been motivated to go for hybrid vegetables.  Now the farmers along the coast are going for hybrid chillies, tomato and bhendi in the place of local types. 

Integrated farming system

Upon the principles of low external inputs for sustainable agriculture he is establishing an integrated farming system.  He is maintaining about 20 goats under stall feeding system and a few milch animals.  He has raised enough fodder CN3 and now has introduced CN4 grass for his animals.  Grass setts planted along the ponds on the inner side provides enough green grass for his animals.  Besides using dung for fertilizing his ponds for fish culture, he is converting dung from milch animals and goat manure into vermicompost for his vegetables crops and for incubating bio fertilizer for use in other crops.

He is also maintaining several layers and turkey.  The dropping are used to fertilize the ponds for culturing fish. He is also practicing composite fish culture for several years and has wide knowledge in fish culture.  He is also culturing Azolla for feed to his animals, poultry, goats and fish thereby utilizing all resources. 

Organic farming

Thiru. Jeevanantham is also practicing organic farming on the advices provided by KVK. He has constructed his own vermicompost unit and is producing vermicompost for his use.
He is a regular user of bio fertilizer and bio pesticides. Presently he is using K solubilizer, P solubilizer and Zinc solubilizer besides Azospirillum and Phosbacteria for this season. He has applied the above bio fertilizer along solubilizers in 25 acres of paddy.

He is also using Pseudomonas for soil application in the liquid formulation through drip system for all his vegetable crops periodically.

Seed Production

He has leased in more than 100 acres for the purpose of seed production in rice and black gram on behalf of the Dept. of Agriculture. He has been in this business for several decades and producing 200 tonnes of paddy seed every year. Last year he has supplied 50 tonnes of paddy seeds to the Dept. of Agriculture and 2.0 tonnes of certified seeds of Blackgram. The remaining seeds have been sold through private seed venders from other districts and states. 

He is regular visitor to this institute since 2005 when he first approached for an alternative farming system. Since then he has gained knowledge an every aspect besides innovative ideas.His farm has become a model farm for the trainees of this institute and he has been developed in to a Master trainer by this KVK. He was recognized as the member of Regional Research and Extension Advisory Committee (RREAC). He has been awarded first prize for “Pal Nokku Panniam” by SPIC during 2002.