Following zero budget natural farming, Pangi Sonnu of Araku Valley mandal cultivated sama (little millet) got a yield of 6.5 quintals an acre.

The crop-cutting experiment in a 5×5 square metre plot was conducted at the ZBNF Sama festival at Baliyaguda village on Friday.

The festival was organised by Agriculture Department, Andhra Pradesh  Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiatives, Sanjeevini Rural Development Society, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources and Watershed Support Services and Activity Network (WASSAN).

The yield in broadcast farming was only between 2 and 2.5 quintals. Because of transplantation, weeding twice and using ‘jeevamrutham’ (bio fertilizer) following ZBNF the yield has gone up, a press release said.

‘Grow pulses’

Adviser and Co-Vice Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Ryhtu Sadhikara Samstha T. Vijaya Kumar suggested that farmers should grow pulses like red gram and cow pea between rows of millets to enhance soil fertility.

Programme Manager from WASSSAN Sanyasi Rao said sama productivity could go up to six quintals in ZBNF.

State Resource Person (ZBNF) for promoting System of Millet Intensification (SMI) P. Devullu said plans were ready to convert 5 % of sama farmers into SMI. In the tribal region of Visakhapatnam, sama is cultivated in 5,319 hectares.

At a farmers interactive session organised as a part of the event farmers who had grown ragi under ‘Guli’ system shared their experiences.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – November 10th, 2018