I am a small farmer with 7 acres land and generally grow paddy, finger millet and green gram. I also have a pond of size (60 ft x 60 ft), which I use for fish farming and used to get 50-60 kg fish per year. Since I did not have sufficient knowledge about fish farming, I did not pay much attention and was satisfied with whatever harvest quantity I was getting.Name: Nabin BatriVillage: Kurkuti, Block: Boipariguda, District: KoraputAge: 33 yearsCaste: Bhumia (ST)Occupation: Farmer (7 acres)Family...
Voices of Change
Green gram for nutrition and livelihood security
Published Date : Monday, October 8, 2018Agriculture is my main livelihood. I have one acre of low land, 3 acres medium land, 0.3 acre upland and 0.1 acre backyard area. I usually grow rice in low and medium land, finger millet in upland, and spine gourd and broad bean in the backyard during kharif. After harvesting rice, I cultivated green gram in one acre of low land and rice in some portion of medium land. I normally harvested 20 quintals rice, 2 quintals each of finger millet and green gram.Name: Niranjan KhadaVillage: Chikima,...
Improved agriculture practices for better home nutrition
Published Date : Monday, October 8, 2018I am a small farmer with 0.9 acres of land. I also cultivate an additional 1 acre of government land to meet my family needs. I usually grow paddy, finger millet, and mixed cropping of maize, pigeon pea and other vegetables; but the traditional method of cultivation results in low yield and the quantity does not meet the year round food requirement of my family. Name: Sahadev ParajaVillage: Dumuriguda, Block: Boipariguda, District: KoraputAge: 53 yearsCaste: Paroja (ST)Occupation:...
Improved variety of finger millet for higher production
Published Date : Monday, October 8, 2018Finger millet is one of our major crops, also out staple food. We depend on finger millet throughout the year for our daily diet, and it gives us energy to do our every day work. I have 0.15 acres of upland and I always cultivated rice. Due to water scarcity I had very poor yields. So in 2010, I switched to finger millet cultivation and continue till now. I broadcast my own seeds and the yield was around 30-40 kg. The produce was sufficient for 5-6 months of my family, and for rest of the...
Nutrition Gardens and literacy in schools
Published Date : Monday, October 8, 2018Ours is an upper primary school with children from Bhejaguda and 5 to 6 surrounding villages come to this school. In 2014, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation began a ‘Farming System for Nutrition’ intervention under the LANSA project. Nutrition awareness among the young is an important component of the programme, and so a series of programmes were organised in our school. Following a discussion with staff and the school management committee, we developed a nutrition garden in our...
Higher finger millet yield with better cultivation practices
Published Date : Monday, October 8, 2018I am a small farmer having 2 acres of upland and cultivate only in Kharif season. I mainly grow paddy, finger millet and little millet. In 2016, staff from the LANSA project of M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation visited our village and shared improved agricultural practices of finger millet that gives increased production. They conducted a two-day training programme at the MSSRF Regional Centre, Jeypore and there was a field visit to finger millet fields in Chikima village in Bodaput Gram...
An improved variety of Finger millet for better productivity
Published Date : Monday, October 8, 2018Earlier, I used to broadcast local varieties of finger millet without any application of fertilizer and weed management practices, this caused poor plant population, uneven growth and heavy weed infestation, resulting in poor yield. When I found out about line transplanting of finger millet from staff at MSSRF-LANSA, it was completely new to me. I knew about line transplanting of paddy, but never thought that same can be applied for finger millet as well. Out of curiosity, in Kharif 2016, I did...
Growing different vegetables for improved nutrition
Published Date : Monday, October 8, 2018I cultivate rice in 3 acres lowland and in 3 acres upland. I also grow Eucalyptus in 1.5 acres and finger millet, and sometimes vegetables like tomato and brinjal in another 1.5 acres. Rice and finger millet production was poor. I used to sell vegetables in the local market to meet food and other expenses. In 2014, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation started LANSA project in our village that focused on improved production technology for food crops to increase availability at households and...
Impact of nutrition awareness trainings
Published Date : Monday, October 8, 2018The M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) has been implementing Farming System for Nutrition programme under LANSA in our village for the last 4-5 years. I have been involved with the programme since 2014. One day, staff members of LANSA project organised a village meeting to select some men and women to undergo training on aspects of food, nutrition and health. The trained members will then be able to disseminate the information both within and outside the community. I was one of the...
Improving productivity and dietary diversity
Published Date : Monday, October 8, 2018I am not educated, but I learned from my father and grandfather to grow multiple crops. I have been managing my family with the produce of rice, finger millet, bottle gourd, pumpkin, broad bean and spine gourd by cultivation using traditional methods. LANSA project of MSSRF started its programme in our village in 2013. They organised different trainings and meetings on agriculture and nutrition security. Participation in the interventions helped me bring further diversity in my cropping system....
