Fruitful beginnings
The Sanjeevani Institute for Empowerment and Development programme helped Sahebrao Supadu Bhoye from Shevage village in becoming a lead vegetable farmer in his village
Sahebrao Supadu Bhoye is a farmer of Shevage village, Sakri block with the responsibility for a large family on his shoulders. Sahebrao grew paddy, bajra and soybean in the Kharif season. The Rabi season saw him cultivate secondary crops such as wheat and small scale vegetables under traditional methods using water from his well for irrigation. But these were hardly enough to manage his family’s requirements.
In 2012, Sahebrao became associated with the Sanjeevani Institute for Empowerment and Development (SIED) under the NABARD Wadi programme. SIED was selected as a field partner under the KMS programme and during the 2014-15 Rabi season, programme engagements were planned with over 1000 farmers in an eleven-village cluster. Commercial vegetable cultivation in this tribal area was limited; through this programme, 20 farmers of the village were motivated to come together to form a learning group and take up vegetable cultivation on a commercial scale. They were provided training and exposure to progressive vegetable farmers. As part of the programme, intensive support and training was given to the farmers through trained CRPs as well as through the KVKs.
Sahebrao took up vegetable cultivation in a quarter-acre plot. He diligently applied all suggested inputs and adhered to the package of practices that was shared with him. He has already harvested 50 quintals of tomato and has earned Rs. 56,114. He now realises the potential of his available resources, and acknowledges how the adoption of improved practices could help him to earn more profit.
Farmers’ field schools were also organised on Sahebrao’s plot, which was developed as a demonstration plot in the village. Farmers from another group and other villages have also visited his plot. They appreciated the results of his efforts and wish to do the same in their field the next season. Now Sahebrao is recognised as a lead vegetable farmer in his village; he has shown his willingness to motivate and train other farmers in his village to adopt good practices and expand to higher value agriculture farming.
