Community farming turns a lucrative option in Orissa

Bolangir (Orissa), July 28 (ANI): The Community farming involving farmers, landowners and landless labourers has turned out to be a lucrative option in Orissa, as the stakeholders reap equal shares of the profits.

At least 16 farmers of Bolangir District formed a Community named Budharaja Bhagidar Chasi Gosthi with the help of Watershed Department of the Government of Orissa, and have been practicing community farming.

The farming community includes landowners to landless farmers. The landowners have given 60 acres of their property on lease to the community.

The lands have been divided into three parts and accordingly, the prices have been fixed per acre.

"Different farmers have different amount of land; some have five acres, some have seven acres. We first listed them all then we put them in different categories. High lands - 2,500 rupees, middle land - 1,500 rupees, and low land - 2,000 rupees," said Debarchan Majhi, Secretary of the Community.

"The high lands are used for cultivating cash crops so it is costly, and mostly cotton is grown on it. The middle land is not as fertile and has fewer yields while the lower lands have better irrigation facilities," he added.

Sarbe Chandan, a landless farmer said the newly formed Community helped him to get work, and revived him of his poverty.

"Earlier, I was living very poorly as I could earn Rs 2,000 to 3,000. I couldn't get work. Now, as I joined this group I got works and I earn more than earlier. I get Rs 6,000 to 7,000," he added.

The Community farming has come as a blessing for the landless farmers, who besides doing crop farming, get the time and support for dairy farming, fishing, and mushroom cultivation.

"We convinced them to go far farm activities. To take some farm activities like poultry, dairy and mushroom (farming). Now they are interested also," said Bipin Bihari Sahu, Junior Soil Conservation Officer.

"The department has also supplied two pump-sets in 50 percent subsidies to the farmers, and two farm ponds have also been given to them," he added. (ANI)