DDS to focus on ‘local’ aspect in farming

Farmers prepare seeds and fertilizer themselves on the lines of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

The Deccan Development Society (DDS), an NGO working on millet farming involving local women, has decided to focus on making farming completely local. The DDS will take up a new initiative — Swasamruddha Samudayala Sankalpam (Resolve for self-abundant community) — designed to cover 1,000 women, mostly from marginal land holding dalit families from about 30 villages.

The women associated with DDS are already into organic farming and now the organisation wants to experiment in about 1,200 acres. The soil health will be improved by dumping about 5 lakh kg of farm yard manure. Similarly, 12,000 litres of plant growth promoters such as beejamrutam will be produced in their own communities and used in lands. Crop growth will be further strengthened through application of about 5,000 litres of panchagavya, 48,000 litres of vermi wash. The women farmers would sow 12,000 kg of 10 to 15 varieties of seeds in the 12,000 acres.

It was estimated that the total investment by women will be about ₹ 60 lakh and expected returns per acre were put at ₹ 55,000 considering that more than 80 % of the farmers are having cattle and they work in their fields.

“By launching Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-Reliant India) and calling for being vocal about local, the Prime Minister has moved the country to a completely new way of self-identification. We in DDS are thrilled that what we have practised and advocated all through 30 years has now become the national agenda,” said DDS director P.V. Satheesh, in a recent interaction. He said that they are doing this for the past two decades and now it will be more focused.