Officials Visit Ex-Army Man’s Organic Farm

Nizamabad:District collector Ila Tripathi has lauded the innovative farming practices adopted by a former soldier at his integrated organic farm in Vadde Palli village of Yedapally mandal, describing it as a model for farmers to emulate.

During her visit to the 'Jai Jawan Agro Farming' farm run by Ch Naveen Kumar on Friday, the collector viewed the integrated farming system and appreciated the jawan’s efforts to combine organic cultivation with modern agricultural techniques.

The farm has a diverse range of activities, including leafy vegetables, different varieties of vegetables, flowers, fruit plants, oil palm, banana, coconut and oil-yielding crops. It also has fish farming and country chicken rearing. Naveen Kumar prepares various products using organically grown produce and sells them through online platforms.

The collector was particularly impressed by his efforts to promote sustainable agriculture by using cattle dung and urine to prepare Jeevamrutham, an organic manure. She also appreciated the rainwater harvesting structures developed to improve groundwater levels.

Addressing farmers on the occasion, Ila Tripathi urged them to shift towards less water-intensive crops in view of the likely El Niño impact. She said farmers should reduce their dependence on paddy and take up alternative crops that require less irrigation but offer better returns.

She said the agriculture department was providing subsidised seeds for pulses such as Bengal gram and black gram to encourage farmers to diversify their crops.

Collector said Naveen Kumar, who entered agriculture after serving in the army, had demonstrated how integrated farming, organic methods and modern technology could make agriculture sustainable and economically viable. She also appreciated his mother Pushpa for actively participating in organic farming and possessing considerable knowledge of the subject.

She said farmers would be encouraged to visit the farm to learn about integrated organic cultivation. She urged Naveen Kumar and his family to share their experiences with fellow farmers and create awareness about alternative crops and water conservation.

Describing Jai Jawan Agro Farming as an inspiring example of crop diversification and water-efficient agriculture, she said the visit had been particularly satisfying. Bodhan RDO Vijaya Kumari, district agriculture officer Veeraswamy, tahsildar Dattadri and farmers were present.