Success Stories

1. Situation analysis/Problem statement

Viliupuram is one of the predominant agricultural district in which about 60% of population is engaged in Agriculture and allied activities for their livelihood. Pulses are one of most important food grain crops cultivating in the district. Among the pulses Blackgram is a predominant pulse crop which covers more than 80% of the total pulses area in Villupuram district.

Problems identified

• Non adoption of newer and improved varieties
• High incidence of YMV in existing blackgram varieties
• Lower crop yield from existing varieties.
• Unavailability of good quality blackgram seed

2. Plan, Implement and Support

1. Introduction of improved blackgram variety
2. Seed treatment with biofertilizers
3. Seed farmers were trained in seed farm sanitation, appropriate production technologies and post harvest handling
4. Foliar application MN mixture
5. Facilitated seed farm registration, roughing and seed farm inspection.

3. Output & Outcome

Blackgram VBN 8 variety introduced in 24 number of farmers in various blocks of Villupuram district through Seed Hub scheme. Among 24 seed producing farmers                          Mr. A. Jayachandiran of Mailam block recorded a highest yield of 735 kg seed per acre whereas was obtained and yield of 440 kg in previous year. Through seed production, the farmer was able to increase his net income from Rs. 11,400 /ac to Rs. 30,950 /ac. It is concluded that farmers realized doubled the income through seed production.

1. Situation analysis/Problem statement

Mr. R. Chandraprabu is a progressive farmer of Pangulathur village of Olakkur block, Villupuram district and he owns 7.0 acres of land. He is a dedicative agriculturist and actively involved in doing agriculture in an innovative way. The major crops cultivating are paddy, groundnut, pulses, snake gourd, bitter gourd, melons, bhendi and brinjal. To protect the crops from various pests and diseases he used to spray pesticides at weekly intervals. This increase his cost of production and led to reduction in net income.

Mr. R. Chandraprabu approached KVK to improve his agricultural activities and gain more income.  In Villuppuram district, area under cultivation of pandhal vegetables is more. But higher pest and disease incidence and indiscriminate use of agrochemicals are very common in cultivation of gourds. Moreover farmers are lacking knowledge on pest and disease monitoring and Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM) strategies. This increase his cost of production and led to reduction in net income.

2. Plan, Implement and Support

 He advised to attend training programmes conducted by KVK, Villupuram to develop knowledge and skill. He attended various training programmes viz., improved production technologies, organic farming, ecofriendly management of pest and diseases, importance of soil health management. KVK, Villupuram conducted front line demonstration (FLD) and farmers field school on “IPDM in gourds”.  The integrated pest and disease management strategies includes summer ploughing, use of improved varieties/hybrids, setting up of yellow sticky trap, fruit fly traps,  precision farming (portray nursery, drip irrigation and mulching), use of biocontrol agents, need based pesticides spray, intercropping/ border cropping with marigold. After that, he started adopting improved technologies.

3. Output & outcome

 He has earned as additional income of Rs. 1,87,450/- with BC ratio of 5.56 from cultivation of snake gourd when compared to the regular practices. The details are given below

4. Impact

Now, he is applying fertilizer based on soil test to enhance the production and reduction in cost of cultivation. In case of cultivation of gourd, he is practicing precision farming system viz., drip irrigation and mulching and marigold under the pandhal which increases the pollination rate resulting high yield. He is doing agroforestry model of papaya and moringa around the field which acts as the wind barrier and gives addition income. He is using all the integrated approaches viz., traps, biocontrol agents to protect the crop from insect pests and diseases.

He is also served as a resource person for training programmes organized by KVK, Villupuram and Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, Villupuram. KVK, Villupuram documented his success story on IPDM in gourds with the help of Doordarshan Kendra, Podhigai, Chennai and telecasted for mass coverage. He received Krishi Yuva Samman Regional award for South India with cash prize of Rs. 51000/- (Rupees fifty one thousand only) under Youth farmer category from Executive Chairman, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., during Mahindra Samriddhi India Agri awards 2019 held on 18.03.2019 at New Delhi for encouraging the youth farmers in agriculture and for disseminating the latest agricultural technologies in Villupuram district.

Protray nursery seedling production

Use of traps and intercropping with marigold to better pollination

Cultivation of snake gourd

Success story on IPDM in gourd telecasted in DD Podhigai, Chennai

Received Krishi Yuva Samman (Young Farmer of the Year) award at Regional level (South India) during Mahindra Samriddhi India Agri Awards 2019 held at new Delhi on dt. 18.03.2019

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1. Situation analysis/Problem statement

Villupuram district situated in the North Eastern agroclimatic zone of Tamil Nadu is one of the agrarian based districts with more than 60 % of the population engaged in Agriculture and allied activities for their livelihood. Vegetables are important horticultural crop and cultivated all over the district during Adipattam (July – August) and Thaipattam (January – February). Gourds are the one of the important crops in vegetables widely cultivating by Villupuram district farmers.

• Unaware about newly rereleased high yielding Snake gourd hybrids
• Yield loss due to high incidence of pest and diseases in Snake gourd
• High seed cost of private snake gourd hybrids

2. Plan, implement and support

An attempt was made to introduce newly released Snake gourd Hybrid COH 1 in Villupuram district though Front Line Demonstration (FLD). Totally 10 demos were taken in the farmers field of Olakkur village, Olakkur block in Adipattam (July – August). During this programme newly released  Snake gourd Hybrid COH 1 was demonstrated with the improved package of practices. Further, an off campus training programme was given to the FLD farmers to impart knowledge on seed treatment, application of fertilizer based on soil testing, integrated pest and disease management. The FLD farmers applied all the learned technologies in their field to obtain highest yield.

3. Output & Outcome

From the above table it could be understand that farmers obtained highest yield of 62.50 t/ha from COH 1 Snake gourd hybrid whereas, in farmers practice the yield was 51.00 t/ha. The COH 1 hybrid yield is 22 % higher than the farmers practice. Further, COH 1 fetches high market price and consumer preference since the fruit is short, spindle shape and dusty white with predominant white strips. The success of the COH 1 cultivation was recorded through Doordarshan Kendra and telecasted on 21.11.2018.

FLD farmer Mr. Sivaraman’s Success story telecasted through DDK, Chennai in Ponvilaiyum boomi programme

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1. Situation analysis/Problem statement

Viliupuram is one of the predominant agricultural district in which about 60% of population is engaged in agriculture and allied activities for their livelihood. Pulses are one of most important food grain crops cultivating in the district. Among the pulses, blackgram is a predominant pulse crop which covers more than 80% of the total pulses area in Villupuram district.

Problems identified

• Non adoption of newer and improved varieties
• High incidence of YMV in existing blackgram varieties
• Lower crop yield from existing varieties.
• Unavailability of good quality blackgram seed

2. Plan, implement and support

• Introduction of improved blackgram variety
• Seed treatment with biofertilizers
• Seed farmers were trained in seed farm sanitation, appropriate production technologies and post harvest handling
• Foliar application MN mixture
• Facilitated seed farm registration, roughing and seed farm inspection.

3. Output & outcome

Blackgram VBN 8 variety introduced in 24 number of farmers in various blocks of Villupuram district through Seed Hub scheme. Among 24 seed producing farmers, Mr. A. Jayachandiran of Mailam block recorded a highest yield of 735 kg seed per acre, whereas was obtained and yield of 440 kg in previous year. Through seed production, the farmer was able to increase his net income from Rs. 11,400 /ac to Rs. 30,950 /ac.

1. Situation analysis/problem statement

Mr.A.Gajendran S/o. Haridass, Keelsidhamoor Village, Marakanam block of Villupuram district is a marginal farmer, holding an area of 1.6 acres. He was cultivating paddy, pulses and gingelly. The income received from these crops was not sufficient to run his joint family. Due to the insufficient income generation, he was searching for alternate source. Further, occurrence of severe drought and uneven  rainfall pattern makes his livelihood complicated. In this situation, the farmer approached KVK, to follow the integrated practice with crop and allied activities in a scientific manner, so as to minimize the expenses on inputs, recycle the waste materials and maintains the soil fertility.

Problem identified

• Low annual income due to the mono cropping system
• High cost of inputs and expenditure
• Crop failure due to severe drought and uneven rainfall pattern
• Low production due to poor soil and water management
• Lack of knowledge on the integration of crop and allied enterprises in an effective manner.

2. Plan, implement and support

            Farming system: Garden land integrated farming system

The farmer was given with chicks and goats as addition component with the existing crop module.  Further, the farmer participated in the on and off campus training programmes conducted by KVK and learnt about the Integrated Farming System (IFS) in a scientific way . Based on the gained knowledge the farmer followed the IFS with crop, dairy, goat, poultry (Nandanam 2) and fodder seed  production module. These modules are ideal for garden land IFS model.

3. Output & outcome

Before IFS Model:

After IFS Model:

From the above table, it could be understand that, the demonstration has created confidence in Mr. Gajendran that he can succeed with integration of the backyard poultry, goat farming and fodder seed production. His annual income has been increased from Rs. 1,03,000 to Rs. 3,52,000 by following Integrated Farming System. From this intervention, it is concluded that crop+ dairy+ goat+ poultry + fodder seed production has proved a successful IFS model to increase the annual income and provide an employment opportunity to the farm family throughout the year.