Berhampur: With a view to develop entrepreneurship among rural farmers for augmentation of their income, the Ganjam district administration is planning to launch a new programme called ‘TARA’ adhering to the 5T mantra of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
TARA, which stands for Transformation of Agriculture in Rural Area, will be implemented in the district in convergence with agriculture and other departments to boost the income of the farmers in specific time period, said Ganjam Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange.
Agriculture is the main source of income and livelihood in the district. Hence, the development of entrepreneurship among the rural farmers is the basic need of the day, he said.
Under the new initiative, model farming structures will be developed for increasing the income of the individual farmers, he added.
The programme will be implemented in all 503 gram panchayats in the district in accordance with the Chief Minister’s 5T action plan – Transparency, Teamwork, Technology, Time and Transformation, the Collector stressed.
Transformation in agriculture has been envisaged using Team works of various departments such as Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Soil Conservation, Fishery, Panchayati Raj, OLM, Mission Shakti, Forest, Sericulture, Cooperation and Banking etc. Within specific Timeline with the help of advance Technology (farm mechanization) will ensure all types of convergence of Agriculture and allied schemes in Transparent manner.
As per the plan, 10 number of willing farmers from each gram panchayat having own lands will be covered under the programme in the first phase.
These farmers will act as the resource person for other farmers of the GPs in future.
A basic data of each farmer will be collected and analyzed to assess the need of the farmers for development of entrepreneurship. Based on the need of the farmers different facilities of the scheme of the department will be extended to the selected farmers.
Services of departments like Agriculture, Horticulture, Soil Conservation, Veterinary, Fisheries, Sericulture KVK, Mission Shakti, OLM, Co- operation , Bankers ,DRDA will be rendered to the selected farmers as per assessed need to augment his income.
The capacity building of the selected farmers of the GPs will be made as per the need by the department resource personnel.
A district level PMU (Project Monitoring Unit) comprising of the departments, district heads with the expert farmers of different disciplines of inside and outside the state will be formed.
Programme and planning for development of entrepreneurship will be started taking into account different types of land and by converging scheme facilities of different departments, sources said.
Soil nutrient status of different land type will be prepared after soil testing for efficient use of plant nutrients.
In situ moisture conservation measures (like field bunding, water harvesting structure , contour cultivation, insitu live mulching with pulses/fodders) will be taken up by the farmers with technical support of Soil Conservation Dept.
Similarly, irrigation facility will be ensured by renovation of existing irrigation source or creating new irrigation (individual ) source/project with assistance from DRDA or Agriculture dept/OLIC as per schematic norm.
For efficient use of water, micro irrigation system like sprinkler / drip is to be developed with assistance of Horticulture Department.
Input like HYV /hybrid seed for food grain crops and vegetable crops will be provided by PACS/OSSC/Hort dept.
Finance if required for development of Irrigation project, Infrastructure will be facilitated by the LDM./DRCS.
Fishery dept will look after the development or creation of pond for pisciculture and provide necessary technical and schematic assistance to the farmer where needed.
Upgradation of existing indigenous breed of cow/ buffalo through artificial insemination(AI), need based health care and insurance of cattle will be made under the guidance of Animal Husbandry dept.
Additional dairy / poultry / goatery if required will be supported by AH dept with finance through bank .
Necessary assistance to be provided for construction of cow shed under MGNREGS through DRDA.
Sericulture activity will be promoted through Mulberry plantation and engaging nearby SHG for silkworm rearing and reeling of silk threads after their capacity building through OLM/Sericulture Dept.
Interested farmers to be assisted in obtaining licence for dealing different Agriculture inputs AH / Poulty products from concerned Dept .to enable other farmers to get agri. and allied inputs under one roof in the GP.
Fodder farm will be promoted where AH will be taken up through AH dept assistance.
Vermicompost and preparation of compost pit will be promoted through DRDA, Hort. & Agril. dept for obtaining FYM and vemicmpost for achieving Organic crops.
Market linkage of different produces shall be made through OLM/ORMAS and linking the marketing to GP / Block level existing FPO to ensure remunerative price of products directly avoiding the interference of middleman.
Value addition of agriculture and horticultural products shall be made through departmental assistance.
Production of high value Scented rice /SRI/in line Transplanted method will be taken up where paddy crop is inevitable.
Seed production programme in paddy, pulses, oil seed crops shall be promoted through agriculture department involving OSSC and OSSOPCA.
Technical assistance to be provided to ensure proper utilisation of the plant residues or animal by-product in production of vermicompost / biogas in a scientific manner by recycling the unutilised product of the farm for use as a productive input in other productive activities.
The Chief District Agriculture Officer, Ganjam will be the Nodal Officer for implementation of this programme with the assistance of other departments.
All round development of the participated farmers for agro-based entrepreneurship will be made, who will be the model for the entire Panchayat in coming days.
These farmers will act as resource persons in the development of other agriculture entrepreneurships in all the 503 Gram Panchayats of this district.
The basic idea of the programme shall be learning-earning and teaching.