Kadapa: Women farmers prosper by adopting natural farming

Kadapa: Though literacy percentage among women is less in the district, they are actively participating in various government schemes like Podupulakshmi, NREGS auditing and fair price shops etc and getting prosperity.

In recent years, they are adopting Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF). Out of the total area of 60,000 which come under ZBNF in the district , 60 per cent lands are cultivated by women.

About 850 women farmers attended in the state level two-day convention organised on ZBNF in September 2018.

According to the official sources, ZBNF cultivation is being adopted successfully in 30,000 hectares covering 281 villages under the purview of 12 agriculture sub-divisions of 83 clusters. V Umadevi a progressive woman farmer Kurnuthala village of Lakki Reddy palli mandal irrigating paddy in two acres of land told Hans India that she had invested Rs 5,000 per acre under ZBNF and got good income. "Earlier I used to invest Rs 25,000 to 30,000 per acre for irrigating paddy,'' she said.

A Padmavathi of Ramasai nagar village of Duvvuru mandal who got state level award in ZBNF, irrigated Turmeric in 1 acre of land said that was able to get good remunerative price for her produce. When contacted by Hans India V Kadirappa Mandal Community Resource Person(MCRP) working Gandla palle cluster in Lakki Reddy palle mandal stated that the technique replaces the fertilisers and pesticides with cow dung, cow urine and other natural fertilisers.

District Collector Ch Harikiran said that farmers are following cultivation under ZBNF in 75,000 acres in the district.