Natural farming team invited to Mexico

Dwaraka Tirumala (Eluru district): The nine-member delegation team along with two representatives from NOW Partners—Renske van Grinsvenand and Leonardo Andrade visited the Uppalapati Chakrapani fields where he is raising black pepper, turmeric, areca nut, black turmeric, tribal variety turmeric, ginger, palm oil, biryani leaf along with other multi crops in 11 acres of extent without using any chemicals. He is completely following the natural farming methods since 2017 and getting good returns every year.

Chakrapani informed that he is getting Rs 2 lakh per annum per acre in the natural farming practice. The team was in admiration to hear that Chakrapani is following innovative NF practices to control the wastage of perishables through solar dryer, post-harvesting process, selling the pepper, coconut and turmeric with value addition.

Later, the team visited 12 acres of Guduru Venkata Siva Ram Prasad in Tadakalapudi village of Ratnagiri gram panchayat, Kamavarapu Kota mandal. Siva Ram Prasad raised various crops in the land growing coconut, cocoa, nutmeg, areca nut and banana crops being raised under natural farming method.

Maria Natividad Diaz, area director of Government of Mexico in an interaction with the natural farming farmers in Laxmipuram village of Pedavegi mandal said that the experiences of the natural farming practitioners will help a lot to do the same in our country. She was very impressed and invited Andhra Pradesh’s Natural Farmers to their country.

Then the team proceeded to the Gundugolanugunta village of Dwaraka Tirumala mandal and visited the Bio input shop, Paddy compact block and concluded their visit on the day by interacting with SHG women. Aruna, Smita Jacob, Suresh, Madhu Preeti, Saroja from RySS and Tata Rao, District Project Manager, Eluru, Satya Sri, District Point Person, Academy, Mandal AO Pavan Kumar, Horticulture officer Lakhpathi, accompanied the Mexican delegation.