Farmer Field School: A Centre For Learning

Economic Justice
By Savvy Soumya Misra
23 Nov, 2022

Abhay Kumar is one of our lead farmers from Amar village in Harnaut Block of Nalanda District in Bihar. His burning desire to do something for his family and his community drew him to the Oxfam India-HDFC Bank run Holistic Rural Development Project (HRDP). He became a member of the Gouri Kisan Utpadak Samhu (a farmer producer group). Abhay Kumar is young and very inquisitive about the latest smart and scientific ways of farming. He was regular in attending learning events organised by HRDP Nalanda; these were training and exposure visits at various renowned institution like Centre of Excellence at Chandi, ATMA in Bihar Sharif and Borlaugh Institute of South Asia (BISA).

When we started setting up Farmer Field School (FFS) under HRDP, Abhay became our lead farmer and his field became a centre for learning. Oxfam India with support from HDFC bank has established 30 such Farmer Field Schools in 15 villages in three blocks in Nalanda District. These Farmer Filed Schools have been developed as centres of learning in these villages.

Abhay was supported with various amenities such as green net (used to grow saplings in controlled temperature), mulching, and high yielding seeds. He was given on-field training from agriculture experts; he was also trained and supported to sow using the zero tillage machine.

His journey has inspired other farmers in the village to take up smarter and more scientific ways of farming. Abhay shares his experience with other farmers regularly and talks to them especially about the benefits of vermicompost, importance of sowing at regular distances, and importance of an even field for proper and equal distribution of fertiliser and water so that every seed/grain gets equal nourishment. Abhay also sells saplings, which he grows in his green net, at nominal prices.

Abhay's Produce

Abhay Kumar says, “I am thankful to HDFC Bank for their support. This initiative has helped us evolve from doing conservative farming to doing scientific and smart agriculture”.

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