Monday, March 27, 2017

Raju’s integrated farm: A breakthrough an apocryphal


Farmer’s Name: Dil Bhadur Mongar (aka Raju)
Age: 42
Education: Class V (dropout)
Village: Zomlimthang
Geog: Gelephu
Dzongkhag: Sarpang
Business: Integrated farming
A proud farmer

His love for greenery has always encouraged him to take up vegetable farming at his home. Adjusting from his personal loan, he started a small vegetable garden around his house which has eventually stretched to about 1.5 acre of land now. A father of two daughters has initially started the vegetable farming in 2015 with an objective to attain family vegetable self-sufficiency.

Motivated by the successful vegetable farmers across the globe, Raju is confident enough to achieve national vegetable self sufficiency by few years from now if more people could put in effort as him. He says looking at the growing demand trend for home produced vegetables in the town, he does not have to worry about finding the market for his products.
Maize plants in orderly row

Born to a middle income family, he works in one private company which helps him financially to support his investment in farm inventories. According to him as long as farmers make a smart and selfless investment in initial stage of the business, one can reap a good profit within a season or two for vegetable growers. Although he has no formal training from government and relevant sector, he explores for knowledge on vegetables from social media sites and seeks constant guidance from agriculture sector and other successful farmers.

He grows about 20 varieties of vegetables in a season, he also have about 1500 poultry birds and four cross-breed jersey making him one of the most sought after farmer at Gelephu.

Sl.No.
Vegetable/crop
Quantity/season
Price/unit
Total amount
1
Maize
1000 pieces
10
10,000
2
Sponge gut
100
10
1000
3
Beans
200kg
40
8000
4
Bringer
250kg
30
7500
5
cucumber
750 kg
30
22,500
6
Bottle gut
400 pieces
30
12,000
7
Bitter gut
300 kg
30
9,000
8
Spinach
1000 bundles
10
10,000
9
Lady finger
200kg
50
10,000
10
Pea
30 kg
45
1,350
11
Palak sag
400 bundles
10
4,000
12
Coriander
100 bundles
10
1,000
13
Radish
400kg
30
12,000
14
Garlic
20 kg
200
4000
15
Ginger
1500 kg
20
30,000
16
Cabbage
400kg
25
10,000
17
Cauliflower
400kg
40
16,000
18
Broccoli
500kg
40
20,000
19
Tomato
200kg
30
6000

Total turnover
1,94,350
Total poultry bird
Laying bird
Price/egg
Monthly income

2600
75 % of total birds = 1950 birds(laying)
6.5
12,675*30 =380,250
Total turnover/month
380,250
Return from jersey

No. of cattle
Milking cattle
Yield/day
Price/L
Monthly income
4 (cross breed)
2
7*2 cow=14L
Nu. 35
14*30*35= 14,700
Total turnover/month
Nu.14,700

The total turnover from the vegetables in a season comes around Nu.1, 94,350, about Nu.380, 250 and Nu.14, 700 from poultry and livestock monthly. The vegetable seedlings are also sold with the demand from other farmers. With recent plantation of chilli, he hopes to distribute the chilli seedling to others interested in taking up chilli plantation to cope up with import ban on chilli. He grows vegetables throughout the seasons which give him a lot more than calculated estimates of return annually. He sells most of the vegetables to the vendors which in turn take to local vegetable market at Gelephu. The business being in its initial stage he still is in investment phase where he spends major share of the return in the farm.
Bountiful bottle gut

The byproducts of the cattle and chicken are used in the field as manure without having to use fertilizers. Even the husks of the maize and the remains of vegetables are without wastage used in the field as manure.

Raju attributes his success to his own interest in farming that has always encouraged him to breakthrough an old apocryphal of poor farmer. One of the success factors he states is that of hard work. Right after his duty of the office, he gets into the field and work till late night justifying his dedication in the work. Idea exchange with the lead farmers and other agriculture experts is also found very important in getting immediate solution to some of the issues with plants and the pests.
Poultry farm

Hiring some labourers with reasonable wages and temporal recruitment of young school going children during vacation has created employment opportunities from his farm. He also supplies vegetables to people nearby in relatively lower price benefiting the local community. The increase in family income has not only enhanced the living standard but also improved the nutritional value of the food. It has created many socio-economic benefits while at the same time gearing towards self-sufficiency goal of the country.

He has a plan to extend the farm and increase the productivity in coming years with improved seeds and mechanization. Mushroom cultivation is also on top list of his plan in near future. However, some of the challenges faced are water scarcity, poor seed qualities and pest infestation.
A most moment for a farmer is the harvest time

Being a lead farmer, he receives distinguished guests and spectators to his farm. The Dzongkhag agriculture sectors also sent farmers on tour to the farm and learn new things on farming strategy through knowledge and experience sharing. Upon close interaction and observation of Mr.Raju, one can comfortably make a statement that “Raju works like a coolie. Raju lives like a Raja”.

Hardwork paid well

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank Mr.Raju for taking time for my interview and allowing me to make a field visit to his integrated farming. 




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