Beset by adversity, Krishna Jadhav turned his fortunes around with the help of the Smart Agri Project, and provided inspiration and wisdom to his fellow farmers in finding a way out of poverty
“Every season, it was a gamble. We invested everything we had, only to lose it all sometimes. It was a heart-wrenching cycle that seemed to be never-ending.”
Even a few years ago, Krishna Gyanoba Jadhav’s words echoed among the cotton farmers of Ambegaon village in Parbhani district in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region. After all, the sun-soaked, fertile fields of the village hid a sad reality – the fact that unpredictable weather patterns were pushing cultivators towards debt and poverty. Besides, the farmers’ reliance on chemical fertilisers was only adding to their financial burden and damaging their soil.
Plagued by a string of crop losses and diminished earnings over successive years, the residents of Ambegaon were desperately looking to break free of the vicious cycle. Fortunately, help arrived in the form of the Smart Agri Project, in the nick of time. Together with Krishna, 184 farmers from Ambegaon joined the programme at the same time in 2022.
For farmers such as Krishna, the Smart Agri Project has not only supported them with knowledge regarding sustainable farming techniques, it has also helped nurture the skill of informed decision-making in them. And, better decision-making is what led to a turning point in Krishna’s journey as a farmer.
On three acres of land, Krishna used to cultivate 20–22 quintals of cotton every season. His participation in the Smart Agri Project’s training modules allowed him to learn more about the preparation of low-cost natural inputs and bio-inputs, and the principles of integrated nutrient and pest management. Additionally, the project introduced him to climate and crop advisories, and how to make the best use of the information provided by these advisories. The result? The yield of cotton from Krishna’s field has now risen to 26–27 quintals, along with a 30 per cent drop in production cost. He has also started growing sugarcane and other vegetables on his farm. Overall, his agricultural activities are helping him earn an income of ₹3 lakh–₹4 lakh every year.
In an effort to further increase his income streams, Krishna diversified his activities strategically. Venturing into dairy farming, he selected 10 Holstein cows and two Jafarabadi buffaloes to maximise milk production. Besides leading to a significant increase in his income, the shift to dairy farming has stabilised his agricultural enterprise as well, with the result that he is no longer solely dependent on traditional crop cultivation as a means of sustenance. “I realised that the key to resilience lies in diversity. Combining traditional crops with dairy farming seemed like a natural progression,” says Krishna.
The integration of modern farming methods and his decision to combine livestock and traditional farming has transformed Krishna’s farm into a thriving ecosystem. For Ambegaon’s farming community, it has emerged as a resilient, holistic model that can potentially open up a path to prosperity.
“Through the Smart Agri Project, we have empowered farmers to ‘cultivate’ prosperity beyond their fields. By leveraging technology, we have tailored advisories that optimise crop yield, minimise resource wastage and maximise profitability. As we witness the transformational impact of our programme, we reaffirm our commitment to bridging the gap between traditional wisdom and modern innovation – ensuring the development of a prosperous agricultural ecosystem for generations to come,” says Anukool Nagi, Assistant General Manager, Solidaridad.
