How is Jharkhand's Garhwa Farmer Revolutionizing Graft Farming?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Hridaynath Chaubey is transforming agriculture in Garhwa.
- Graft farming can yield twice the production of normal crops.
- Farmers can earn significantly more with modern techniques.
- Grafted crops are disease-resistant and versatile.
- Innovation in farming is key to alleviating financial struggles.
Ranchi, Aug 1 (NationPress) Nestled near the border of Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, Garhwa village is gaining recognition for its remarkable achievements in graft farming, particularly in crops such as tomatoes and brinjals. The visionary behind this agricultural revolution is Hridaynath Chaubey, a former school headmaster who has transitioned into a successful farmer.
Hridaynath Chaubey has embraced graft farming and is cultivating grafted tomatoes and brinjals innovatively in the Banshidhar Nagar block of the district. His efforts have yielded impressive results, inspiring farmers from across Jharkhand to follow in his footsteps.
After retiring, Hridaynath sought to discover new methods to alleviate the challenges faced by farmers who are often limited by the low income generated from traditional crops like paddy, wheat, and maize.
Many farmers are now looking up to his example and are adopting modern farming techniques.
Initially, he procured grafted plants from Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh for Rs 10 each.
According to Hridaynath, grafted plants produce double the yield compared to regular plants and are more resilient to diseases, leading to higher profits for farmers.
A key advantage of these plants is their versatility; they can be grown in any season. When planted out of season, farmers can fetch better prices, resulting in increased profits.
Hridaynath shared that while growing paddy and wheat may allow a farmer to earn only around Rs 30,000 per acre, cultivating vegetables with modern methods can generate earnings between Rs 2-3 lakh per acre.
He noted that an investment of about Rs 2 to 3 lakh was made in planting grafted tomatoes and brinjals over one and a half acres.
Shiv Shankar Prasad, the District Agriculture Officer, remarked that this technique, widely popular in Chhattisgarh, has shown remarkable returns in cultivating tomatoes, brinjals, chillies, and capsicum.
“Grafted tomatoes and brinjals are grafted onto wild brinjals. This allows the plants to avoid root-related diseases, resulting in stronger growth compared to regular plants. Furthermore, the yield is doubled, and grafted plants can endure various weather conditions,” he explained.