The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) will facilitate seven progressive farmers on the first day of kisan mela schedule to held on March 24. The farmers will be honoured for achieving great strides in agriculture and allied enterprises.
PAU vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal said the awards validates the hard labour done by the state’s farmers and inspires them to carry forward the rich legacy of agriculture.
Jatinder Singh, resident of Munda village, Tarn Taran, will be feted with “Chief Minister Award” for excellence in agriculture. Holding 48-years of vast experience in farming, he cultivates wheat, beetroot, cauliflower, mustard and berseem during the rabi season, and paddy, maize and basmati during the kharif season on his 100 acres of land. Having pursued two-year diploma course in agriculture from PAU, he follows the university recommendations for the use of agro-chemicals, soil testing for fertiliser use, paddy straw management (Happy seeder and super seeder) and has set up a farm machinery bank for the benefit of small, and marginal farmers. He has also been honoured by Bihar Agricultural University, Tarn Taran administration and KVK, Tarn Taran for effective management of crop residue.
Gurvinder Singh Sohi, resident of Nanowal Khurd village, Fatehgarh Sahib, will also be conferred with “Chief Minister Award” for emerging as a role model in flower cultivation. He owns 22 acres of land, of which nine acres is ancestral and 13 acres is on lease. In addition to flowers, he grows rajmash, wheat, paddy, etc. and has come up with gladiolus digger and bed marker technologies. A recipient of several honours, Sohi has formed Akal Farmer Produce Company Limited and a Farmer-Producer Organisation (FPO) of 65 farmers who seek guidance from KVK, Fatehgarh Sahib, for flower and vegetable cultivation.
{{/usCountry}}Gurvinder Singh Sohi, resident of Nanowal Khurd village, Fatehgarh Sahib, will also be conferred with “Chief Minister Award” for emerging as a role model in flower cultivation. He owns 22 acres of land, of which nine acres is ancestral and 13 acres is on lease. In addition to flowers, he grows rajmash, wheat, paddy, etc. and has come up with gladiolus digger and bed marker technologies. A recipient of several honours, Sohi has formed Akal Farmer Produce Company Limited and a Farmer-Producer Organisation (FPO) of 65 farmers who seek guidance from KVK, Fatehgarh Sahib, for flower and vegetable cultivation.
{{/usCountry}}Two young farmers, namely Raman Salaria, son of Bharat Singh and resident of Jungal, Pathankot, and Jaramanjeet Singh, son of Kulwant Singh and resident of Nurpur village, Tarn Taran, will be honoured with “Jathedar Gurdita Singh Mahal Memorial Award” for excellence in horticulture.
After quitting his private job in New Delhi, the 38-year old engineering graduate Salaria started practising cultivation of horticultural crops on his eight acres of ancestral land and uses solar powered micro irrigation system. Having gained rich experience from Bharuch of Gujarat and Patiala of Punjab, he did wonders from 1.5 acres of intercropping of dragon fruit and strawberry as well as 1.5 acres of marigold, and 5 acres of muskmelon cultivation. He is getting an average yield of 40 quintals per acre from dragon fruit, 50 quintals per acre from strawberry and 70 quintals per acre from marigold.
Owning 18 acres of land with 15 acres of ancestral and three acres on lease, the 40-year old Jaramanjeet Singh cultivates vegetables on 12 acres of area. Besides, he raises nursery of vegetables, prepares polybag as well as vermicompost and uses drip, and sprinkler irrigation or rain gun to irrigate vegetable nursery. A member of PAU kisan club, he has set up an office where he provides vegetables nursery and labour to the fellow farmers.
Two “CRI Pump Awards” will be bestowed upon farmers, namely Jagdeep Singh, resident of Sandhuan village, Rupnagar, and Dhandeep Singh, resident of Kutbeywalan Gujran village, Ludhiana.
Engaged in scientific farming on 30 acres of land for the last 15 years, Jagdeep Singh uses paddy transplanters, rotavator, mulcher, straw reaper, potato planter, potato digger, laser leveller and happy seeder. He has laid down underground water pipes to conserve water and uses farm machinery on custom hiring basis.
39-year old Dhandeep Singh, after pursuing graduation, has made rigorous efforts for water conservation. He has received trainings in drip irrigation, protected cultivation, organic farming, water saving and soil health maintenance from PAU and its KVK, Samrala, and conserves nearly 60-70 percent of water. He has not burnt paddy straw for the last 10 years and uses super seeder for wheat sowing.
Sukhdev Singh, resident of Miranpur village, Patiala, will be conferred with “Sardarni Prakash Kaur Sra Memorial Award” for being a guiding light in crop diversification. He is involved in farming on 4.5 acres of area and sows wheat, basmati and mushroom. Cheap casing technology, hygrometer, preparation of compost chamber shed with less investment, pole hole digger and compost turner have enabled him to achieve success in mushroom cultivation.