The confluence of experience and technique is expected to yield good quality crops
Agoro Carbon Alliance, backed by Yara International (Fertilisers), founded to address the global challenge in agriculture at the core of its operations, has shared exciting details about the conversation held with farmers in Haryana during their crop monitoring visit.
The Agoro team visits the farms regularly to inspect and track their growth. As the harvest season approaches, the team recently made its fourth visit of this season to Punjab and Haryana to monitor the Agoro farm’s growth for the sowing done at the end of October. The team was keen to understand the farmers’ overall experience with Agoro Carbon’s execution and crop quality.
During this five-day-long visit, the team discussed with the farmers how Agoro Carbon farming practices had helped them in better planning and applicability on their farms. Apart from that, seeing the standing crop, what are growers’ expectations regarding the harvest to be generated from the ongoing field activity?
During the visit, the team interacted with more than ten farmers who had different views. The farmers said that Agoro has become like a friend to the farmers as they assist them, educate them and help them learn about the latest developments in the agriculture sector. They also inform farmers about the latest agronomic techniques that help them become efficient with respect to the crops they are growing. The Agoro team conducted a special farmers’ meeting to address the growers’ concerns and take their feedback into consideration for the standing crop.
Additionally, grower Chandra Prakash stated that the Agoro team helped him plan so well that he was able to reduce wastage and save 400 rupees per acre. Above all, the practice suggested by the team enables growers to manage water and crop nutrition better. The Agoro team also helps farmers to get very specific personalized context-driven their own farm-level crop calendars. This information is reached by leveraging the new technologies, such as remote sensing and proximal sensing, complemented by Agoro’s regular farm visits.
A grower, Chander Prakash, from Karnal, Haryana, who was following conventional farming practices for many years, which was adversely affecting his soil, was on-boarded as an Agoro Carbon Hero. Right from sowing season, which starts in October, the Agoro Carbon team worked with him on his field-implementing effective carbon farming practices for crops to make soil healthier and lead to better yield. The team partnered with the farmer at each stage of the farming process, starting from field preparation, sowing, effective fertigation for standing crops to irrigation. Now, almost at the end of the season, seeing the quality of crops standing at his farm, he is happy to report that he might get a good harvest. Apart from that, in terms of investment, the entire process proved to be cost-effective for him as he saved money, which he was spending extra in the traditional way of farming.
Commenting on the occasion, Sudarshan Dutta, Lead Agronomist, Agoro Carbon India, said, We have seen the quality of crops grown at various Agoro farms across Punjab and Haryana, with an Agoro style of farming being much better than conventional methods. As Agoro follows a balanced crop nutrition approach and does not overuse any nutrients, their plants were significantly denser, and the roots were well-formed. However, neighbouring farms that were not practising the Agoro farming techniques, their plants were thin, with a single root and had no extension. So, looking at the crop growth at the farms, we are expecting a good yield that will be harvested at the end of March & April.
Chander Prakash, Agoro Farmer, said, “I’m satisfied with the level of support provided by the Agoro Carbon Alliance team. For me, their methods proved to be cost-effective. The primary goal of the Agoro Carbon Alliance is to assist farmers in maintaining soil health, which in turn provides them with the opportunity to generate additional revenue with carbon credit generation. Thus, both things are in the farmer’s best interests, and I recommend that more farmers connect with them who are interested in making their soil healthier and securing their future. However, we request the Agoro team to be present and work even more closely than before with us.”
Avtar Singh, a grower from Tarn Taran, said, “We are incredibly pleased to unite with the Agoro carbon alliance. They are helping us, much like a friend. They provide us with accurate information and assist us in implementing technology that enables smart agriculture, resulting in increased crop yield and a significant increase in saving as well as income. Moreover, they also make it possible for growers like us to participate with confidence in carbon markets and larger global agricultural markets .”
Prithviraj Sen Sharma, Managing Director of Agoro Carbon Alliance India, said, “I’m delighted to see farmers and farms prospering with us. Apart from that, I’m glad that they recognise the importance of sustainable and carbon farming practices and are embracing innovative farming techniques. I was always confident about the innovative nature of our farmer brothers, and this has proved to us this is true. The support from our farmer friends has been commendable, which gives me much hope for a prosperous future.”
