Farmer to design university curriculum

A CLASS 10 dropout from Rajasthan, India, could be rubbing shoulders with scientists and academics to design the organic farming curriculum for agricultural universities in India.

The man with a mission is Hukumchand Patidar, a farmer from Manpura village in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district.

Interestingly, he is least worried about the fact that he does not have a degree.

“Our ancient texts and manuscripts taught me facts on organic farming and I shall share the same with my colleagues on the panel,” he said.

“The module I am working on, natural and cow dung-related agriculture, shall be introduced in schools, colleges and universities,” Patidar said.

He advocates using “panchgavya” or the five elements derived from cows to nourish the soil and make crops healthier.

Patidar has been a consultant to Rajasthan’s four agricultural universities on the subject of organic farming.

He decided on organic farming in 2005 even though his family and friends, fearing losses, opposed the idea of experimentation.

Unaffected by the lack of encouragement, he started organic farming on a small patch of a 25-hectare farm.

Today, Patidar exports the produce to Japan, Germany and Switzerland.

His organic produce earns him a 40% higher rate than crops grown through the conventional method of farming.

Patidar decided to get into organic farming after realising “conventional farming was proving dangerous and its harmful effects were visible on the health of people and the environment”.

“I realised that land productivity was falling with conventional agriculture that uses chemicals, and the soil was being harmed and crops were becoming poisonous,” he said.

Patidar started organic farming and helped turn Manpura into a chemical-free farm patch.

He has been included in the national curriculum committee set up by the Indian Council for Agriculture Research because he has expertise in growing organic oranges, pulses, onion, coriander and fennel, the bulk of which is exported to Europe.

“After introducing several measures to enhance my farmland’s carbon cycle, I have received a positive impact as the land conditions have become more conducive to the growth of micro-organisms and insects which are making the soil fertile.” |