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Agriculture | Herb cultivation benefits western Rajasthan farmers -Shoeb Khan

Herb cultivation benefits western Rajasthan farmers -Shoeb Khan

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published Published on Aug 11, 2015   modified Modified on Aug 11, 2015
-The Times of India

JAIPUR: Eight villages in the arid regions of western Rajasthan are fast progressing towards sustainable development by venturing into growing Shankhpushpi, a medicinal herb which is scientifically proven to enhance memory and brainpower. Situated in the arid region with annual rainfall less than sufficient even for one crop in a year, the farmers grows traditional crops Bajra, Guar and Moth that have less commodity value.

Until recently, they weren't aware that organic composition of the soil added with integrated farming system can yield them two other crops - Shankhpushpi and another traditional crop - which can increase their annual incomes significantly.

The move came after Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI) in Jodhpur and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) based in Hyderabad identified this high value commodity under the project "Dry Land Systems" in 2014 to turn arid land into a high yielding zone.

Dheerasar and Dhonk in Barmer, Mansagar and Govindpura in Jodhpur, Damodar, Didu and Deda and Sankariya in Jaisalmer were chosen under the project in 2014. The efforts yielded results as Shankhpushpi herb fetched them a profit of Rs 25, 000-Rs 30, 000 per hectare against Rs 5, 000-Rs 10,000 per hectare under the traditional cropping system.

"Shankhpushpi acted as a lifeline for my family as I earned Rs 80, 000 in the drought-like situation last year when other farmers end up earning nothing," said Debaram, a farmer from Dheersar Village in Barmer. He grew the herb on eight hectares of farmland. Last year, 100 farmers grew this herb on 120 hectares of land and now this figure has jumped to 500 farmers cultivating the herb in around 300 hectares.

The Krishi Vigyan Kendra based in Barmer and ICRISAT have been promoting the crop in the region by holding workshops and also helping farmers find a market to sell the herb.

"The revenue can increase significantly by cultivating a high value commodity crop like Shankhpushpi together with traditional crops like Bajra and Gaur. The Shankhpushpi crop requires water during sowing and once the seed germinates, it requires the same quantity of water as is needed for any dry land crop," said Shalander Kumar, scientist at ICRISAT.

The scientists have identified Barmer as ideal for growing medicinal herbs like Shankhpushpi and Jeevanti. "The kind of soil here is sandy loam and added with dry climate, it becomes ideal for growth of these herbs," said Kumar. The biggest challenge scientists are facing is the scarcity of water. This has been a major problem leading to mass migration. "Our emphasis is on saving water not only for drinking but also for irrigation. We are developing Khadin, a traditional water conservation technique prevalent in the arid regions," said Kumar.
 

The Times of India, 10 August, 2015, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Herb-cultivation-benefits-western-Rajasthan-farmers/articleshow/48417637.cms


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