Promotion of Good Agriculture Practices by SGI Champion farmer

Bhanwar Lal (Age-50, bamanwali village) is

associated with Sustainable guar initiative
project supported by Technoserve since
2015. Bamanwali lies in rainfed region of
Lunkaransar cluster (Bikaner) where annual
rainfall is between 200- 300 mm. Guar being
the major crop of the region He Bhanwar lal
is one of the few farmers who was rewarded
by donors as champion farmer of SGI during
Guar field day event in 2017. Income from
agriculture is the only source to sustain
family of 5 (including 1 children) so he is
always curious to adopt new technique which
can enhance his productivity and ultimately
income. As Bhanwar Lal was fuelled with Figure 1Champion Farmer- Bhanwar lal at his farm
determination in improving his family’s quality
of life. His openness to adopt innovative ideas for increase yield landed him to attend training
modules on GAP where he learned the scientific practices of land preparation, seed selection, seed
treatment, line sowing, hoeing and weeding, crop rotation, integrated pest and disease
management. Inspired from these practices, and to test the results of trainings he adopted all GAP
in his farm through participatory demonstration of Guar in year 2015. The results of demonstration
plot bore fruits extensively. The demonstration plot produced 107 Kg of guar seed from acre of land
which was around five times more than control plot.

Encouraged by his successful adoption of Good Agriculture Practices he decided that in future he will
promote the same with other fellow farmers so that overall productivity of rainfed guar increases in
the whole village.

Adoption of CSA:
As livestock manure is abundantly available in project region but mostly collected manure is left in
open air until the next cropping season, during which period many nutrient get lost through
leaching, run-off and volatilization. And, need was felt to enhance farmer knowledge to build
layered compost pit which can support farmers to improve soil fertility and strengthen the soil
resilience to climate change.

Further, in 2018 in order to enhance farmer resiliency to climate change; climate smart agriculture
component was introduced in training module which enhance farmers knowledge for preparing
layered compost pit and adoption of crop rotation in land. This was followed by exposure of farmers
to local university for understanding scientific preparation of compost pit. Bhanwar lal participated
in the exposure visit and have prepared compost pit in 2018.
Results:
The results are fruitful as he have applied quality well decomposed compost in 4.5 acre of rainfed
land. Despite of poor rainfall last year he had harvested 300 kg of guar seed in 4 acre of land which is
considerably higher than his fellow farmers. And, on remaining land he have adopted crop rotation
and have harvested 100 kg of bajra.

Being mainly in Western Rajasthan Bikaner has proved to be constant struggle for farmers to obtain
success in agriculture.

Replicability:
The farmer is really motivated As farmer states “This time guar harvesting seems to be very
productive” as it is quit visible now that improved seed use (Variety- HG 563) along with application
of proper decomposed compost has enhanced soil fertility. And, he further states that “he will
motivate other farmer to prepare scientific compost pit”