Visi to Chakdaha

Thanks to all. I met few farmers who are farming more than 12 kms away from the high road. Pesticide observation is correct. I have noted their following problems:

1. They use fertilizers following the advice of shop rather expert ;
2. They want regular visit of ADO from whom they can get idea about different diseases in the plant;
3. They want book on farming in local language;
4. One big farmer having 12 acre of farm land initially uses pesticides, weedies, fertilizers in the small area of land and getting good result, he introduces it in other areas. He has no education. For 35 years, he is engaged in farming. Currently. He has one shop of fertilizers. URL company tests his land as model plot. He is very much self-efficacious.
His only word - be attached in the farming despite of all odd circumstances.

Acknowledgments:

Professor (Retd) Amiya Saha of Kalyani University: He arranged two students to meet the farmers.


ATTITUDE TO MANPOWER AND FARM LAND

Changing family system from joint to nuclear causes huge loss of manpower in farming.
Another loss is due to higher education ( beyond primary education). People shift from traditional occupation to non-traditional areas due to higher education. I ask this issue to some farmers and get positive response.

During my visit in the north - east, I have noticed that many people do not want higher education due to loss of manpower in agriculture.

One farmer having more than 3 acres of land sells 4 bighas in every year for higher education to his son in Commerce. The son replied that he would not come to the agriculture. To him, loss of land is inevitable process for changing life style.

I ask similar question to my punjabi student but her reply is different. For her land is the asset and it's value is adding in geometric progrression.

It comes to my mind that attitude towards land varies with state or locality.


Attitude change

Yes, attitude change is possible if scientists instead of political figures with vested interests come forward to the farmers for education.

Currently, farmers are puzzled as the lands are not in their hands. I have seen their difficulty to make the land more fertile after use of chemical fertilizers. Some farmers wanted to learn some simple methods of soil testing. Soils are collected according to certain specifications. All farmers are not aware of it.

Again, they were apprehended about soil mixture - is the tested soil related to thier own land ?

We have to stop their unnecessary apprehension by cost effective scientific approach.