THE PEOPLE in my village thought I had gone mad when I decided to give up maize and grow wild marigolds in 2017,” says Pawan Kumar, a farmer in Himachal Pradesh. “The rebukes grew stronger when the flowers failed to bloom the first season,” recalls the 45-year-old resident of the backward Talla village in Chamba district that does not even have a motorable road. Today, Pawan has become a role model for most farmers in the district. He earns a phenomenal `1.2 lakh a hectare—which is roughly five times what he would earn from maize cultivation. Similarly, Ganesh Prashar from Band Kadian village in Kangra district is reaping the benefits of lemongrass which he started growing just four years ago. “I started farming in one bigha (6 bigha is a hectare) and today I am cultivating 46 bighas. I have also formed a society of 25 farmers, 16 of whom have already shifted to lemon grass cultivation,” he says.
Denne historien er fra November 01, 2019-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra November 01, 2019-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Trade On Emissions
EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, a tariff on imports, is designed to protect European industries in the guise of climate action.
'The project will facilitate physical and cultural decimation of indigenous people'
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TASTE IT RED
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MANY MYTHS OF CHIPKO
Misconceptions about the Chipko movement have overshadowed its true objectives.
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Africa's mpox epidemic stems from delayed responses, neglect of its health risks and the stark vaccine apartheid
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Turn a new leaf
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Festering troubles
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India sees unusual monsoon patterns
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