Kumaresh Mahato
On the 9th of June 2025 a training cum planning session was held at the PBKSKS office in Rajnowagarh, Purulia District. The meeting involved 14 participants comprising of CRPs and members of PBKSKS staff. The ojective of the meeting was to help lay a platform for empowering Sabar communities by providing access to desi seeds and training on eco-friendly farming techniques. Agriculturist Mr. Durgasankar Pradhan was present as the Resource person, and he started the meeting auspiciously with his speech to tell everyone about the benefits of Organic farming and how to make Vermi Compost.
Mr. Pradhan outlined the major aims of natural farming practices and promotion of Desi / Local seeds as follows:
- Promote eco-friendly and sustainable agriculture practices without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
- Enhance soil fertility and biodiversity through natural farming techniques.
- Convert organic waste into nutrient-rich compost using earthworms.
- Improve soil structure and fertility by enriching it with organic matter and beneficial microbes.
- Ensure timely access to Desi seeds for farmers to improve agricultural productivity.
- Promote high-yielding and climate-resilient seed varieties to enhance crop output and sustainability.
This was followed by a session focusing on organic farming which covered –
- The importance of organic farming.
- Use of bio-fertilizer and organic pesticides.
- Crop rotation, intercropping, and use of green manure.
- Certification processes for organic produce.
Next the participants took part in a practical session on construction and management of Vermi Compost pits which covered –
- Selection of an appropriate site and necessary raw materials.
- Preparation of the compost bed.
- Introduction of Earthworms.
- Moisture and temperature management.
- Harvesting and application of compost.
The session concluded with an overview of the benefits of Vermi Compost –
- Improves soil structure and fertility.
- Enhances water retention.
- Provides nutrients in a bio-available form.
- Reduces input cost.
Mr. Pradhan also demonstrated a simple test for seed selection which helps eliminate immature, lightweight and underdeveloped seeds which is known as the Salt water or Float test and the steps are as follows:
- Prepare a salt solution(1kg common salt in 10 liters of water)
- Pour the cleaned seeds into the solution.
- Discard the floating seeds- they are likely to be non-viable or underdeveloped.
- Keep the sunken seeds, which are generally heavier and viable.
- Rinse the selection seeds thoroughly with clean water to remove salt residues.
- Dry them again for storage.
The meeting ended with the acknowledgement that this training on Natural and organic farming practices and Local seeds has helped lay the foundation for strengthening and expanding the Sustainable Agriculture movement in the region and with the Kheria Sabar community in particular. The enthusiasm being shown by farmers across the different project areas for the adoption of eco-friendly practices reflects a positive shift towards healthier farming systems. With continued support, inputs, these initiatives can significantly improve soil health, crop yield and Sabar livelihoods.
