Harworking Jayapura farmers reap in barren land

Hard work always bears fruits. Farmers of this drought hit taluk have proved this to be true. Normally farmers avoid dry lands for cultivation, but farmers at Soligara Colony in Jayapura Hobli, who dared to cultivate in the 800 acres of dry lands are now a happier lot.

Jayapura is a drought hit area and ground water has been depleted in most of the villages. In spite of this farmers did not lose hope, but brought in water tankers and started cultivation of the dry land by planting mangoes saplings and Amla. The work which started four years ago, has now started bearing fruits as nearly 80 per cent of the planted mangoes trees have started yielding fruits.

Raspuri and Badami variety mangoes are grown here widely and the farmers have also planted different forest based trees, such as Silver, Teak, Neem, Jatropha, Guinea Grass Seed, and much more.

Under Comprehensive Tribal Development programme, the small farmers of ST and Soliga community in Marballi, T Kattur, Arohalli, Uchnahalli, Arasinakere have seen success. In the last four months the mangoes trees have matured and thefarmers have come together and formed Sri Chamundeshwari Mango Growers Federation. Around 70 to 75 saplings were planted in an acre of land. Of which nearly 40 to 50 trees have survived and bearing fruits.

Farmers Shekhar said: “I have two acres of plot. In one acre have grown mangoes, and am expecting good returns this year. Over the past three years we faced several challenges to make the trees grow and yield fruits. We have supplied water through water tankers, and several techniques were used to safeguard the plants.”

“We are happy we have not only taken up good cultivation, whereas we have made some part of our village green cover. Otherfarmers are also inquiring about our project, and we hope farmers in large come forward and take up cultivation,” said head of the village Puttanaraiash.

The farmers thanked National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), IRIDS, Integrated Tribal Development Project for extending the support and motivating them to take up cultivation.

S Manjunath Patil of NABARD said that nearly 80 per cent of the plantation has survived. “Most of the farmers were hesitant to take up plantation. But we educated them and motivated to grow mangoes and gooseberry, stating its a long term crop and they will be benefited. Today large number of farmers are coming forward to take up plantation in the Jayapura,” he added.