: Himachal Farmer Revives Ancient Crop System That Saves 50% Water, Has 0 Input Costs #IndiaNEWS #Agriculture Nekram Sharma was in his teens when he witnessed the implementation of the government’s

Himachal Farmer Revives Ancient Crop System That Saves 50% Water, Has 0 Input Costs #IndiaNEWS #Agriculture
Nekram Sharma was in his teens when he witnessed the implementation of the government’s policy on fertilisers in the Karsog valley of Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district. In the 1980s, the promotion of fertilisers and monoculture (or single crop) farming through subsidies led to farmers, including Nekram’s father, switching to increased use of fertilisers and shift from millet crops to cash crops for higher profits.
By the time Nekram took over his family’s farmlands in the mid-nineties, the soil and land fertility were in doldrums. His land was addicted to harmful chemicals. Switching to organic farming overnight was not possible, so every year he reduced the volume of fertiliser. In 2005, he got rid of fertilisers altogether.
However, there was another task at hand — to bring back millet cultivation, not only to save his land from degradation, but also offer healthy food to consumers. Nekram was not chasing profits, so taking a risk suited him.
He travelled to various districts to acquire knowledge on ancient farming techniques from elderly farmers, some older than 100 years.
Nekram with his wife, Ramkali
A majority of them shared an indigenous practice called Nau-Anaj (nau is 9 and anaj is crop). It is an intercropping or mixed farming method to grow nine foodgrains on the same piece of land. These crops are a combination of lentils, cereals, vegetables, legumes and creepers.
“The idea is simple — to have backup harvested crops in case one of them fails due to climatic conditions or pest attacks. This ensures that even if the farmer cannot sell the crops for some reason, he still has food for his family. What makes this technique interesting is that unlike traditional practices, where crops constantly fight for sunlight and water nutrients, the nine carefully assorted crops aid each other’s growth instead,??? Nekram, now 58, tells The Better India.
In 2010, Nekram implemented Nau-Anaj and witnessed staggering results, which inspired other farmers in the region to follow suit. It also led to the formation of Parvatiye Tikau Kheti Abhiyan (PTKA), a co-operative of farmers.

“Once I was confident of the method’s success, I started teaching others and sharing my experiences. Today close to 5,000 farmers in the district have adopted this practice. My wife, Ramkali, has been running a seed bank through which we preserve desi seeds and distribute them to encourage others,??? adds Nekram.
Shyam Singh from Bakhrot village, who served as a Zilla Parishad member for ten years, says the response to Nekram’s farming technique has been tremendous, and close to a hundred farmers in his region have adopted this method.

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