By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday highlighted the story of young farmer named Hirod Patel in Odisha in the 131st Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
‘Our farmers are not just food providers… they are true devotees of the earth. One should learn from our farmers what it is to turn soil into gold. And our farmers today are blending both tradition and technology, and I am pleased to see that our farmers are now focusing not just on production but also on quality, value addition, and new markets,”
‘The story of a young farmer named Hirod Patel in Odisha is truly inspiring. Until about eight years ago, he cultivated paddy in the traditional way with his father, Shiv Shankar Patel, but then, he began to approach farming from a new perspective. He built a strong mesh structure over his farm’s pond. He grew creeper vegetables on it, planted bananas, guavas, and coconuts around the pond, and also started fish farming in the pond. In other words, traditional farming, vegetables, fruits, and fish are all being undertaken in one place. This has led to better land use, water savings, and additional income. Today, farmers from far and wide come over to see his model,’ PM said.
In Kerala’s Thrissur district, there’s a village where 570 varieties of rice are grown in a single field. This includes local varieties, herbal varieties, and even varieties imported from other states. This isn’t just farming, it’s a massive campaign to preserve seed heritage. The results of our farmers’ hard work are reflected in the statistics also. Today, India has become the world’s largest rice producer. Producing over 150 million tons of rice is no small achievement. We are meeting our own needs and contributing to the global food basket. Friends, agricultural products are now reaching foreign countries more easily by air. Nanjangud bananas from Karnataka, Mysuru betel leaves, and Indi lemons were exported to the Maldives. These products are known for their taste and quality and have even received the GI tag. Today’s farmer seeks quality, is also increasing quantity and is making his mark as well, PM said.
