Making Farmers Lakhpati

05 January 2023, Khunti: Lakhpati Kisan™ Smart Village project is being run by NBJK in Murhu and Khunti blocks of Khunti district with support of CInI-Tata Trusts. This is to ensure agriculture productivity enhancement and high value agriculture with integration of improved technologies, access to irrigation, animal husbandry, lac cultivation and Institution building for community engagement.

The project covers 7347 HHs from 32 villages and delivers through Murhu Nari Shakti Kisan Producer Co. Ltd., an FPO with a capital base of Rs. 44 lakh and linked to around 4000 farmers. MNSKPCL has 2986 shareholders with share capital of Rs. 24,71,700 and annual business worth above Rs. 03 crore 08 lakh with profit of Rs. 07 lakh plus.

There are 205 SHGs and 69 village organizations linked with the FPO that could engage 4042 families with secondary stable income source along with agriculture and promoted 31 entrepreneurs from farm & non-farm sectors. During Kharif, Rabi & Garma seasons of 2022-23, total 5606 HHs cultivated paddy, vegetables, watermelon etc on 2048.88 acres in Murhu block while 5298 HHs grew the same on 1955.77 acres in Khunti block. To support the farmers, 09 Nursery entrepreneurs have supplied 4068010 (Kharif), 1095064 (Rabi) and 1149159 (Garma) soilless saplings for quality vegetable crops to farmers through MNSKPCL as a pre-production input. Lakhpati Kisan project has promoted horticulture under MNREGA at 21 villages and now 136 families own 12576 mango plants on 128 acres.

Likewise 3666 HHs have opted lac cultivation as secondary activity and a Lac Handicrafts unit has been initiated in collaboration with ONGC Foundation. Under this project, NBJK has facilitated tribal farmers to go for allied activities as goat rearing for 1506 HHs, pig rearing for 265 HHs, backyard poultry for 951 HHs, backyard fishery for 342 HHs and supported them to become entrepreneurs as 09 with quality piglets’ production, 09 with AI services & vet health care services for goatry, 04 with spawn fingerlings production and 05 with chicks supply units.

With convergence of Johar-JSLPS, local farmers avail many facilities including irrigation like Solar based micro lift irrigation units (135), micro lift irrigation units with drip & mulch technology (30), micro lift irrigation units with solar fencing for crop protection from animals (05) and solar based cold storage for long time preservation of farm products (01).

Such initiatives by NBJK & CInI-Tata Trusts have made nearly 2100 farmers as Lakhpati in villages. MNSKPCL is performing well and bagged “Samunnati-The Economic Times Best FPO Award” and “Vijayalakshmi Das-Friends-of-Women FPO Award” earlier.