A good farmer and neighbour

Kinu Yadav, is a local hero and inspiration for farmers in and around Dumaria village, Muraliganj block of Madhepura district, Bihar.

A marginal farmer who depends on farming as his primary source of livelihood, Kinu Yadav used to practise traditional methods of farming, like others farmers of this area, which did not help him meet ends for a family of seven, that includes his three sons, two daughters and wife. When he was younger, he used to migrate to other states for daily wage labour in the lean season. Now, his eldest son migrates to earn additional income as an unskilled labourer. His contribution helps Kinu’s family to cope up in times of adversity.

In 2013, Kinu Yadav started working with Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (BRLPS) locally known as JEEViKA as a village resource person (VRP). He received training on SRI (system of rice intensification, an improved rice cultivation technique) as well as on sharing information on this practice with the didis (women farmers and members of self-help groups). He assisted the self-help group (SHG) members in adopting the SRI method. He adopted it in his own fields as well and his yield for that particular season was 120 kilograms per kattha (1 acre is 22 katthas) which used to be 40-60 kilograms before SRI. The SHG members who adopted the practice also experienced a similar increase in yield on their farms.

In 2014, he was trained by Digital Green (in partnership with JEEViKA) to share information on best practices using videos. Apart from rice cultivation, Kinu Yadav learnt about improved ways of cultivating vegetables and other improved agriculture practices. He started adopting best practices such as seed treatment and maintaining space between seeds that he learnt from the videos. He took special care in adopting the key points as explained in the videos.

Kinu Yadav adopted many practices such as cultivating ladies finger (okra), brinjal (eggplant) and sack farming. In two katthas of land, he earned INR 4,000 in four months by selling okra. He grew brinjal on one acre and earned INR 60,000 within four months from selling only a part of the produce.

Videos helped him learn about sack farming and growing vegetables in sacks. The bitter gourd he cultivated using sack farming five months ago has yielded 300 kilograms of the vegetable which he sold in the market.

Kinu Yadav also learnt and adopted the practice of producing organic fertilizers and insecticides like jeevamrutham, ghanjeevamrutham, brahmastra and agniastra. He also prepared vermicompost after watching videos. Apart from adopting the featured practices himself, he also inspired other farmers to adopt these practices. And not just poor farmers like him, but rich farmers of his village also adopted and benefitted from the practices shown in the videos.

It is easier to share information with farmers through videos and the adoption of the best practices is also more feasible this way. I will continue working toward disseminating information on best practices provided by JEEViKA and Digital Green to more and more farmers to help enhance their productivity and income, says Kinu Yadav.

Watch this video about Kinu Yadav to hear his story in his words: