Fivetimes Filtering technique of Amuthakaraisal

through drip irrigation system to reduce cost of labour and chemical inputs

G.R. Sakthivel (48) from Gettavadi village in Thalavadi block in Erode District has developed an organic preparation filtetred 5 times and known as amudhakaraisal (Jeevamrutham) through drip irrigation system. Studied upto 6th std and came into agriculture since his family having agricultural background. His total farm land is 11 acres out of which 6.5 acres are cultivated with kadali banana (local variety ) . He is having 6 cattle (3-cow, 2-bulls and 2 calves) in his farm.

In the initial stages from 1978 – 97 he was doing chemical farming. Has cultivated cotton and able to produce 14 quintal from 1 acre and

later the production reduced drastically and suffered from many loss. Then he took action and asked the help from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore and Myrada -Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Erode. They said conventional farming practise will give results only to fertile farm land (the farm land should maintain its fertility, then the use of chemicals will elevate those fertility. If the land loses its fertility there is no use of chemicals) and insisted to put cow dung and urine to fertile the soil since the soil condition is not good because of the use of more chemicals. After 1997 by the knowledge of organic farming he transferred his farming practice and from 2001 he completely switched into organic farming. Started sugarcane farming and able to produce 45 tonne in 1 acre and achieved upto 64 tonnes per acre. And from Aug 2013 onwards he has been cultivating Kadali banana. Mr. Patchaiappan from MyradaKVK is his farm techniques mentor.

In order to reduce the farm labour cost and external farm input cost he developed this amudhakaraisal filter technique and this is designed by him. To built this filter system he spent Rs. 20,000/-. The process is as follows:

5stage Amudhakaraisal filter system:

1st Compartment:

In the first stage the cow dung and cow urine are allowed to be deposited and both are mixed well and it is transferred to next compartment.

2nd compartment:

In the second compartment the mixture is kept for 10 hrs. The dung is deposited in the trough and the overflown supernated solution is being transferred to next compartment. Also he has provided a direct connection to deposit cow urine.

3rd compartment:

The compartment is a kind of filter. It consists of 3 filter layers. The ground layer is of gravel stones (Koolangal). The second layer is of mosquito net. The third layer is of sand for 1ft anchored with 4 – 5 bricks in the top most layer. The solution will percolate into this filter process and enter into the to next compartment.

4th compartment:

In this compartment the fermentation process takes place. The solution is mixed with jaggery / palm jiggery. For 300 litre solution 1kg of jaggery / palm jaggery is added for fermentation. It is kept for one night. And the solution is transferred to next compartment.

5th compartment:

This is the last compartment. The enriched solution is transferred to this compartment. A net is used to clear the insects deposited in the solution. The solution is siphoned using drip irrigation technique. The solution can be kept for upto 3 – 4 days. Also it can be added with all fruits and vegetable wastes. The solution is sprayed once in a month for any kind of crops.

Per acre he obtains 1000 banana bunch. One banana bunch is sold for Rs. 300/-. To produce one bunch the cost of expense is Rs. 50/- , the profit will be Rs. 250/-. For one acre he will get a profit of Rs. 2.5 lakhs with 1000 banana bunch.

Using the waste sludge for bio-gas:

From the second compartment the dung sludge will be deposited in the ground. The sludge is used for biogas purpose by him. To built the biogas plant he spent Rs. 12500/- ( which he received Rs.6250/- as subsidy from Myrada KVK) .

Achievements:

Bannariamman sugar factory at Sathyamangalam has identified this technology as an alternative sustainable farming practice and the Sugarcane breeding institute, Coimbatore identified this as a successful model for addressing labour and fertilizer reduction in sugarcane cultivation.

In 2013 he received a national award “Krishi Samrat Samman” from Mahindra Samriddhi India Agri Awards 2013 with cash award of Rs . 2,11,000.

In 2011 he was awarded as innovative farmer in 6th national level KVK conference held at Jabalpur.

Address of the farmer:

Mr. G.R. SakthivelNo. 149, GaneshapuramGettavadi postThalavadi viaSathyamangalam TalukErode District – 638461.Cell: 9486316041.Documented by : V. Renganathan, SEVA