Success Story: This progressive farmer from Tamil Nadu increased his income by lakhs through precision farming
Success Story: A seasoned farmer from Molayanur Village in Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri district, V. Samikannu has been farming for more than 42 years. He was raised in a farming family and, after finishing school, started working on their property with his parents. He first concentrated on growing vegetables and tuber crops, which he sold locally at low prices. However, since he had limited access to market information, he often struggled to get a reasonable profit despite his diligent efforts.
Make the switch to precision farming
The year 2003 was a turning point in Samikannu’s agricultural career. when he began using the precision farming methods that Tamil Nadu Agricultural University had developed. A scientific method for increasing agricultural yields and optimizing resource management is precision farming, which makes use of technology. For Samikannu, this changed everything.
Advanced tillage techniques, hybrid crop types, drip fertigation, need-based fertilizer application, post-harvest technology, labor reduction tactics, and customer preference-based agricultural production are some of the important technologies he has learnt.
Precision farming’s effects
Precision farming has led to a significant boost in Samikannu’s agricultural profitability and production. He used to make just a few thousand rupees a year, but today he makes up to five lakhs. Dynamic market information systems and TNAU scientists’ assistance and direction are responsible for this financial shift.
Crop Yields and Cultivation
With impressive results, Samikannu is now cultivating agricultural and horticultural crops on his 4.6 acres of property. He grows a variety of horticultural crops, including drumstick, tapioca, watermelon, muskmelon, snake gourd, brinjal, and tomatoes. Paddy, wheat, sugarcane, bananas, and millets, including finger millet, are among the other agricultural crops.
Crop yields have significantly risen thanks to precision farming. Twelve tons of bananas (Kadali variety), sixteen tons of drumsticks (PKM1 and PAVM kinds), twenty-three tons of tapioca (MVD1 variety), eighteen tons of muskmelon, and fifty-eight tons of tomatoes (Hybrid 618 variety) are produced per acre.
Honors and Acknowledgment
Samikannu received several honors for his accomplishments and contributions. In 2023, he was named a District Millionaire Farmer and received the MFOI award. Additionally, he was given a 5 lakh rupee financial incentive by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). His success also gives his fellow farmers hope that contemporary farming methods will lead to greater prosperity.
Future Goals for Community Development and Farming Expansion
Samikannu intends to expand his agricultural efforts in the future. He intends to establish a contract farmers group, engage in vegetable contract farming, guarantee daily transportation services like milk vans and direct bank deposits for farmers, and broaden his market reach to include more states. He believes that customer preferences will determine agricultural output. His community’s social and economic standing will improve as a result of these actions.
A Note to Other Farmers
Samikannu is encouraging other farmers to adopt new ideas and technology created by agricultural specialists. He thinks farmers can succeed and help the agriculture industry expand by using these innovations.
His narrative shows how precision farming can change people’s lives and how, with the correct resources and training, even conventional farmers can lead the way in contemporary agriculture.
