Success Story: This farmer from Assam is earning lakhs of rupees annually by growing organic crops

Success Story: Born and reared in Assam’s Tinsukia area, Dhoniram Chetia has dedicated his life to farming and agriculture. His path is very motivating due to his steadfast dedication to sustainable agricultural methods and his innate enthusiasm for growing the land. Dhoniram, who is forty years old, is a devoted farmer and a devoted father to his two boys. He loved farming and pursued it from an early age, but financial difficulties forced him to drop out of school. Dhoniram has been dedicatedly working in agriculture for more than 12 years, specializing in organic farming.

From Small Starts to Huge Development

From humble beginnings, Dhoniram has grown to hold a 25-bigha farm next to the tranquil Burhi Dihing River. He has grown a wide variety of crops throughout the years, including fruits, vegetables, and grains. After initially concentrating on Kharif crops, Dhoniram expanded his agricultural pursuits in 2015 to include a wider range of crops, including fruits, vegetables, and Bengal gram, all of which were cultivated utilizing natural and organic farming practices. Dhoniram and his wife’s active participation in the daily agricultural activities has now strengthened their relationship with the land they have cultivated together.

Thai Banana Mango with Amrapali: A Triumph from Dhoniram’s Farm

The Amrapali Mango and Thai Banana Mango kinds, two of the most advanced mango varieties, are the farm’s primary draws. The former originated in India and the latter in Thailand.

He said with pride, “I have been growing Amrapali mangoes for the past five years, and I never imagined that this variety would perform so well in the climatic conditions of Assam.” With an annual yield of 50–60 kg per tree, Dhoniram has been cultivating Amrapali mangoes over an area of six bighas.

In addition to Amrapali, Dhoniram found that the Thai Banana Mango, another Thai mango type, is also doing very well in his orchard. According to him, Thai bananas are a really nice cultivar with very nutritious fruits, great yield, and strong growth intensity. In its first year of life, the tree yielded sixteen fruits. Dhoniram is now excitedly awaiting the harvest of the second year to evaluate this variety’s performance on his farm in more detail.

Additionally, Dhoniram is investigating international mango cultivars that are adapted to the climate of Assam, such as those from Bangladesh, Japan, and Thailand. On his farm, he has recently grown 17 different types of mangos.

Mango Pruning: Dhoniram’s Technique for Increasing Output

Mango trees in Dhoniram are given the right structure by trimming. According to him, elder saplings that develop to a height of three to four feet have a tendency to get higher and more challenging to harvest. They are also more likely to shatter in storms and high winds. He likes pruning, which involves cutting off the top part of the tree at a certain age, to avoid this. Tree output has been greatly increased and branching has been stimulated by trimming the tree 6 to 8 inches from the top.

The Steps of Dhoniram in the Direction of Organic Farming

Dhoniram has always been aware of how damaging chemical fertilizers and pesticides can be. He was looking for different ways to keep bugs away from his crops. “Even though fruit crops require a significant amount of pesticides and fungicides during the flowering season, I try to incorporate biological remedies to manage them,” he said.

Dhoniram also investigated a number of physical and mechanical approaches to disease and pest management. To get rid of pests on his property, he set up pheromone traps, light traps, yellow sticky traps, and yellow lights. Although we often forget that adjacent weeds serve as a breeding habitat for bugs, using fungicides and insecticides may get rid of pests from standing crops.

Accordingly, even after many sprayings, the pest population returns in two to three days, rendering the endeavor futile, he stated. Dhoniram’s employment of mechanical and physical pest control techniques demonstrates his strong dedication to environmentally friendly farming methods.

Overcoming Obstacles and Rejoicing in Achievement

Dhoniram has continuously experimented with different farming techniques appropriate for his area since he first started his agricultural career. He has encountered several difficulties over this period, yet he keeps learning from each setback and difficulty. In contrast to other states, he is certain that Assam’s terrain is inherently rich and requires nothing in the way of outside fertilizers and pesticides to support agricultural cultivation. He believes that many individuals have not yet investigated novel agricultural options, despite the enormous potential for greater output.

Motivating Assamese Youth

In order to make Assam a prosperous food center, Dhoniram urges young people to work in agriculture, embrace new technology, and come up with solutions. To lower unemployment and encourage self-sufficiency, he is also prepared to teach young people who come forward. A few bighas of Dhoniram’s property are used for sugarcane cultivation in addition to his other agricultural methods. He emphasized the possibility of reasonably priced portable sugarcane juicers as a feasible business venture for young people without jobs in Assam.

Dhoniram’s View on Organic Farming: Obstacles and Opportunities

Dhoniram Chetia challenges the widespread belief that agricultural yields can only be increased by chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Since his production has doubled in comparison to conventional farming, he is certain that organic and natural farming practices may provide even greater results. Through the use of natural and organic farming methods, he generates around 3 lakh rupees a year from his land.

He does admit, however, that switching to organic farming is a gradual process. It requires meticulous strategic preparation. Even if fresh farmland may be planted organically right once, soil nutrients may eventually run out. At least one-fourth of the farm should be used for animal raising in order to maintain organic farming. This would provide a consistent supply of cow dung and urine for natural fertilizing.

Additionally, he supports multilayer cropping as a successful strategy. For example, to organically replace soil nutrients after each crop cycle, legumes and pulses should be cultivated after Kharif crops reach maturity. A smooth transition to organic farming requires careful preparation and gradual implementation. To guarantee long-term sustainability, Dhoniram counsels farmers to start small, start with a piece of their land, and grow gradually.

Dhoniram’s Dedication to Environmental Preservation and Sustainable Agriculture

Since the environment gives us all we need, Dhoniram stresses the need to protect and conserve it. He emphasizes that using organic farming methods is essential to averting the end of human civilization while acknowledging the obvious effects of environmental change.

When he thinks back on his own experiences, he remembers how last year’s floodwaters totally wrecked his 12 bighas that were growing papaya and king chili. Nevertheless, he saw it as a teaching moment and proceeded with fortitude rather than giving up. As he continues to explore and develop throughout time, his philosophy is to impart his expertise to people who are willing to learn.

Restoring Nature

Dhoniram is a proponent of restoring nature in addition to farming. By putting up bird feeders and drinkers for migrating birds, planting trees in the wild, and inspiring others to follow suit, he donates a percentage of his income to environmental protection. His message is quite clear: we cannot guarantee a sustainable future for everyone unless we take care of the environment.