Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 6: In order to be successful in agriculture, one needs to have knowledge about the area concerned, geological placement, water, irrigation facility etc. After extensively studying these things, one can conclude which cultivation suits him or her the best. Venkatakrishna Sharma from Muliya in Alike village, Bantwal taluk has become a role model for other farmers by systematically undertaking cultivation and tasting success.

Out of 12 acres of land he owns, Sharma has grown banana, areca nut and pepper in five acres area, cocoa, banana, nutmeg, pepper etc are also grown in five acres of land. In three acres where the irrigation facility is absent, he has grown jackfruit. He exclusively has created a plantation of jackfruit unlike the normal practice of planting jackfruit on the side of the rivers or other places. His jackfruit trees have grown during the last six years without any irrigation or fertilizer. He planted the saplings at the beginning of the monsoon and by the end of the season, the plants had gained strength.

Sharma's aim is not making money. He has grown a hundred jackfruit trees per acre of land. He also has a drier system for nutmegs. He uses water from two ponds and tubewells. He also gets water from a vented dam nearby and has provided a sprinkler system. He makes halwa out of jackfruit with the help of halwa making machine. He gives halwa to known people and sells the rest.

By opting for the kind of suitable crops on the basis of the location and irrigation, Sharma has succeeded in farming. Moreover, because of a large number of plants and trees, loss of harvest in one or two varieties does not affect the owner very much.

Sharma has also grown a number of vegetables on his farm. Sharma, a graduate, has an interest in farming since his childhood. His family members are supporting his interest and five people get work on his plantation every day.