Naru Bauri & his innovative farming

Naru Bauri- a marginal farmer cum daily labourer unfolded many issues in Paschimanchal.  I saw him and his farm on  vijoya dashami . On that day I was moving towards Gurudi & surrounding villages to meet my beloved turmeric-ShG groups. It was a drought like situation in Bankura & Purulia that time and  I wanted to see how far turmeric withstand the  situation or what would be the loss  this year. Every inch of the soil  I stepped in showed moisture stress, I found  paddy fields in shabby look,  plants were wrinkled, stunted  , bent down on the fields. Animals were free to graze in paddy fields without any obstruction.  I was talking to passer buys, all were afraid of severe drought this year. There was no rains for the last two and half months.  As  I was moving, suddenly I struck to a pocket which is quite different from the rest. It was a complete carpet of greens. I got down from the car. Surprisingly,   found a mid-aged stout person watering  crops with a bucket. This was Naru Bauri. He has planted about seven bighas of land with bottle gourd.  Within few minutes he won our hearts.

-“  Hey.. are you the owner of this land”?

-“no Sir, I am a poor fellow. The land belongs to the Mridhas”

I got an additional merit here. Naru is the symbol of community harmony. He has been permitted by another community to use the land. In village level all are peace loving people. They do not quarrel with religion. Naru was praising of  Mridhas. However, another point  I observed of  effectiveness of  implementation of MNREGA . A pond has been excavated by MNEREGA giving a source of irrigation. Naru has utilized it sowing gourd that requires minimum water. The choice of the crop was obviously by his experience . Naru got this cue as  rural households rear gourd in their yards or roofs  with less care. Naru planted ten thousands seed at the first rainfall. These plants grew  naturally. He knows that gourds do not thrive in stagnant water. Thus he thought the bunds of the pond is ideal for it.During the last three months he accompanied by his wife & children watered plants manually . Buckets are his means. Naru has no sprayer. He made brooms as sprayers.

When I visited the farm I found green gourds ready for sale. I was also offered a round shaped gourd. Naru’s success story  went to Sumit Biswas through my blogs.  A coverage was made in Sambad Pratidin-a daily news paper. Naru became a buzz person.

Sandip calculated expected returns from this venture. According to him Naru will make a net profit of Rs,one and half  this season. 

I found him as a drought fighter. I tried to circulate his innovative wisdom to my close circles.

Today a team headed by  Samar Karmakar,Dy.Director (Soil Conservation)  along with Shri Ashutosh sardar,Sub-Divisional agricultural officer and ADA, Adhikary came to see Naru’s farm.  Sandip Sarkar  captured his story for telecast in ETV. My friend Paresh Mazumdar co-ordinated the program.

Naru Bauri ushered in a new hope in dry areas.

    

Tips for entrepreneurship skill in marketing

I see a bright future of me in Paschimanchal.  This depends on how quickly you develop your confidence, skill & management in marketing. Today market is the fortune maker of any commodity. Presently I am in a nascent   stage in Paschimanchal. Indeed you are now at a low scale of production. Hope, gradually you will scale up quantum. Just now, I remember a  proverb quoted by the legendry Khana. In her famous words (bachan) “ Pasapasi bas.. Dekhadeki chas”. . Farming is  an outcome of seeing. When  your neighbours will  see me in the waste-land, up-lands, forests ,orchards and unutilized  lands then  they will start loving  and following  me spontaneously and begin  a new farming systems in the dry tracts. In future  I will grow more and more. Simultaneously I visualize market related issues that will come up later.  To tackle future marketing problems I need entrepreneurs. Only they can help sustain my prosperity. Ultimately my  prosperity will be transformed  into your prosperity.

You may be successful entrepreneurs if you adhere to some basic tenets. You along with your SHG members can be a unit  of entrepreneurship. In long run you may also establish Producer’s Company. In Kandhamahal  tribal Shgs  formed KASAM – a producer’s company.  Kasam is now exporting  and earning crores of rupees.  In Paschimanchal  you can do the same. Only it requires your dream, dedication and determination. I have seen women run SHGs in Meghalaya who have captured  wide turmeric markets by their quality products. Similar can be done in Paschimanchal. There are now many institutions who will help support if you take the challenges.  Read the lessons of Maniklal or Shantimoy by heart and become entrepreneurs.  

I have noticed the bud of entrepreneurship among many of you.  In many occasions you raised the issues. Now I want to share some tips for your success and mention your strengths on the subject..

Marketing Strategy for entrepreneurship depends on multi-factors. These factors are classified into seven components for ease understanding and  lovingly called 7 Ps.   They are Product, Price, Promotion, Place, Packaging, Positioning and People.

The first criteria considers about inbuilt property of the commodity.  If you produce me with your devotion using quality materials,  I am sure you would gain advantage and upbeat competitors.  Colour, flavour and taste  are at your  disposal.  You would be superior to many who mix  poisonous  lead-materials for colour or rice powder for volumes.  Look at Shantimoy’s experience . Households now  queue  to his door for quality products.  Remember, customers always make bee lines in front   of quality products.

For  second  point you can challenge your counter competitors . If you produce and process me with local resources and with your own labour and market it locally you will enjoy price-advantage. You can sell your product at cheap rate  keeping safe margin. Finally, both customers and producers will be cheerful at the same time.   Harvest your price-strength.

Next P-is promotion.  Your locality is known to you. You will be  facing known  local customers. Communicated with them with your products. Let them feel about your quality. Gradually your product will be promoted.  Don’t be shy or shaky.  Be innovative  in marketing. Search the gray areas of companies. For example,  render home services  or  delivery on tele-calls which  corporate or other agencies find  difficult.  Once you enjoy the confidence of your people in quick delivery from your end,  your  products will be automatically promoted. Promote your service to uncared sectors,e.g. tapping  mid-day schools,   confectionery shops etc .

Next marketing strategy relates to place- where product is marketed or available. You are a local entrepreneur. You extract the advantage of location-benefits  . Your ease mechanism in rural stay will allow me to reach customers. Exploit this strength.

Now I advise you to attend packaging.  There are a number of handy packaging instruments. Use those to pack me in a nice way.   Eye catching packets with quality products never avoids customers. Using family labour you can make cost-effective packaging.

In marketing management  “positioning” is given an importance. It refers to  your  friendship in the heart and mind of customers. To this point you have again  advantage. You have easy access to the customers-they are your known faces. You can freely discuss with the customers. You can module your products according to their choice. Alien entrepreneurs lag behind you in this respect. Hurry up. Take lead in Positioning. Watch how you are seen and thought about by your customers.

The last but not least is people.   People are the strength of entrepreneurs. If you want to win think of them  both inside and outside your business.  Scan the useful person around you. Remember the valued  quotes of Jim Collins “ best company got the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus”.

I have said the basics of entrepreneurship skill and strategy for effective marketing.  Practice those in reality.  I want to see you a successful turmeric entrepreneur.

Turmeric Guru  Manik De

On getting involved in the turmeric project I began to search persons growing the crop commercially.  I sent my scholars working in Bankura & Purulia  to feed back.  I also made contacts with my known circle to brief me any  information on it.  However, I got scanty information.  One information I collected was of Rabi  Khaowas of Ghoramuli in Chhatna block. He cultivates  turmeric on one or two bighas of land. Another news came from G.Ghati that a farmer  staying near Amarkannan also grows turmeric as a field crop. Similarly, news reached that farmers of Kalimati have been growing it on waste lands etc. Finally I received a thundering news that Sri Manik De of Mankanali is in real sense a turmeric producer cum manufacturer. I  met those persons and places  to  make myself acquainted  with the subject.

Of all the turmeric- leaders I rank Maniklal atop. A middle aged energetic cultivator knows nothing other than turmeric. Turmeric is his livelihood. He is a marginalized  farmer owning   only two or three bighas land. He devotes entire land to Turmeric. In addition he takes lease-lands of about 5 bighs from the neighbor. Those lands are not suitable for rice or vegetables to the owners. Thus all total  De operates 8 Bighas of land. Reaching his premises I found his home as a turmeric manufacturing unit run by family members. His wife ,children are employed in turmeric- home business. Part of his house is used as storage and the open space is being used for drying of turmeric. Turmeric has become his family business for more than one decade.  De has  wide reputation for his quality turmeric powder. He does not face any market depression for his product. There has always  been a high demand for his product.

 Sooner ,Manik   De became our Turmeric ambassador.  I brought him to our turmeric sessions. I found that farmers are more interested to know more from Sri De rather than from me.  His presence boosted many farmers to join in our turmeric mission.

Once I arranged  a felicitation program where Dr Sukumar Hansda,the then MIC,Paschimanchal Unnayan affairs honoured him  at Krishi Bigyan Kendra, Seva Bharati, Kapgari. I posted this news . Surprisingly it reached to many. One day  I got a joyful voice from Maniklal. “ Sir, I have been given Rs.50,000/ by a company in advance to grow turmeric in orchards in his neighbouring areas.”- Thereafter there is no turnback.. Now  De is too busy that I can not snatch a day to accompany him other places.

 Everyday I hear the beginning speech of Maniklal: “ Turmeric is  a Savior to those who have nothing.. who are landless or petty  fellows... I made a two storied house, I made two wheelers and I arranged marriage of my three daughters in a dignified manner.. everything I did from turmeric”—these were the opening dialogue of Maniklal that mesmerized the masses of Paschimanchal.

Maniklal-the Great.

Retrospective  Experience:

My  itinerary  in Paschimanchal  symbolizes four C’S.  The father of modern agriculture Swaminatham often quotes 4 Cs in the context of sustainable agriculture.  It stands for conservation. Cultivation, consumption and commerce.

Conservation of quality seed is a  must for propagating a cultivar. BCKV scientist,Dr.Dipak Ghosh searched for varieties suitable to Paschimanchal. Local  cultivars from  Baghmundi Ajodhya Hills were collected for future. Similarly varieties from different parts of Paschimanchal  as well as from turmeric dominant areas were trialled.   I can recall Manik Lal de- a true turmeric cultivator  having three decades experience using an improved variety. However, after several trials on the soil of Paschimanchal  one or two were selected . Criteria were of yield, time, suitability in agro-climatic condition, its colour  and cur cumin content. On screening one of the best variety which is almost local is conserved and served.

 Cultivation  program  in easier form was undertaken. Farmers were given training, in-situ demonstration, they were taken to university farms  and other means. Media also supported my journey in various ways.  Cutivation through Self-help Groups, Farmers’ clubs yielded good results.  Cultivation technique   differed  place to places,farmers to farmers according to suitability. In Ajodhya hill I had been within the newly set up WADI projects. GVT supported me there. My harvest in recent agricultural fair drew attention of many.

Similarly, Kalimati of Baghmundi saw a high yielding variety.  Fulkumari of Purulia-ii, Dumurdaha took a challenge to extent turmeric cultivation through women-run sHGs. She wanted to make a turmeric seed village. I appreciate her.

Raghunathpur-ii showed tremendous results. They harvested beyond our expectation. SHGs are doing well here.

In Bankura , Sabars sowed me  in the mango orchards. In Ranibandh,Raipur i was placed within vegetables. They say my presence in brinjal field and  saved their pesticide cost to some extent. My performance in West Midnapore,viz; Binpur, Kapgari, Belphari  etc. inspired tribal a lot.

Turmeric based cultivation has attracted Paschimanchal and ushered in a new hope.

I am happy that my followers are consuming pure turmeric. They now can distinguish between purchased materials and home based material.

 Now my future depends on commerce. I need more number of  entrepreneurs. However,  a few have come up. I want many more.

Processing and marketing is the current issue along with extension program.