Gujarat farmers adopt sustainable cultivation and processing methods

Agricultural initiatives in Gujarat are focusing on sustainable practices and value-added processing to improve farmer livelihoods.

HyFarm, an agribusiness unit of HyFun Foods, recently held its second Paathshala Convocation Ceremony to honor Farmer Champions. The program utilizes a Train-the-Trainer model across 17 micro-clusters in Sabarkantha and Banaskantha. By establishing 33 demonstration farms, the initiative has reached over 6,000 growers, helping them adopt improved agronomic practices for processing potato cultivation that result in lower costs and reduced irrigation water usage.

In a separate development, farmers in the Surendranagar district are utilizing natural, cow-based farming methods to cultivate turmeric. By avoiding chemical fertilizers and establishing home-based processing units for products like turmeric powder and pickles, growers are increasing their profit margins. Government subsidies have supported the establishment of these processing facilities, helping farmers reach consumers directly and improve the economic value of their yields.