- Dhaincha cultivation is increasing soil fertility and reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers.
- Agriculture Department is encouraging farmers to adopt sustainable and natural farming.
Following the Chhattisgarh government’s directives, the Agriculture Department is continuously encouraging farmers to use green manure to protect soil health and promote sustainable agriculture. This initiative has yielded positive results in the village of Kesagwan, in the Udaipur development block of Surguja district, where progressive farmer Mr. Narendra Singh has cultivated Dhaincha on approximately four acres of land and turned it into a field. He will now cultivate paddy in this same field. Farmer Mr. Narendra Singh explained that under the guidance of the Agriculture Department, he adopted Dhaincha cultivation to reduce his dependence on chemical fertilizers and increase soil fertility. He explained that by turning Dhaincha into the field before flowering, it decomposes within a few days and transforms into natural organic fertilizer. This increases the amount of organic matter in the soil and naturally provides essential nutrients to crops.
According to agricultural scientists, leguminous green manure crops like Dhaincha naturally enrich the soil by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. They also increase the availability of micronutrients like phosphorus, zinc, and iron, which improves the growth of the following crop. The use of green manure significantly improves soil structure. The humus formed by the decomposition of Dhaincha makes the soil loose, allowing better circulation of air and water. This strengthens root growth and makes crops healthier and more productive. It also increases the soil’s water-holding capacity, which helps retain moisture for longer and reduces the need for irrigation. The dense growth of Dhaincha also helps naturally control weed growth. The
Agriculture Department has urged farmers to use Dhaincha, Sunai, or other green manure crops before sowing other Kharif crops, including paddy. This will reduce expenditure on chemical fertilizers, maintain long-term soil fertility and promote sustainable, environment-friendly and profitable agriculture.
