In line with the state government’s vision, under the direction of Collector Mr. Vinay Kumar Langeh, the Agriculture Department is encouraging the use of green manure (Dhaincha) to protect soil health and promote sustainable agriculture. Under the Khet Bachao Abhiyan, farmers in all development blocks of the district have been encouraged to adopt green manure. Under the campaign, 103 quintals of Dhaincha seeds have been distributed across 376 hectares in the district, resulting in 813 farmers using green manure (Dhaincha). Under the guidance of the Agriculture Department, farmers have sown Dhaincha and turned it over in the field before flowering. The organic fertilizer produced after its decomposition will be used to cultivate paddy in the same field.
Mr. Himanshu Banjare, a farmer from Badesajapali village in the Basna development block, who adopted the green manure technique under the guidance of the Agriculture Department, stated that he has sown Dhaincha as green manure on his 0.80 hectare agricultural land. Farmer Mr. Banjare says that adopting organic farming not only reduces farming costs but also improves soil health. Similarly, Mr. Rukman Nayak, a farmer from Kauhakuda village in Pithora development block, and Mr. Gokul Patel, a farmer from Bhaunradar village in Basna, have sown Dhaincha green manure on his 7 acres of land. All farmers using green manure say that this will reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers, improve soil fertility, and reduce farming costs.
According to agricultural experts, Dhaincha is a legume green manure crop that fixes nitrogen from the atmosphere and makes it available to the soil. It also helps increase the availability of micronutrients like phosphorus, zinc, and iron. The humus formed by the decomposition of Dhaincha makes the soil loose, improving air and water circulation. This directly benefits crop root development, healthy plant growth, and increased production. Green manure also plays a special role in increasing the water holding capacity of the soil. Organic matter acts like a sponge and retains moisture in the soil for a long time, thereby reducing the need for irrigation and crops perform better even in drought conditions.
Deputy Director of Agriculture, Mr. F.R. Kashyap has appealed to the farmers to improve the soil health by using Dhaincha, Sunai or other suitable green manure crops before sowing other Kharif crops including paddy. He said that adopting green manure reduces the expenditure on chemical fertilizers, maintains the long-term fertility of the soil and promotes environment-friendly, sustainable and profitable agriculture.
