- Irrigation facilities have transformed agriculture, with farmers cultivating wheat, mustard, black gram, and peanuts alongside paddy; earning an annual income of around Rs 1 lakh.
Once dependent on the availability of water for irrigation, Ashish Toppo, a farmer in Korea district, is now systematically cultivating his one-acre farm year-round. The solar irrigation facility provided under the Saur Sujala Yojana has opened new avenues for him. Ashish Toppo, 46, son of Prabhudayal, a resident of the Gram Panchayat Kadamnara, is now moving towards harvesting crops from the same field in different seasons.
Ashish explains that the solar irrigation system has enabled better water management on his farm. This allows him to maintain regular farming activities and currently manages about three crops per year on one acre of land.
- From paddy to peanuts, crops are seasonal.
Ashish Toppo cultivates a variety of crops on his farm, including paddy, wheat, mustard, black gram, and peanuts. With irrigation facilities available, he is able to plan different crops based on the weather and the needs of the farm. According to him, water availability was previously a significant challenge in farming. Solar irrigation has significantly eased this challenge. Now, he is striving to make farming more systematic by making better use of available resources.
- Annual income of around Rs 1 lakh
According to Ashish Toppo, he earns approximately one lakh rupees annually from farming. He says that improved irrigation facilities have made it possible to cultivate crops regularly and have provided an opportunity to continue agricultural activities. For him, the Saur Sujala Yojana has become not only a means of providing water to the fields, but also a means of practicing farming in a more systematic and sustainable manner.
- Solar energy irrigation increases confidence in agriculture
Ashish Toppo’s story illustrates how irrigation facilities can expand farmers’ farming prospects. Even on a limited acre of land, with improved water availability, farmers can plan to grow diverse crops in different seasons. Ashish is now striving to maximize available resources, sustaining his income and expanding his farming operations. For him, the Saur Sujala Yojana has become a story of increased confidence in farming, along with improved irrigation facilities on his farm.