FAQ's -
Income Enhancement
1. What crops are grown in the villages?
The crops that are grown during the two main crop seasons are as follows:
Kharif: Guwar, sorghum, pearl millet, sesame, cow pea and moong.
Rabi: Mustard, wheat and vegetables.
2. What is the average monthly income of a family in Mewat?
The average monthly income of families in the district is Rs 3,000 per month.
3. Why is the Foundation promoting vegetable cultivation?
Vegetable crops not only result in higher yields when compared to field crops, they also ensure regular incomes and quick returns for the farmers. Further, Mewat's proximity to Delhi also assures a ready market for the produce.
4. What crop diversification practices has the Foundation introduced?
The Foundation is actively promoting pulses, horticulture i.e. fruit trees, and groundnuts in the villages.
5. What is the cost of installing a drip irrigation system on an acre of land?
The cost depends on the crop to be cultivated, and varies with any alteration in crop spacing i.e. from plant to plant and row to row distance. For example, it would cost Rs 15,000 per acre for a tomato or chili crop, and Rs 7,000 for a papaya field.
6. What is vermiwash and how is it prepared?
Vermiwash is a low cost, sustainable source of micro nutrient for the crops; it is prepared by rearing earthworms in an environment suitable for their activity and multiplication.
7. What is the cost of a vermiwash unit and how is it used?
The cost including construction of a single unit is Rs 150. Before the crop is sown, vermiwash is used as foliar spray on the crops and can also be turned down in the soil.
8. Why does the Foundation promote cultivation of groundnuts in the villages?
It is the part of crop diversification, the advantages of groundnut cultivation are several: groundnuts enrich the soil with nitrogen; it can intercrop, is simple to cultivate and easily marketable.
9. What is the average land holding in Mewat?
The average land holding is approximately 4 acres per farmer.
10. What enterprises related to agriculture and allied activities is the Foundation planning to introduce in the villages?
Some of the enterprises that the Foundation is planning to introduce and actively encourage are goat farming, dairy improvement, small poultry, fresh water fisheries, plant propagation etc. Further, based on local people skills, demand and local markets it is also exploring the possibility of setting up and promoting small scale food processing enterprises.
11. How many farmers are associated with the Foundation in its various agri activities?
Across the villages, there are 85 farmers in F&V associations, 130 who are members of SHGs, and as many as 700 who have been associated with various agriculture interventions.
12. What is the Foundation doing to ensure that government-sponsored agricultural schemes reach the farmers?
The Foundation works closely with the State agriculture department and proactively assists the farmers in making effective use of various government incentive schemes such as the National horticulture mission scheme.
We also provide linkages with government agriculture researchers to ensure that the farmers have access to new developments in the field as well as exposure to sound agricultural practices.
|
