In a momentous recognition of her remarkable contributions to sustainable agriculture, Manika Debbarma has been awarded the “Champion Women Farmers Change Maker Award – 2024” by the Outlook Group. The award was presented at the prestigious Outlook Agri-Tech Summit & Swaraj-2024, held at ICAR- NASC, Pusa, New Delhi on September 9, 2024.
Debbarma, belongs to R.S. Para ADC village under Kalayanpur block in the Khowai District of Tripura, a leading figure in the pride movement of farmers, has been lauded for her exceptional efforts in adopting climate change and smart agricultural practices. Her work has notably focused on integrating climate-resilient technologies into rice cultivation, followed by vegetable farming in water-stressed areas. This innovative approach has been instrumental in promoting sustainable farming practices in these challenging environments.
The recognition comes as a proof of her dedication and successful implementation of agricultural technologies that are both eco-friendly and highly effective. Under her leadership, and with support from Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Khowai, Tripura, these practices have not only enhanced productivity but also significantly contributed to the resilience of local farming communities against climate variability.
Notably, R.S Para, a water stress village of Kalyanpur Block with 100 per cent tribal farmers is under Khowai district of Tripura. Cropping sequence was mainly rainfed rice based mono-cropping system. Unavailability of irrigated water forced the farmers towards practice of Mono cropping of Paddy. Considering this, some climate resilient agricultural technologies were disseminated by KVK, Khowai as a out scaling of NICRA intervention along with very less use of external inputs, during the year 2019- 2023.
Manika Debbarma, a progressive farm woman from R.S Para ADC Village, was provided training on climate smart Agriculture and also on community mobilization by KVK, Khowai. Before the training programme she was growing only Paddy with traditional paddy cultivation practices in her 0.4 ha of land and she used to keep her land fallow during the post kharif paddy cultivation and was earning an gross annual income of only Rs. 30000.00 from Agriculture,
However, after the KVK Khowai intervention, she has started growing Pulses like Garden Pea, Lentil and Vegetables like Bitter Gourd, Cucumber, Ridge Gourd, Chilli by using In Situ Moisture Conservation Technologies as well as with Zero Tillage Practices in her 0.4 ha of area during the Post Kharif Paddy cultivation.
In Paddy cultivation also she has started using HYV Varieties of Paddy like Gomoti, Tripura Nirog, Tripura Hakuchuk-2 etc and has started practicing SRI Technology in her 0.4 ha of Paddy land under the guidance of KVK, Khowai.
With the Support of KVK, Khowai she also established one farmers club named as Aitorma farmers club in the Village and also have established one Custom Hiring Centre ,from where an around 500 nos of farm families are getting benefitted. The farmers club have received a grant of Farm Machineries worth Rs. 1000000.00 from the Department of Agriculture and farmers welfare, Govt of Tripura for running that CHC in the R.S Para ADC Village.
Based on the inspirational work of Manika Debbarma, she has been awarded with Best Farm Woman Award, 2024 by KVK, Khowai. With adoption of various Climate Smart Technologies the Cropping Intensity of Debbarma”s farm increased from 100% to 200% and annual income Increased from Rs. 30000.00 to Rs. 2,20,000.00 within a very short Period of time. She is now acting as a motivator for all the Small and Marginal farmers of the Village as well as farmers of the nearby Village of the District.
(Tripura, Tripura News)
