Jaid farmer shuns stubble burning, sets example

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, November 22

The concerted efforts of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bathinda, and Jaid village farmer Gurkirtan Singh have helped in sowing wheat using the Happy Seeder machine directly into the paddy stubble, instead of burning it in 550 acres.

Gurkirtan used Happy Seeder in 180 acres and motivated other farmers at his village to undertake this technique.

The assistant director, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bathinda, Jatinder Singh Brar, said, “Punjab Agricultural University has adopted Jaid among other villages for paddy stubble management techniques. Jaid farmer Gurkirtan Singh chose not to burn the paddy stubble and instead has ploughed it back into his fields. He has sown wheat using the Happy Seeder machine.”

Gurkirtan said, “By ploughing paddy stubble back into the fields, he has not only saved the nutrients in the soil but has also ended up increasing its fertility.”

He owns 31 acres of his own and has taken another 20 acres on contract for farming. For the past two years, he has not been putting paddy stubble on fire and instead ploughing it back into the fields.

He also appealed to the farmers to use the PAU-recommended paddy varieties PR 126, PR 121, PR 122 and PR 124 that take lesser time.

Also, the root stock of the stubble, which is left behind after harvesting, remains green, which makes it easier to conduct direct sowing using Happy Seeder.