Subhash Chandra Mahto of Saraikela, Jharkhand released his video on FTB listing the farming activities and issues faced by farmers in Jharkhand. Subhash introduced himself as a common farmer from Saraikela.
He said Saraikela is known as the food bowl of Jharkhand due to the high food production in the district.
Most of the people are dependent on the land for farming which is the main source of income for most of the families like most of Jharkhand. Subhash said more than 80 percent of the population's livelihood depends on farming. He said the condition of the farmers in the district and the state is very poor. Most of the farmers live in poverty and earn minimal income.
Once a year in Saraikela, farmers grow rice crops for which they heavily depend on mother nature and rain gods. The rice crops farming is heavily dependent on the monsoons in Jharkhand. Apart from rice, vegetables are also grown in Saraikela, but by few farmers. Veggies that the farmers grow are brinjal, lady fingers, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, beans, cucumber, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and onions among others. In the video they have shown their tomato farming fields where crops have failed due to lack of irrigation. For the bean farms irrigation is done through water from the wells. The quality of the beans grown here is very high.
The main problem and requirement of farmers for rice crops is irrigation, for which farmers have requested for solution from the Jharkhand state government again and again but without any positive replies. Irrigation is done through water from wells, rivers and nalas etc. for veggies farming.
Despite the limited resources and hardships faced by the farming community in Saraikela, the farmers are resilient and hard working. Some of the veggies grown here are sold in the big city markets and this generates income not only for the farmers but also for the small merchants who are involved in the sales activity and thus are able to sustain their families.
We request the government to provide better irrigation facilities in Saraikela which will also help in raising the fertility of the soil. Irrigation will help us to turn our barren farm lands into fertile lands for farming. The soil will produce gold (literally) and living standard of the farmers will improve.
At the end of the video Subhash repeated his request and appeal to the government for extensive irrigation facility in the Saraikela region.
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