UPL joins hands with Bidal, a Model Village for Water Conservation by Supplying Zeba

UPL Ltd., a global provider of sustainable agricultural products and solutions, has provided 50 MT of Zeba to Bidal Village for Soil Application in an attempt to recognize the revolution of agriculture implemented by the villagers.

The ceremony of handing over the 50 MT of Zeba was done in Bidal on the 28^th of February in the presence of Savesh Kumar (Head – Field Marketing), Harshal Sonawane – Lead Crop Establishment, India, Abhijeet Jagdale (Crop Manager & being Native of Bridal ), Amit Gaikwad, ZMM, Pune Zone, Onkar Jagdale, Field Officer, Koregaon from UPL.

Bidal representatives at the event included Sarpanch, Mrs. Gaurishital Bapusaheb Jagdale, Vice Sarpanch  Savita Sharad Kulal, Bapusaheb Jagdale, Sharad Kulal, Hanumant Phadtare, Ashok Ingavale leading all key changes in Village and Hanumant Jagdale, Chairperson of the Vikas Seva Mandal, Bidal, Dhananjay Jagdale, Secretary Vikas Seva Mandal, Bidal, Forest Officers - Mr & Mrs Thombare, Forest Guard Manik Jagdale, Forest Member Raosaheb Deshmukh. 

Villagers from 6 neighboring villages were also present for this event. The company also provided the product to 10 neighboring villages, in an attempt to initiate this drive there as well. The use of Zeba will ensure that water given to the trees will be utilized fully and the number of rounds of watering will be reduced ensuring zero mortality of planted trees.

Bidal is a mid-sized village with a population of 6500, located in Maan Tahsil of the Satara District in Maharashtra. This Village holds a record of holding no election in the last 55 years, as the inhabitants select their leadership at Gram panchayats or Societies, where most candidates are unopposed. The village is also known to be a leader in technology adoption and new-age education.

Before the drought of 1972, this village was famous for growing cotton seeds, and it held the patent for the Varalakshmi Seed Variety of Summer Cotton.

The region also cultivated grapes and many other crops, but post the 1972 drought, a major part of Bidal’s population shifted from agriculture to other professions like education, military, engineering, and Government Services through MPSC & UPSC. The traditional identity of the village being a producer of Cotton Seed thus began to decline rapidly.