Soil Health & Fertilizers

My name is Nikada Majhi. My village is Mandipanka. From Panchayat Bamaniya, Block Dharimal, District Kandhamal. I am seeing a severe shortage in farming work in today's date. Which people are doing by excessively using chemical fertilizers, along with destroying the fertility of the soil, right.

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha

It is very difficult to do farming and clean the house. We are not getting any manure. Therefore, we are forced to use fertilizer. Memnima Sundar Samita

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

Nutritious food is not available from farming as before; all food available is cultivated with fertilizers. Various root-based foods are also not available in the forest.

— KAPAL MARNDI · Bissamcuttack, Rayagada, Odisha

Name: Sanjabati Pradhan. Village: Dapargaon. GP: Kanjamendi Block K. Nuagaon. I am a woman farmer. Traditionally, we used to cultivate using organic cow dung manure. Currently, due to the use of chemical fertilizers in the hope of more profit, we are eating poison every day and have destroyed our bodies. Therefore, if we do traditional farming, we will remain healthy.

— Sidheswar Nayak · Kandhamal, Odisha

People of earlier times used to do this kind of farming for subsistence, and without water, without chemical fertilizers, and by eating that grain, there was also strength in the body. But nowadays, this urea and DAP fertilizer is causing a lot of harm.

— Kamleah Kumar · Kota, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Our ancestors used to farm with cow dung. And now this urea and DAP fertilizer has become common. This improves crop yield, but it's having a significant impact on health.

— Kamleah Kumar

Previously, our ancestors used to farm with cow dung, and now urea and DAP have become common. The crops are growing well, but it's having a big impact on the body.

— Kamleah Kumar · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Currently, eating food cultivated with chemical substances is harming our health, but our ancestors used to cultivate according to nature using organic methods and were free from diseases.

— Padmalochan Majhi · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

Grain used to grow without fertilizer. Use cow dung for farming in the fields; that's where paddy, maize, and all crops grow. Eating all that grain keeps the body strong and vital. Nowadays, even though there is more crop yield, the body becomes weak.

— Kamleah Kumar · Ammatola, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Difficulty in obtaining organic food is due to modern food. Farming is no longer done with traditional ploughs because mechanical ploughs are used.

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

They do farming without water, but now it has decreased, it doesn't ripen.

— Kachala Choudhary

Producing through traditional agriculture, farming without fertilizer. Various types of fruits, medicinal plants and creepers etc. found in forests are no longer available.

— KAPAL MARNDI · Bissamcuttack, Rayagada, Odisha

Mona Pramoda, in the past, we had traditional food without fertilizer, and people lived for many years by eating that food. But now, by eating food with fertilizer, many types of diseases are staying in our bodies.

— swornalata nayak · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

My name is Jayanti Pradhan. My village is Brenguda. The Panchayat is Badamunda. The block is Tikabali. In the old days, we used to cultivate millet, sorghum, and maize without fertilizer, and our health was not particularly bad. Now, we don't even get those seeds. And what is being cultivated, that requires fertilizer. That's why we are living with poor health.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Mona, your priest, and we will bring back the past related to farming. People used to do organic farming earlier, using manure or cow dung. Now, we are using chemical fertilizers.

— KRUSHNA KHILLO

Due to forests being destroyed day by day and the lack of proper rainfall, agriculture is not doing well.

— Suna Majhi

Yes brother, we are not getting this fertilizer on time, so I am unable to do farming. The cow dung is just lying there. Earlier, my brothers used to farm on time using cow dung manure.

— Sunita Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Now, old farming is not practiced.

— Kachala Choudhary

The environment was good before, now it doesn't rain on time, due to which farming is not good.

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

My name is Chandrika Pradhan. My village is Panga Bidungia, block is Tikabali. In the olden days, we used to keep seeds in pots. We kept them because, in the olden days, we didn't use fertilizer. Nowadays, we are using fertilizer. That's why we can't keep our seeds for many days. We want to return to the previous state.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

In our region, 'Gati Kandha' is available/common. People of the past used to eat all such things, and because of that, their bodies remained healthy. Nowadays, people are consuming foods that contain fertilizers (or are chemically treated), which is causing many types of diseases to arise.

— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Our ancestors used to farm with plows and bullocks. But nowadays, all those things are disappearing.

— NAGRIK VIKASH SANGATHAN · Kalahandi, Odisha

Chemical and organic fertilizers are necessary.

— Vinita Singh Yadav · Dharura, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Earlier, you all used to farm, and you cultivated using fertilizer.

— Niranjan Lauria · Boudh, Odisha

Village - Chota Chakri, forests should be protected. Chemical fertilizers should not be used in farming.

— Man Singh Bankira

My name is Mohasti Pradhan. Village Bhikkarodi, Block Tikabali. Earlier, we used to cultivate Ragi, Guruji (a type of crop), Coir (a type of crop, possibly referring to a specific plant or practice), and Maize. In this area, we did not use fertilizer. That's why we were not getting sick (from crop diseases). Now, in today's time, as we are using fertilizer everywhere, we are suffering from diseases and are also unable to get these seeds. That is why we are requesting the government. Thank you.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

Farming

— Sunita Kumari · Ghorawal, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Our ancestors used to cultivate without fertilizer, and that was delicious and healthy. But now, that taste is not available.

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

They get fertilizer from the market, but organic fertilizer is important.

— Sunita Kumari · Ghorawal, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Our farming activities are affected by a lack of water.

— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Adaba, Gajapati, Odisha

People of the past used to cultivate saawa, kodo, menjhari, bajra, and maize, and their bodies were strong. But today, by eating grains grown with fertilizer...

— Kamleah Kumar · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

It is said that even with fertilizer, nothing grows. If water is irrigated, it might grow, but it doesn't grow properly at all; it's like the land is completely ruined. So, everything is barren.

— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh

The more convenience-seeking we become now, the more polluted the environment is getting. We can no longer get natural things.

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

My name is Mutiy Pradhan. My Gram Panchayat is Pikorodi. My Block is Tikabali. My District is Kandhamal. Our mothers used to store seeds in the olden days. They would keep seeds in pots near the fire in 'Putra Jakore'. Nothing would happen to them. Today, in today's date, farming is done with fertilizer and pesticides, which is why this year, the seeds cannot last even for a year. That's why we want to live like before.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha