Veeraiah also helps the farmer change certain age-old practices like applying phosphoric fertilizer later and not during the time of sowing. He shows them how to apply Monochrotophos only on the stem with a brush for sucking pests, not on the entire plant. This, he explains, causes the least damage to the environment and does not kill insects like the praying mantis which actually eat some of the dangerous pests. He even gets farmers to take turns drawing sketches of the pests and identifying each in the local language.

The “classroom” field belongs to young farmer Srinivas Reddy who owns seven acres. He proudly claims he is making a neat profit of Rs 35,000 per acre this year. The first pickings are done and have been sold in the Adilabad mandi, incidentally the largest in Asia.

Among Veeraiah’s students is fresher Dayakar Reddy who admits he was initially sceptical but now swears by these classes. His costs are down to Rs 2,800 per acre minus the picking cost, which is a third of what it is in neighbouring Yavatmal.

Veeraiah admits that more such schools are needed, he can only select two villages in his mandal for the entire season lasting 14 weeks. The rest, he depends on word of mouth. Next year, the best farmers from the present batch will travel to other villages to spread the word. Maybe some of them — or their lessons, at least — can take that 100-km journey to Yavatmal.

What Adilabad is doing right

... contd.