JOIN USCarving niche in the male bastion...
She is Sumalatha Jayaprakash, a progressive farmer who has bagged ‘Krishi Sadane award’ recently. After having won this prestigious award at Bangalore Krishi mela, Sumalatha, mother of three, feels that it is not an individual award but it is the award for all those women who dare to take up farming as their profession.
After growing plantain on experimental basis, which was a success, she went on to cultivate vanilla, coffee, cardamom, chillies, vegetables etc using organic farming method. She also grew various other horticulture crops and thus carved a niche for herself in an male avenue.
“If agriculture sector in India has to develop, all women will have to give up their inhibitions and take up farming. When this happens our state and our country will be self sufficient in foodgrains,” she says and adds that every woman can utilise the empty space in the backyard of the house to plant some vegetables and fruits. This can bring them great deal of satisfaction along with small savings.
Thanking her husband Jayaprakash and couple of friends for the support, she says that the award has given her a boost to work harder. She feels women, when given responsibility can excel in any field.