Ex-serviceman sows seeds of success with integrated farming

After a stint in Armed Forces, he took to agriculture and scripted a success story by adopting integrated farming.

At a time when many of his ilk rue crop loss due to drought, mounting debts and lack of government support, Spmeyangada Thimmaiah of Nallur in Kodagu district is reaping gold by taking to total farming on the rain-fed land.

Thimmaiah cultivates paddy on 3.5 hecatres of land and harvests no less than 40 quintals of paddy per acre. He grows coffee and cardamom on another three hectares. Banana and areca are being cultivated on one acre each and vegetables being grown on 1.5 acres.

Apart from tradition farming, Thimmaiah is also into fisheries, breeding various species of fish at his one-acre farm pond. The man with the army background also breed four jersey cows. Not to miss out on poultry farming and the beekeeping. The total farming on the rain-fed land is earning Thimmaiah profits of Rs 17 lakh per annum.

To ensure fertility of the soil, Thimmaiah gets the soil tested at Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Gonikoppa, every year. He has adopted scientific farming method under the guidance of scientists at Gonikoppa Krishi Vigyan Kendra. Thimmaiah has reaped rich rewards and awards for his efforts.

Agriculture department has conferred best farmer award on Thimmaiah. So too agri varsities, Horticulture department and other organisations have honoured him for serving inspiration to his ilk in the region.Thimmaiah credits his success in farming to unflinching support by his wife Swati and children.

 Prabhakar, scientist at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, says, ‘Thimmaiah is a model for others worth to emulate’.