One of the biggest challenges of a farmer is destruction of crops by pests. Notwithstanding this, a farmer in Mawkangi in Ri Bhoi took up the challenge and used his vast reserves of traditional knowledge and innovation and made his own organic pesticide.
Seventy-two year old Jorsing Syngkli had always faced destruction of his crops by pests and buying of pesticides was a huge burden. He turned to nature and its riches for a solution and ventured into the forest in his village to identify herbs that is safe and eco- friendly.
He explains that herbs collected are fermented for about 30 days in a tightly sealed container and then filtered. During this period, stirring this fermented mixture is required on a daily basis. Another process that was taken up by septuagenarian farmer is the powder version. He said these were tested on his own paddy filed and found it to be effective. Both these versions of bio-pesticides were effectively used on water bodies near his paddy cultivation area, wherein the water was stored and kept for four days without allowing it to flow to other parts. Here too, the fishes were not harmed, he said.
Syngkli said that famers in the village also use his product that proved to be beneficial in protecting vegetables, paddy and other crops from pest attack.
The farmer, however, not only made a crop-saving pesticide. He ensured that it is tested. He said he harvested vegetables sprinkled with bio- pesticide separately and ensured that his kin don’t consume these until he tried them on his own.
It was for this reason that the other villagers too were convinced that it is safe, he added.
Impressed by his works the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency has chosen Syngkli as a beneficiary for the innovation fund funded by the World Bank under the Community Led Landscape Management Project.
The team said a total amount of Rs 3 lakh has been sanctioned to the farmer out of which, Rs 1.5 lakh has already been given as first instalment to aid in cultivation of ingredients, manufacture of the bio-pesticide as well as marketing the same through the fund.
