Youth Abandoning Farming, Progressive Farmer Akash Chaurasia Shows The Way With Multi-Layer Farming
As low income drives the youth away from farming and towards cities for employment, progressive farmer Akash Chaurasia has developed a model that can potentially transform the fortunes of farmers. Chaurasia’s innovative Multi-Layer Farming method offers the potential to earn up to eight lakh rupees per acre.
Chaurasia, a young farmer from Sagar district in Madhya Pradesh, initially aspired to become a doctor but chose farming to provide chemical-free food to society. In 2014, he introduced the Multi-Layer Farming model. In an era where space and resources are shrinking, Chaurasia’s idea mirrors urban high-rise living, but for crops.
Also Read: Empowering Farmers: The Purpose And Audience of ‘Krishi Express’ On Bharat Express
Multi-Layer Farming
With Multi-Layer Farming, crops are cultivated in multiple layers. For instance, Chaurasia plants root crops like ginger and turmeric in the first layer, leafy vegetables such as coriander in the second, creeper crops like bitter gourd in the third, fruit plants like papaya on the fourth, and gourd on the fifth layer between the trellis and the soil surface. This method allows 5 to 6 crops to be grow simultaneously in the same field.
Chaurasia explains that farmers should start with underground crops, then add vegetables and flowering plants, and finally, shade and fruit trees. The method uses bamboo sticks and grass. Remarkably, this technique reduces costs by four times and increases profits by the same margin, giving a new definition to Indian agriculture.
The technique is particularly useful in today’s scenario where the cultivation area is decreasing and the number of small-holding farmers is increasing. By enabling the cultivation of 4 to 5 crops simultaneously in the same field, Chaurasia’s method maximizes land use efficiency.
Multi-Layer Farming involves utilizing every inch of land by growing crops at various levels from underground to above the surface. This reduces costs related to field preparation, irrigation, and fertilizers. Additionally, the method minimizes weed growth, eliminates the need for herbicides, and reduces pesticide costs by acting like a shade net that protects crops from pests and diseases.
How To implement Multi-Layer Farming?
To implement Multi-Layer Farming, farmers need to build a pavilion-like structure which is both easy and inexpensive. This structure, which costs only 25,000 rupees per year, can last for five years. Chaurasia employs organic methods, integrating traditional and modern techniques from irrigation to fertilizer management. He produces his own vermicompost from cow dung, ensuring necessary nutrients for the crops.
Akash Chaurasia’s contributions have been widely recognized. He has delivered lectures at prestigious institutions such as Banaras Hindu University, Shankaracharya University Raipur, Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University, and Sagar University. He has trained over 135,000 individuals at his Sagar farm and successfully converted around 75,000 acres of land to natural farming.
In an era of acute resource shortage, Chaurasia’s Multi-Layer Farming is a beacon of hope. His innovative method promises to revolutionize farming, making it a sustainable and profitable profession.
