Entrepreneurship Developed

Scientific Lac Cultivation Based Entrepreneurship Development

Farming Situation :-Purulia district of West Bengal is a forest intensive district where 12% of total geographical area (approx 751 sq. km.) is come under forest with gently slopping undulating terrain, hyperthermic, erosion prone soil type with poor fertility status. Irregular rainfall distribution made this district drought prone. Nevertheless, plenty of natural forest resource dominated by lac host trees such as Palas (Buteamonosperma), Kusum (Schleicheraoleosa) and Ber (Ziziphusmauritiana) is available. Lac cultivation in Purulia is traditionally age-old practice among Jungle dwellers.

Details of Farmer:

Name of the Farmer :Joydeb Mahato.

Fathers Name : Late Muchiram Mahato

Address : Village :Putidih, P.O : Iloo, Block : Jhalda-1, Dist : Purulia,State : West Bengal.

Contact No. +919932138348

Educational Qualification ;Madhyamic (10th) Pass

Training Attended : Several Training Programme on Scientific Lac Cultivation organized by KrishiVigyan Kendra, Kalyan, Purulia & Indian Institute of Natural Resin and Gums, Numkum, Ranchi.

Age : 50 years

Family Members : 05 Nos. (Spouse, one son and two daughter)

Details of Land Holdings &Crops :

Total Land holding 6 ha and 1.2 ha pond with IMC

Cultivable land : 2 ha (paddy, brinjal tomato)

Waste Land : 4 ha (2500 nos. of Palas, 19 nos. of Kusum, 32 nos. of Ber and 500 nos. of Semialata)

Background

Mr. JoydevMahato started lac cultivation in the year 1992 on 5 Kusum and 250 Palas trees. However, he experienced huge loss that year. Most of the lac encrustation was destroyed either by predatory insect or by fungal attack. In the subsequent years the production of lac failed again and again. In the mean timeKrishiVigyan Kendra has been established in Purulia under the aegis of Kalyan. Mr. Mahato, being help-less and came to the KVK in the year 1993 with his problems. The then KVK experts heard his problems. After details investigation, they advised him to follow the scientific lac cultivation technique and management strategy of predatory insects and fungal attack during rain and fog through need based application of insecticide or fungicide before and after male emergence. Application of insecticides (Indoxacarb @ 1 ml/LitreorEthofenprox @ 2ml/LitreorFipronil @ 1 ml/LitreorBt var. curstaki @ 1 g/Litre) during male emergence is detrimental to lac production. Spraying should be done at 30, 60 and 90 days after infestation. Application of fungicide (Carbendazim @ 1g/Litre of water) during and after rain, fog and cloudy weather. He was also invited to participate in the training programme on scientific lac cultivation organised by the KVK, he also guided to participate in the training programmeorganised by Indian Lac Research Institute (ILRI) presently known as Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums (IINRG) at Numkum, Ranchi, Jharkhand. Mr. Mahato implemented all the advisory service extended by the KVK and eventually obtained good crop in the following year. Since then he followed scientific lac cultivation technique. Presently, he is cultivating on 2500 nos of Palas, 19 No. of Kusum and 32 nos. of ber trees. He received training on nutrient management for lac cultivation, brood lac management, management of pest and diseases of lac insects as well as processing and marketing of lac. He learned by doing and now become a master trainer and he is extending training to the novices through teaching by doing.

Developmental Activity for Lac Growers in Purulia – Win-Win Model 

Mr. Mahato made himself an Institution now. He engaged himself for human resource development of the resource poor Jungle Dwellers through training followed by extending technical and material help towards entrepreneurship development among them. In this process of entrepreneurship development he followed the Win-Win model. First he develops interest on scientific lac cultivation among the poor Jungle Dwellers through mass meeting. Then he extends hands-on training to the interested novices. Then he provides them the inputs like brood lac, 60 mesh nylon bag, insecticide, fungicide as well as all possible technical knowhow. After luxurious production of lac, the input recipients repay back with brood lac and stick lac to Mr. Mahato at the rate of input received. The novices then sell rest of the produce by their own.  Presently, Mr. Mahato is working with more than 3000 beneficiaries among which, 1500 families are in Purulia. These families are now earning Rs. 35000.00 to 50000.00 on yearly basis. He is also associated with 35 SHGs engaged in lac cultivation under Win –Win Model. SHG members are also engaged in cottage industries of production decorative items such as bangles, lac coated pen stand, candle stand, earthen and ceramic pots that are sold in good price through SHG federation. He is supplying brood lac to different parts of Purulia, Jarkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andra Pradesh, Maharastra and Karnataka. His net yearly income varies between Rs. 12 Lakh to Rs. 25 Lakh.  The total lac based turnover in the area is now around Rs. 1 crore 

Developmental Activity for Lac Growers in Purulia – Win-Win Model

Linkage

Presently, Mr. Mahato maintaining strong linkage with KrishiVigyan Kendra, Kalyan, Purulia; IINRG, Numkum, Ranchi; Forest Departments of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chattishgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharastra; Birsha Agricultural University, Ranchi, Rani Durgabati University and JNKVV, Jabalpur. Tourism Department of West Bengal and Jharkhand; NABARD, Tribal Marketting Cooperative Society, Ranchi, Jharkhand; CADC; LoksikshaParisad, RKM, Narendrapur along with several NGOs including Kalyan.

Linkage of Mr. JoydebMahato with various organizations including KrishiVigyan Kendra, Purulia

Recognition     

Mr. Mahato is the recipient of Progressive Farmer Award from ICAR and KissanSamman Award from IINRG, Ranchi in the year 2009 and 2002 respectively.

Award & Recognition Received From Various National Level Organization

Representation

He is now Chairman of Purulia Tourism Development; Secretary of Jhalda Lac Growers and Processing Industries Cooperative Society Ltd.; Farmers’ Representative in IINRG, Numkum, Ranchi, Resource person for rural youth training at KrishiVigyan Kendra, Kalyan, Purulia.

Association

Mr. Mahato is now associated with NAIP project on weather based prediction of male immergence and nutritional management organizing by IINRG, Numkum, Ranchi.

Social Commitments

Protection of Age-old culture of lac cultivation, Conservation of Forest and Checking soil erosion through new plantation.

Opinion

Mr. Mahato felt the need for Lac Insurance to prevent losses from natural calamity, forest fire etc. He also opined that scientific trading and marketing is of utmost necessarily to popularize this age-old practice and according to him lac could meet the deficit in foreign currency earning if proper care on trade, export or marketing has been taken by government.  He is also argued for an Entrepreneur Development Institute and Jhalda -1 Block of Purulia district for which he will eagerly provide land and all sorts of technical help to the government.

Conclusion 

Mr. Joydeb Mahato is a burning example where a little intervention could make a simple entrepreneur to an Institute.

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