Loisingha: Indubitably, farmers in general across the globe have become increasingly dependent on chemical fertilisers to raise their crops. But an 86-year-old farmer here in Bolangir district is religiously collecting cow dung for the last 66 years to prepare manure, a report said.
The farmer is Abadhuta Nayak at Jogisarda village under this block in Bolangir district. Sources said that the use of cow dung as manure has helped him raise good crops year after year despite all adversities. It has also helped in raising the fertility of the soil and in conservation of environment while keeping the air and water bodies clean in the area.
An example for others to emulate, Nayak strongly opposes use of chemical fertilisers on farmland and instead relies on organic manure to raise crops.
He said that chemical fertiliser is bad for health while food crops cultivated with organic manure is good for health. This is the secret of his good health at this age as he has never become ill except some minor ailments like cold and cough till date, he said.
Nayak having only half an acre of farmland has never felt tired by doing so and has been collecting the cattle waste since the days of his youth. He collects the cow dung and dumps them on his farmland to prepare manure for his crops. The manure he prepares is used on his farmland while he sells the surplus to other farmers and earns some money.
Nayak used to work chores to manage his family of three sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and his wife. However, he is now living with his younger son’s family after the death of his wife while the rest two sons live separately. The ups and down of life have failed to deter him as he goes on collecting cow dung after finishing his daily chores every day.
With decline in cattle population, he is now finding it difficult to collect sufficient cow dung in his village and has to move in the surrounding villages to collect the stuff. He regretted that despite all his work he has never received any assistance from the state government like 35-kg rice or a house under the welfare scheme.
An elderly co-villager Sigson Deep said they have been seeing him doing the work since his youth days but the government officials have never made any attempt to reach him and extend him any help.
PNN