Shanti Sabar's hard work bears fruit as she gets selected for National Innovative Farmer Award

Shanti Sabar, a member of the Sabar community has been selected for National Innovative Farmer Award, 2017.

She has been selected for practising hi-tech horticulture orchard from 2009. Shanti Sabar will be awarded with certificate and memento by the Union Minister of Agriculture, Radha Mohan Singh on the closing ceremony of Krishi Unnati Mela to be held on March 15-17 at Mela Ground of Indian Agriculture Research Institute, PUSA, New Delhi.

This is the most prestigious award for a farmer in India. Shanti has been invited to attend the mela and her logistics arrangements have been arranged by the IARI, New Delhi authority.

Shanti Sabar belongs to Sabar-Kheria community who used to live in jungle hamlets with only 10-15 families and they were branded as criminals by the British.

Mahasweta Devi fought against this stigma of that society and formed Paschim Banga Kheria Sabar Kalyan Samiti.

Sabar community generally do not practice agriculture for their livelihood. They used to collect forest produce and even consume forest roots, frogs and snakes.

Shanti Sabar formed a Self Help Group with her leadership of their locality with 12 families at Ladda Shabarpara, Ambikanagar under Ranibandh Block with advice from the local BDO and social mobilisation by an NGO-Pradan.

Ambikanagar Gram Panchayat Pradhan, Dilip Mahato played an active role continuously for sensitisation and implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Scheme for their livelihood.

They have taken a lease of 25 bigha of land from Patras of Lipidiri and they have been sanctioned with mango orchards.

Now, this orchard with amrapali and mallika varieties has matured and they are getting more than Rs 2 lakh from mangoes out of 1,106 surviving plants.

Shanti Sabar said: "We have also given mangoes from our orchard to our Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee in 2014 at Eco Park who praised our efforts".

ICAR Scientist Dr Ram Krishna Pal has visited Bankura District for pomegranate cultivation in the area in 2016 and making livelihood for them through pomegranate in convergence with Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Scheme through District Administration Bankura.

He observed that IARI developed the amrapali and mallika varieties but in Bankura, the variety grew very well. Dr Pal said: "This year's most Innovative Farmer Award is given to a farmer, who never practised earlier but now are practising in orchards with the most scientific way for their livelihoods".

He also said that pomegranate also may play a major option for livelihoods like mango in Bankura. Commissioner, MGNREGA,West Bengal Dibyendu Sarkar said: "We are happy to hear the news that our MGNREGA supported SHG member has been selected for National Innovative Farmer Award."