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IndiAgri News Desk
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday commended the agricultural innovation of Hirod Patel, a 35-year-old farmer from Ratanpur village in Sundargarh district, during his monthly Mann Ki Baat broadcast. Modi described Patel’s farming model as “truly inspirational” and urged farmers across India to learn from his practices.
Patel, who previously cultivated paddy with his father, shifted to an Integrated Farming System (IFS) that leverages otherwise low-yield land for multiple outputs. His approach uses a net structure over a farm pond to grow vine vegetables such as bottle gourd, while simultaneously cultivating banana, guava and coconut around the water. The pond itself supports fish culture, adding another revenue stream.
The Prime Minister noted that this integrated model not only improves land and water efficiency but also enhances income stability for farmers. Modi stated that farmers are increasingly adopting quality-led, value-added agricultural practices beyond mere production.
Patel’s model, initiated around 2019 with support from local administration, has drawn visitors from remote regions who come to study the system firsthand. Despite initially seeking employment outside farming with an ITI certificate, Patel applied his technical skills to reinvent his family’s agricultural approach.
The recognition by the Prime Minister places a spotlight on grassroots innovations that optimise resource use, improve sustainability, and could influence wider adoption of integrated farming practices across India’s agrarian landscape.
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