Ludhiana, May 13
Knowledge, as they say, is the child of experience and experimentation. This farmer, Darshan Singh “Tibba”, from Hayatpura village, near Machhiwara, has proved it right. He has no formal education, not to speak of any specialised training in agriculture, yet he has set a record of sorts. Some of his innovative methods of farming have now been adopted by scientists at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

“I have studied up to 7th standard. Agriculture is my passion and I believe in innovations,” said Darshan, recipient of Babu Jagjiwan Ram and Dalip Singh Dhaliwal awards. He has been honoured as the “best fish farmer of India” by the Central Institute of Fish Aquaculture.

His latest research on “press-mud” (sugarcane waste) has been recommended by scientists of PAU.

According to him, if the press-mud was given to animals on a regular basis, farmers will be able to get 10-11 per cent more milk yield as it had 13.6 per cent protein, 15.4 per cent sugar and 7.88 per cent of oil. “Sugarcane waste is more beneficial than expensive fodder. After consuming it for 25 days, animals become healthy, and it has been proved,” he said, adding that even the red fibrous waste of peanuts was very nutritious for animals as it gave them 25 per cent oil.

The Indian Centre for Agriculture Research has published a booklet on his life history. Expressing concern over the water-depletion at an alarming proportion in the state, Darshan said the government should have take a stern action at least 10 years ago.

Besides, Darshan is a good poet, who, through his works, motivates farmers. In 1995, he took a pledge to donate his body to the Christian Medical College.

Tribuneindia.com