Make Cotton Sustainable

FEATURE / VEDANTA RESOURCES

Cotton's Second Coming in Lanjigarh, Orissa

Barren land in Lanjigargh, Orissa before Organic Cotton cultivation (left); Organic Cotton farm post VAL support (right)

Vedanta Aluminum Ltd. (VAL) and Natural Organic Farm, an NGO, has implemented a project for organic cotton cultivation called Project Jaibik in Lanjigarh, Orissa.  Earlier, the cotton that was growing in Lanjigarh was not of high quality and therefore the yield was not good. VAL provided that much needed help to the farmers to increase the productivity of their farmlands in a sustainable manner.

VAL’s project was aimed at facilitating cotton growth organically. The farmers were trained on how to develop organic manure and hence not damage the soil by using pesticides and other fertilizers. VAL also played an important role in setting up the market chain that could generate an assured return for the cotton farmers. 

Cotton plants are prone to pests and at times the farmers in Lanjigarh lost their entire investment due to pest attacks. With Vedanta’s help the farmers insured the crops with Agricultural Insurance Company. The farmers are now expecting an income of Rs 10,000 per acre of land compared to their previous earnings of Rs 4000 per acre of land.

 “In Lanjigarh, Vedanta has achieved the desired objectives. Along with Natural Organic Farm, Vedanta has been instrumental in raising organic cotton in 219 acres of land with 92 farmers in 8 villages of Lanjigarh Block and has also been instrumental in insuring 178.96 acres land of 78 farmers,” says Gurdeep Chabra, Director, Natural Organic Farm Kesinga.

To read the full story: Vedanta