Indian farmers teach drip irrigation to Harvard

At a time when India is looking towards the US to unleash its second green revolution, two small-time farmers from the country travelled to America to explain to academicians at the prestigious Harvard University about the successful drip irrigation techniques. Rajendra Patil, 40, and Hemchandra Dagaji Patil, 50, explained to a rapt audience at the university how they have successfully used drip irrigation to expand their farm holdings. They were selected by Mumbai-based Jain Irrigation System to present their story at the Harvard Business School.

Hemchandra Dagaji told the audience that the land earlier was cultivated by flood irrigation and irregular use of fertilisers due to which the yield levels were marginal and the profits were less and the quality of the farm product was not good. "Whole land was cultivated by micro-irrigation, fertigation which helps me to raise the yield levels as well as financial position. The quality of the farm product drastically improved which leads to better prices in the market," he said. In his presentation, Rajendra Patil, said his farm land was 1.5 acres and the whole land was rain fed and hence the yield levels were very low. Now, he owns seven acres of land and has about 60 acres of land on lease. Hemchandra Dagaji, had received the "Kantabai Jain Pandhara Kanda Navtantra Puraskar" during the year 2003 for taking highest productivity of white onion.