Covid 19 pandemic induced lockdown has affected most of the industries but not the resilience of our farmers. Farmers were affected by lack of availability of farm labourers and transportation of farm products. But most of the farm products especially vegetables were sold locally. Integrated Farming System has been a boon to farmers as they can coordinate and invest their energy in agriculture horticulture and animal husbandry. The benefit is that farmers can diversify their source of income and don’t have to dependent on one sector.

In Tamil Nadu 7600 integrated farming units are being formed with Rs 76 crore subsidy including Rs 10 crore subsidy from national agriculture development project. In Tamil Nadu 100 integrated farming systems in each blocks are being set up in 29 districts. The 100 IFS units will be selected in 5 to 10 villages in one block or adjacent two blocks. Farmers having one hectare and above land are eligible for subsidy under this scheme. Integrated farming system is divided into wet land garden land and dry land. Agriculture crop, kitchen garden, milch cows, buffaloes, goat backyard poultry birds, permanent vermicompost units, horticulture fruit plants, apiary units, fodder trees compost pits,  come under this scheme. A team consisting of Agriculture officer veterinary assistant surgeon and Horticulture officer will address a meeting of the beneficiaries of village panchayat in which components of integrated farming will be elaborated. Interested beneficiaries are asked to apply and then the team will scrutinise and select the beneficiaries based on certain norms.

In Tiruchirapalli, integrated farming system is implemented in Manachanallur Block.  There are ten revenue villages in Manachanallur including Poonampalayam, IrungalurKonalai. There are 99 beneficiaries in Manachanallur block in Trichy district. Each beneficiary is given Rs one lakh subsidy to each farmer under the scheme. Assistant agriculture officer Shri Partepan said that out of the allotted Rs 0ne lakh subsidy, Rs 36700 is given by Agriculture department, Rs 12300 by Horticulture department and Rs 51000 by Animal Husbandry department. From the agriculture part, cultivation of Sorghum demo Rs 7500 is given, fodder crop cultivation Rs 4200 is given vermic bed unit Rs 25000 is given to each farmer beneficiary.

Covid 19 lockdown has not deterred the continuous work of Agriculture officials as they continue to help farmers without any hindrance. Super check was conducted by a team of officials including Deputy Director of Agriculture Elangovan, ManachanallurAssistant director AgriTagoor, AD horticulture Padmavathy, Agriculture Officer Uma Maheswari Assistant agriculture Officer Parthepan Veterinary Surgeon Divyabharatiand inspected integrated farm system in Ponnampalayam village in TrichyManachanallur. The officials said that they inspected fields, milch cows.

Farmers are finding it beneficial with the integrated system as depending on vagaries of nature will not help their livelihood. This year they are happy that Cauvery water released from Mettur Dam has crossed Mukombu Upper Anicut. Union Government is continuously helping farmers to sustain nation’s food security.

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