Kothagudem: On Monday, District Collector Jitesh V. Patil highlighted the benefits of intercropping to boost farmers’ financial health. He suggested that adopting diverse farming methods can create more income opportunities and jobs in rural areas.
The Collector kicked off a bamboo planting project under the MGNREGS at Guttagudem in Mooka Mamidi panchayat, located in Mulakalapally mandal.
He personally planted bamboo saplings on the lands of farmers Kanithi Bhadrayya, Kanithi Radha, and Kanithi Pottamma, encouraging them to try non-traditional crops that have good market demand. He also started a bamboo plantation at Mogaralagoppa village on the farm of Keesara Sujatha.
During his field visit, he checked a one-acre drumstick farm by Kundru Venkatamma and a two-acre drumstick plot by Kommu Buchanna at Gaddamvari Gumpu village.
Collector Patil urged farmers to grow alternative crops along with their usual ones. He noted that intercropping can increase profits even on small plots. For instance, planting drumsticks and okra in oil palm fields can bring extra income. Similarly, growing pulses like green gram, black gram, and millets with bamboo can boost earnings.
He mentioned that these crops not only help families but also aid the village’s economy. “Bamboo has strong market demand. It can be processed and sold through the Bendalampadu Bamboo Cluster, providing steady income and jobs in the village,” he said.
The Collector also visited the under-construction village panchayat building in Mooka Mamidi and urged officials to speed up the work.
Joining the Collector were Additional Collector Vidya Chandan, Tahsildar Gannya Naik, MPDO Venkateshwarlu, ATM Venkayya, APO Hussain, LDM Sammakka, and many local farmers and villagers.
