Raipur: Yogesh Sunkar, 32, has developed the prototype water-retention manure from potassium-based cellulose in 3 years after he was moved by an international institution’s report claiming that the majority of farmers are abandoning agriculture farming due to shortage of water. A prototype water-retention manure of agriculture post-graduate in village Dhamdha of Durg district is not only being exported to overseas but improving the barren land in few months. The water-retention formulation prevents water depletion in soil by using biodegradable ingredients, which enhances the water holding capacity of the soil multi-folds. The product is promising for farmers in drought-prone areas.
Sonkar is a gold medalist student, who pursued MSc in Pomology (Fruit Science) from Indira Gandhi Agriculture University is now developing 14 types of manure, which can effectively treat the barren land in a few months. Explaining the features of the water-retention solution, Sonkar said, “Soluble is prepared by using potassium-based cellulose, cow-dung, seaweed extracts and micro-nutrients, amino acids and other materials which reduces the water utilization upto 50% in plants and increased yield upto 20%. It has the capacity of holding water up to 300 times than soil’s weight and used once in a year.” Yogesh’s idea was backed by scientists and experts of the Agri-business Incubation Centre run under IGKV.
Differentiating the quality of water-retention formulation with existing products in the market, Yogesh said, “The manure is certified as organic formulation by a European company in India called Ecocert and we have used the manure to improve the fertility in my village Medesara.” Concerned for a fruitful yield of rice in Chhattisgarh, Yogesh has started his start-up recently and is providing bio-chemically treated paddy seeds at nominal rates. These treated seeds are disease-resistant, requires fewer pesticides and produces healthy yield, adds Sonkar.