1) Mr. Ganesh Dattatray Bochare

Mr Ganesh Dattatray Bochare of village-Kusur, Tal-Junnar, Dist-Pune was awarded the Innovative Farmers Award by ICAR-IARI, New Delhi during the Krishi Unnati Mela, organized by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, New Delhi during 19-21^st March 2016. This prestiage award was given in the presence of Hon’ble Sri Radha Mohan Singh, Minister of Agriculture, Government of India for his outstanding work for using innovative technologies to increase the income and make the livelihood from floriculture. He made intervention in cultural practices in flower crops that include:

1. 1) Use of soil analysis based fertilizer application: Need based application of fertilizers resulted saving on chemicals thereby reducing the input cost. Also helped in maintaining the soil health and ecological balance.


2. 2) Use of balanced fertilizers: Increased fertilizer efficiency, thereby increasing crop yield


3. 3) Use of polythene mulching: It has resulted in water saving, minimum weed growth and thereby saving labour cost and minimizing drudgery.


4. 4) Use of protection film: Protection films were used for different crops that protected the crop from sucking pests and also modified the microclimate around the plant.


5. 5) Use of protected cultivation: Cultivation of color capsicum and marigold in shade net house resulted in bumper yield of quality produce.


6. 6) Use of preventive plant protection : Use of effective plant protection chemicals based on requirement resulted saving on chemicals thereby reduced the input cost.

With his interventions he has succeeded in the attracting attention of many farmers from his region and he always tries to guide them with relevant information.

---

2) Mr. Changdeo Vishnu More

Changdeo Vishnu More of village- Sasurve, Tal-Koregaon, Dist- Satara, Maharashtra was awarded the Innovative Farmers Award by ICAR-IARI, New Delhi during the Krishi Unnati Mela, organized by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, New Delhi during 19-21^st March 2016. This prestigious award was given in the presence of Hon’ble Sri Radha Mohan Singh, Minister of Agriculture, Government of India for his outstanding work for using innovative technologies to increase the income and make the livelihood from floriculture. He made intervention in cultural practices in flower crops that include:

He started using improved varieties of tuberose varieties released by AICRP centre, NARP Ganeshkind. He introduced Suhashini and Phule Rajani varieties for the first time in his region, multiplied in large scale and supplied planting material to various farmers. Many farmers were benefitted by his innovative thinking and experiments on different crops.

The strawberry cultivation was also started by him for the first time in his region which was not successful before.

In gladiolus he has taken three crops in a year with meticulous planning of corms production and successfully produced flowers and corms year around. Every year number of farmers visit his field and request for the gladiolus corms.