A sugarcane farmer from Lakhimpur Kheri has nearly doubled his crop yield by adopting the trench pit method and experimenting with different seed varieties, earning national recognition for his efforts. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) awarded Achal Mishra the “Innovative Farmer” certificate last month for his progressive farming practices, reported PTI.
Achal Mishra, 40, hails from the remote village of Medaipurva in Gola tehsil. In addition to improving his own farm output, he has established a farmer producer organisation (FPO) to market organic products processed from his crops, with several other farmers joining the initiative, said agro scientist Dr Pradeep Kumar Bisen.
Speaking to PTI, Mishra said that after completing his law graduation, he chose farming as a profession. Instead of following conventional sugarcane cultivation methods, he adopted the trench pit technique and selected seed varieties suitable for local climatic conditions.
“These changes led to a significant improvement in yield, increasing sugarcane production from about 300 quintals per acre to nearly 550–600 quintals per acre,” Mishra said.
His innovations have earned him multiple accolades, including the “Millennium Farmer” award last year.
Dr Bisen, who is associated with the Kisan Vigyan Kendra (KVK) under Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, praised Mishra’s approach. He said Mishra successfully tested several sugarcane seed varieties to maximise productivity, along with shifting to the trench pit method.
Bisen added that Mishra’s experiments with intercropping—growing oilseeds, pulses and flowers alongside sugarcane—also delivered positive results by increasing overall farm income.
According to the scientist, Mishra’s FPO markets products such as jaggery and kala namak (black salt) rice, all processed from his farm produce.
District Cane Officer Ved Prakash Singh said Mishra’s innovative farming practices have inspired other sugarcane growers in the district to enhance productivity per hectare. “His contribution to cane farming is truly commendable,” Singh said.
Explaining his intercropping strategy, Mishra said he cultivated mustard, potato, garlic and marigold in the spaces between the sugarcane trench pits. “These intercrops not only enriched the soil with micronutrients but also provided an additional source of income,” he said.
