Innovative farm leader 

ISP Guwahati 

Innovation in farming is the need of the hour. A time when a lot of youngsters are opting out of the farm sector, even when they have an ancestral agricultural tradition in the family, Bebajit Barman of Assam is a role model to follow. With his astute skills and sheer hard work, Barman has set up a unique model of farming by combining fishery and piglet farming in the same campus beside a river in Nankar Bhaira in the North-Eastern State. 

In recognition of his innovative ways of farming, the Government of Assam recently felicitated Barman with the third highest public felicitation award of Assam Gaurav. The government of the State recognised the initiatives taken by Barman through community engagement to evolve a farm which is both eco-friendly and a people’s participatory movement. 

Barman has combined fishery with piglet farm. The combination was initially to make his venture self-sustaining but eventually it became a complementary affair with both the line of business supporting each other. 

The initiative is a landmark for the Nankar Bharia region of the State as it has given a new impetus to farm learning for the young minds. School and college children regularly visit Barman’s farm and learn the ways to upkeep the fishery work along with the piglet farming. The tremendous work Barman is doing to educate the new farmers to do their venture in a profitable way has also won international acclaim and media attention. 

Adding to his extension work to dissimenate his farming knowledge, Barman has also opted to talk to the stakeholders through public mediums like All India Radio and Doordarshan TV. Public queries on farming are replied by Barman and his team of workers and also reach out to specific interested farmers with solutions. His farm is open to enthusiastic researchers to join in the work. 

Owing to the people’s initiative spearheaded by Barman, Indian Council for Agricultural Research has also supported his work.