Innovative Gujarati Farmers Use Oil Cans To Protect Groundnut and Soybean Crops

Amreli District, famous for its groundnut and cotton growing, has lately seen a rise in new agricultural techniques. An inventive and economical approach to protect crops has been developed by a farmer from Khadsali village in Savarkundal in response to the difficulties that the district’s wooded regions provide to animals. Khadsali villager Vihabhai Mesuriya has displayed a wonderful method of crop protection without having to pay the regular costs. Mesuriya is cultivating 10 acres of land with groundnut and soybean crops, and his creative method has garnered interest.

Protecting crops like groundnut and soybean throughout their life cycle, from planting through harvesting, traditionally entails labor-intensive procedures like continual field presence, wire fencing, and even the use of threshing machines. Mesuriya, though, has discovered an inventive solution that has worked well to protect his crops.

His fix is recycling an oil can, a common object in agricultural contexts. Mesuriya has constructed a self-rotating device by carefully cutting apertures on opposing sides of the oil can and inserting a battery inside. Due to the opposing cuts, the can spins, creating a fan-like motion that spreads light throughout the field. This novel arrangement successfully discourages strays like wild boars, bluebucks, and other animals from entering and harming agricultural crops.

Indian communities often use the idea of scarecrows to ward off animal incursions, although they are not always successful. For example, farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, resorted to dressing up like bears to frighten away monkeys that were damaging their sugarcane fields. This creative approach required cooperation from several farmers, who each contributed money to buy a bear outfit for Rs 4,000.

Vihabhai Mesuriya explained that their creative strategy was formed out of need as they expressed their anger with the unresponsive authorities. The farmers contacted the authorities about their worries, but their request remained ignored. Their decision to save their crops was symbolized by the bear outfit they came up with.

The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Lakhimpur Kheri, Sanjay Biswal, became aware of the problem’s increasing situation. Biswal acknowledged the farmers’ plight and responded by assuring them. He reaffirmed the dedication of the forest department to putting crucial measures in place to reduce agricultural damage brought on by monkeys.