Chintaman holds a diploma in agriculture and is well acquainted with the role of chemicals in boosting agricultural production. As a result, when he started farming, he used heavy doses of chemical fertilizers to increase yields and income. A brief success in the early days convinced him to continue with the practice. It was a trap, he later realised. “The soil only grew harder and less responsive,” he says.
In 2021, Chintaman joined the Regenagri programme, implemented by Solidaridad; an international civil society organization. He attended training sessions on good agricultural practices, with a focus on restoring soil health and conserving biodiversity. He also attended demonstration sessions on the preparation of bio-inputs, and farmer field schools. “Previously, I could think only about the short term,” Chintaman states. “However, these sessions helped me realise and appreciate the long-term impact of regenerative farming.”
Chintaman owns around 3 acres (1.2 hectares) of land. He grows cotton on 1 acre (0.4 hectares) of land, with pigeon pea as an intercrop. On another 1.25 acres (0.5 hectares), he cultivates oranges. The remaining 0.75 acres (0.3 hectares) are used for growing vegetables and fodder crops. His earnings from the farm support a family of five. “Agriculture is the main source of income for my family,” says Chintaman. “But it is never easy work.”
Since joining the programme, Chintaman has transformed the way he farms. He now practises crop rotation, besides preparing and using low-cost inputs such as vermicompost, botanical pesticide dashaparni ark, and natural and organic pesticide nimboli ark on his farm. He also practises integrated pest management, using pheromone traps as well as blue and yellow sticky traps for effective pest and insect control. He is also making good use of digital tools to achieve desired results. “Weather and crop advisories have helped me to stay updated regarding weather conditions, and to recognize and identify different insects and pests, prevent crop loss and understand the economic threshold level of pest and insect attacks,” Chintaman adds.
For Chintaman, the interventions have lowered the cost of production and resulted in increased yields and income. His annual, per-acre cotton yield has almost doubled from 6-7 quintals before joining the programme, to 13 quintals in 2024–25. During the same time, his income rose by more than 50% from 167,320 Indian rupees (1,772 euros) before joining the programme to 253,900 Indian rupees (2,689 euros) in 2024–25. Chintaman is one of the 27,000 Regenagri-certified farmers in Maharashtra, having received the certificate in 2022.
Chintaman now wants to share his knowledge and experience with fellow farmers. He says; “The use of bio-inputs and compost has led to an improvement in the soil texture on my farm. Regenerative practices have made me aware of the fact that our health and wealth depend on the well-being of soil. I will keep investing in improving the health of the soil on my farm.”
