Model of Innovation in Agriculture - Farmer Naveen Earning Lakhs from Grafted Brinjal Cultivation

Adopted Horticulture Instead of Traditional Paddy, Per Acre Production Increased from 21 Quintals to 155 Quintals Farmer's destiny changed due to the coordination of National Agriculture Development Scheme, Drip Irrigation and Mulching Technology Raipur, May 24, 2026/Grafted brinjal cultivation is much more profitable than traditional methods. In this, a new plant is prepared by joining two different plants, which increases the plant's disease resistance multiple times and yields 20-30 percent more. Progressive farmer Mr. Naveen Sao of village Boharpar in Basna development block of Mahasamund district has presented a living example of how farmers can change their destiny through hard work, innovation and better coordination of modern agricultural techniques. Moving beyond the rut of traditional farming, he has adopted advanced cultivation of grafted brinjal under the guidance of the Horticulture Department. Today, with his unique initiative, he has become a source of inspiration for other farmers in the region. Net profit more than five times compared to paddy Farmer Mr. Naveen Sao said that he used to cultivate only traditional paddy in his fields earlier, from which he used to get a very limited income. From the paddy crop, he used to get a production of about 21 quintals per acre and a profit of about 45 thousand 600 rupees. With the aim of increasing his income, he started cultivating grafted brinjal in the year 2025-26 under the National Agriculture Development Scheme. He followed scientific methods on his 1.31 hectare land using drip irrigation and mulching technology. As a result of this modern management, he got a bumper yield and obtained a production of about 155 quintals of brinjal per acre. High demand in Saraipali and Odisha markets The grafted brinjal crop is ready for harvest approximately 45-50 days after planting. Up to 50 kg of yield can be obtained from one plant. Its profit can be almost double compared to traditional farming. Naveen Sao sold his advanced product in the local Saraipali and neighboring state Odisha's major markets at a wholesale rate of about 30 rupees per kilogram. After deducting all expenses, he earned a net profit of 2 lakh 45 thousand rupees from this crop, which is more than five times that of paddy. Success achieved through departmental guidance and technical curiosity Mr. Sao attributes his success to the continuous technical guidance of the Horticulture Department officials, timely benefits from government schemes, and his curiosity to learn modern agricultural practices. He regularly stays informed about new research happening in the agricultural sector and prioritizes new experiments in the fields. Farmers in the areas around Kachhapal and Boharpar are now constantly visiting his farm to understand these modern techniques in detail. Seeing Naveen Sao's economic progress, many other farmers in the region are also rapidly getting attracted towards profitable horticultural crops, leaving traditional crops.