Published By 
Revolutionizing Agriculture: In a small village named Sirugamani, nestled within Tamil Nadu’s Trichy district, a visionary named S. Venkateswaran has transformed from a businessman to a pioneering farmer, introducing a groundbreaking solution to counter the looming specter of drought. His ingenious method, aptly termed “Capsule Seed Cultivation,” is the amalgamation of three innovative agricultural practices: Rice Intensification, Single Seeding, and Direct Sowing.
Venkateswaran’s primary objective was to conquer drought and enhance rice yield. Drawing inspiration from diverse agricultural techniques, he unveiled capsule seed cultivation. In recognition of his groundbreaking contribution, he received the “Innovative Farmer” award from the prestigious Tamil Nadu Agriculture University in Coimbatore, in February 2018. March of the same year saw him securing the “Innovative Farmer Award” from the Indian Agriculture Research Institute at the Krishi Unnati Mela held in Delhi. Further validation followed as he was honored with the Innovative Farmer Award from the Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI) in Hyderabad.
Also Read: Smart Food: The Millet Renaissance in Modern Diets
Capsule Seed Cultivation
The core of this technique lies in the ingenious use of gelatin-based capsules, reminiscent of medical capsules, blended with modern agriculture. Within each capsule reside two paddy seeds, complemented by Neem seed powder, humic acid, and essential micronutrients. The capsule contents can be customized to include bio-fertilizers, fungicides, bactericides, and pesticides, catering to specific cultivation needs. Mechanized planting using nursery transplanters facilitates seamless sowing before water release. As water floods the fields, the capsules dissolve, nurturing the germination process.
Venkateswaran’s innovation does not solely focus on rice. Neem seed powder within each capsule emerges as a potent safeguard against pests and diseases, nurturing both rice and supplementary crops like tomato, brinjal, and sesame seeds.
The advantages of this groundbreaking technique are multifaceted. The seed requirement drastically plummets from 30 kg to 2.4 kg per acre, with each acre necessitating around 60,000 capsules for sowing. Productivity witnesses an impressive surge of 25% compared to conventional methods, a testament to the efficacy of capsule seed cultivation. The elimination of the nursery phase also curtails the cropping period, expediting the entire cultivation process.
Despite its transformative potential, the capsule seed technique encounters some constraints. Each capsule’s production cost stands at 65 paisa, rendering it relatively expensive. Additionally, proper storage and handling in dry conditions are essential for preserving the capsules’ efficacy. The manual sowing of 60,000 capsules per acre poses a labor-intensive challenge.
In the heart of rural Tamil Nadu, an entrepreneurial farmer has stitched together wisdom from diverse agricultural practices to birth a game-changing approach to rice cultivation. With accolades from prestigious institutions and a vision to mitigate drought, S. Venkateswaran’s capsule seed cultivation method shines as a beacon of hope for sustainable and innovative farming practices in the face of environmental adversities.
Also Read: Kitchen Waste Composting: Transforming Kitchen Waste into Organic Fertilizer
