Lucknow, Dec 28 Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's efforts to bring the people living in about 35 Vantangiya villages in Gorakhpur, Maharajganj and Shravasti, into social and economic mainstream, have started showing results.
Ram Gulab of Vantangiya Basti Beet Sadar of Maharajganj is a striking example of this giant leap forward.
People from Mumbai and Ahmedabad are showing interest in the golden sweet potato produced by Vantangiya farmers associated with the Agricultural Produce Organization (FPO).
On December 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Ram Gulab and praised him and described the move as a vision for the rest of the farmers.
According to the government spokesman, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Maharajganj Vantangiya's FPO 'Maharajganj Vegetable Producing Company' and 'Tuber Foods Private Limited' in Ahmedabad district of Gujarat for the purchase of golden sweet potato (shakarkand).
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has played a major role in this. These farmers were originally inspired by Dr. R.C. Chaudhary, scientist of PRDF (Participatory Rural Development Foundation), to cultivate golden sweet potato, which is popular in Kenya.
About 10 years ago, Dr. Chaudhary brought the golden sweet potato seed from Kenya and cultivated it. At the same time, he encouraged many farmers of Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar and Maharajganj for its cultivation, stating its nutritional merit.
Ram Gulab and team leader Vinod Tiwari, director of 'Maharajganj Vegetable Producing Company', along with Dr. Chaudhary of PRDF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation prepared more than 100 farmers to cultivate golden sweet potato on 80 acres of land. Most of the farmers associated with its cultivation are Vantangiya.
The government spokesman said according to the agreement, the Gujarat company will buy their produce from the FPO of Maharajganj at Rs 25 per kg. Nearly, 200 tonnes of golden sweet potato are to be delivered by February 2022 and 200 tonnes by June 2022.
According to Ram Gulab, 70 to 80 quintal of golden sweet potato is produced in one acre. It is sown twice a year. The October crop is ready by February 15 and the mid-March sown crop is ready by mid-June.
The Vantangiya community had remained marginalized for years.
It was after Yogi Adityanath took over as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister in March 2017 that he started working for the welfare of the Vantangiyas.
He declared 38 Vantangiya-dominant villages as revenue villages which entitled them to basic facilities such as housing, toilets, schools, proper drinking water, good roads, health centres, pension, etc.
For almost two decades, Yogi Adityanath has been spending Diwali with the Vantangiyas in the region and shares a deep bond with the community.
( With inputs from IANS )
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