Sanjay Anant Patil

Sanjay Anant Patil, known locally as Sanjay Kaka, is a farmer who single-handedly turned ten acres of barren land in Goa into a thriving plantation. He was named for the Padma Shri in 2024 in the field of agriculture, from Goa ^[1].

Natural farming

He was born on 31 August 1964 and studied up to Class 11 ^[2]. Since 1991 he has practised natural farming, using jeevamrut, a preparation made from the dung and urine of a single indigenous cow, in place of chemical fertilisers and pesticides ^[2]. He designed a small plant to make it in larger quantities ^[2]. His farm combines plantation crops and livestock in a traditional Goan kulagar system ^[2]. According to his citation, the change cut his costs by 60 to 70 per cent and raised his yields ^[2].

Water from the hill

To beat the water shortage after the monsoon, Patil dug a 125-foot tunnel, or surang, into the hill on his farm by himself, and built percolation trenches on the surrounding slopes to catch rainwater ^[2]. With a micro-irrigation system that needs no power, he now has water for irrigation all year round ^[2].

A model farm

He works with the ICAR’s Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute and the local Krishi Vigyan Kendra, and between 300 and 500 people visit his farm each year ^[2]. His example has encouraged other farmers, including young people, to take up farming ^[2].

He received the Goa government’s Krishiratna award in 2014 and the IARI Innovative Farmer award in 2023 ^[2].