Azing presents working model for farming

SAGAR CHETTRI
GANGTOK, 15 June: “Azing’s Model Farm”, is truly a flag-bearer for the prospects that agriculture and allied sectors hold for Sikkim. Owned and managed by Azing Lepcha at Tarsung Dara in Hathidunga around 4 km from Rinchenpong is a fascinating example of progressive farming, and now also a popular tourist spot in the area.
The farm, spread over a 5 acre plot is not only a successful story of being self-reliant with agriculture and horticulture as a profession, but Mr Lepcha is also doing well in piggery, poultry, fisheries and bee-keeping.
The farm is managed by 48-year-old Azing Lepcha and his wife Dil Maya Lepcha [Rai]. The farm is maintained in stunningly clean and hygienic condition and also displays the innovative ideas of Mr Lepcha.
The farm has been receiving a good number of visitors and responses in the visitor’s register shows how it has impressed all. It was not only for the visitors, but the locals have also been impressed and motivated by Mr Lepcha’s farm. He has been charging a nominal entry fee which helps to maintain his farm.

Bee hives along the pathway towards Azing's farm. One bottle of this honey costs Rs 500 which Azing extracts in front of the customer.

The department of Food Security and Agriculture Development felicitated Mr Lepcha for his remarkable contribution in the field of agriculture and invaluable contribution towards development of agriculture in the state of Sikkim.
The citation reads “he is an innovative and creative farmer with an exceptional knowledge of farm management, planning and cultivation of a wide variety of crops in a scientific way on commercial scale. He has applied skill of land use planning and has accordingly converted his 8 acres of rocky and uncultivable land into a productive farm. He maintains a good orange orchard of 250 plants, 50 bee colonies producing about 300 kgs of quality honey from rocky areas by planting flowering plants, a dairy, a poultry and a fish pond. He has developed a unique irrigation system for his entire orange orchard which functions efficiently. Today he earns nearly Rs 5 Lakhs from his farm by selling orange, milk, honey, chicken etc. he is an exemplary figure of a highly successful farmer and his farm is a demonstration centre not only to farmers of the area but to the entire West Sikkim. He is a source of inspiration for others and a person like him needs high appreciation.”
The farm has an orange orchard, supplying directly to Siliguri, apart from ginger, different kinds of fruit trees and vegetables, Dalle, Bee-Keeping, poultry, fisheries and piggery and even has cows and goats. He also planted pineapples last year which have started fruiting.
Mr Lepcha started this farm in 2004 after his father passed away in 2003. He was working away from his home at someone else’s farm at the time and after the passing away of his father he returned to his land.
Speaking to media persons some days back, Mr Lepcha informed that during his father’s time, only oranges were grown in the farm and that he worked hard to bring it to the present level.
He mentioned that he has been doing well in the agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry sectors and now he is a self-reliant and self-employed.
He added that he has been getting complete support and motivation from his wife and children, which helped him to do more at his farm.
Mr Lepcha is also doing well in bee-keeping. He has been charging Rs 500 per bottle of honey, while Rs 5000 per bottle for Putka Honey. The best thing is that he takes out the honey in front of the customers.
Other innovative ideas of Mr Lepcha can be seen in the shelters for animals in the farm.
Recently, the Horticulture Department has provided him with a water tank impressed with his works.
The farm, it goes without saying, is completely organic.
“I started this farm as a model for the area so that the young could follow it without wasting any time,” he said.
He shared that now he wanted to start a home-stay on his farm if he could secure a loan from the government.
In addition, Mr Lepcha’s wife is also making wine from produces of their own farm, which is also in great demand in the area and visitors also taking with them on their visit.