Galbiben Jethabhai Kuniya- A success story of a woman

Abstract

A Lady Mrs. Galbiben Jethabhai Kuniya, District Banaskantha sets the best example of a successful woman. Being still an illiterate woman, she has achieved success in field of agriculture & animal husbandry. In agriculture, she increased the production by increasing the use of biodegradable waste as compost and use of drip irrigation technology. In 2004, she started livestock (cattle and buffalo) farming & selling of value added milk products & today onwards large no. of high yielder animals are maintained at her farm. So, today her perseverance is shining as the most famous brand of milk products in north Gujarat “MADHVI”. Madhvi sells milk products like penda, lassi, badam shek, ice cream, sheekhand, curd and barfi at Palanpur(2), Mahesana(3), Chhapi(1), Sidhapur(1), Unjha(1), Visnagar(1), Kheralu(1), Deesa(1) and Patan(1) through twelve selling centres. Recently in 2019, she also opened the restaurant at Palanpur named “Madhvi Restro”. She was winner of “Gaugram Yatra award” in Vishv Mangal Gau Gram Yatra.  Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University was honoured Mrs. Galbiben Jethabhai Kunia for her success in 2011 as a progressive farmer by Governor of Gujarat. She was also winner of “Mahindra Samrudhi Agri Award” at national level in 2011.

Introduction

As all successful people starts their journey with the first loss, and there is always failure is responsible for success. The Lady Mrs. Galbiben Jethabhai Kuniya was refused for filling up her milk in their local village milk producing corporation and started her own business.

Details of Mrs. Galbiben Jethabhai Kuniya

• Farm Name- Gajeku farm
• Village- Bharkavada
• Taluko- Vadgam
• District- Banaskantha
• Age- 69 years
• Education- Illiterate
• Land- 17 hectare
• Main business- Animal Husbandry
• Other business- Agriculture

Mrs. Galbiben Jethabhai Kuniya mother of Mr. Kuniya with her dedication and consistent efforts with unique vision and mission of dairy farming with 100% natural and organic inputs inspired Mr. Kuniya to name the farm with his mother name “GaJeKu Farm” Mrs. Galbiben Jethabhai Kuniya. This farm is also well known as “Sajeev Farm” among the farmer’s community.

Galbiben started her journey by keeping only five animals consisting of four buffalos & one cow for milk purpose and farming by using organic compost in 2004, while in 2011 the animal population was reached up to 125 and details of animals along with popular breeds are presented in Table no. 1.

Table no. 1: Details of animals along with popular breeds

Feeding and management:

Animal are fed with supreme quality of organic feed to get the finest quality of milk. This milk is utilised to make various products of “Madhvi” dairy.

• Organic fodder for animals – oat, maize, lucerne and sorghum
• Concentrates- own factory to prepare concentrates
• Well managed housing facilities
  • Open shed
  • Proper drainage
  • Swimming pool
  • Music system

Milk production:

• Highest milk production in Buffalo- 21 lit./Day
• Highest milk production in Kankrej- 16 lit./Day
• Daily milk production of farm- 700 lit.

Madhvi:

• Selling of value added milk products – as a most famous brand ‘’MADHVI’’
• Value added milk products:
  • Penda
  • lassi
  • badam shake
  • ice cream
  • shrikhand,
  • curd
  • Barfi
  • Cow ghee
  • Maramari (lassi with ice cream)

Selling centers: Madhavi products are sold by total twelve selling centers located at various places in North Gujarat.

• Palanpur- 2
• Mahesana- 3
• Sidhpur- 1
• Chhapi- 1
• Unjha -1
• Visnagar-1
• Kheralu-1
• Deesa-1
• Patan-1

Organic farming

At “Gajeku” Farm animal food and other crops is cultivated and harvested with utmost care in an organic and natural ways and inputs. Various methods and inputs are used for this like crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to get supreme quality of animal feed and crops. These organic feeds are utilized for animals to produce superior quality milk. Thus, entire biological cycle starting with agriculture, which is undertaken with the use of biodegradable waste and natural fertilizers consisting of compost, degraded tree leaves and other natural resources, no man made (artificial) material or resources are used. Thus whole ecosystem is completely full-proof organic – “Sajeev” and natural. This excludes or strictly limits the use of various methods including synthetic petrochemical fertilizers and pesticides; plant growth regulators such as hormones; antibiotic use in livestock; genetically modified organisms; human sewage sludge; and nano-materials for reasons including sustainability, openness, independence, health and safety. Some details of organic farming are given below:

• Land- 17 hectare
• They grow wheat, maize, castor, potato, onion, paddy and groundnut.
• Use only organic fertilizers/ compost and cow urine and never use Chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
• Gets more price of organic products
• Wheat production – 52.80 Quintal/hectare
• Castor production – 45.60 Quintal/hectar

Achievements:

• She was winner of “Gaugram Yatra award” in Vishv Mangal Gau Gram Yatra.
• Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University Honoured Mrs. Galbiben Jethabhai Kunia for her success in 2011 as a progressive farmer.
• She was also winner of “Mahindra Samrudhi Agri Award” at national level in 2011 with Rs. 2,11,000 case prize.
• This success story got First Prize for best oral presentation award in XIII National conference of IAWW-2014 and National seminar on “Livestock Breeding Strategies for Productivity Enhancement towards Rural Prosperity” held at College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, August 26-28, 2014.