Sanjay Anant Patil, an innovative Kulagar farmer from Savoi Verem, Ponda has been awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour for his distinguished service in Agriculture. Patil is a green revolutionary, known to many as the ‘oneman army’ because he singlehandedly transformed a barren plot of land, measuring 10 acres, into a lush green natural farm (Kulagar) with technical guidance from ICAR-CCARI, Goa. In 2013, the Goa government honoured Patil with Goa Krishi Ratna Award. He received Best Horticulturalist Award by Goa Bagayatdar in 2015, IARI–Innovative Farmer Award 2023 by the ICARIndian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, for his outstanding contributions to natural farming and zeroenergy micro-irrigation system and the Goa State Biodiversity Board conservation award in 2023. Patil says, “Being the only Goan to receive the award this year is a matter of great pride for me. Having practiced and promoted natural farming in Goa for the last 35 years has finally borne fruit through this honour. I feel I am finally recognised for my efforts. My only wish for Goa is for natural farming to be adopted on a large-scale by farmers. Sustainable practices such as these will benefit the land and agriculturists of Goa”
