Mekala Siva Shankar Reddy
Mekala Siva Shankar Reddy (born on 08 February 1971) is an Indian farmer from Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh. He is widely recognized for adopting innovative and water-efficient agricultural practices, particularly micro irrigation with fertigation. In 2020, he received an international award from the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage for his contributions to sustainable agriculture in drought-prone regions.
Early Life and Education
Mekala Siva Shankar Reddy was born in Prasannayapalli village of Anantapur district to Mekala Eswar Reddy and Lakshmi Devi. Coming from an agriculturally rooted family, he was exposed to farming from an early age. He discontinued formal education after second standard and pursued agriculture full time. Through continuous learning, experimentation, and field experience, he expanded his farming operations from five acres to large-scale diversified cultivation, transforming his land into a model farm for crop demonstrations. Grape cultivation has been practiced in his family for three generations, contributing to his early exposure to viticulture and horticultural farming methods.
Career
Shiva Shankar Reddy began his farming journey in the late 1980s by cultivating groundnut crops. In 1989, he introduced horticultural crops such as grapes and sweet orange by constructing water storage tanks and implementing drip irrigation systems. Despite severe groundwater depletion in Anantapur, his farms maintained consistent crop health due to efficient irrigation planning.
He later cultivated muskmelon on ten acres near National Highway 7, achieving high profitability by directly transporting produce to markets such as Delhi. His success encouraged farmers in nearby villages to adopt drip irrigation systems. Over the years, he diversified into crops including bananas, sweet lime, papaya, figs, roses, pomegranate, grapes, chia, quinoa, watermelon, and sun melon.
Innovations in Agriculture
Shiva Shankar Reddy adopted scientific farming techniques by integrating micro irrigation and fertigation systems across large areas of cultivation. By developing 130 acres under pomegranate, 25 acres under muskmelon, and 25 acres under five grape varieties, he achieved significant water conservation and yield improvement. The adoption of micro irrigation resulted in over 50 percent water savings compared to surface irrigation methods.
Power consumption was reduced due to fewer pumping hours, and fertilizer usage decreased through efficient fertigation practices. Advanced agricultural machinery improved productivity and reduced labor intensity.
Achievements
Despite farming in a drought-prone region, Shiva Shankar Reddy consistently achieved high yields through sustainable practices. He recorded a turnover of approximately 1 crore and 40 lakhs from muskmelon cultivation on 20 acres, producing nearly 400 tonnes within 75 days.
He is recognized as the first farmer in Anantapur district to cultivate muskmelon commercially, the first farmer in Andhra Pradesh to cultivate chia, and the first farmer in India to harvest quinoa in 2013. His farming initiatives have generated employment for local communities and contributed to food security and nutrition improvement in the region.
- He is recognized as the first farmer in India to introduce and cultivate quinoa on a commercial scale.
- He is also regarded as the first farmer in Andhra Pradesh to introduce commercial muskmelon cultivation.
Awards and Recognition
- In 2020, he was honored with an international award by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage for successfully implementing water-efficient farming techniques at both farm and community levels.
- In 2015, Shiva Shankar Reddy received the Outstanding Progressive Farmer Award for his contributions to innovative agriculture.
- In 2015, He received the Innovative Farmer Award from the Government of India for his contributions to agricultural innovation.
- In 2007, he was awarded the Adarsha Rythu Award by the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Personal Life
Shiva Shankar Reddy is married to Hemalatha. The couple has three children, including a son named Harish Reddy and two daughters, JayaShanthi and Roopa. His family actively supports and participates in agricultural activities.
External Links
https://icid-ciid.org/award/watsave/43 https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/Market-acumen-makes-for-profitability/article16487082.ece https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2010/jan/16/ryots-reap-riches-with-muskmelon-in-anantapur-161256.html https://dailygkintelugu.com/current-affairs/10150 https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/nation/story/20210329-dripping-with-promise-1781272-2021-03-20 https://wonderbookofrecord.com/innovative-and-progressive-farmer https://icid-ciid.org/inner_page/177