Agriculture officers turn actors, make film to underscore importance of soil testing

Panaji: Very little is known about the soil testing facility by the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) at Ela Farm, Old Goa. But recently, the staff of the Pernem zonal agriculture office and ATMA-North Goa stepped into their acting shoes for a short film titled, ‘Maati Boltali, Tevach Sheti Fultali’ (Better soil, better yield), highlighting the importance of soil testing.
“The film’s message is clear — soil testing is crucial for understanding soil health,” said project director, ATMA-North Goa, Prasad Parab. “With the right information, farmers can improve the productivity of their lands, ensuring sustainable farming for years to come.”
Soil testing is a process that allows farmers to assess the fertility of their land by analysing soil samples. These samples are tested for nutrients, pH levels, and other key components that impact crop growth. Based on the analysis, ATMA-North Goa recommends specific fertilisers to enhance soil quality. At present, ATMA-North Goa is only able to process around 12,000 soil samples annually at its district laboratory. These samples are collected from farmers across Goa.
The film’s dialogues are delivered in the Pernem Konkani dialect, giving it a local touch that resonates with the farming community. The characters explain the process of soil sample collection and the importance of using simple sampling methods.
The idea for the short film was conceived five years ago by Ranjit Mhapsekar, the zonal agriculture officer of Pernem. “My vision was clear from the beginning: The actors should be our agriculture staff as they possess in-depth knowledge of the subject matter,” he told TOI.
“This project wasn’t just about creating another video; it was about fostering a sense of belonging among our staff and achieving a common goal. With more energy and determination, my team came up with the script, and everything materialised,” he said. “Good soil health leads to fruitful harvests.”
The film also caught the attention of chief minister Pramod Sawant, who launched the short film at a recently held event at Ravindra Bhavan, Sanquelim. The success of this short film follows the team’s previous endeavour, where they created a video focused on water management, which was launched by agriculture minister Ravi Naik during the Watershed Yatra.