THE LIVELIHOODS AND DEVELOPMENT BIMONTHLY

MAY–JUNE 2013 Volume 13 Number 3 Lead: Small Farmers, Prosperous Farmers—Hopes from Central India ASHOK KUMAR AND OM PRAKASH: Breaking the prevailing cycles of low production a few small farmers are becoming prosperous by transiting to a state of high returns; They are driven by a passion to grow by working on their existing lands, keeping themselves updated on the latest developments in the agricultural sector and choosing their crops with great farsightedness and perseverance. Ashok Kumar is based in Ranchi and Om Prakash is based in Singrauli. 01

Report: On the Path towards a Just Society: Challenging Ja ti P an ch ay at s and the Dowry System RANVIJAY KUMAR: Defying the ja ti pa nc ha ya t's decision was momentous for the women of DMMS, who, through their SHGs, are realizing the power of collective action in shattering age-old domination structures and in moving from passive acceptance to quiet assertion of their rights. Ranvijay Kumar is based in Koderma. 14 Opinion: Challenges of Livelihoods in Difficult Tribal Regions: Understanding Markets K.S. GOPAL: Underlining the fragile plight and future of the tribal people of the country, the article advises that the tribal community, its welfare and growth be included in the planning and implementation of development activities, schemes and projects. K.S. Gopal is based in Mumbai. 19 Case Study: Organic Farming in Balaghat: Power to the Community, Power to the Farmer! CHANDAN SARMA AND PANDIT ARJUN: Exploring the possibilities of introducing and implementing organic practices in several villages has resulted in better yield, higher income and an exponential increase in the confidence of the women engaged in organic farming, raising hopes for greater economic stability as well as gender equality. Chandan Sarma and Pandit Arjun are based in Balaghat. 31 Platform: Reflections: My Journey as a Development Professional DR. MINAKSHI DASTIDAR (SAHOO): Tracing her journey from her roots to the present, the author reconnects with her deep desire 'to make a difference' to the lives of people and reaffirms her decision to work to help the underprivileged rural poor. Dr. Minakshi is based in Gujarat. 46 1

Small Farmers, Prosperous Farmers—Hopes from Central India

ASHOK KUMAR AND OM PRAKASH

Breaking the prevailing cycles of low production, a few small farmers are becoming prosperous by transiting to a state of high returns; they are driven by a passion to grow by working on their existing lands, keeping themselves updated on the latest developments in the agricultural sector and choosing their crops with great farsightedness and perseverance

ABSTRACT PRADAN, a national-level NGO working for the promotion of livelihoods of rural poor communities in tribal pockets of Central India for the past 30 years, joined a study called ‘Small Farmers, Prosperous Farmers (SFPFs)’. The study is focused entirely on the tribal belt of Central India, where the terrain is hilly and undulating and has poor irrigation facilities. Along with under-performing natural resources, these regions also have under-developed markets. Yet, there are examples of enterprising farmers, who have overcome the vicious cycle of poverty of this region, have created wealth for themselves and have helped many other farmers to prosper.

A systematic study of a few selected representatives of this dispersed tribe of individuals has revealed the factors and forces that lead to small farmers (with less than 2 ha of land) doing well in such challenging circumstances. An overarching commonality found in the farmers interviewed was that they were all exceptionally entrepreneurial—being achievement-oriented, ambitious, knowledge seeking, willing to take calculated risks, mobilizing their own financial resources and building effective functional linkages with the relevant stakeholders. Another factor that has contributed enormously to their success is the availability of assured irrigation, which they developed either by investing their personal resources in setting up irrigation facilities or drawing funds from a government scheme. These farmers have also taken calculated risks and invested time and energy in gathering the latest available knowledge and know-how on agricultural practices and markets. The success stories were all of vegetable farmers, probably because of the opportunities accorded by the difficult terrain and the deficit markets. Interestingly, none of the farmers was linked in any large measure with any of the mainstream programmes or services of agriculture extension, bank credit or insurance. Many of them were part of PRADAN’s agriculture development programmes and were pioneers in their own right because PRADAN intervened in poverty pockets, where such entrepreneurs did not exist.

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There are a number of policy agenda is to work on livelihoods All the farmers lessons also that can be derived promotion, with the objective were exceptionally from these stories. First, in order of agency enhancement of entrepreneurial—being to work with small farmers in rural communities for larger achievement-oriented, rain-fed areas with a view to change. As of today, PRADAN ambitious, knowledge making them rich, and not just works with around 2.25 seeking, willing to food secure, the intervention lakh families belonging to take calculated risks, has to be comprehensive and disadvantaged communities mobilizing their own holistic. Agriculture extension spread across seven states in financial resources cannot be a top-down supply the country. PRADAN was and building effective of knowledge and technology invited to participate in a study, functional linkages with but needs to be a process of conceived and coordinated by the relevant stakeholders systematic hand-holding. Such the IWMI (International Water extension will need to deal with Management Institute), on change in the behaviour of the farmer, to small farmers, who have been able to break develop entrepreneurial qualities in him, and the prevailing cycles of low production and create enabling conditions and linkages. transit to a state of high returns, to reach prosperity. PRADAN decided to participate When developing irrigation sources, an in the study because it would build greater approach of creating a large number of small internal understanding among colleagues structures offers far more dividends than a on why some farmers are able to break the small number of large structures. Moreover, cycle of low production and poverty, and using a cluster approach when working with achieve prosperity. The study was conducted farmers rather than working with individual in PRADAN’s field operational areas by those farmers in a discreet manner proved to be working in the area. more productive. Government schemes and the financial institutions have to address how INTRODUCTION TO THE AREA they can be more effective in supporting small farmers in their efforts to achieve The study was conducted across ten prosperity and create wealth, rather than districts (two each in Odisha, Jharkhand and being constrained by existing schemes. Given Chhattisgarh and four in Madhya Pradesh) the limitations of the state machinery and the of four States, where PRADAN has a field markets, the role of civil society organizations presence. These districts are in central and (CSOs) becomes crucial in scaling-up efforts to eastern India, with tribal communities create wealth and prosperity for a very large forming the major population. The area has number of small and marginal farmers in these hilly to undulating terrain and an irrigation endemic poverty regions. percentage ranging from 2–3 to 10%. Many of these districts are in the list of the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) and also in the list BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY of districts affected by left-wing extremism. PRADAN is a public service organization, Tribal people in these areas, as is the case set up with the belief that in order to bring elsewhere, are second or, at best, third or about change, educated and motivated fourth generation farmers. Agriculture in people need to work directly at the grass- the area is marked by the predominant use roots with rural communities. PRADAN’s of own seeds and a negligible fertilizer/

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pesticide usage, characterized of two hectares or less, are able Agriculture extension by a ‘low-input, low-output’ cannot be a top-down to generate a net income of Rs cycle. A significant chunk of supply of knowledge 2–2.5 lakhs/year (US $ 4,000– household income comes from and technology but 5000/year) mostly from farming collecting forest produce. needs to be a process and make a decent livelihood for Despite an average landholding of systematic hand- their family. of one hectare or more, food holding. Such extension security at the household level ŠŠ To understand the will need to deal with is for four to eight months from demonstration impact of such change in the behaviour their own land and the rest of it successful farmers, who on other of the farmer, to develop comes from wage earnings and farmers in the village, area, or entrepreneurial qualities forest produce collection. The in him, and create community. educated younger generation, enabling conditions ŠŠ To identify and study however, is drawn more to the and linkages examples of several farmers, market-based economy in urban who have emulated and gained areas, seeking government from the entrepreneurial success of a employment or opportunities in the formal job market. pioneer small-farmer. ŠŠ To identify and study examples, in which LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY systematic interventions by NGOs/GOs/ co-operatives/businesses have helped The study was conducted by PRADAN professionals, who have been working in the entire groups of small farmers to operate area for a long time. Although familiarity at a target level of annual household net with the socio-economic-cultural context income. is an advantage, it may have led to some ŠŠ To derive lessons and implications about assumptions being made and also may have what NGOs, the government, donors, created a bias towards a particular framework financial institutions, and research groups or way of thinking. The study focused on can do to grow the tribe of SFPFs. pioneer farmers, who are one of a kind in the area, but not so much on their followers, which may have provided more insights and PROCESS OF CONDUCTING THE STUDY helped create a more complete picture. This The study was conducted through the process was because pioneer farmers were more an described below. exception in these areas; however, even where groups of farmers existed, the focus was on the The concept and objectives of the study was pioneer, which was realized later at the time of shared with all the teams, followed by a tele- analysis. An aspect that has not been focused conference with all interested writers. The upon adequately is the risk mechanisms at the concept and objectives, of the study was level of the SFPFs. reiterated. The broad outline for the study and significant themes were discussed in detail. Individual members explained why OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY they selected a particular farmer. Two senior ŠŠ To understand the conditions under which members agreed to follow-up with and guide enterprising small farmers, with a holding the writers on developing the cases as per the

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outline. A format was prepared, and deviations found in the cases The cases present live laying out a set of questions and were listed and discussed. This examples of people’s the areas for exploration. The brainstorming and consequent struggle to move up areas selected for exploration findings served as the layout the economic ladder, included: for preparing a synthesis of the overcoming all odds. cases. Another meeting of case ŠŠ Personal biography and Sixteen cases have writers and senior professionals historical background been collected from the was held to discuss the updates remotest areas of ten ŠŠ Resources available: land, on the cases, based on the first districts of four states, water resources, irrigation feedback, and to finalize the with varied agro-climatic infrastructure, cattle and case synthesis for presentation. characteristics, in terms human of geography, society and All the farmers studied were ŠŠ Family members: male/ agronomic practices well-known to the writers, who female have been working in the area ŠŠ Education level of the participating farmer for the last 5–15 years. They are familiar with ŠŠ Occupation: primary/secondary the SFPFs, either by directly working with them or because the farmers reside in the work area. ŠŠ Cost and return of the occupation The writers were familiar with the success of ŠŠ Achievements and failures these farmers and hence were the first persons selected to conduct the study. ŠŠ Linkages

The writers conducted detailed personal Criteria of Selection interviews with the selected farmers on the issues listed. The cases were then written out The selection was based on the following with an objective to highlight the struggle, the criterion. strategies adopted and the actions taken by ŠŠ Farmers with a land-holding of one to two these small but exceptional farmers, living in hectares difficult situations. Detailed feedback on most ŠŠ Engaged in agriculture or allied activities of the cases was given by senior members. Working on the feedback, repeated interviews ŠŠ Successfully conducting the activity for were conducted for further clarity, and a some time (more than three to four years) second draft of the cases prepared. As per the ŠŠ Earning Rs one to two lakhs or more guidelines, two case writers were selected for annually from the activity working further and presenting the findings at the IWMI partners’ meet. ŠŠ Accepted and admired in the village or area for their enterprising activity A two-day, joint meeting of case writers, senior professionals and a consultant from the IWMI About the SFPFs Studied was held at PRADAN’s Delhi office to discuss A total of 22 cases from four states, namely, the cases in detail. Three cases of Yadunath Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Gorai, Saryu Nayak and Subhnath Mahar were Pradesh, were presented for deliberations. Post discussed in detail. It was found that some the feedback work and modifications, 16 cases aspects required more exploration. Important were finalized for synthesis from 12 districts lessons, commonalities, points of dissimilarities of these four states. The selected farmers

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belong to two social classes— irrigation. The arrangement of The SFPF cases reinforce Scheduled Tribes (56%) and water for irrigating 0.5 –4.0 the criticality of access Other Backward Castes (44%). acres of their field is the most to irrigation to achieve The age of the chosen farmers common measure undertaken prosperity. All the farmers was in the range of 25–50 by all the farmers. studied, had access to years. The level of education of secure irrigation the farmer, too, varied—from The creation of a facility to primary to class XII; 37 per cent access surface water or ground had attended primary school whereas 63 per water, in terms of creating a dug well, farm cent had studied beyond the primary level. pond, nala bund or check dam along with an Only two farmers had studied up to class XII. arrangement of devices—electric run or diesel- Of these, 63 per cent of the respondents were operated or both in many cases—are sourced primarily cultivators whereas 37 per cent were from government schemes or through an involved in trading, goat rearing or labour for NGO. They did not hesitate to invest their own their livelihood. money for irrigation infrastructure, if needed. Hemlata Lilhare of Takabarra, Balaghat, took help from the Jeevandhara Yojana to dig a FINDINGS well. Own dug well is the most preferred The cases present live examples of people’s source. Half the farmers managed to create struggle to move up the economic ladder, one for themselves, and the rest depended on overcoming all odds. Sixteen cases have check dams/passing streams for lifting water. been collected from the remotest areas of ten districts of four states, of varied agro- Farmers devised traditional as well as climatic characteristics, in terms of geography, innovative measures to access and avail of society and agronomic practices. However, water. Like Yadunath Gorai, farmers who had the farmers show very similar attitude and their own water facility partnered with others behaviour, characteristics, economic activities for aggregating their vegetables for sale. About and patterns. The commonalities range from five farmers utilized government schemes to basic human traits such as being passionate create a water facility or used water from a and hard working to being able to acquire and reservoir, created with government aid. These manage sophisticated skills such as information farmers, unlike their village brethren, made collection and analysis, to having the ability to efforts to learn about government schemes manage stakeholders and be open to risks of and to channelize the benefits. marketing, experimentation, etc. The study of these cases shows that all the individuals who Shyam Sunder Mallick of Palunkia village, were successful farmers followed a systematic Balliguda, Odisha, constructed a canal of plan and showed specifically similar behaviour. 200 ft from a water source to his field, and In the following paragraphs, their specific and lifted the water from it with a diesel pump. significant commonalities are discussed. He spent Rs 35,000 to buy two sets of diesel pumps without any subsidy, to ensure water ACCESS TO WATER AND IRRIGATION supply for his fields. The SFPF cases reinforce the criticality of In not a single case has there been mention of access to irrigation to achieve prosperity. crop failure or loss of production due to lack All the farmers studied had access to secure of water or irrigation. The farmers arranged

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assured irrigation for their crop and completely have become an integral part. They have also removed the risk of ‘drought’. What may be realized the margin of profit derived from inferred with significant confidence is that vegetable cultivation vis-à-vis cereal cropping. this assured irrigation of their fields motivated Ramanuj Singh says, “The return from one them to explore agriculture in a big way, acre of vegetable cultivation is more than that without any fear of unavailability of water and of three acres of cereal crops.” the ensuing risk of failure. Most farmers plant traditional cereal crops in a Policy Implications: However, the availability major section of their land, devoting one-fourth of irrigation alone did not propel them to the to half of their land for vegetables. None of the cycle of prosperity. In most cases, the idea to farmers have replaced cereal crops completely. excel came first, followed by motivation to Cereal cultivation provides the family with succeed. The arrangement for irrigation was food security whereas vegetables give them one of the things that had to be done to pursue cash income. In some of the cases (especially the idea. However, if more farmers have to be in Dhamtari) when farmers have taken up ‘encouraged’ on these lines, the creation of the cultivation of cereal crops commercially, irrigation infrastructure would act as a positive, the reason seems to be an assured buy-back facilitating and enabling condition. mechanism run by the government, under the Food Corporation of India’s procurement COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE CULTIVATION system. The cultivation of wheat and paddy in AS A SECTOR Punjab and Haryana boomed as a result of the The next commonality derived from the cases Minimum Selling Price (MSP) mechanisms put is the gradual shift from the traditional cereal in place by the government. cropping to commercial vegetable cultivation. The shift to vegetable cultivation is based on Over the years, these farmers observed the past experience of growing vegetables on growth in the demand and sale of vegetables a smaller scale, which gradually increased vis-à-vis cereals. They observed the change to a sizeable area. All the farmers in the in the consumption pattern and the food study learned the art of growing vegetables habits of the community, in which vegetables

Balram Sikdar resides in Mukdega village of Raigarh district, Chhattisgarh. He has one acre of land. In this one acre of irrigated land, he grows and harvests pointed gourd, cowpea, chili and bitter gourd during the kharif season, and onion and leafy vegetables in summer—earning Rs 1.5 lakhs every year.

Dalbir Singh of Tingudi in Singrauli district, Madhya Pradesh, owns 7.5 acres of irrigated and non- irrigated land. In two to three acres, he grows the traditional cereal crops of paddy, wheat, maize and pulses, which fulfills his yearly food requirements and, in 1.5 acres, he grows vegetables in three seasons, fetching him Rs 50,000 annually.

Santu Oraon, a resident of Gumla in Jharkhand, owns 2.9 acres of agriculture land. He takes paddy in kharif and tomato and mustard in rabi. For two years he has worked on paddy cultivation by introducing new methods in production. The success gave him a boost and, at present, he has diversified his crops to tomato, brinjal, cowpea, ladies finger in 10—20 decimals each, along with the paddy and mustard.

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gradually, with initial instances A majority of farmers an attractive economic activity of small successes and voice the lack of timely because they can use their failures. Lodhi Singh Parte of credit as a reason for own family labour unlike Andhiyadhar village, Mandla subsistence agriculture. large farmers, who need to district, Madhya Pradesh, grows Surprisingly, the SFPFs depend on outside labour for multiple vegetables at present studied, neither exhibited growing vegetables—a highly in 0.5 acres of land, earning this concern for capital labour-intensive crop. With Rs 0.53 lakhs annually. He nor saw it as a bottleneck the increasing labour costs, started cultivating initially in in their enterprise vegetable cultivation gives small 10 decimals with a little profit. farmers a strong competitive The success helped him increase his acreage. advantage. This sector, therefore, assumes Giriwar of Dindori, Madhya Pradesh, opted strong importance for small-holder farmers. to grow vegetables on one acre of his land. The government needs to evolve facilitative Other farmers too chose to invest in vegetable policies for encouraging many more small- cultivation, in spite of the increased investment holder farmers to participate in this sector. required of cash, labour and technology. LAND-USE INTENSIFICATION Farmers have built networks and have arranged the sources for all the required inputs—good Adequate utilization of resources is another seeds, fertilizers, insecticide and pesticide common feature widely displayed by the in advance. They keep themselves updated farmers. Unlike some, who remain limited to through various sources of knowledge, to keep 150-200 per cent land-use intensity, the SFPFs their crops safe and to enhance production by have endeavoured to intensify agriculture and incorporating new ideas. Yadunath Gorai and increase the cropping intensity to 300–400 several others are shining examples of farmers, per cent. In all the cases under study, the who have managed backward-forward farmers ventured to produce summer crops. linkages, handled various stakeholders and Traditionally, agriculture is not practised during harvested profit. the summer season mainly on account of the unavailability of water for irrigation and free The farmers have applied their experiential grazing. Ramanuj and Dalbir Singh of Singrauli knowledge to minimize risks by growing district, however, invested in permanent more than two or three common vegetable fencing to keep off the grazing cattle. Large crops instead of one single crop. They investments have been made to build these have displayed mature analytical skills and permanent fencing structures. They are aware understanding of the demand and supply by of the high market demand and high prices of choosing mainstream common crops such as fresh vegetables in summer and, hence, these tomato, brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage, okra, measures paid out adequately. They take chilli, cucumber and gourd. Instead of growing adequate measures to learn about and follow high-priced niche crops with lesser demand, practices required and necessary during winter they have chosen to cultivate vegetables,which and summer. Yadunath Gorai, Ramanuj Singh, have a high demand and moderate but stable Dalbir Singh, Lodhi Singh and others also have rates. nurseries for their crops, to ensure healthy and proper growth of saplings and the optimum Policy Implications: For small-holder farmers, utilization of their land. vegetable cultivation is increasingly becoming

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Š ACCESS TO CAPITAL Most SFPFs do not Š Purchasing all the required The non-availability of adequate rely on mainstream inputs in bulk for the whole capital is one of the bottlenecks institutions such as season is also practised. Ramanuj that hinders good agriculture. banks for short-term Singh says that he plans for, A majority of farmers voice the credit. Instead they purchases and stores all the lack of timely credit as a reason work out various other inputs in March–April. for subsistence agriculture. arrangements to meet ŠŠ Devising a combination of Surprisingly, the SFPFs studied, their needs crops in such a way that the first neither exhibited this concern crop starts giving early returns for capital nor saw it as a bottleneck in their enterprise. The SFPFs work out their cash and takes care of the cash required for the requirements and devise adequate measures coming expenses. to secure it. Drawing support from input ŠŠ Using personal money and some credit suppliers is one of the means that they use. from the input suppliers. Loans from the SHGs, the local money lenders ŠŠ Establishing a system under which and, in some cases, support from banks was the cost of inputs supplied on credit is found. deducted from the sale of the harvest (as Most of the farmers predominantly depend in Yadunath Gorai’s case) upon and use their personal money. They A point of concern here is whether people, have accumulated savings from previous sales in such a situation, who operate at such a proceeds. The use of personal money is one low economic scale and have to divert their of the ways to minimize risks. Most SFPFs do money for capital-intensive activities, are not rely on mainstream institutions such as compromising on essential family investments banks for short-term credit. Instead they work or larger consumption expenses. What out various other arrangements to meet their happens to family expenses when farmers needs. They clearly stated that bank loans divert personal resources for commercial create undue stress and fear. Additionally, it farming? This subject needs deeper study. is not assured that even after the complicated procedures, the cash would be available on Policy Implications: Clearly, small farmers time. Hence, their reliance is never on banks hailing from the rain-fed areas, in spite of a for short-term credit. Only Yadunath Gorai, of proven track record of earning assured large the farmers in the study, has managed to build incomes, do not find mainstream banking a a relationship with the banks and drew credit reliable support. This is an important area for to the tune of Rs 1 lakh for his requirements. awareness and response from the banking system. What are the demand and supply Some of the measures adopted by the farmers characteristics of credit here? Do these farmers for arranging and use of capital are: have to either draw on their own meagre resources or resort to moneylenders? ŠŠ Planning their purchasing so that the cost is spread out over time. Initially, the cost of seeds and fertilizers needs to be incurred. ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE The other inputs are bought as per need The findings revealed another area of and the stage of the crop. commonality among SFPFs. The quest for

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acquiring new information and The SFPFs conduct frequent These farmers are technology concerned with experiments based on popular extremely resourceful their work is significant among intuitive agronomy. The with amazing farming these farmers. They are the first objectives of such experiments skills and can be seen as ones to attend any meetings, are: pioneers. They do not demonstrations or training have any bias toward the ŠŠ To test some specific seeds conducted by government government and private authorities, seed companies or ŠŠ To adopt a new crop in the players and do not NGOs. They meet seed sellers, area hesitate to use either of agriculture officials, scientists these for their ŠŠ To introduce a new and seed company officials; own benefit technology in farming and visit shops, Krishi Vigyan practice Kendras (KVKs), etc., frequently enquiring Š about new information, problems that may Š To increase yield arise and issues that others may have faced. ŠŠ To learn to test systems and practices in They have established a working relationship order to lower risks by constantly being in touch with these persons The costs of all such experiments are borne by and institutions for information. Their fields the individuals themselves. The risk too is borne have the finest crops, where new technology by farmers. Such experiments, evidently, help has been used, best available hybrid seeds in boosting the confidence of these farmers. and fertilizers procured, the latest and most effective insecticides and pesticides utilized. The study shows that input suppliers are the LINKAGE WITH MARKETS most important actors in disbursing knowledge The places where these small and prosperous and information. These input suppliers may be farmers are located are quite remote and not used as sources of extension of knowledge on usually connected with the markets where they the ground, of course, with adequate checks need to sell their crops and produce. Yet, all of and balances. them have developed functional linkages with the inputs and output markets. Initially, they Another significant finding from the study was began by selling the produce themselves in the that the massive agriculture extension system local market; slowly, as the volume increased, does not factor in support for these SFPFs. they were able to attract traders and, through The government machinery in these remote them, sold their produce to distant markets. areas is either non-existent or dormant. It acts Although they did not have any prior exposure only as distribution points for some inputs, to the markets, they soon identified suitable especially seeds. The role of the government people and connected with them; they first for disbursing technical know-how needs to be established linkages with the local market devised afresh. players and soon connected with distant markets. They quickly sensed the limitation These farmers are extremely resourceful with of the local markets, and to overcome the amazing farming skills and can be seen as chances of glut, they keep searching for new pioneers. They do not have any bias between markets. the government and private players and do not hesitate to use either of these for their own benefit.

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All SFPFs have a very good markets and do not complain These farmers appreciate relationship with the input and of price fluctuations; they that the markets are real. output traders, who help them have, instead, learned how to They have understood with information about prices, make use of them and use their the nature of markets trends, new products and superior knowledge of markets and do not complain of credit. Sometimes, they also to make modifications in crop price fluctuations; they collaborate for mutual benefit, choices and timings. have, instead, learned using each other’s strengths. how to make use of them Whether they are the farmers For information related to and use their superior in Odisha or Jharkhand, they new products, practices and knowledge of markets have all appreciated the role of troubleshooting, the market to make modifications in markets for earning money and plays a crucial role (the input crop choices and timings have actively linked with them. suppliers are important sources Evident also is the fact that of information on inputs and unless there is a volume attractive enough troubleshooting; the output traders are for the market, it is not possible to build an sources of information regarding the quality effective relationship there. To achieve this, of produce required in the market, the prices they are increasing the area under vegetables and trends). The farmers acquire information (personal or leased) or collaborating with other from the product literature provided by farmers (in all cases, the scale of production input companies, discussions with the in 2 to 5 acres, grossed crop area or more, is traders participating in training programmes, critical for prosperity). and exposure visits organized by the input companies, etc. A good relationship with All the farmers have experienced price the market players also helps them to source fluctuations (Rs 2—25 per kg) and learned quality products, though sometimes at higher from these. They are more alert to price trends prices, if taken on credit. and respond to them by producing more when the prices are high and by avoiding crops that Policy Implications: How do we bring the are consistently getting lower prices. market to the producer? Or do we rely on his/her enterprise to work around various For the sale of their produce, they rely constraints and risks and develop these on market players such as traders, except linkages? Ramanuj Singh from Singrauli, who prefers to sell his produce himself because he gets Relationship with the Government a good price, and Yadunath Gorai from The role of the government is not evident Jharkhand, who functions in a group and takes although, in some cases (Odisha and Madhya the responsibility of marketing and inputs. Pradesh), the irrigation infrastructure (wells, Entry into larger markets/Agriculture Produce check dams, lift irrigation points, pump-sets) Market Committee (APMCs)/Barriers on that have been set up by the government Borders, surprisingly, was not mentioned as a have helped farmers. Similarly, programmes hindering factor by these farmers. such as MGNREGS, WADI and Watershed development have helped farmers develop These farmers appreciate that the markets their land resources (bunding, levelling, are real. They have understood the nature of fencing, orchard development, etc., in Madhya

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Pradesh and Chhattisgarh). Also land resources are very much The infrastructure created evident is the fact that when in the purview of government by the government these farmers are successful, programmes. We need to ensure has provided support access to government schemes that these programmes reach conditions for some such as the Kishan Credit Card the deserving communities in a of these prosperous (KCC), irrigation infrastructure, beneficial manner. In addition, farmers but there was subsidies, etc., becomes easy. there is also a strong case no software support Either government officials emerging for convergence of such as effective training come searching for them or programmes and departments. or capacity building, they become confident in which may have helped approaching and dealing with them to adopt high Risks and Failures the government. Access to value agriculture such as Not surprisingly, none of the government schemes also vegetable cultivation SFPFs studied had access to becomes easier if an NGO (like institutional risk coverage PRADAN) is working in the area; PRADAN has mechanisms. Most of them seemed to be helped them access the benefits of schemes completely self-insured—no institutional or such as MGNREGS, WADI, and Integrated community insurance. A factor that seems Watershed Management Programme to have worked in their favour was that all (IWMP), and lift irrigation, bank linkages, of them were primarily self-financed, which etc. In the supply of agricultural inputs by the meant that, in case of failure, there was at government, issues such as timeliness and least no prospect of a creditor looming large quality come into play. on the horizon. The SFPFs seemed to be The infrastructure created by the government following a strategy of starting small, building has provided support conditions for some of personal savings for capital formation for these prosperous farmers but there was no financing growth, following a multi-crop software support such as effective training or strategy to diversify risk, and ensuring food capacity building, which may have enabled security through their land. However, in a risk- them to adopt high value agriculture such as prone activity such as vegetable cultivation, vegetable cultivation. Skills and knowledge, farmers would have suffered fluctuations in therefore, are very important, in order to production and encountered market-related become prosperous. Some of the farmers risks. However, post-facto realization was (Sukhdeo) learned this by working in fields of also that this study did not spend enough other farmers whereas some of them (Jaleswar, time on this aspect with the respondents and, Shankarlal, Jayanti bai, Budhram Munda, etc.) therefore, suffers from this limitation. were trained by NGOs; some (Yadunath, Jairam Singh) learned by observation and reflection, Importance of Clusters and some (Robin Hansda, Yadunath, Subodh Most of the SFPFs studied are in the nature Patra, Shyam Sundar Mallick, etc.) learned by of pioneers, the first people in the area to studying the product literature, interactions embark on this route. Gradually, seeing with salespersons, traders, watching their success, others are making an effort to agricultural programmes such as Annadata. imitate them. These clusters make further expansion easier and allow more sophisticated Policy Implications: Investments in creating institutions to emerge, for example, farmers’ irrigation sources and also building their

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groups, commission agents, a working relationship with the None of the SFPFs institutional buyers, etc. Another small and marginal farmers, they studied had access to point that needs to be noted is can help small farmers acquire institutional risk coverage that what works for one need these skills in two to three years’ mechanisms. Most of not work for another. While time and become prosperous. them seemed to be studying Nityanand and Cohort completely self-insured— in Keonjhar district, Odisha, NGOs can also play a role in no institutional or clearly, Nityanand, an OBC, establishing production clusters. community insurance. made the transition; however, They can help organize clusters of vegetable/high value crop the other two Munda farmers from a similar production, which will help in the development milieu dropped out and are working as wage of a high level of entrepreneurship in the area. labourers in an urban market. Probably, more hand-holding is required or some Policy Implications: There is an important more research is required on people within a lesson for agriculture extension departments community, to understand the phenomenon of here. Extension in agriculture is not just about dropouts better—and what makes for success transfer of technology or knowledge in a top- and failure. down manner. It is about understanding the situation of the farmers and responding to Role of NGOs the special needs they may have. It is about The case studies cover both the NGO- building their confidence and helping them to supported and the self-driven farmers. Some take risks. It is also about converging resources exceptional farmers have just taken off and from many departments and institutions so gone on a growth spiral and have reached that a wholesome response can be provided. great heights. Could these exceptions become Till such a thing happens, agriculture will the rule? In many of the cases, the motivational remain captive to the vagaries of nature and as well as knowledge and skill building the markets. support was provided by NGOs, particularly Some of the special qualities of in isolated areas. NGOs also played a crucial agri-entrepreneurs are: role in helping small farmers access different government schemes to create infrastructure ŠŠ Passion for agriculture such as irrigation, WADI, watershed ŠŠ High aspiration, ambition for high incomes development projects, etc. They have also Š helped small farmers meet food sufficiency Š Keen observation and reflection through increased food-grain production ŠŠ Constantly scanning for new ways to programmes and have developed the skills of increase profits—new markets, new crops, the farmers for high value agriculture such as new practices, field experiments vegetable cultivation. ŠŠ Common sense and street smartness The quest for knowledge, a keen observation ŠŠ Exceptional capability to be good at and reflection are common characteristics managing a number of things (farm exhibited by all the small prosperous farmers. management, market, inputs, labour PRADAN believes that these skills can be management, market orientation, quality developed and nurtured through well- designed observation and reflection processes. consciousness) Because NGOs have a long-term presence and ŠŠ Exceedingly hardworking

Lead: Small Farmers, Prosperous Farmers—Hopes from Central India 13

Conclusion interactions with them from a learning point All traits of a successful SFPF are very similar of view be enhanced because there are many to that of a successful entrepreneur in any lessons on entrepreneurship that these can field. Because the study focused on SFPFs, provide. Several questions arise: How can we the focus of the study was not on what kind leverage exceptional qualities and success of of replication these farmers would be able to these SFPFs for gains for the larger community? stimulate or inspire in the area. That might have How do we facilitate social learning, replication also thrown more light from an interventionist and emulation? Sometimes it may happen perspective. The people who are to follow may spontaneously as with Yadunath. What can not be required to possess the same levels of we learn from these examples? In the poorer enterprise or need to invest the same effort in areas, the adoption of the SFPF practices will the initial cost of research, experimentation not happen by default. It will require designed and market search and development. The interventions, eco-system approach, and threshold barriers may be lower for those who linkages with appropriate institutions and follow. This is an extant gap in the study, on markets. Alternative implementation models hindsight. for diffusion of new practices—the cluster approach—needs to be studied. Is it possible to look at a collaborative enterprise between Lessons for PRADAN and other the better-off farmers and the budding new stakeholders farmers and evolve a win-win arrangement? An appreciation for the prosperous farmers in the project villages needs to be developed and

This paper was presented at Institute of Rural Management, Anand on 26th November 2012, organised by IMWI.

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On the Path towards a Just Society: Challenging Jati Panchayats and the Dowry System

RANVIJAY KUMAR

Defying the jati panchayat’s decision was momentous for the women of DMMS, who, through their SHGs, are realizing the power of collective action in shattering age-old domination structures and in moving from passive acceptance to quiet assertion of their rights

The story begins with the General Body (GB) meeting that was held in May 2013 in which the members of the Damodar Mahila Mandal Sangh (DMMS) Federation passed the following resolutions.

• All members of DMMS, Koderma, will stop practising the dowry system because it leads to high cash transactions during marriages and puts a heavy burden on the bride’s family.

• DMMS members will not participate in marriages wherein cash transactions have taken place, especially if the women of the family are members of the Sangh.

• DMMS members will promote marriages in which no exchange of dowry takes place.

Two days before the momentous day of June 8, members of DMMS heard about a jati panchayat meeting taking place regarding a marriage proposal between Sunil Kumar Rajak and Priyanka Kumari, both from Jainagar. Sunil’s family told the women members that the 24-year-old had been earning his living by taking tuitions in Koderma for the last three years whereas Priyanka, 21, was a B.Sc. II year student. They had met two years ago in the college campus and had fallen in love. Nearly a year earlier, Priyanka had told her family that she wanted to marry Sunil. When her parents met him, they liked Sunil. They decided to place the matter before the members of the jati panchayat. And if the panchayat agreed, the proposal would be carried forward. 15

The jati panchayat members In spite of the pressure from In every meeting, both interacted with both the families the jati panchayat, Priyanka’s the families were warned and others from the jati and parents approached Sunil’s about the dangers they after some deliberations came parents to let the marriage would have to face if to the conclusion that both Sunil take place because they were they dared to go against and Priyanka belong to the same fed up with their daughter’s the decisions of the gotra and are, in effect, brother stubbornness. The problem jati panchayat and sister! Thus, a marriage became aggravated when between them could not take Sunil’s family demanded Rs five place. The news spread throughout the jati lakhs in cash and a gold chain as tilak (dowry). and made things difficult for the young couple. The excuse given by Sunil’s family was that because the jati panchayat was against the Priyanka’s marriage was twice arranged marriage, the tilak would be needed to bribe elsewhere; both times she called it off saying people. Hearing this, Priyanka’s family backed that she would not marry anyone other than out of the offer. Sunil. These incidents made her parents angry and her family began to torture her by not On 7 June 2013, some DMMS members heard giving her food, locking her in a room and that a final meeting had been called for that not allowing her to communicate with anyone day by the jati panchayat. The Sangh called a outside the family. Six months passed and meeting before the panchayat met, to discuss her marriage was once again arranged with what they could do to resolve the issue. Some the help of the jati panchayat. The date for of them went to meet Sunil and his family. the marriage was fixed. It was to take place on the 13 June 2013. The mukhiya (head) of When interacting with them, Sunil said that the village took Rs 5,000 as commission from although he loved Priyanka, he knew that Priyanka’s family for finding the prospective the jati panchayat would never agree to their groom. marriage. They asked him that if he would be ready for the marriage if he were assisted The jati panchayat held several meetings on by the women of the Sangh. He hesitantly the issue. Each time a meeting was called, both said yes. They asked his mother if she would the parties had to give Rs 500 rupees to the be ready to get her son married to Priyanka panch as ‘panch kharcha’ (expenses of the without the tilak. She too said yes, adding that panch). In every meeting, both the families she would accept whatever tilak they gave and were warned about the dangers that they would not demand Rs five lakhs. would have to face if they dared to go against the decisions of the jati panchayat. Priyanka The next step of the DMMS members was to and Sunil were also called to the meetings and meet Priyanka and her parents. Initially, they were pressurized to say/write that they would were not allowed into the house; however, one marry whoever was chosen by the panchayat. of the members was a relative of the family But Priyanka stuck to her decision of marrying and, therefore, they were invited in. Priyanka Sunil and Sunil’s decision was that if Priyanka said that if she were not allowed to marry and his parents agreed, the marriage would Sunil, she would commit suicide. She said that take place. she had made this clear to her parents as well

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as to Sunil. Priyanka’s mother and seeking support for her from In the jati panchayat said that she just wanted her the family. Most of the members meeting held that night, daughter to be happy. She cried were on an empty stomach the members warned that she could no longer bear the because they were celebrating that both the families plight of her daughter. Priyanka’s the festival of ‘bar puja’ and would be given stringent grandmother and aunt said that had come forward for the cause, punishment if they Priyanka would have to listen leaving behind the puja being listened to the women to the jati panchayat, “She is conducted in their homes. a woman and should learn to obey.” They said that they would not allow There were heated discussions from both Priyanka to get married to Sunil, no matter sides. After a lot of effort and struggle, DMMS what. Both Priyanka’s and Sunil’s families members were able to convince Priyanka’s were then invited to the Federation office for a parents to break the barrier and come out. In a meeting, to try to reach a consensus. hurry, clothing was bought for the would-be- bride and groom. Two pundits were organized When the jati panchayat members heard for the event. The venue for the marriage was about DMMS’s intervention, they were angry. to be the temple inside the Jainagar Police In the jati panchayat meeting held that night, station premises. The decision to organize the they warned that both the families would be social marriage instead of a court marriage given stringent punishment if they listened was taken to let society know. Consent letters to the women. The jati panchayat leaders were taken from both the families before the remained in the police station throughout the marriage was conducted. night trying to influence the police officers. DMMS members sang songs, danced, helped The next morning, the families did not appear in the rituals of the marriage and distributed for the Sangh meeting. Two members went sweets to all. The parents of the bride were to Sunil’s home and two to Priyanka’s to call initially not allowed by the jati panchayat them for the meeting. Although Sunil came, members to go into the temple for the his parents did not and Priyanka’s relatives did marriage rituals but on the insistence of the not allow her or her parents to come to the DMMS, they came in and participated. meeting, saying that they did not need the help of DMMS. Priyanka, however, waved Against all odds, 40 young girls (aged 15–20) from the window of the room where she was also participated in the marriage through locked and said that she needed help. The PRADAN’s efforts. The news spread like DMMS members went to the police station wildfire throughout the district. After the for support but the police were busy with an marriage, some Community Service Providers external visit. They promised to be there in the (CSP) met the couple and counselled them. evening. After a day, they were taken to the court to have their marriage registered. Taking stock of the situation, DMMS members realized they could not wait for the police and This victory over the jati panchayat has, on decided to take action there and then. Within the one hand, strengthened the hands of the an hour, nearly 250 members from different DMMS and the people, who want a society villages got together and sat in dharna in front free from the unjust decisions taken by the of Priyanka’s home, demanding her release former as well as the evils of the dowry system.

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On the other hand, DMMS regularity of meetings, Within an hour, nearly members are being threatened attendance and book-keeping, 250 members from with violence by some of the establishing linkages with banks, different villages got dhobi jati samaj members. creating livelihood options, together and sat in Some goons went to the houses and building financial services dharna in front of of some DMMS members to such as maintaining books of Priyanka’s home, threaten their families. However, account, thereby strengthening demanding her release as is said, “God helps them those the functioning of SHGs. and seeking support for who help themselves,” has been her from the family proved. The road was full of In 2006, PRADAN’s Koderma hurdles; yet, once the DMMS decided to walk team separated from the on it, nothing could stop it from attaining its Hazaribag team. Considerable expansion goal. and nurturing of the SHGs was carried out in Chandwara block and a small part of Jainagar block. The first federation was formed in 2005 DAMODAR MAHILA MANDAL SANGH in Telaiya whereas the second was formed in The journey of the DMMS began in 1991–92 Jainagar in August 2011, under the umbrella from Titirchanch and Jamukhandi villages, of DMMS. where PRADAN helped start self-help groups (SHGs) of women. The path was not easy, Looking back at the condition of the people especially in a male-dominated society, in in areas where SHGs, clusters and federations which women were viewed as home-makers now flourish, it is immediately evident that only. the poor economic condition of the people was due to lack of livelihood opportunities, The condition of the families in those days, high migration of young men, debts owed especially that of the women in these areas, to moneylenders, poor health status, lack of was pathetic because the construction of the general awareness, confinement of women to Tilaiya dam led to their displacement from household chores, nearby wells and jungles their homes to resettlement in the area. As for collection of firewood, poor quality of time passed, SHGs expanded to other parts of education and low literacy rates, alcoholism, the undivided Hazaribag district. The focus of domination of men over women, gender SHGs during the early days was on maintaining discrimination in all spheres of life, lack of

Figure 1: The Three-tier Structure of Operations of DMMS

FEDERATION

CLUSTER CLUSTER

SHG SHG SHG SHG

ƒƒ SHGs are functional at the hamlet and the village levels. Clusters are formed at the panchayat level and federations work at the block level.

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accessibility to government DMMS members sang message and make people schemes by the community, songs, danced, helped aware. The issues of violence high level of corruption in in all the rituals of the against women are discussed government offices, etc. The marriage and distributed regularly in SHGs, clusters and upper caste people dominated sweets to all villages. Cases are heard in the over the women and the weaker three Nari Adalats in the district, sections. set up with the objective of providing justice through gender perspective. Anganwadis, The SHGs gave its members the forum and the the public distribution system, village health opportunity to discuss their personal issues as and sanitation committees, village water they sat together in the group meetings. There committees, school committees and primary have been instances when SHG members health centres are all being monitored by SHGs have helped each other through collective and their review is conducted by the clusters. measures. These have paved the way for The two-day cluster adhivesans and the two- widespread ‘gender-action’ by the women. day mahaadhivesans have also played a great role in conveying the messages of equality and The last two years have been quite busy for solidarity in the community and among various DMMS because it has decided to walk on stakeholders through games, plays, etc. the roughest terrain—challenging patriarchy Influenced by DMMS, the District Collector, and, thereby, the norms of society that was the Superintendent of Police, the Judge and being followed blindly by all. People are being the Deputy Chairman of the District Board sensitized regularly at the SHG, village and have attended federation meetings several block levels, the Panchayati Raj Institutions, times, appreciated the work done by DMMS the health department, the local police and encouraged members to keep moving officials, the education department, the legal forward with the same zeal and courage. department, District Rural Development Authority and other stakeholders. Of note is the fact that women from this area are ready to risk challenging their iniquitous Significant changes have been made at the self situation. Their energy is being tapped and family levels by DMMS members after they positively for collective action, and instances of receive training, attend meetings, etc. They are DMMS members uniting and acting to break challenging the patriarchal society and gender- the patriarchal norms of society is steadily on based inequality, understanding and resisting the increase. Recently, DMMS members have violence against women, creating awareness organized rallies and campaigns against liquor on health and hygiene, and building relations consumption with regular follow-ups. They and working with the different government have participated enthusiastically in the ‘One agencies. Various methods such as institutional Billion Rising’ campaign, counselling victims mapping, theatre of the oppressed, modules of domestic violence. And most recently, on 8 for training of the SHGs through songs, games June 2013, DMMS members arranged a social and exercises have been used to spread the marriage, defying the jati panchayat’s decree.

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Challenges of Livelihoods in Difficult Tribal Regions: Understanding Markets

K.S. GOPAL

Underlining the fragile plight and future of the tribal people of the country, the article advises that the tribal community, its welfare and growth be included in the planning and implementation of development activities, schemes and projects

The promotion of livelihoods in rural areas is centred, dependent and driven to serve mainstream markets or to grab a share of them. Rapid market integration and the opening of trade and investment frontiers to globalization are leading to a drastic transformation, often with brutal consequences. Markets today are complex, with advantages skewed towards big corporations with deep pockets, product/ technology domain expertise and are based on their attendant perceived standards. New forms of pricing, large volumes with short margins, technology innovation and market domination, including cartels, determine market entry, market share and profits. The market is increasingly controlled by big players; producers have little or no option but to serve the needs of these players and use their channels and are thus rendered powerless to negotiate.

Whereas economies are growing, the imbalanced income and earning distribution is leading to a stagnant demand. The worst-hit area is agricultural commodities, the demand for which is inelastic. Income opportunities for a large mass of people are declining due to technology because the focus is on higher productivity with lower manpower. With most people looking for livelihoods and employment incomes, purchasing power remains with a few, affecting those producing and offering demand-inelastic commodities. This inequality is being addressed by creating social safety nets using the Keynesian logic of putting money in the hands of the people. However, this does not solve the problem because the aim of Keynes was to manage the economic vicissitudes of capitalism and not to address its crisis origins or to widen livelihood opportunities.

The focus in livelihoods promotion is, therefore, to supply or to add value to a product by going up the chain with a higher value offer for better price realization. For example, a farmer producing groundnuts may be asked to first take out the shell before selling it or to join a producer company to convert it into oil. Poor farmers offer generic goods at cost plus price, whereas companies earn higher margins through branding. Brands dominate the market and the buyer behaviour, leading to multiple approaches to price-based surplus extraction.

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its entire forests, sell the wood DISTORTIONS Income opportunities for and put the money in a bank This scenario explains market a large mass of people because the earnings from the entry, access and staying power are declining due to bank deposit interest were much aspects. However, the production technology because higher than the retail selling of of real goods and services is the focus is on higher forest products. increasingly dependent on productivity with complex multiple variables lower manpower Thus, the market of a product is such as credit and risk, financial determined by money, finance investment modelling, taxation, technology capital and technology rather than the real platforms, intellectual property rights, cartels, goods and services coming from the natural labour laws, etc. These have a profound and resource endowments and human effort. The an invisible influence on product prices or the financial sector plays such a major role in the surplus generated by economic activities. The markets today that even the central banks product market value, pricing and purchase, are helpless. Yet, mainstream believes that thereby, are influenced by factors that rest the market mechanism has self-correcting elsewhere and are not necessarily intrinsic capacities. Nicholas Stern called global warming to the product. This impacts the exchange as the biggest market failure. It is for such equations among economic sectors and the reasons that Gandhi rejected the European ‘terms of trade’. growth model with one simple explanation: if We also witness shifting of the cost burden to the whole of India and large parts of the world the environment, labour and women. Finance is in fetters, to keep affluent a few million drives market integration and globalization English people, where would India go with its and dominates the overall factors of large population but to ruthlessly subjugate production and exchange. Livelihoods, today, mankind all over the world. call for negotiating the political economy The fundamental driver of the emerging market and the challenge is to calibrate how people economy is ‘spend’, leading to conspicuous can engage the market, rather than how the consumption and wastage. Let us look at how market engages them. national accounting handles data regarding Let us take a look at some of the outcomes of this aspect. Statistics tell us that 30 per cent globalization, for example, the exchange rate of the food grain produced is rotting because of the dollar vis-à-vis the rupee. In the past of ineffective market chains. Preventing this 60 years, the dollar has gone up 20 times. wastage is given as the compelling reason to The reason given for the increased global invite foreign investments in retail. How is the oil prices by the Organization of Petroleum data calculated, however? It begins with the Exporting Countries (OPEC) was that water, producer and ends when the commodity is a supposedly free commodity and occupying sold to the final buyer or the consumer. What three-fourth of this planet, was being sold at is not accounted for is the wastage by the prices higher than that of a litre of petrol, a consumer after its purchase. A recent study in finite resource; facing a ‘choice’, Malaysia, a Europe showed that 44 per cent of tinned food country well-endowed with forests, posed a items purchased in the supermarket transit to question to the world as to why it must not cut the buyer’s refrigerator only to be dumped a few days later into the nearest garbage dump.

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competitive advantage; yet, THE TRIBAL EXPERIENCE The market of a product it saw no product or market The focus of this article is on is determined by money, development. Its management the opportunities of livelihoods finance capital and was vested with the forest or for the tribal people—the most technology rather than tribal department, the primary deprived in India. The remote the real goods and interest of which was to earn tribal areas have become the services coming from revenue for the state. Thus focus of attention because the natural resource beedi leaf, a unique product corporations and market endowments and human and a major source of income players are enviously eyeing effort. The financial of the poor, gave way to the immense natural resources sector plays such a major competitors making cigarettes. found here. There is resistance role in the markets today Leaf procurement was vested to the exploitation of these that even central banks exclusively with the forest natural resources from the tribal are helpless people, with some communities department, which did not taking to arms and the Prime Minister calling it expand the area or productivity, and beedi India’s number one internal security challenge. rolling remained reserved for the small-scale The region of review here is Dandakaranya sector with no capacity to develop brands that spans many states and is inhabited or fight the onslaught of competition from predominantly by tribal people. large cigarette makers. Consumers shifted to cigarettes and beedi saw a shrinking market Indian policy makers have acknowledged that share and lost its competitive advantage. the tribal communities have suffered a historical Restrictions on cutting trees led the paper injustice. For instance, large tracts of forests industry to shift to substitutes, import pulp or were cut down to build the Indian railways so have captive plantations. Bamboo cutting is that the British troops and commerce could not allowed. Poor marketing and unsustainable move swiftly. ‘Development’ of tribal areas is tapping practices have led to dead gum karaya solely extraction-centred, leaving the people trees. in squalor. Irrigation water, hydel power and mineral wealth are all extracted from the area The tribal people are, therefore, wary of the for voracious consumption elsewhere. There mainstream development approach. They pick is an absence of a local elite or enterprise, forest produce from the forests and practise which has a stake or a say in the development. subsistence farming. They allow water to Trade and investment is driven and controlled flow through their lands. Forests serve to by ‘outsiders’, who do not build, invest or construct a house, cook food or make simple lobby for social infrastructure such as schools, furniture. Marketable surplus is kept low and healthcare, etc., giving the local population seasonal. The area has no basic amenities no opportunity to participate in the rising such as electricity, piped water, higher economic activity in their region. Once the education and quality manpower. Officials of resources are extracted, firms leave the areas, the administration and other professionals do closing down the schools and hospitals they not want to work in such places, leading to built when the mining was on. an absence or poor availability of government services and little administration outreach. The Non-timber forest produce (NTFP) is a unique tribal communities prefer ‘autonomy’ rather resource of the tribals that could have had a than dealing with distant markets, being apprehensive of its players.

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The corporate sector also EMERGING REALITIES Indian policy makers harvests the purchasing power The corporate business leader of have acknowledged that of the tribal people. For example, today is under stress, they are the tribal communities the people are introduced to and expected every three months have suffered a historical encouraged to use a paper tea by the stock market to deliver. If injustice. For instance, sachet; this big early success is companies were to take a long- large tracts of forests followed by promoting the use term approach to investment, were cut down to build of plastic because it is easier to they want high assured returns. the Indian railways, transport, has a longer product To mine minerals or generate so that the British shelf life and can be made to hydel power, companies want troops and commerce affordable sizes. Corporate resource monopoly and want to could move swiftly. players are in ‘sync’ with market be assured of protection from ‘Development’ of tribal opportunities emerging from market risks and volatility or areas is solely extraction, technology. Thus, the adda leaf sovereign guarantees. In most centred, leaving the has given way to plastic and instances, they are governed by people in squalor international contracts where paper plates. The worst affected all arbitration is out of the country and where by these marketing strategies Indian laws are not applicable. The government are products that use nature as the production is desperate for royalty and the politicians are base whereas, in other instances, the costs are happy to ‘negotiate’. passed off to the environment. It is here that the tribal people face big challenges. If high income potential is in the medium term, the dice is thrown differently by corporations. The issue for livelihoods promotion is: how They want subsidies and tax concessions. If the should the tribal people play the market and market for a product is to be tested or is likely occupy space that can enable them to develop to mature over time, they use intermediaries to an agenda of enhanced and sustainable reduce the transaction costs. Virginia Tobacco livelihoods, based on their capabilities, was among the first to come to these high culture and the natural and human resource altitudes, and once product quality value was potential of the area? The task of a livelihood demonstrated, India Tobacco Ltd. stepped in intellectual is to find ways to use the market to monopolize this unique flavour premier play and government policies, and make tobacco. Once the product becomes market them beneficial for tribal communities. This viable with scale potential, companies bring all will help develop human capacities and the their might to capture and redirect resources competitive advantages of their natural to serve their business. It is somewhat like we resource endowments, which will, in turn, see in the cities: A poor vendor puts up kiosks serve and develop livelihood opportunities for or a push cart to sell eatables. As his business the local people. grows, other shops follow and the push cart There is another aspect to be borne in mind and becomes a traffic nuisance. Zoning follows and that is with reference to the growing Indian this gives way to supermarkets that is followed population. Whereas some people in India soon by malls. The poor risk and explore new move to urban areas seeking opportunities to avenues for a living while the rich players work, many head to tribal areas which have harvest the opportunity. productive land and water resources, with sparse and thinly spread population. However,

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in these areas, the Tribal Land Democratic values and ethics The tribal people are, Protection Law is in place to emerged from the struggles of the therefore, wary of the protect tribal communities. With people for freedom, equality and mainstream development more people moving to these justice. Democracy, in practice, approach. They pick from areas, the law will have to be is voting and the voicing of an the forests and practise changed. One must not forget opinion and then leaving the rest subsistence farming. that this is the place where most to elected representatives. Not They allow water to of the refugees from Pakistan, the ideal situation. Yet ‘project flow through their lands. Tibet, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka democracy’ is the only available Forests serve to construct have come and settled. In a civilized option for governance. a house, cook food or recent TV interview, a Chief Efforts are on to improve citizen make simple furniture. Minister of a tribal-dominated partnership. How should we, Marketable surplus is state was asked, “Why not then, see water resources in kept low and seasonal allow the tribals to sell their the framework of an evolving land because that would mean a democracy project? good income?” The Chief Minister replied that amending and relaxing the land law would The motivation and dynamics of the three key mean that the tribals would soon vanish from players in the economy—the government, India. the corporates and the citizens—need to be understood. The government has an insatiable thirst to increase its revenue whereas the CENTRE STAGE: THE CITIZEN corporates are hungry for profit. The citizens The rising demand for natural resources and want to reach their capability index. Only minerals means that the tribal population unhindered and rapid economic growth can will not be able to withstand its fury. The bring in and increase revenue and profits. many questions dominating the contentious Thus, the government and the corporate sector discussion are: Should the tribal communities must necessarily work in tandem, despite alone have the right over precious metals respective public posturing. Add to this, the and minerals of global demand that are vital greed that acts as lubricant for the decision- for the Indian economic miracle? Is it not maker, the politician! The current situation to national wealth? Does it only belong to the vest ownership and natural resources in the sons of the soil? Is it necessary to have safe government custody for selective sustainable government is a perfect recipe, suiting, serving mining by public sector companies? What is and safeguarding the shared interests of the a fair compensation for the locals—alternative government, the politician and the corporate land sites, jobs, shareholding, compulsory sector. The only option available for the citizen corporate social responsibility investments to be heard and his interests to be considered or the adoption of least damage-causing is to vote, and failing that, to protest against technologies? the decision-makers.

What should be our response? What follows Water, although scarce, is wasted, and are the contours of a perspective closer to exhortations to conserve it meet with little the tribal approach to life and management response. Some technologies are being of scarce resources—the resource is water, introduced such as drip agriculture or water which is the topic of heated discussion on recycling in industrial plants. The technology contemporary TV. is profitable and saves water but does not

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necessarily maximize the use farmers, artisans and small- The issue for livelihoods of water. Supplying tanker scale industries. The quantity promotion is: how should water in cities and in drought- of entitlement could be region- the tribal people play the hit areas is good business and based or agro-climate based, market and occupy space helps the political class and and some regions supplemented, that will enable them to the government to show their to ensure a minimum water develop an agenda of gratitude to the community. requirement. Water transfers enhanced and sustainable Some experts have suggested could be provided for natural livelihoods, based on water pricing. However, water calamities such as droughts. their capabilities, culture cannot be sold at a high price Each entitlement would get, and the natural and because it would lead to riots, say, a million litres of fresh human resource potential and will not necessarily be water annually. In this regime, of the area? conserved or used judiciously by if someone or an entity wants the rich. more than its entitlement, he/she would have to approach a water entitlement To entice industrial investments, contracts for holder and purchase it. The sale and transfer water supply are offered by the government. of water could be facilitated by a regional or The volume and the price of water are national exchange board. If someone is in negotiated by those in authority even though another town, he/she could exchange their ground water is private property. The water entitlement for money. The price could vary, crisis is overwhelming, and the alternatives based on the season and the buyer’s capacity offered by the government and industry do to pay. not address fundamental issues; so citizens give up ownership to the government and The system can be manipulated through then absolve themselves. taxation or incentivizing instruments. This would lead to water conservation being a It is time that decisions on the bounties of profitable business and would unleash the nature such as water are seen in the context of creativity of a new genre of citizen-driven democracy, with centrality to the citizen. So, innovations for conservation, to attain the rather than water distribution, the role of the highest level of water efficiency, rather than government must be focused on harvesting profit being the driver. This would change the and storing precipitation. Ground water focus of the water management regime and must not be personal property, except what bring the citizens and conservation to centre is individually or collectively harvested from stage. Starting with water, it is crucial to take precipitation. Of the total water harvested away all natural resources from the government and stored, 30 per cent should be set apart for and corporate sector control and hand it back explicitly designed environmental and fresh- to the citizens. Acts of God or Nature (based water fishery commitments, 10 per cent as on individual beliefs) must not have proxy transfers to water-scarce areas and another 10 custody. Natural resources must belong to per cent as buffer to meet emergencies. the citizens. Government tax income and corporate profits must be limited to what can The remaining 50 per cent of the water should be accrued from the ‘acts’ of the people. The be given as entitlement to citizens, with the above is not utopian, but is easily achievable. rights to use, transfer and sell. The entitlements It can be managed with technology such as could be built around categories such as

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sensors, electronic exchanges, THE CHALLENGE The task of a livelihood water-grids and unique intellectual is to find ways The biggest player in livelihoods identification cards. The concept to use the market play today is the National Rural needs detailing and fine-tuning. and government policies Livelihoods Mission (NRLM). It That is how the tribal people see and make them beneficial has a direct and indirect impact, their natural resources. for tribal communities. in shaping tribal economy. This will help develop Whereas NRLM has laudable THE MARKET HAS ARRIVED human capacities and the plans and goals, its construct The supply opportunity to the competitive advantages and focus are primarily on market, especially of generic of their natural resource women communities: to help products and agricultural endowments, which them participate, borrow, serve commodities, will grow rapidly will, in turn, serve and and benefit from emerging and witness diversifying develop livelihood market opportunities. However, customer demands. Competition opportunities for the if implemented, without will drive the search for new local people understanding ‘power’ and places with lower prices and ‘equations’, it will lead to an product qualities suiting the consumer impact opposite to what is intended for the perception or for its substitutes. With such tribal community. At present, markets play a opportunities and the entry of big players, limited role in the livelihoods of tribal people. India will be able to address the difficulties The activist must seek a larger framework and disadvantages hitherto faced of procuring and approach, to deal with NRLM livelihoods supplies from the tribal areas. Issues of sluggish platforms. market activity, small market players with little Two questions are crucial. “How should money and low ambition, inadequate and livelihoods for the tribal people be conceived poor physical infrastructure, difficulties of and constructed?” And if serving and procuring sufficient quantities, grading, lack succeeding in the emerging markets is the of viable transport volumes with frequency, central opportunity to livelihoods, “how must high transaction costs, etc., will soon be the markets be negotiated and the productive history. These areas will integrate with the forces that safeguard their interests, foster mainstream markets due to a demand ‘pull’ their well-being and retain their ‘autonomy’ accompanied by the ‘push’ from the tribal be developed?” youth, to harvest higher incomes to meet the rising costs of health, education, old age, etc. This perspective involves tough choices and In short, procuring from the tribal regions has a deeper understanding of market dynamics. ‘arrived’. The challenge for the development The activist must see her/his task as reshaping activist is to understand, shape and moderate NRLM, to serve the tribal people to pursue this opportunity as an advantage, with the strong autonomy-based strategies that suit power to transform livelihoods that meet their capacity and culture, and safeguard the expectations of the people, develop their the natural resource endowment and human capabilities, retain autonomy, enhance the capabilities while negating their historical productive factor endowments and thus shape experience. Any strategy must be in sync with a development dynamic that secures their tribal human values for modest but assured destiny. income expectations and be in harmony with nature.

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Old development theories and realities of the endowments of The motivation and livelihoods approach will not different areas. It must capture dynamics of the three key work because the tribals are and trigger tribal imagination. players in the economy— angry and helpless at what is The key areas to focus on when the government, the unfolding for them. Development promoting the livelihoods of the corporate, and the investments whatever, their tribal people are autonomy in citizens—need to origin—government, donor or trading, strengthening the local be understood. The corporate social responsibility— economy of exchanges through government has an are driven by the consumer self- multiple instruments, assuring insatiable thirst to interest of the rest of India. The the deliverance of government increase its revenue interests of the tribal people, are social protection and welfare whereas the corporates incidental, whereas, for activists, schemes. are hungry for profit. The the interests of the tribal citizens want to reach communities must be intrinsic. It is crucial that work on their capability index. The activist must understand livelihoods development for the Only unhindered and how to build the competitive tribal people must start with rapid economic growth advantage of tribals, shape giving tribals access to all social can bring in and increase the people’s understanding protection and welfare schemes. revenue and profits of enterprise and deliver a This will provide them with roadmap where their produce emerges as the their basic necessities; currently, key economic player rather than being driven the people’s despicable situation should be a by the market. The task is to help navigate and matter of shame for us. The key and challenging influence the evolving economic development task for activists vis-à-vis welfare schemes and model and the market dynamics trajectory NRLM investments is to ensure the delivery of for the tribal people, to take advantage of funds with regularity and predictability. This the opportunity while keeping away from will instil confidence in the people. Otherwise, the attendant threats and risks. One must they will have to go to government offices maximize the potential of their productive repeatedly for their payments, which may be resources—human, physical and natural. a task so overwhelming that they may not follow up at all. The next step would be to help Once the cultural and philosophical tailor the schemes to suit the requirements perspective is grasped, the activist must of the tribal areas. Key central ministries engage and empower community leaders must have an advisory group to ensure to plan, participate, negotiate, sharpen and that implementation guidelines take into shape their ideas, leading to their development consideration the specificities and needs of the and well-being. When engaging with the tribal community and of the personnel serving markets, the aim must be to have negotiating them. This committee must not comprise power, a seat on the marketplace high table academics and bureaucrats alone, but must and the interests of autonomy of the markets include activists, field implementation officials, served. So the focus must be to identify and elected representatives, tribal leaders, etc. This recognize products and processes wherein includes MGNREGS, the Right to Education, the local people have a natural, competitive, and the food and nutrition provisioning and unique advantage and capability. The entitlements of ICDS, PDS, Mid-day Meal, opportunity must be in tune with the specific pensions for the old and widows, etc.

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Nothing succeeds like the timely exceeding Rs 100,000 crores It is crucial to take away provisioning of food to gain annually and NRLM must be all natural resources from tribal interest. Innovations must the crucial springboard to start the government and be offered by linking MGNREGS this process and bring in public corporate sector control wages to PDS and old-age sector institutions such as banks. and hand it back pension such as the advance to the citizens wage payment in MGNREGS in MGNREGS, for instance, is Andhra Pradesh. doing poorly in tribal areas whereas the tribals are desperate to earn Implementation effectiveness is generally incomes. MoRD often shirks its responsibilities, sought by adding more manpower but unless saying the ‘guidelines’ are flexible. Yet no complemented with removing the obstacles to government official will risk using this proviso. decision-making, it will not be effectual. It is The finance person will strike the proposal crucial to adopt innovative and decentralized down, saying that it is not covered under approaches to programme management, the guidelines. Let us take the example of with transparency and accountability as crèches in MGNREGS. After discussions with the hallmark. The risks involved in effective the women and understanding all aspects of outreach must be taken into account. It is managing and keeping the children and the important to be broadly and basically right mothers happy, the village was found to be the rather than to seek perfection. The Ministry most suitable place to locate crèches. Despite of Rural Development (MoRD) must not pass the government agreeing to suggestions on the responsibility to the tribal welfare on how to foster and implement the crèche department or the gram panchayat. Those scheme, no one advanced its adoption. The institutions lack resources—both human and reason, later cited, was that the crèche being financial. an item listed under the heading of ‘work- place facility’ must be located at the worksite Convergence is crucial but is not practised. and not the village. Everyone talks of convergence, yet no one provides its ‘know-how’. The focus of Vizag, a predominantly tribal area where people convergence must include arranging financial practise shifting cultivation, won the recent resources, harnessing technical capabilities, national district award for implementation of organizing institutional infrastructure and, MGNREGS. It gets about 1,000 mm of rainfall above all, viewing and delivering the outcome every year. The officials’ claims for the award from the lens of the user or the beneficiary were their coffee plantations, an alien crop community. One instance of convergence with no consumption value to the tribal. The at work, coming by default and albeit with local communities have no role in its plantation, many inadequacies, is the instituting of production, processing or marketing. The watershed projects in some states. These capabilities of the tribal people are completely have evolved over two decades, aided by a undermined and they are silent, helpless clear definition of the roles and actions of the observers, serving, at best, as wage workers participating implementation departments, at these coffee plantations. It has destroyed specific budget provisions and oversight aegis their ability to ‘negotiate’. The photographs by a community-led management body. The of the greenery around coffee plantations are task of convergence must begin with schemes displayed in Delhi and everyone is happy to administered by MoRD. It has an investment see the forest land restored—from the practice

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of shifting cultivation to lush with gas. They serve the middle The challenge for the coffee plantations. Worse, not classes and the urban people. development activist a penny has been invested in The tribal population cannot is to understand, MGNREGS, to produce adequate access or use them. In addition, shape and moderate and easy access to firewood or welfare schemes implemented this opportunity as an housing materials for the local by the government have high advantage, with the population. The tribal people numbers of exclusion and are power to transform have lost control over their land. characterized by poor servicing. livelihoods that meet Cash transfer schemes that will, the expectations of Once social protection and to some extent, benefit the tribal the people, develop welfare schemes reach the population are government their capabilities, retain tribal people, the next step welfare schemes such as PDS autonomy, enhance is to identify potential areas and old-age pensions, which the productive factor of production, which enjoy constitute a very small amount endowments and, thus, comparative and competitive and hence will provide paltry shape a development advantage (human and natural gains to the tribal people. dynamic that secures resources) in the markets, and Development activists must their destiny bring value addition to economic advocate a new subsidy regime activities. Also necessary is the that is not budget deficit- need to identify the aspects of ease of accessing centred but is just, equitable and need-based the markets, in terms of logistics, and tapping to the requirements and welfare of the people market potential at higher levels in the supply in these regions. This is a livelihood issue. chain. We must look at the local markets in nearby towns rather than aspire for large In NRLM, a major thrust is financial inclusion cities. After that, we can plan the steps and and bank linkage. Any business plan, therefore, invest in aspects needed to create or develop must meet banks’ requirements for them enabling conditions for the economic growth to lend. This compels people to understand of the area. The production ecology of forest enterprise management. The development areas must be understood; otherwise the rush worker has a major role to play here because to harvest the produce will see a repeat of the local people have no understanding of the demand for timber by the Indian railways the financial system. Experience shows that during the British rule, leading to the ravaging the poor, as placed now, accept and go along of forests, and the widespread outrage and with any government or NGO investment, anger among the community. MGNREGS can however irrelevant it may be to them. The serve to provide the investment for improving task, therefore, is to trigger enthusiasm the resource infrastructure. among the people of the potential of their own project ideas, rather than be led by the Cash transfer schemes will become operational lending schemes of the banks. This will happen soon, and subsidies will be distributed directly only when we address tribal aspirations with in cash to beneficiaries, vide their bank scope for substantial improvement to their life. accounts. Here too, the big ticket items are Unless the possibility of such a goal were to be cooking gas, fertilizers, etc. Electricity, a state shown to them, the people will not put their subject, will soon join in. Most cash transfers entire efforts into the project—a basic for any are market linked to subsidy schemes that are business to succeed. private, efficient and customer-driven such as

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How does one identify business Another aspect is to fully Old development opportunities? The first step is to avail of the Forest Rights Act theories and livelihoods list all the possible opportunities (FRA) both for individual and approach will not work and then eliminate some. For community pattas. This will give because the tribals are instance, we all know that a big boost to their ownership angry and helpless at there is a high demand for and expanse of the tribal what is unfolding for fresh vegetables. These can be territory. This must be followed them. Development produced in tribal areas, where by measures to enhance NTFP investments, whatever land has higher productivity. production. The impetus here their origin— However, the hamlets are comes by developing and using government, donor dispersed and the region is hilly. technology and methodology or corporate social Road connectivity and cold for productivity enhancement responsibility—are storage facilities are lacking. and for sustainable harvesting driven by the consumer So for areas far into the techniques. In its absence, self-interest of the rest interior, businesses that focus business models on existing of India. The interests on procuring and marketing of surplus will not be viable. of the tribal people are perishable vegetables will be Whereas all this is possible, incidental whereas, for excluded because it is difficult a major challenge along the activists, the interests of and risky. The sale of vegetables way would be to get banks to the tribal communities is excellent if the markets are invest and lend. There is talk must be intrinsic nearby or transport is reliable. of setting up a National Dairy The business plan should then focus on Development Board (NDDB)-type structure scheduling the production in order to be in for NTFP development and marketing, which sync with the market and thus avoid getting might address certain lending and technology lower prices or incurring wastage. For remote development work. However, the experience interior areas, the business plan must be to of government-controlled and managed produce such fruits and vegetables that have a NTFP produce is dismal. The issue is not the longer shelf life, for instance, jack fruit, gourds architecture of the institution, although it or pumpkins. helps to mobilize certain resources, but of the lack of vision, sagacity, smartness and clarity The poor operate on low profit margins. It of purpose that stalwarts such as the Late is important that the markets they serve are V. Kurien demonstrated. Under NRLM, the steady and provide an assured income. Risk setting up of some tussar producer companies reduction and stability must be at the heart of is being envisaged. How the task is understood determining and developing the business plan. and the activities unfold will have immense Pricing must not only be cost plus. The aim must bearing in the marketing of NTFP. be to move higher up on the value chain. The focus must, therefore, be on creative - strength NRLM must not be in a hurry to create market based thinking on business development, linkages, to serve high value markets. Instead, taking into account local capabilities, removing it must deliver a limited agenda, based on or addressing risk bottlenecks and building on developing the comparative advantage of comparative advantages. Instead of excluding the produce of such regions. It must develop and eliminating the local seller, his expertise regional marketplaces and foster local players, must be used because he has a better business to service the market chain. It must promote sense.

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the increased circulation of not merely aim at servicing Once the cultural and money within the local economy. high value markets through philosophical perspective NRLM must take a long-term big corporations. It must is grasped, the activist approach, to develop the ensure autonomy and control must engage and potential of natural resources in the hands of the people empower community and the capacities of the people. over the production process leaders to plan, Its task must be to invest, based and its products rather than participate, negotiate, on the interests of the tribal the powerful market forces, sharpen and shape their people, and promote enabling especially because they are ideas, leading to their conditions so that the poor are outside the state check, control development and able to negotiate and avail of or radar. For instance, growth well-being benefits of their integration into demands that we aim for mainstream markets. Otherwise, the lowest product cost but the poor will end up at the bottom of the development calls for influencing how the market pyramid, to serve and satiate the urban costs behave and the incomes are distributed, market appetite. thus helping each to rise to its potential.

Conceived and developed properly, the With few options left but to pursue the rapid above steps and approach will enthuse and growth of the Indian economy and its urgency, energize the local staff and the tribal leaders, India is poised to aggressively penetrate the to encourage active community participation. resource rich tribal areas. NRLM has multiple It will address some of people’s fears of in-built strengths. NLRM is a mission and not extraction, exploitation and extinction. It is a department; it has a seven-year timeframe, only when the tribal representatives sit on the is led by an autonomous body headed by high table and negotiate that we can trigger committed young officials, has flexibility in off the processes for the people to successfully staffing and employs a large workforce that is participate in and direct the process of inclusive young, motivated and keen to show results. growth—a key national goal. It partners with village communities and institutions, and enjoys a liberal, open-ended, The paradigm shift, therefore, that needs to technical support funding from World Bank. take place is that NRLM must pursue a long- term, sustainable, people-centric approach to Promoting livelihoods is not just a simple issue poverty reduction, deprivation and economic of putting together resources and capacities backwardness. Its strategies must aim to such as human, financial, natural resources improve and create a fair relationship, and and technologies. This approach may help a balance the terms of production and trade. select few in joining the market bandwagon Centre-staging development with finance as to gain advantage; only a few tribal people impetus has little relevance to the aspirations will benefit from it. A rich and full harvest and the needs of the people in such areas. will occur only when the political economy The rising power of finance capital and compels markets and institutions, to fulfil the increasing casino approach distorts democratic aspirations of a just and egalitarian development and destroys societies. society, which reaches and serves the last man, as sought by the Father of our nation. Linking with and going up the value chain must be seen in all its multiple facets. It must

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Organic Farming in Balaghat: Power to the Community, Power to the Farmer!

CHANDAN SARMA AND PANDIT ARJUN

Exploring the possibilities of introducing and implementing organic practices in several villages has resulted in better yield, higher income and an exponential increase in the confidence of women engaged in organic farming, raising hopes for greater economic stability as well as gender equality

INTRODUCTION The National Organic Standards Board, based in the USA, provides a succinct definition of organic agriculture: a practice, which comprises an ecological production management system, which promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycle and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.

The Balaghat team of PRADAN was set up in 2008. The team is currently working in two blocks—Paraswada and Balaghat Sadar, with the Schedule Tribes (ST) such as the Gonds, the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) such as the Baiga, and Other Backward Castes (OBC) such as the Pawar, the Marhar and the Ahir communities. The outreach is 6,200 families in 150 villages, covering 500 SHGs. The area has about 60 per cent forest cover and an undulating terrain. Low accessibility and widespread poverty are the characteristic features of the villages in which PRADAN is working. The average land-holding of the community is about 1.5 acres.

The team has been exploring the possibilities of introducing and implementing organic practices in patches since 2009. Usually, traditional chemical practices, especially in paddy-based intervention, were promoted. In vegetable cultivation, the approach has been more in tune with the organic way, as already practised in this area (vegetables grown for consumption purpose by the community). Based on the outcome of these experimentations in various villages, the team’s approach to agriculture has undergone a radical change, with a complete shift in focus to the organic process.

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The reality is that during the past organic agriculture is comparable Traditionally, the decade, the change to chemical to that of chemical farming, community in the area methods in the agricultural if proper scientific techniques cultivated vegetables for practices in this area has resulted such as seed treatment, line-to personal consumption in the loss of indigenous seeds -line sowing, etc., are followed. using totally organic and has increased dependency And with reduced input costs methods. In paddy, on external forces. With this and greater health safety, the Di-Ammonium Phosphate change, the influence of the economic benefit outweighs the (DAP) and Urea along woman of the family in the loss that occurs for a season or with organic matter agricultural activity has greatly two due to the shift. was used diminished. The introduction of organic farming, it was believed, would, The third and the most critical perhaps, facilitate in rectifying this situation. aspect of organic farming is the control of the community on the farming process. The At the core of organic agriculture is community in this area had been practising sustainability vis-à-vis economic profitability farming without much dependency on external and social equity (farming independency). market forces since the dawn of civilization. All three terms needs to be explored to However, in the past few years, there has understand the urgent need of a different way been a huge transition from independence of practising agriculture in the area. As defined to complete dependency on the external by D. Rigby (University of Manchester) and market, especially in paddy and vegetables D. Caceres (University of Cordoba), in their cultivation—right from the procurement of study on sustainable farming, agricultural seeds, to fertilizers and pest management. The sustainability rests on the principle that we situation is so critical that today, right before must meet the needs of the present without the kharif season, we find the agents of the compromising the ability of future generations companies, at the decentralized village level, to meet their own needs. Sustainability can competing with each other to sell seeds. The be a tricky term. For example, if an irrigation prices of chemical fertilizers and pesticides facility is used for farming (using coal driven have shot up rapidly in the past few years, electricity or oil, which in the long run is forcing the farmer to struggle for food security. exhaustive), the concept is weakened a little. The experience at the village level has proven But our observation and assumption is that that the situation can be addressed; the chemical agriculture not only causes health issue of a farmer’s independence and control hazards and depletes the natural environment, over agriculture can again be shifted back to thereby diminishing the ability of the future the community. All that is needed is a more generations to meet their needs, but also holistic approach and a sense of empathy for forces the farmer to be dependent on external the farmer and her/his dignity—and organic market forces for sustenance. farming is one of the ways to empower the farmers. Economic profitability is often cited as the reason for the non-viability of organic TRANSITION IN THE TEAM agriculture. However, based on our intervention with the farmers of this area, we found, as is Traditionally, the community in the discussed in this article, the margin of profit in area cultivated vegetables for personal

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consumption, using totally was not done. Also, it was the The initial quest for organic methods. In paddy, Di- norm in the area, especially in organic farming, as Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) vegetable cultivation, to place far as the team was and urea along with organic two or three plants in one spot. concerned, came from matter were used. In the first The idea of vegetable cultivation the community itself. two years, PRADAN was actively as a cash crop in kharif (or even The traditional practices involved in promoting improved rabi) was new to the area. The in this area, being in the agricultural practices through dependency on external inputs, vicinity of the forest, a chemical method. The team though gradually on the rise, were largely based on motivated the community by was still under relative check. organic matter even taking them to other PRADAN In 2009, professionals from the if seed treatment, line teams and introducing them to team visited Subhash Sharma’s sowing or timely weeding the chemical method of farming farm (the pioneer of natural was not done with a proper Package of farming in India) in Maharashtra Practices (PoP). This, in turn, trickled down at and found the experience very inspiring. The the ground level, with widespread adoption in team then began experimenting in small the first year. However, during the second year, patches in many villages. However, there was the interest level of the community drastically still skepticism in the team regarding organic dropped because the benefits of chemical farming. farming were below their expectations and input costs were high. This was particularly But by 2012 the team was convinced. They stark in the case of vegetable cultivation. In organized an organic mela at the cluster level paddy, where mixed organic and chemical in Durenda and Pachpedi villages, which was farming was being practised, the results were attended by 1,100 farmers. Durenda and quite encouraging. Pachpedi have been the focal point of the team in terms of organic agriculture and this This served as a wake-up call for the team. The mela/gathering served as a brilliant platform Balaghat team began analyzing the traditional for farmers from more than 50 villages to be practices (organic, with controlled external trained in organic farming. In Durenda village, input) as well as the newly introduced chemical organic farming is practised on contiguous method of agriculture. Sustainability, food patches, and some on-field demonstrations security, production, farming independence helped the farmers form a clearer picture. of the community, etc. were studied and Durenda is an interior village in Balaghat and, discussed. The team decided to explore traditionally, the practices were inclined to the organic methods, experiment with them in organic process. a few places and then present them to the community and let them decide what was in Workshops held in Hyderabad by the Centre their best interest. for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) in the month of August 2012 and Chetna Organic The initial quest for organic farming, as far in Mandla in September 2012 were attended as the team was concerned, came from the by professionals of the team. These helped the community itself. The traditional practices in team cement the belief in organic farming. this area, being in the vicinity of the forest, Further visits to Yawatmal (to Subhash were largely based on organic matter even if Sharma’s farms) by more than 600 farmers seed treatment, line sowing or timely weeding as well as professionals in December 2012

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inspired and motivated both especially indigenous vegetables, Based on the team’s the community as well as the collective experience in the local as well as the larger professionals. Kisan melas, based of three years on market on the theme of organic farming the different ways of ŠŠ In tune with the goal of the and focusing on the women implementing organic farmers and their way of life farmers (mahila kisans), were farming and the high held in three places in February level of acceptance in the THE BEGINNING: A SMALL 2013. More than 1,300 farmers community, in the kharif STEP attended this event, along with season of 2012, the When the PRADAN team officials from the agriculture Balaghat team decided to started agriculture intervention department. There was vibrancy encourage only organic in Balaghat in the kharif in the energy of this gathering of practice in vegetable season of 2009, the baseline farmers, marked by singing and cultivation data showed that the farmers dancing. Plays were performed were using traditional seeds showing the woman farmer carrying the and practices in vegetable cultivation. They organic bandwagon. These were truly inspiring cultivated only five to ten plants of brinjal and events for the team. chilli in the homestead land for the purpose The desire on the part of the team to promote of personal consumption. The team began organic agriculture in all the villages is based promoting vegetables as cash crops for the on the following points: impoverished families of the area, using a PoP, that included high-yield varieties of vegetable Š Š High level of acceptance and desire on the seeds with chemical fertilizer (urea, DAP) and part of the community pest management (ridomil, forret, bawastien). ŠŠ Reduced input costs For many farmers (especially the women from the SHGs) in this area, this was their first brush ŠŠ Farming independence and reduced with a chemical practice. They faced a series dependency on market forces of problems. Insecticides were mixed with ŠŠ Easy to learn water in buckets and sprayed using brooms ŠŠ Improved soil health and then the same buckets were used after washing for fetching water for consumption. ŠŠ Easy to replicate Some farmers also shared their apprehension ŠŠ In tune with their traditional practices regarding chemical insecticides and how ŠŠ Perceived as safe by the community they have to keep it outside the household. Incidentally, in the same period, the team also ŠŠ Strengthens the identity of a woman as a introduced 50 farmers to organic Handikhad farmer with newly acquired technical skills in vegetable cultivation. This was practised ŠŠ High yields using indigenous variety of the in three stages—after transplantation, at the seeds flowering stage and at the fruiting stage. The results from the initial organic practices ŠŠ Availability of varied species of highly were excellent, with similar yields between resistant indigenous seeds suitable for the organic and inorganic processes, but with a local area marked reduction in the input cost for organic ŠŠ Good market rates for organic products, agriculture. The input cost fell by about 50 per cent, in case of organic farming. There was

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very little variance between the production such as neemkada, agniastra and brahmastra of organic and inorganic methods. However, for pest control in paddy. In the paddy season the two main advantages of organic processes of 2012–13, pest control was completely were that the input costs went down and the through organic bio-extracts with chemical women found the processes easy to learn and pesticides being rarely used. In 2012—13, the handle. farmers opted for less chemical fertilizers and increased the usage of farmyard manure and In food crops, the farmers traditionally grew organic matter. The pattern of use is as below: paddy through both the chemical and the farmyard manure methods. Even traditionally, Year Soil Rationale Pest Man- the dependence on external inputs was low. Input agement But in the last decade or so, the use of chemical (Quan- fertilizers had gone up. DAP was applied in tity/ large quantities. The average production was Acre) around six quintals per acre. In the first year 2009– DAP 40 This was the Insec- (2009 kharif), PRADAN initiated the System of 2010 kg first year; ticides, Rice Intensification (SRI) with 506 farmers with Urea 20 wanted to Fungicide recommended doses of chemical fertilizers. Of kg know the these, 40 farmers were invited to adopt the Potash effect and to organic Jeevamrita practice in paddy. The 10 kg build con- comparative analysis of the production is listed fidence in below: Jeevamrita. 2010– DAP 30 Started Reduced No. Type of Practice Average 2011 kg applying insecticide, Yield in Urea 20 bio-micro- fungicide. Quintal kg nutrients in Introduc- Per Acre Potash the soil along tion of bio- 1 SRI along with 20 10 kg with Jeevam- extracts Jeevamrita and rita FYM chemicals 2011– DAP 25 Increased use Reduced 2 SRI exclusively with 16 2012 kg of Jeevamrita insecticide, chemicals Urea 25 and micro- fungicide. 3 Conventional farming 8 kg nutrients, Scaling up with chemicals Potash FYM of bio- 10 kg extracts During the subsequent seasons, the quantity 2012– DAP 25 Increased use Total of the chemical input in paddy cultivation was 2013 kg of Jeevam- organic reduced gradually whereas that of the organic Urea 20 rita and micro pest control input was increased. In 2011–12, the practice kg nutrients, through of combining chemical and organic methods Potash FYM bio-extracts for paddy cultivation was promoted with 506 8 kg including farmers. Encouragingly, the team managed to preventive shift from chemical insecticide to bio-extracts measures

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Though the team would have SCALING-UP ORGANICALLY, The discontent of the ideally liked to shift to organic IN VEGETABLE CULTIVATION community with chemical paddy as early as possible, the farming, the rising prices In the rabi season of 2010– process has been gradual due to of inputs, the fluctuating 11, the team intervened with several factors. All the farmers market prices, the health 350 farmers, to promote were not ready for a complete hazards while using vegetable cultivation with a shift. Even from the technical pesticides and the lack of high-yield variety in onion point of view, the chemical control of the community and brinjal, using chemical practices followed have led to a over the farming fertilizers and insecticides. depletion of microbial activities process—all reinforced Most of these farmers were of the soil. This will require some the view that there is a using their traditional methods years to be restored. Farmers need for an of cultivation with indigenous also do not have sufficient alternative way seeds, and manure and other organic matter for a large-scale organic matter as fertilizer. transition. However, though production doubled, there were problems such as wilting and pest attack. In 2011–12, the team promoted both Also, in the case of brinjal, though production practices—the chemical and the organic increased, the rate in the market was less than fertilizer, with 506 farmers. In 2012–13, we of the indigenous products. So, in 2011–12, minimized the use of chemical fertilizers from both indigenous seeds and hybrids were 70 kg (in 2009–10) to 53 kg. In the monsoon promoted, using a mixed organic process season, total organic practices were adopted and chemical practice (wherever necessary). by 65 farmers from seed treatment to insect Organic Handikhad with bio-extracts was and pest control. More than 1,000 families widely used. Seed treatment, line-to-line have used Jeevamrita in paddy at least once or sowing, etc., were promoted in all cases. The twice. In paddy, the farmers have been using results were successful with a similar range of integrated balanced fertilizers with chemical production in all cases. and organic inputs and 906 families have been using Handikhad and vermi-compost in The community service provider (CSP) vegetables. Almost 250 farmers have been promoted patch-wise planning and the use using vermi-compost in paddy and vegetables. of bio-extracts in vegetables. The focus was Based on our learning in the last few years, the on a clustered approach to organic farming, paddy growth in the up-lands was stunted due to control insecticides, because the use of to micro-nutrient deficiency. In 2012–13, 210 insecticide the previous year had a negative families in the up-lands treated 84 ha of their impact on the adjacent organic plot. In 2012, land with micro-nutrients. a preventive spray of neemastra was used

No. Type of Practice Average Yield in Quintal Per Acre 1 SRI along with Jeevamrita and chemicals 18 2 SRI exclusively with chemicals 14 3 SRI exclusively with organics 12 4 Conventional farming with chemicals 6

Case Study: Organic Farming in Balaghat: Power to the Community, Power to the Farmer! 37

on the land of 600 farmers. In of 2012–13, an additional The Balaghat team the wadi (backyard) plots, each 80 farmers (in addition to has initiated a fourfold farmer has eight to ten plants of those who participated in practice in agriculture in semi (beans) on an average, with the kharif cultivation), joined the area: SRI in paddy each plant yielding 2 to 3 kg of the programme for organic and vegetable cultivation, produce. Due to pest attacks, it vegetable cultivation. The organic soil nutrition had come down to below the observed trend for production, management, pest and potential production. In 2012– as compared to the production disease control 13, the plants were treated with through chemical practices, is and indigenous the preventive spray in entire much lower input costs and seed promotion patches, covering the land of higher market prices for the 300 farmers, and the per plant production produce. increased by 1 kg. Indigenous semi was also introduced with the Baiga community in two THE DHUTTI EXPERIENCE places and it proved very successful. The entire patch (river side land) adjacent In the rabi of 2012–13, the team intervened in to the Dhutti Dam gets inundated during the chana (chickpea) cultivation by introducing the rainy season. During the rabi period, the a natural farming process. Experts were invited water subsides and the patch is available for for demonstration at the plots where the vegetable cultivation. The area is under the farmers were advised to adopt intercropping irrigation department and they lease it to small with line sowing for chana, peas, mustard land-holders and land-less farmers from the and coriander—crops that the farmers were Gond community. In 2011–12, 80 farmers in familiar with growing. There was a need to this area were growing indigenous seed, using intervene and introduce them to line-to-line traditional practices, in small patches of 5 sowing. In all, 51 farmers are now engaged in decimals each. PRADAN intervened with two the natural farming process. farmers for vegetable cultivation and helped them adopt SRI practices, using indigenous Based on the team’s collective experience seeds in just two acres of their land. The results of three years on the different ways of were outstanding, with Ramkali Bai earning Rs implementing organic farming and the high level 25,000 and Hemlata Bai earning Rs 60,000. of acceptance in the community, in the kharif This inspired the other families and in the rabi season of 2012, the Balaghat team decided to season of 2012–13, all 80 families adopted encourage only organic practice in vegetable organic SRI practice in vegetable cultivation cultivation. The Community Mobilizers (CMs), completely. The results from this intervention the Service Providers (SPs) and the farmers have been very encouraging with bulk organic were all trained in organic practices, for both production from the patch. paddy and vegetable cultivation. The use of indigenous seeds was encouraged. Matkakhad FOCUSED GROUP DISCUSSION WITH for soil fertility and neemastra and agniastra FARMERS were used extensively for pest management. In February 2013, the team conducted a Decentralized training on organic practices Focused Group Discussion (FGD) in three was organized in every village. In all, 1,526 groups of 15 farmers each, with the purpose farmers cultivated vegetables as a cash crop, of reviewing the team’s intervention along using organic methods. In the rabi season

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with suggestions from the and the interaction with the The last few years have farmers for further engagement been an incredible stakeholders in Amoli village. Farmers from learning curve for the ŠŠ Learning the importance Amoli, Dhutti, Takkabarra Balaghat team. Organic of grading, vis-à-vis the rate and Alipur were present in agriculture has been differences according to grading this FGD. These four adjacent promoted after many villages are heavily involved in ŠŠ Being informed of the rate deliberations, at both the vegetable cultivation. During of vegetables in different places community as well as the the review, the farmers shared team levels. In vegetable ŠŠ Knowing the supply and the progress of agriculture cultivation, the shift demand vs rates productivity and what they had towards organic farming learned. According to them, ŠŠ Comparing the rates to the has been complete. paddy production doubled after local area The next challenge is to PRADAN’s intervention in kharif replace hybrid seeds with Of the 15 members, 13 of them and the input cost had gone high yield indigenous had never seen the district down due to the focus on the seeds, the process for market before and the other four organic approach to farming. which has been initiated had never been to the district. In the case of rabi vegetables, The large vegetable market production a increased, but overwhelmed them but they were very excited there was saturation due to a faulty strategy to see the process of the announcement adopted at the market place. During the last of rates. The women interacted with the year, they had had to compete with vegetables vegetable farmers and traders, and in the that came from adjacent districts and process learned the rates and the varieties which were produced through the chemical as well as the mechanics of the demand and method. There was lack of awareness in the supply. They also studied other details such as market about the vegetables grown through packaging and grading, and became familiar the organic process. To create awareness, with tools such as the crate and the weighing the farmers set up a banner, “Desi bhatta machine. The women learned that indigenous nachakna, sadapi khathu tha fasal (indigenous and organic varieties of vegetables fetched a brinjal and vegetable, organic matter, crops)”, much higher rate (about 30 per cent higher) and sat with it to acquaint the people with than the hybrid chemical variety. They realized the concept of organic vegetables at both the that there was great scope for learning and for Lamta local market and in the adjacent block using the local market as well as the market of Paraswada. The farmers also formed an in the adjacent block of Paraswada, if proper execution committee (Karyakarni Samiti), to strategies were followed. further explore the markets at the district level. The women shared their learning at the EXPOSURE TO THE BALAGHAT MANDI village-level meeting and re-strategized their (MARKET) approach. They decided in this meeting that the women would set up an organic crop In February 2013, PRADAN organized an SHG production and knowledge centre in Dhutti, members’ ‘exposure to the market’ with the where the vegetables were collected, and that purpose of: they would sell their produce as a collective, ŠŠ Understanding the system of the mandi after grading, weighing and packaging the

Case Study: Organic Farming in Balaghat: Power to the Community, Power to the Farmer! 39

vegetables. They found that the key to matter as well as chemical inputs from outside. greater profits was to have an understanding Interestingly, the community relied on organic between farmers, to slot production and matter only in their homestead land where market the produce according to the demand they grew vegetables. PRADAN introduced of the local market. They also decided that SRI in both paddy and vegetable cultivation. surplus production would be collected and With these interventions, production in both sent to various local markets rather than to paddy and vegetables went up remarkably. a single place. All the farmers now sit under The community began accessing markets not a banner that says “Desi Bhatta Na Chaka” only for getting agricultural input supply but meaning organically produced vegetables. also to sell their farm produce. Six vegetable With the increased awareness about organic entrepreneurs emerged during this phase of produce, the margins of profit have gone up three years. significantly. During this period, a transition began to take A bumper produce of brinjal, tomato, chilli; place regarding the way forward in sustainable guar phalli and peas was harvested by the agriculture—at both the community as well farmers. The production of 20 farmers was as the team levels. The discontent of the analyzed and the net production of vegetable community with chemical farming, the rising prices of inputs, the fluctuating market prices, was 30,251 kg from February to May 2013. the health hazards when using pesticides and The net sale was for more than Rs 3,31,760. the lack of control of the community over Farmers like Maheshwari, Ramkali, Bhagwanti, the farming process—all reinforced the view Sahabati, Mahbati and Koushal were not only that there is need for an alternative way. This part of the farming process but also accessed alternative evolved from the age-old wisdom the market and sold vegetables worth more of the community, albeit in a more scientific than Rs 30,000. The fact that women came and technical fashion. In cash crop vegetable out actively for the first time to the markets cultivation, seed treatment using cow urine, was a defining step in the direction of not just single plant sowing, line-to-line sowing, economic empowerment but also in terms of regular weeding, soil treatment using organic their elevated social standing. matkakhad and FYM, pest management through neemkada, agniastra and brahmastra, were the standard procedures followed. ORGANIC VILLAGE: SAWARJHODI Indigenous seeds were also promoted. PRADAN initiated its intervention in Sawarjhodi Encouragingly, women in this village have village in 2008, through the formation of an acquired the skills of making vermi-compost, SHG, and in the subsequent year intervened matkakhad, agniastra and brahmastra and this in agriculture. There are 47 households in process has been extremely empowering for the women of the SHGs. They now identify the village from the adivasi community. Prior themselves as farmers and equal partners in to PRADAN’s intervention, the average land- agricultural activity. holding in the village was two acres and food sufficiency was only for seven to eight months. By the kharif season of 2012, the vegetable Paddy production was seven quintals per acre production in this village was completely and vegetables were grown for the purpose through the organic method and the village of personal consumption only. In paddy coined a title for itself, Jaiwik Gram Sawarjhodi cultivation, the community relied on organic (Organic Village Sawarjhodi).

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There has been a tremendous shift in the ŠŠ The use of DAP reduced from 40 kg per practices followed by the farmers in paddy acre to 15 kg per acre and one quintal of cultivation as well. A brief comparative vermi-compost and Jeevamrita input note between the practice followed before ŠŠ Neemkada and agniastra used extensively PRADAN’s intervention and after PRADAN’s for pest management, shifting from integrated organic approach is outlined below. chemical pesticides ŠŠ SRI and improved paddy practices now ŠŠ Paddy production of 13 quintals per acre, widely followed an increase from 7 quintals per acre ŠŠ Paddy seed rate of 5 kg per acre from 50 ŠŠ Regular weeding kg per acre The changing farming pattern of nine farmers ŠŠ Four various types of paddy varieties are from Sawarjhodi, based on the farmers’ FGD being cultivated for risk mitigation as in 2012 (kharif) is as below.

No. Name of Farming Urea DAP FYM Bio Land Land SRI Im- Participant Practice (in Ex- Hold- taken Paddy proved Quin- tract ing (in on (in Paddy tal) Acres) Lease Acres) (in Acres) 1 Dwarka Integrated 25 kg in Vermi: Ye s 3 - 2 1 Uikey two acres 1.5 q SRI 2 Santobai Integrated DAP: 50 FYM: 3 - 1 2 Parte kg Urea: 25 q 50 kg in 3 acres SRI and Improved 3 Maheswari Integrated DAP: 30 FYM Ye s .5 1 - 1.5 Uikey kg in 12 q 1.5 acres Improved 4 Veenita Integrated DAP: FYM 2 - 0.5 1.5 Uikey 25 kg in 8 q 2 acres SRI and Improved 5 Pinki Integrated DAP: 25 FYM Ye s 1.5 - - 1.5 Uikey kg Urea: 25 kg in 2 q 1.5 acres Improved

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No. Name of Farming Urea DAP FYM Bio Land Land SRI Im- Participant Practice (in Ex- Hold- taken Paddy proved Quin- tract ing (in on (in Paddy tal) Acres) Lease Acres) (in Acres) 6 Pritam Integrated DAP: FYM 4 - - 4 Singh 60 kg in 15 q 4 acres Improved 7 Nokhsingh Organic FYM 1.5 - 1 .5 10 q 8 Gansingh Integrated DAP: FYM 3 - 3 Uikey 25 kg in 7 q 3 acres Improved 9 Dharam Integrated Urea: 25 FYM 2 0.5 1.5 Singh kg DAP: 12 q Uikey 100 kg Potash: 25 kg in 2 acres SRI and Improved

DWARKA BAI: A MODEL OF CHANGE consumption and as a cash crop source. She AND HOPE has started selling vegetables at the local Dwarka Bai is a member of the Swarn Mahila market in Paraswada. After flirting with Samiti, a SHG in Sawarjhodi village, Paraswada inorganic practice in vegetable cultivation and block, Balaghat district. Not only is she an an integrated practice in paddy in the first two active member of her SHG, she is also a vocal years of intervention, she has now completely proponent of the organic revolution in her switched to the organic method in vegetable village. She has realized the importance of cultivation and integrated method with the role that sustainable farming can play in decreased chemical input in paddy. She treats her life, in the well-being of the family and the soil through sustainable agronomical and in the larger community of her village. She biological methods for enhanced soil fertility. and her husband, Bharat Singh, own three Her agriculture practices in 2012–13, as acres of cultivable land. Since PRADAN’s compared to previous years before the agriculture intervention in the village in 2009, PRADAN intervention, are as follows: she cultivates two acres of her land through the SRI method whereas, in one acre, she has ŠŠ Paddy seed rate is 5 kg per acre from 50 adopted an improved paddy practice. In her kg per acre. homestead land of 30 decimals (0.3 acre), the family grows vegetables for personal

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ŠŠ Four types of paddy varieties are cultivated The success of Dwarka Bai as an organic for risk mitigation. farmer has been an inspiring experience not ŠŠ Reduced DAP usage from 40 kg per acre only for the team but also for the women of to 25 kg in two acres and 1.5 quintal Sawarjhodi. Today she talks with confidence vermi-compost usage and pride about her identity as a farmer and ŠŠ Extensive use of neemkada and agniastra how organic farming has empowered her. as a preventive measures for both paddy She is now a skilful farmer, who can talk and vegetables about anything from soil management to pest management. With composure and poise she ŠŠ Did not use chemical pesticides adds, “Is sal hamne kuch bhi soda aur bazaar Š Š Paddy production of 40 quintals from ka dava nai dala hai (This year we have not three acres of land, 30 quintals from SRI used any chemical fertilizers and insecticides in of two acres and 10 quintals from one vegetable cultivation).” She further adds that acre of improved paddy organic farming has reduced her dependency ŠŠ Both hybrid and indigenous seeds used in of buying expensive fertilizers and she no vegetable cultivation longer has to deal with the fear of using ŠŠ In homestead land for vegetable insecticides. Any visitor who comes to the cultivation, vermi-compost usage of Organic village of Sawarjhodi can experience about 50 kg and matkakhad three times, her conspicuous aura, as she talks about the micro-nutrients, pheromone trap (four in importance of organic farming, how it has number) and growth regulating hormones helped shaped her identity as a farmer and (dhenzyme) worth Rs 50 why it should be adopted by everyone. Her The production details from the vegetable eyes light up as she talks and one can sense cultivation done in her homestead land of 30 the change and feel the hope! decimals in 2012-13 are as below.

Name of Area in Farming Production Rate per Total Crop Decimals Practice in Kilograms Kilogram Income (Average) (in Rupees) Chilli 2 Organic 124 30 3,720 Barbati 5 Organic 164 24 3,984 Brinjal 5 Organic 216 15 3,240 Bitter Gourd 2 Organic 129 30 3,870 Bottle Gourd 3 Organic 125 20 2,500 Tomato 2 Organic 57 20 1,140 Semi (Beans) 3 Organic 150 40 6,000 Grand Total 965 24,454

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Presented here is the yield comparison between encouraged. Interventions such as the use the production in 2011–12 and 2012–13. In of vermi-compost, improved composting, 2011–12, farmers used chemical practices Jeevamrita and Matkakhad are taken up whereas, in the following year, there was a with the farmers. In vermi-composting, complete shift to an organic practice. The idea earthworms are used to decompose cow dung. of the comparison is to critically review the variance in production, if any, due to a complete ŠŠ In improved composting, a 10 ft by 10 shift to organic farming from the chemical and ft by 4 ft structure is made. All forms of integrated process. The production data shows biomass such as dung, leaves, grass, etc., are used to fill it. Azectobactor, PSB and interesting results. The production per decimal tricoderma are added to it. The top is then is very similar (40 kg and 43 kg, respectively). plastered using mud and the ingredients But the per decimal income varies from Rs 640 remain buried for three months after in chemical (and integrated method) to Rs 800 which they are completely decomposed in the purely organic method of production. and serve as an excellent bio-fertilizer. The primary reason for this variation in profit ŠŠ The process of making Jeevamrita is as is the recognition of a higher value of organic follows. product at the market level and strategic marketing by the producers. In the markets that No. Particu- Purpose Quantity they accessed, they sat under a single organic lars of Com- banner (Jaivik Khetti). The vegetables are not ponents only sold at a higher rate but there were hordes 1. Water Base 200 litres of customers in the stalls under the organic banner, leading to quick sales. In addition, 2. Cowdung Micronutri- 80 kg there is the advantage of reduced input cost ents in organic farming and the community control 3. Urine Pesticide 4 litres on the process of vegetable production. Also value interestingly, wherever indigenous seeds were 4. Jaggery Fermenting 1 kg used, the products got sold faster than any (gur) agent other vegetable in the market. Total 285 litres Jeevamrita AGRONOMICAL PRACTICES ADOPTED BY THE TEAM The Balaghat team has initiated a fourfold A cement water tank or barrel with a capacity practice in agriculture in the area: SRI in paddy of 300 litres has to be made. First, the water and vegetable cultivation, organic soil nutrition is poured into the tank. To this 80 kg of locally management, pest and disease control and available cow dung and four litres of cow urine indigenous seed promotion. are added. After adding 1 kg of jaggery (gur), the solution is stirred and left to ferment for A. SRI: Seed treatment, line-to-line sowing, 12 days in the tank or barrel. The solution regular weeding, etc., in all cultivation has to be stirred once a day. At the end of 12 activity days, Jeevamrita is ready for application. The B. Soil Nutrition Management: In organic 285 litres of Jeevamrita prepared this way is practice, the soil is treated as a living sufficient for one single application for an acre entity with high microbial activity. Deep of land, irrespective of the crop. ploughing and the application of FYM are

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ŠŠ Matkakhad Preparation one litre neemkada is added to 10 litres of water and can be used in a 10-decimal No. Particu- Purpose Quantity patch of vegetables. This should be used lars of Com- five times, beginning about 10 days after the ponents transplantation and must be sprayed five to six times at an interval of 10–15 days. 1. Water Base 5 litres In paddy of one acre, 90 litres of neemkada 2. Cowdung Micronutri- 5 kg solution (9 litres of neemkada and 81 ents litres of water) is sprayed after 15 days of 3. Cow urine Pesticide 5 litres transplantation and three or four times more value at an interval of 15 days each.

4. Jaggery Fermenting 0.25 kg ŠŠ Agniastra as pest control (gur) agent No. Particu- Purpose Quantity 5. Besan Fermenting 0.25 kg lars of Com- agent ponents 6. Neem leaf Pesticide 1 kg 1. Water Base 10 litres value 2. Neem Pesticide 1 kg Total Mat- 16.5 litres leaves value kakhad 3. Dhatura Pesticide 1 kg This mixture is kept in an earthen pot (matka) leaves value for five to six days and stirred twice a day. It 4. Besaram Pesticide 1 kg can then be used by mixing one part with four leaves value parts water in vegetable and paddy at intervals of a week. This mixture of 85 litres (16.5 5. Laltain Pesticide 1 kg litres of Matkakhad and 68 litres of water) is leaves value sufficient to be used in a five-decimal plot of 6. Chilli Pesticide 0.5 kg vegetable once. For excellent growth of the plant, the mixture should be used five times. value It can also be used as a spraying agent, which 7. Garlic Pesticide 0.5 kg serves as both a growth agent and insecticide value by mixing 50 ml of matkakhad with one litre water and spraying at an interval of 10–15 Total Agni- 15 litres days and about seven to eight times per crop. astra Agniastra is used when pests start appearing C. Pest and Disease Control in the farm plot. For an acre of paddy, 90 litres ŠŠ Seed treatment with tricoderma, cow of solution (5 litres of agniastra and 85 litres of urine water) are used. This is sprayed at an interval ŠŠ Pheromone traps to reduce harmful of 10–15 days, based on the presence of pests insects in the crops. In vegetable crops in an area of ŠŠ Neemkada as a preventive pest spray 10 decimals, a 10-litre solution is used (0.5 litre of agniastra and 9.5 litres of water) as a pest One Kilogram of neem leaves have to be control measure. In some villages, extracts of boiled with 4 litres of water until the water neem, aloe vera, turmeric and bel leaves were evaporates, leaving the leaves and one litre also used as blast treatment. water. The leaves are then removed and

Case Study: Organic Farming in Balaghat: Power to the Community, Power to the Farmer! 45

ŠŠ Neem oil as a final control measure complete. The next challenge is to replace A 5 per cent solution of neem oil can be used hybrid seeds with high yield indigenous seeds, as pest control in both paddy and vegetable the process for which has been initiated. cultivation. The quantity of the mixture is In another two years or so, it is expected similar to that of agniastra. that all vegetable cultivation will be by the indigenous organic method. Local food crops such as kodo, kutki and maria will continue THUMB RULE FOR PEST MANAGEMENT to be promoted through the organic method and the community encouraged to practise Type Purpose Solution Per Acre line sowing. An integrated approach will be Per- Need of followed for paddy, and it will take a few years for a complete shift to organic paddy centage Water to take place. The team will also promote Solution the indigenous high-yield variety in paddy, Neem- Preven- 10 90 litres bring it back to the mainstream and make kada tive the community conscious of the importance of having the control of seeds in their hands. Agnias- First line 5 90 litre The team believes that the organic approach tra of attack to farming is holistic and caters to the need on pests of the community in this area and has a high level of acceptance among the people. This Neem Final line 5 90 litre goal will be pursued with greater zeal in the Oil of pest coming period. The team is also exploring the attack possibility of organic farming being the means and the tool to reduce gender inequality, D. Promoting Indigenous Seeds: Indigenous rampant at the community level and in the seeds of the area have high resistance to larger society. disease and are also capable of high yield. These are now being promoted actively across The coming years are a critical phase for the villages. This has been very successful the Balaghat team as it explores the various with vegetable crops. Various varieties of dynamics of organic farming. Will it lead to a indigenous brinjal, chilli, beans, tomato, more equitable society? Will it empower the barbati, bottle gourd, etc., which were on women of the community? Will the newly the brink of extinction from the area are acquired skills raise the status of women in the now recognized by the community and the community? Will it lead to further change? Or larger market as a viable replacement for the will it only add to their drudgery? Can it be hybrid variety. There is still a struggle as far replicated throughout the area and in other as food crops are concerned because the local areas? Is it an impulsive and short-lived zeal varieties have been more or less suppressed by of the community? Or will it have long-term the market variety. The team will continue to acceptance? actively pursue and revive the local food crop seeds. These are the areas that need to be explored and the team plans to sincerely put all its efforts to discover the impact of various THE WAY FORWARD facets of this intervention. The Balaghat team The last few years have been an incredible has the conviction that the empowerment learning curve for the Balaghat team. Organic of women will lead to empowerment of the agriculture has been promoted after many community, and that the community control deliberations, at both the community as well of agriculture led by women will lead to their as the team levels. In vegetable cultivation, true empowerment. Power to the Community, the shift towards organic farming has been Power to the Farmer!

NewsReach May–June 2013 46

Reflections: My Journey as a Development Professional

DR. MINAKSHI DASTIDAR (SAHOO)

Tracing her journey from her roots to the present, the author reconnects with her deep desire ‘to make a difference’ to the lives of people and reaffirms her decision to work to help the underprivileged rural poor

Around 800 million people live in the villages of India; therefore, any account of India is incomplete without a reference to rural India. I have experienced rustic lifestyles closely during my childhood as well as professional life; hence, I have gathered, what I consider, invaluable experience of rural India. I often ask myself, have I in any way made a difference to the lives of the underprivileged and deprived people? Maybe yes and maybe no.

Everybody embarks upon this journey called life, full of ups and downs, happiness and sorrow, gains and losses. This trip may be exhilarating, exhausting and challenging in equal measure. Will the wealth that I am accumulating assure me happiness? Is the exercise of earning money beyond a point meaningful and purposeful? In spite of the vicissitudes of life, I would like to take out a moment from my life to think of helping out those who are oppressed and downtrodden. I closed my eyes and went down memory lane to the time when I graduated from Assam Agricultural University with a degree in Veterinary Science in 2002.

After clearing a tough selection process, I was selected to join as an apprentice in PRADAN, an organization devoted to shape the future of rural India. On the one hand, I was thrilled that I got the job, leaving behind many of my classmates; on the other hand, I was afraid of working in a naxalite-infested tribal village and staying more than a thousand kilometres away from North Lakhimpur district of Assam, which is my home town. Setting aside all my apprehensions and anxieties, I proceeded to a nondescript place in Barhi subdivision in Hazaribag district of Jharkhand. 47

As part of the year-long the company of compassionate Any account of India is Apprenticeship Programme, team-mates, is so well structured incomplete without a under the guidance of a trained that I rarely felt I was away reference to rural India… Field Guide, I went for my from my family and friends. I often ask myself, have ‘Village Stay’ to a picturesque, I completed the programme I in any way made a tribal village, to experience successfully and graduated to and participate in rural life. The difference to the lives of become an Executive. I worked training format used the age-old the underprivileged and in PRADAN, and through its technique of ‘observation’ and deprived people egalitarian learning environment, ‘learning by doing’. I saw people nurtured the skills essential for a leading very primitive lives in small hamlets thorough development professional. Before I beside the jungle. They led isolated lives, cut knew it, I had built a solid foundation. After off from modern civilization. I tried to introduce spending almost three years in PRADAN, I the women to the habit of saving through self- left to join SEWA, Gujarat, and subsequently help groups (SHGs) and also modern practices, Deepak Foundation, Vadodara, and JK Trust but they were very resistant to change. The Gram Vikas Yojana of the Singhania Group. process was very slow and, many a times, I lost hope and wanted to give up. But my Life after PRADAN was not as exciting mentor in PRADAN helped me to regain my professionally because my work was limited lost confidence and guided me on how to and bound within the prepared framework achieve my goal. I took almost one year to of the organization and there were not much understand the process—that phase of my life interaction with the ultimate beneficiaries of was most memorable. My experiences ranging all such programmes. There was very little from doing the daily chores of cooking, visiting freedom at the work space and no scope for paddy fields and vegetable gardens, collecting value addition because acceptance within the wood and water—to remember a few—were organization was not very forthcoming. enriching. When I joined IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Limited I also visited the local weekly haat (market), (IKSL) in July 2012, it seemed, life had where all the villagers come together to come full circle. I am able to reconnect with purchase essential items and sell off their the next generation of rural India. I am surplus. These haats are the economy centres witness to the changes brought about by of the villages and the lifeline of the economy. development projects (governmental and non- The social aspects of weekly haats are equally governmental) as well as to their challenges. important for villagers and are interwoven I observe the difficulties and opportunities of delicately, to form the fabric of village life. livelihoods in rural India, and explore various The primitive system of exchange of goods, or government interventions, in areas such as the barter system, was still prevalent in those housing, infrastructure, health, and education markets. All types of goods are sold, including in villages, meet various stakeholders of these food products, cattle, clothes and accessories, schemes and learn about the challenges in and ornaments. The market place is also these schemes. famous for handia and mahua—the country liquor consumed by tribal folks. The mission of IKSL is to empower farmers and people living in rural India with pertinent I went through a systematic learning process, and high-quality information and services, which included fieldwork, foundation courses through affordable communication networks, and home visit. The year-long programme, in in a sustainable manner. Telecommunications

NewsReach May–June 2013 48

is growing rapidly and has When preparing content, we I worked in PRADAN, the potential to transform the keep in mind the farmer’s and through its Indian rural landscape. In recent socio-economic background, egalitarian learning years, it has demonstrated its learning needs, priorities and environment, nurtured potential by playing a vital opportunities as well as the the skills essential for a role in contributing to the economic barriers for adoption empowerment of people living thorough development of technology. The beauty of this in villages. One of the best tools, professional. Before I idea lies in the fact that these telecommunications can be used knew it, I had built a messages really help in spreading to disseminate information. solid foundation awareness of technology at the Moreover, this is scalable and grass-roots level, by explaining can be implemented successfully, with fewer facts and situations to the farmers in a resources. language and context they understand.

The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative That a series of messages can help transform Limited (IFFCO), Bharti Airtel and Star Global the lives of rural people is perhaps difficult Resources Ltd. formed the joint venture IFFCO to believe. However, messages related to Kisan Sanchar Ltd. (IKSL). Airtel has extended improved crop practices, weather forecast, its network backbone to IKSL and also provides mandi rates, etc., have helped farmers increase a sustainable income generating business their farm production and income; prior to opportunity to cooperative societies. The SIM this, most of the farmers had little or no access card in mobile phones is also used as a medium to updates on such aspects. to transfer information and knowledge, thereby empowering people living in villages. Time has changed the rural landscape. To bring Such relevant and pertinent information is about further change, we need to enhance the being provided by IKSL as a Value Added knowledge base of people. Awareness leads to Service (VAS). At present, about 13 lakh active Action. I am lucky to be part of this movement farmers are benefitting from IKSL’s VAS. for transforming rural India. There is much that modern science and technology can do to I am working with IKSL as Consultant realize the vision of increasing rural employment (Content Development) in the Gujarat team. opportunity, infrastructure, health and My role as a content provider is to prepare education. By building the capacities of rural messages and ensure that these are delivered people and supporting them, we hope to lay within the stipulated time-frame. Further, a the foundation for enduring transformational panel of eminent scientists at the corporate change. Now when I wake up in the morning, office monitors the quality of messages. We it seems a long-cherished dream has come deliver free voice messages every day on true. If things are not going according to plan, areas of interest to rural subscribers and have there is always an alternative that can be a dedicated helpline for query resolution by crafted. The wheels of change have been set experts. We also have a call-back facility, in motion. Going forward, I hope to continue to hear voice messages again. We conduct helping the needy and the underprivileged by mobile quizzes and phone-in programmes, imparting knowledge, to develop a healthy seeking expert advice. and ecofriendly landscape for them.

Platform: Reflections: My Journey as a Development Professional The farmers have applied their experiential knowledge to minimize risks by growing more than two or three common vegetable crops instead of one single crop. They have displayed mature analytical skills and understanding of the demand and supply by choosing mainstream common crops such as tomato, brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage, okra, chilli, cucumber and gourd. PRADAN is a voluntary organization registered in Delhi under the Societies Registration Act. PRADAN works through small teams of professionals in selected villages across eight states. The focus of PRADAN’s work is to promote and strengthen livelihoods for the rural poor. It involves organizing the poor, enhancing their capabilities, introducing ways to improve their income and linking them to banks, markets and other economic services. The professionals work directly with the poor, using their knowledge and skills to help remove poverty. NewsReach, PRADAN’s monthly journal, is a forum for sharing the thoughts and experiences of these professionals working in remote and far-flung areas in the field. NewsReach helps them to reach out and connect with each other, the development fraternity and the outside world.

NewsReach is published by the National Resource Centre for Rural Livelihoods, housed in the PRADAN Research and Resource Centre.

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