Shift to Organic through Trainings

‘I am proud became a organic farmer’, ‘Respect farm women’, ‘I succeed in getting sustainable yields’ , ‘I earned one and half lakh rupees from the sale herbal medicine’, My children are getting educated from income of sale of herbal medicine’. I won’t sale my land and I will convert in to organic farm’, I will start community seed bank for exchange of local seeds’, ‘I will shift my house in to land. These kinds of farmers’ voices were raised in Bhavasangama program. It is alumni meet of such farmers finished training in Samvada.

Back ground

Training will be held for youths from agricultural families, having 0-5 acres of agriculture land. It demonstrates how small holder agriculture can be a viable and sustainable option. Organic farming is combined with agro-based diversification. Agriculture is celebrating life not death, it needs celebration while production of foods. The present agricultural crisis and the situation of small and marginal farmers in the era of globalization, increasing capitalization of agriculture, chemical intensive/ bio-technology farming, implications of soil and water degradation and for farmers livelihoods. The concept and practice of sustainable agriculture and the practicalities of a transition to organic farming will be taught through a process of accompanying the participants through one cropping season.

Core content…

Skills and knowledge required to plan crop mixes, produce farmyard manure, liquid manures, manage kitchen gardens, herbal medicines, to introduce bio-pesticides, to produce and distribute indigenous seed varieties, maintain soil moisture and fertility, harvest and conserve rainwater and to engage with the market, will be the core content.

We conducted 24 days training program and it spread in six months. Struggle a lot in getting suitable candidate for the program. At the end we got good response from Karnataka farmers association. Finally we selected 25 people based on our selection criteria.

Outcome…

Regularly we visited farmers’ field. We met our students and also their family members during the visit. It was good interaction with bunch of family members. In way our visit is boosting their effort in the farm. Some are working hard to motivate others in the village, especially Ramesh Kasavanahalli, Kanthalaxmi, Surendra etc.

Sustainability quantification (SQ) level before training was 32.42% and now they achieved 57.14 %. That means they achieved 24.72 % sustainability due to intensive training. Farmers are achieved well in mulching strategy, Nutrient management and Seed sovereignty, but they still need to work on increasing live-stock number, crop protection strategies and soil & water management measures.

Surendra has started working on two crops namely Paddy and Finger millet. He took fifteen varieties of finger millet and two varieties of paddy for variety multiplication in his farm; finally he identified five and one good varieties in finger millet and paddy respectively. He stared rearing rabbit in his farm as one of the additional activity; already he had 10 pairs of rabbits in the farm. He also started doing vermi compost, Azola cultivation, Seed bank. Special thing of surendra is working with other farmers to convert whole village in to organic and his dream also.

Kanthalaxmi has started working in her one acre farm; she is mainly focusing on banana. She collected seven varieties of banana in and around her village. She wants to collect some more banana varieties. Agriculture University of Bangalore recognized her work and awarded “District level best farm women in Integrated Farming System category”. All India Radio broadcasted her experience in two times.

Girish is another farmer implementing organic elements his farm. He had little bit resistance from his father especially doing some innovative farming system in paddy and finger millet. We negotiate with his father and finally his father convinced to give small piece of land to experiment with SRI (System of Rice Intensification) system. SRI gives more yield compare with traditional system then his father is supporting Girish work.

Marketing Linkage…

We organized a unique program for better marketing strategy. HASIRU SANTHE is platform where organic consumers can meet and interact with those farmers who produce “SAFE” food for them. HASIRU SAN THE is planned because of following reason

1. To provide safe and healthy food

2. To promote eco friendly/non violent production practices

3. To avoid middlemen and provide better price to farmers

4. To build a culture of trust

5. To assert consumer’s right to know the producer of their food

6. To localize food production and distribution

HASIRU SANTHE is happening once in a month in Vyasa international school premise. Samvada’s five farmers’s are continuously participating and supplying organic products in the Hasiru Santhe. Our farmers had Sale diverse organic vegetables and foods. Products ranges from over 15 products including breakfast cereals, pickles, flours, herbal balms and ointments, nutritious millets, snacks, drinks, compost, free range eggs… all products are certified by the farmers through a rigorous peer certification process called PGS (Participatory Guarantee Scheme)

Conclusion

For farmers to switch to organic methods they almost need an attitudinal shift, as it is more than a simple calculation of changing the input to get a better output? The whole process of organic farming seems to require change in both subtle and obvious ways. Organic farming blends the art and science of farming along with its philosophy. The farmer listens to nature, and natural synergies are exploited and methods are tailored to local conditions