LEISA India English Edition - June 2018

no.2 June 2018 volume 20

Magazine on Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture

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LEIS INDI

Biological crop management LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

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LEIS INDI

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June 2018 Volume 20 no. 2

LEISA India is published quarterly by AME Foundation Address : AME Foundation No. 204, 100 Feet Ring Road, 3rd Phase, Banashankari 2nd Block, 3rd Stage, Bangalore - 560 085, India Tel: +91-080- 2669 9512, +91-080- 2669 9522 Fax: +91-080- 2669 9410 E-mail: leisaindia@yahoo.co.in LEISA India Chief Editor : K.V.S. Prasad Managing Editor : T.M. Radha EDITORIAL TEAM This issue has been compiled by T.M. Radha and K.V.S. Prasad ADMINISTRATION G.G. Rukmini SUBSCRIPTIONS Contact: G.G. Rukmini DESIGN AND LAYOUT S Jayaraj, Chennai PRINTING Nagaraj & Co. Pvt. Ltd., Chennai COVER PHOTO Kolar farmers adopt pheromone traps for pest control in redgram.

(Source: S Jayaraj for AMEF) The AgriCultures Network LEISA India is a member of the global Agricultures Network. Seven organisations that provide information on small-scale, sustainable agriculture worldwide, and that publish: Farming Matters (in English) LEISA revista de agroecología (Latin America) LEISA India (in English, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Oriya, Marathi and Punjabi) AGRIDAPE (West Africa, in French) Agriculturas Experiências em Agroecologia (Brazil).

The editors have taken every care to ensure that the contents of this magazine are as accurate as possible. The authors have ultimate responsibility, however, for the content of individual articles.

The editors encourage readers to photocopy and circulate magazine articles. www.leisaindia.org

Dear Readers

Biological crop management is the need of the hour. It is no longer an option. It is the way forward, if we are determined to deal positively with fragile environments, food and nutrition, health and well-being of the people and animals. There is increasing awareness at every level, be it consumer, farmer, policy maker, regarding the benefits of non-chemical farming.

However, two things remain unattended. There is a need for robust mechanisms in place for implementing these approaches. Those who are already promoting need to be encouraged and incentivised. The old templates need to be substituted or tweaked strongly.

Biological crop management offers better productivity, diversity and resilience with reduced costs and improved net incomes. It helps in preserving the eco systems, reducing carbon foot print from agriculture. There is no dearth of evidences and scale. However, it is always difficult to source alternative experiences, as these practitioners seldom write.

We repeat, we are extremely grateful to those who shared their perspectives with practical experiences on the theme. We are for ever thankful to the readers, the contributors and all those who have been instrumental in knowledge sharing and exchange on safe, inexpensive, simple and practical alternatives based on adaptation and innovation.

Hopefully, this issue inspires all those interested in welfare of the farmer as well as the planet.

The Editors LEISA is about Low-External-Input and Sustainable Agriculture. It is about the technical and social options open to farmers who seek to improve productivity and income in an ecologically sound way.

LEISA is about the optimal use of local resources and natural processes and, if necessary, the safe and efficient use of external inputs. It is about the empowerment of male and female farmers and the communities who seek to build their future on the bases of their own knowledge, skills, values, culture and institutions. LEISA is also about participatory methodologies to strengthen the capacity of farmers and other actors, to improve agriculture and adapt it to changing needs and conditions.

LEISA seeks to combine indigenous and scientific knowledge and to influence policy formulation to create a conducive environment for its further development. LEISA is a concept, an approach and a political message.

AMEF is a member of AgriCultures Network, which is involved in co-creation and sharing of knowledge on family farming and agro ecology. The network is locally rooted and globally connected. Besides magazines, the network is involved in multi stake holders’ engagement and policy advocacy for promotion of small holder family farming and agroecology. The network consists of members from Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Netherlands, Peru and Senegal. The secretariat of the network is located in IED Afrique, Dakar, Senegal.

MISEREOR founded in 1958 is the German Catholic Bishops’ Organisation for Development Cooperation. For over 50 years MISEREOR has been committed to fighting poverty in Africa, Asia and Latin America. MISEREOR’s support is available to any human being in need – regardless of their religion, ethnicity or gender. MISEREOR believes in supporting initiatives driven and owned by the poor and the disadvantaged. It prefers to work in partnership with its local partners. Together with the beneficiaries, the partners involved help shape local development processes and implement the projects. This is how MISEREOR, together with its partners, responds to constantly changing challenges. (www.misereor.de; www.misereor.org)

AME Foundation promotes sustainable livelihoods through combining indigenous knowledge and innovative technologies for Low-External-Input natural resource management. Towards this objective, AME Foundation works with small and marginal farmers in the Deccan Plateau region by generating farming alternatives, enriching the knowledge base, training, linking development agencies and sharing experience.

AMEF is working closely with interested groups of farmers in clusters of villages, to enable them to generate and adopt alternative farming practices. These locations with enhanced visibility are utilised as learning situations for practitioners and promoters of eco-farming systems, which includes NGOs and NGO networks. www.amefound.org Board of Trustees

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Sri. Chiranjiv Singh, IAS - Chairman; Dr. Vithal Rajan - Member; Sri. B.K. Shiva Ram - Treasurer; Dr. M. Mahadevappa - Member; Dr. N.G. Hegde - Member; Dr. T.M. Thiyagarajan - Member; Prof. V. Veerabhadraiah - Member; Dr. A. Rajanna - Member; Dr. Venkatesh Tagat - Member; Dr. Smita Premchander - Member

LEISA INDIA  JUNE 2018

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Taming coconut pests

by Green Warriors

CONTENTS Vol. 20 no. 2, June 2018

A Josephrajkumar, Chandrika Mohan and V Krishnakumar Adopting an ecological engineering approach, farmers in Kerala could effectively suppress most of the palm pests in an eco-friendly manner.

While safeguarding environment, these eco-friendly strategies helped farmers obtain regular income for sustainable livelihoods.

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We are not too young Linda Kabaira

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Editorial

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Taming coconut pests by Green Warriors A Josephrajkumar, Chandrika Mohan and V Krishnakumar

10 Biologicals for higher farm production M H Mehta 14 We are not too young

In Zimbabwe, children across the country are putting food sovereignty into practice. They are redesigning their schoolyards based on permaculture principles to regenerate the soil, harvest rainwater and produce their own food. Children from more than half the schools that have gone down this path are now able to supplement their lunches with freshly picked produce.

17 Fish Amino A useful biological option

Women as entrepreneurs

19 Women as entrepreneurs Nirmala Adhikari

Nirmala Adhikari Consumption of vegetables produced through biological means has improved the health of communities in Dandafaya village in Nepal. Coming together and producing organic vegetables as a group, the women in Dandafaya not only increased their income and built sustainable employment opportunities, but also became socio-economically empowered.

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Reaping multiple benefits from biological crop management

Linda Kabaira

S Premalatha

23 Farmers in Odisha replenish soil fertility – the natural way 24 New Books 25 Sources 27 Sustainable farms, sustainable futures Y M M Srikar and Debasis Mohapatra 30 In the news 32 Reaping multiple benefits from biological crop management T M Radha and J Krishnan

T M Radha and J Krishnan Adopting eco-friendly practices and enhancing crop biodiversity has several advantages in terms of soil fertility, pest management, crop yields, costs and returns, and environment.

More importantly, it builds farm resilience and makes farmers self sufficient. Farmers in Pennagaram have shown the way.

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Editorial

Biological crop management

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Biological crop management, as it is understood, is not just about using biologicals or natural predators for pest control.

It refers to use of low cost biological options for crop production. For example, harnessing soil nutrients from different layers of soil by growing diverse crops, improving soil organic matter, including leaf shedding crops like redgram that enhance plant biomass generation which serve as mulch and manure, including trees on farms, use of locally available botanicals and natural predators for crop protection etc.

Biological crop management is referred by different terminologies, like LEISA, Organic farming, Permaculture etc., while the underlying principles remain more or less the same. Many farmers have reaped multiple benefits from practicing biological methods of crop management, which go beyond yields – like, enhanced crop diversity resulting in diversified diets, better nutrition and better environment; non-chemical pest management resulting in better health of crops, farmers and the surrounding environment; and conservation of ecosystems leading to sustainable and resilient farm production. This issue of LEISA India includes some chosen experiences on the ground.

Nourishing the soils

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Many farmers have shown that it is possible to enhance soil fertility without using chemical based fertilisers. Enhancing soil fertility through organic means not only enhances water retention but also protects soils from erosion, pollution, and acidification, thus preventing land degradation. Women farmers in Tamil Nadu followed the practice of green manuring (T M Radha and J Krishnan, p.32). They took up sunhemp as green manure crop, before the main crop and incorporated around 1-1.5 tons of sun hemp to plots. They also could estimate the amount of Nitrogen fixed through LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

Photo: AMEF

mall holder family farmers, particularly in the fragile ecosystems have been traditionally managing crops, using biological means. While a majority of the farmers shifted to commercial methods of farming involving high chemical use, some among them still continue to adopt practices that are eco friendly and sustain the ecosystems in which they operate. One example is the traditional practice of rotating crops - not growing the same crop species in the same area repeatedly, to reduce the pest or disease incidence.

Redgram crop sheds leaves which act as soil mulch

the incorporation of sunhemp. Treating seeds with biofertilisers and mulching were the other options tried by these farmers.

Recycling crop residues is not only a safe way of enhancing soil fertility but also an option to prevent burning of crop residues. The consequences of burning crop residues, that made even breathing difficult for the residents in North Indian states, is a well known fact. Farmers in a hurry to free their farms of the crop residues resort to this practice resulting in widespread negative effects on the environment and well being. The Science Ashram in Gujarat found a way in helping farmers to recycle the residues of banana crop using multi microbial mixture (Mehta M H., p.10).

Many farmers in Aladipur village in Odisha took up to organic vegetable production using bio-fertilisers and were happy to see their vegetables grow better without the use of chemical fertilizers. Besides benefitting environment and quality of food, shifting to organic methods helped these farmers become self-sufficient and reduce their agricultural costs.(Nirmala Adhikari, p.19). Consumers felt that these vegetables tasted much better than the chemically grown ones available in the market.

Farmers from Kanya Kumari district in Tamil Nadu found a successful solution in Fish Amino for enhancing the soil fertility (Premalatha, S., p.17). Rich in nitrogen, the preparation and use of Fish Amino, not only reduced the requirement of nitrogen fertilizer, but also served as a growth

promoter in enhancing crop yields. Being produced from wastes which hitherto resulted in health problems, fish amino also served as a means to reduce pollution in the region.

Children in Zimbabwe are redesigning their schoolyards based on permaculture principles to regenerate the soil, harvest rainwater and produce their own food. Permaculture is a yet another system of ecological design that demonstrates how the relationship and co-existence with nature can meet human needs. At the same time, permaculture designs aim to regenerate the environment around us in the face of changing climate. Children from more than half the schools who followed this are now able to supplement their lunches with freshly picked produce. Half of the schools were also able to supplement the Government’s school feeding programme through the produce from their schools’ gardens (Linda Kabaira, p.14).

Ecological pest management A variety of different methods enable farmers to control pests without the need to use toxic chemicals. Farmers in 5 villages in Pennagaram block in Tamil Nadu installed pheromone traps, yellow sticky traps, light traps and saw thousands of sucking pests being trapped. (T M Radha and J Krishnan, p.32). They also grew trap crops like castor, to reduce the pest incidence on the main crops.

When ICAR-CPCRI scientists observed that coconut garden on 15 acres in Jajur village of Arsikere, Karnataka were found infested with black headed caterpillar, they conducted a demonstration of biological control of the pest (p. 6). With timely release of parasitoids, the coconut palms recovered and had a new clean and green look within a period of 12 months. Another demonstration on suppressing the rhinoceros beetle found remarkable success in all coconut growing regions of the country. Tremendous reduction in pest damage by 81.2% could be accomplished in a period of two years in all the tested regions following a lateral adoption of the technology.

Another way of managing pests is by nurturing the predators.

Schools in Zimbabwe, who took up farming in school yards have managed to restore significant numbers of predators and keystone species needed for food productivity. For example, lizards and chameleons have come back to their environment to feed on the pests.

Enhancing diversity Biological crop management builds on crop diversity. Crop diversity in turn provides several advantages – nutrient recycling, natural pest management and ecology preservation, besides diverse food, nutrition, additional income while reducing risks.

Crop diversity has resulted in access to diverse foods. Tamil Nadu farmers gained a lot from inter crops, border crops and sequential crops. Besides main crops like groundnut and Ragi, farmers on an average, harvested 8-10 kgs of cowpea, which was grown as an intercrop in groundnut.

Castor, besides serving as a trap crop for pests, yielded 80100 kgs; sorghum as border crop yielded 10-25 kgs. Also, farmers could harvest around 500 kgs of sorghum stems which served as livestock fodder. Sequential crop like horsegram which was grown to make use of residual moisture was another source of food and income for farmers (T M Radha and J Krishnan, p.32).

Diverse foods have been a source of nutrition, especially to women and children. For instance, the percentage of malnourished children and the number of diarrheal patients visiting the health clinic have significantly declined in Humla. The community in Humla believes that their children are healthier after they began consuming more vegetables (Nirmala Adhikari, p.19) Further, diversity helps in prioritizing sources for preparing manures and biologicals, and generally women take the lead in such activities. For instance, the women enterprise group in Humla, prepares compost in their backyards, using animal waste and organic household waste. They produce organic pesticides collectively, using locally available herbal plants and distribute among the group members. (Nirmala Adhikari, p.19)

Way forward The experiences in this issue point towards one fact that it is possible to farm better with locally available, low-cost and biological inputs. Such farms are not only diverse, but also sustainable. The type of food production is in harmony with nature and generates better incomes helping the farming majority, who are small holders, to remain in agriculture.

Production of biological inputs in-situ based on traditional wisdom, also provides an opportunity to take it up as a rural enterprise, serving as a source of dignified employment and additional income for farmers, especially the rural youth.

Presently, the biological methods of crop management is being promoted largely by NGOs and agencies promoting organic approaches. The success of these approaches has encouraged some governments to invest in their favour.

While Sikkim has led the country in promoting organic farming, Andhra Pradesh is planning to follow the same.

It’s high time that other States too follow these inspiring models. 

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Taming coconut pests by Green Warriors A Josephrajkumar, Chandrika Mohan and V Krishnakumar Adopting an ecological engineering approach, farmers in Kerala could effectively suppress most of the palm pests in an eco-friendly manner. While safeguarding environment, these eco-friendly strategies helped farmers obtain regular income for sustainable livelihoods.

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he Kalpavriksha, coconut tree, has been serving farm livelihoods of more than 12 million farm families in our country. It is one of the most precious trees offering multiple benefits to the mankind. It provides health drink, rich nutritious food supplement and precious oil. In fact, every part of the plant offers so many diverse products useful for day to day living.

Housing a wide array of insects during inflorescence blooming in coconut, these foraging fauna, besides improved nut yields, are beneficial to the eco system, in the form of nectar and pollen as nursing feed. More the pollinators, larger are the yields of coconut. Honey bees and stingless bees dominate insect foragers of tall varieties, whereas, the ants pre-dominate the dwarf varieties. The quantum of these insect foragers indicates the health of the coconut eco system, encouraging pollination and infusing diversity in palms. Any disturbance in these associations through unscientific chemical interventions will have severe ecological backlashes. It has been reported that a spectrum of insect pests affect the leaves, inflorescence, young buttons, immature and mature nuts as well as internal bores, damaging palm crown.

custard apple etc. It was observed that the pest incidence was comparatively low in the ecological engineering plot while it was two to four times greater in mono-cropped coconut garden. The crop biodiversity disoriented the pests away from ecological engineering garden, ensuring a high population of pest defenders and pollinators. Also there has been a significant increase in honey bee population on coconut and coral vines. All this has resulted in enhanced coconut yield - averaging 161 nuts per palm per year after five years of planting. In addition to reduced pest incidence, the model resulted in generating sustained income and employment through complementary utilization of resources.

Green warrior against rhinoceros beetle Rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros Lin.) is a pest that damages spear leaves, inflorescences and nuts and also invades juvenile palms through collar region incurring crop loss to the extent of 8-9%. It also pre-disposes the palms to the killer pest, red palm weevil. Adult beetles feed on coconut and the immature stages viz., eggs, grubs and pupae are confined to cow dung pits, dead logs and decaying organic debris.

ICAR-CPCRI has found a potent green muscardine fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae that could control the beetle. Spores

Ecological engineering for pest management

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Ecological engineering approach has been tried out to reduce the pest incidence in coconut palms. A crop habitat based pest regression module has been developed at ICAR-CPCRI with Kalpasankara coconut hybrid and intercrops such as nutmeg, rambuttan, banana, curry leaf, jack, marigold, LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

Ecological engineering is about manipulating farm habitats, making them less favourable for pests and more attractive to beneficial insects.

Pollinator in coconut system

of M. anisopliae enter on cuticular contact and kill the grubs in a fortnight. A dosage of 5x1011 spores per cubic metre of pest breeding material is recommended for field application.

ICAR-CPCRI has developed technologies for mass multiplication of M. anisopliae in an inexpensive locally available substrates, such as, coconut water, cassava chips and semi-cooked rice.

Base line survey of coconut farmers of Kerala indicated nonavailability of biocontrol agents as the principal constraint for adoption of IPM for rhinoceros beetle. Farmers were organized into clusters through Farmer Field Schools for imparting knowledge and skills on biological pest control.

Farmer field schools enabled mutual learning as well as better understanding how the practices could be adopted in a larger area within a limited time period.

The programme was undertaken in Kandalloor, Krishnapuram and Devikulangara panchayaths of Alappuzha district (1500 ha) and Edava panchayath in Thiruvananthapuram district (520 ha) of Kerala state.

Smt. Rajini Jayadev, President, Block Panchayat, Bharanikavu is a staunch supporter of biological control methods. She has been producing of M. anisopliae in her house and providing it to her neighbours on demand. She has been instrumental in spreading this technology at the Panchayat level, boosting confidence among the farmers.

Coconut farmers of different categories belonging to both the genders, actively participated. ICAR-CPCRI scientists guided the process.

Women farmers in Edava panchayath, under the aegis of Edava Women’s Association, were organized as clusters, sensitized and trained by ICAR-CPCRI scientists, for mass production of M. anisopliae by using semi-cooked rice. The house premises of the participants served as the production area. Group members spent 1-2 hours/day on an average, for mass production. Innoculation of green muscardine fungus was undertaken in candle lit enclosures, to create near sterile environment, to avoid contamination.

It was found that the mean average knowledge index of the FFS farmers (51.31) was 65 per cent more than the nonFFS farmers (31.10), proving that FFS is an appropriate extension approach for knowledge improvement and technology adoption. The active participation and facilitation of extension officials and people’s representatives were also ensured for sustainability and continuity of the initiative.

The women groups functioned as master trainers for further spread of technology to nearby villages. They also ensured timely supply of bioagents. The entire farming community is now convinced of this technology. Cattle farmers were also targeted by the group in distributing the locally multiplied M. anisopliae for delivery on to the cow dung pits, the main breeding point of the beetle. Mass LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

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Women group members multiply the bioagents, facilitating wider adoption of biological control of rhinoceros beetle on coconut palms

multiplication is recognized as an effective strategy for revenue generation. Several Kudumbasree missions (Edava Women’s Association) have initiated into this venture and doing service to the fellow coconut farmers and sustaining earnings for livelihood.

Farmer participatory community approach adopted, formed the hallmark success of the programme, which got expanded to the entire village in one year period reducing the pest incidence, considerably. A reduction in rhinoceros beetle infestation in the FFS areas to the extent of 76-85% is an indication of the efficiency of area-wide community adoption. In addition to the pest reduction and overall yield improvement in coconut, conservation of the environment through eco-friendly approach was the key success of this strategy.

Area-wide demonstration of the M. anisopliae technology in suppressing the rhinoceros beetle has been a remarkable success in all coconut growing regions of the country.

Tremendous reduction in pest damage by 81.2% could be accomplished in a period of two years in all the tested regions, following a lateral adoption of the technology.

Parasitoids pounding pests

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The coconut leaf eating caterpillar, Opisina arenosella, is a major pest, occurring in all coconut growing tracts across the country. The infested portions get dried and form conspicuous grey patches on the upper surface of the lower fronds. Severe pest damage results in complete drying of middle to inner whorl of fronds, leaving a burnt appearance.

Damage results in tremendous reduction in photosynthetic area, decline in rate of production of spikes, increased premature nut fall and retarded growth. Extensive feeding of caterpillars causes a crop loss of 45.4% in terms of nut yield, in addition to rendering the fronds unsuitable for thatching and other purposes.

LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

Biological control has been successful in the biomanagement of O. arenosella. Area-wide field validations on biological suppression of coconut black headed caterpillar through release of stage-specific parasitoids was established in various locations of coastal Kerala and south Karnataka

by ICAR-CPCRI, covering 1500 ha.

In Jajur village of Arsikere, Karnataka, about 15 acres of coconut garden was found infested with this pest during 2013. Farmer participatory demonstration was undertaken in the heavily infested farm owned by Sri. P. Rudrappa. With timely release of parasitoids, the coconut palms recovered and had a new clean and green look within a period of 12 months. Technology options successfully practiced included, removal and burning of heavily infested 2-3 outer fronds, release of stage specific parasitoids Goniozus nephantidis and Bracon brevicornis and adoption of palm and soil health management strategies. Emergence of new fronds after technology intervention is so convincing that nearby farmers emulated this bio-control strategy within a very short period.

The participating farmers took it to nearby locations, making the entire zone pest free with successful establishment of parasitoids.

Conservatory biological control of rugose spiraling whitefly The invasive pest, Rugose Spiralling Whitefly (RSW), Aleurodicus rugioperculatus, was introduced into our country during 2016 and in a short span invaded all coconut growing regions of South India. The pest feeds from undersurface of leaves and produces enormous honey dew which attract the sooty mould. The entire palm gets blackened in this process.

The pest population was greatly suppressed by an aphelinid parasitoid, Encarsia guadeloupae, which in a period of four to five months, could effectively parasitize more than 85%

pest population. The parasitized pupae are normally blackened and can be easily identified from the creamish healthy pupae.

ICAR-CPCRI has evolved an augmentative release strategy of the these parasitized pupae. Cut palm leaflets of 10 cm containing parasitized RSW pupae were prepared and distributed to farmers in the new areas of whitefly outbreak.

This release of cut leaflets enhanced the parasitization potential swiftly in the new area of pest emergence. More than 500 coconut leaflets (10 cm) containing parasitized RSW pupae were released in pest prone West Godavari region in Andhra Pradesh during January 2018 for the early build up of the parasitoid.

ICAR-CPCRI has also discovered a Leiochrini beetle, Leiochrinus nilgirianus Kaszab, associated with scavenging action on the sooty mould deposits on coconut palm that are developed on the honey dew excrements of RSW. Adult beetles and immature stages were generally confined to the

undersurface of the palm leaves during daytime, but were found feeding on sooty mould during morning hours in damp conditions. On an average, one adult beetle could clear 1-2 mm2 sooty mould laden area in a period of one minute.

Consumption of sooty mould on palm leaflets that interrupted photosynthesis by insects, thereby rejuvenating palm health, is one of the first instances of beneficial scavenging activity reported in any economic crop, so far.

The pesticide holiday strategy propagated by ICAR-CPCRI has reduced the pestiferous potential of RSW and reduced its impact very swiftly.

Sensitization campaign was undertaken at Amalapuram, Kadiyam (East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh), Pollachi, Tirupur (Tamil Nadu), Kollam, Kannur, Alappuzha, Palakkad (Kerala) by ICAR-CPCRI. It made an overall impact in taking forward the pesticide holiday strategy. Farmers are greatly convinced by the pesticide holiday strategy which conserves both the parasitoid and the scavenger beetle, while providing tremendous ecological and environmental security to the region.

Ecological engineering, ‘green warriors’, introduction of stage-specific parasitoids and conservatory biological control measures could suppress most of the palm pests in an eco-friendly manner. While they safeguarded environment, these eco-friendly strategies helped farmers obtain regular income for sustainable livelihoods. 

Rugose Spiralling Whitefly

A Josephrajkumar ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Regional Station, Kayamkulam – 690 533, Alappuzha district, Kerala, India.

E-mail: joecpcri@gmail.com

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Leaves affected by Rugose Spiralling Whitefly LEISA INDIA  JUNE 2018

Biologicals for higher farm production M H Mehta

There is a dire need to reduce input costs and improve farm productivity in a sustainable manner. The 20-20 model, using new generation agri-bio inputs can be taken up to help farmers in meeting such a goal. Together with bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides, scientific bio-composts from agro wastes have demonstrated great potential to improve farm productivity at lower costs in eco-friendly way.

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he sustainable developmental goals of United Nations greatly emphasize the need to transform our current input heavy food system to more sustainable system.

In a country like India, where majority of the population still depends on agriculture, farming by eco agricultural methods is the way forward. Eco agricultural practice seems to be the best way to address the challenges like hunger, malnutrition, poverty, environmental degradation and climate change. Eco-agriculture is still evolving.

Development of new generation bio inputs like biofertilizers, bio-pesticides and bio-composts will play a significant role in the coming years.

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Among the 8 millennium goals, eradication of poverty and hunger and environmental sustainability are perhaps the most prominent and complementary. The Green Revolution changed India and many other countries from being food deficit to food sufficient/surplus state. If we look at the challenge that agriculture sector has to face during the next few decades, it is clearly to double the food production by 2025 and triple it by 2050 on less per capita land, with less water and under environmentally challenging conditions.

However, the current scenario of agriculture projects a bleak future. Indian farmers spend nearly Rs.2 lakh crores on inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides. Around Rs.50000 LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

Application of biocompost on the field

crores goes as fertilizer subsidy. Excessive use of chemical fertilizers has reduced soil fertility and our soils are hungry for organic carbon.

It is time for the Eco-agri Revolution – a revolution that is sustainable, balanced and farmer-friendly. There is an urgent need for eco-friendly and effective alternatives which are available at low prices and are easily accessible. Fortunately, several new/alternative developments offer much hope.

The alternative model A few years back, our team of young scientists of the NGO - The Science Ashram - while interacting with farmers, met with some unexpected feedback. In many of the areas,

It is time for the Eco-agri Revolution – a revolution that is sustainable, balanced and farmer-friendly.

farmers using heavy doses of pesticides and fertilizers, were ready to listen to the talks about the harmful effects and the decreasing net income and environmental problems.

However, they kept asking – “are there any alternatives?”

When explained about the new generation agri-bio inputs, their simple reaction was “you make them and give to us.

We want to try”. This compelled the team to start a production unit (Gujarat Life Sciences) of agri-bio inputs.

There is now a better understanding of Multi Microbial Consortia technology which can substantially improve crop productivity and at the same time reduce the agrochemical input costs. Further, new method of preparing high quality bio-compost from agro-wastes, FYM etc., can greatly improve the availability and quality of nutrients of assured standard and much needed Carbon to the soil. Another startling development has been in the area of bio-pesticides.

A 20:20 model has been worked out based on a number of field demonstration studies in different parts of India, Africa and Far Eastern countries. A model in which input cost can be reduced by nearly 20 percent and at the same time the crop production can be enhanced up to 20 percent is possible and can be a boon to farmers in most parts of the world.

This is the model, which can be easily adopted in an evolutionary way.

Experiments at a banana farm in Chapad, Gujarat

In the recent past, the 20:20 model is emerging as perhaps the most practical and popular model with the farmers. It is realized that though the environmental problem and the high costs of chemical farming are noticed, all the chemicals cannot be wished away or stopped overnight. On the other hand, farmers who suddenly tried to switch over to organic farming often faced disappointment and problems, which did lot of disservice. Between these two extremities, the 20:20 model has shown the practical and positive way and easy adoption. It is also seen that after the first year of 20:20,

Table 1: Typical productivity enhancement data using multi microbial products, bio-fertilizers and bio-composts Crop

Location

Result

Banana

Agricultural University- Navsari, Trichy-Tamil Nadu

25% more production with 20% reduction in urea dose.

Rice

Bangkok – Thailand, Vapi-Gujarat

Increase in production from 14 to 19%.

Maize Castor

Gauteng – South Africa Kutch – Gujarat

25% more production, 25% less urea.

Increase in yield by 17-22%.

Papaya

North Gujarat

Up to 21% increase in yield.

Disease control with use of bio-pesticides and bio-fungicides Crop

Location

Result

Brinjal

Saurashtra / Trichy – Tamil Nadu

Use of Mite-No-Mite has given control over mites and upto 15 days there was no need to spray again.

Cotton

Central Gujarat Alwar - Rajashtan

80-85% control in various pests using Neem-A-Life

Groundnut

Saurashtra

90% control in fungal diseases with Tricholife + Superlife

Roses

Mauritius, Central Trichy – Tamil Nadu

Use of Mite-No-Mite 90% control on Mite problem. Excellent growth.

Potato

Central Gujarat, Bihar

By using Wonderlife-G in soil, disease control upto 94% and upto 22% increase in yield.

LEISA INDIA  JUNE 2018

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the bioorganic inputs use can easily be doubled in the next two years by many progressive farmers and make 100% organic products. Such farmers may be in different agroclimatic conditions and with different crops.

Field demonstrations Broadly, bio-inputs range can be classified under three main categories: Nutrient management (bio-fertilizers, enriched bio-compost, multi-microbial combination of bio-fertilizers and bio-fungicides in the soils); bio-pesticides (multi microbial bio-pesticides, botanicals, pheromones etc.) and growth enhancers (amino acids, micro nutrients, seaweed extracts, growth promoters and hormones, etc.). It is possible to enhance the farm productivity and at the same time lower the input costs through the use of agri biotech products.

Field demonstrations were carried out with a tripartite arrangement involving an Agricultural University, a private biotech company and an NGO. The three partners were Navsari Agricultural University in South Gujarat, Gujarat Life Sciences (Pvt.) Ltd. (GLS), a new generation agri and enviro biotech company and The Science Ashram, an NGO with a wide network of farmers. Various products were taken up for field demonstrations. The typical products involved are – enriched bio compost, bio pesticides, bio fertilizers, etc.

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The data clearly established that there is enhancement in productivity, and reduction in input costs of agro-chemicals.

It is thus clear that a comprehensive model can be made LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

available to the farmers, where substantial reduction in input costs and at the same time improvement in the productivity can be achieved. That this can be done through eco-friendly inputs is another big advantage for sustainable agricultural practices.

It may be noted that in explaining this model, the data for some typical bio products are given as indicative. Right combinations from any standard suppliers can be used.

Farmers can also develop their own bio-composts from their farm wastes, FYM etc., by using standard microbial cultures.

In-situ bio-composting from crop residue Crop residue burning and inadequate amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) is a worldwide problem. The North Indian states are known for crop residue burning resulting in degradation of soil, air pollution and health problems.

Farmers in this region in a hurry for the next sowing, which is less than 20 days of harvesting rice/wheat, resort to such practice.

Years of field work and R&D indicate that in-situ biocomposting with multi microbial mixture offers the best and practical solution for dealing with crop residues. Using multi microbial mixture, a field demonstration on in-situ treatment on the rice stubs was carried out at a farm in Haryana.

Similar problem with disposal of banana and other crop residues are increasing. Banana post harvest waste disposal is a huge problem and was discussed often at farmers meetings in typically intensive belts, like Anand in Gujarat

and Trichy in Tamil Nadu. Both these areas are well known for high density banana plantation. After the harvest of banana fruits, the stem and other materials are simply thrown away on the roads. Later, even this became difficult due to labour shortage.

While interacting with the farmers, a need to have a system to recycle the post harvest banana waste was emphasized.

The major emphasis was on using the biomass (along with a large quantity of water in the stems) for soil enrichment in-situ. A field demonstration was carried out at a banana farm between Vadodara – Anand banana belt, using multimicrobial mixture.

The outcomes are clear. Within 20 days, there was partial decomposition of agro waste (e.g. rice straw, banana waste).

The C/N ratio reduced and soil water retention improved.

Besides these, in-situ treatment has other advantages like saving labour cost and input cost and better retention of micronutrients.

Conclusion

References Mehta M.H., ‘Eco Agri Revolution – Practical Lessons and the Way Ahead’, 2017, New India Publishing Agency (NIPA) (www.nipabooks.com) Ahlwat R.P.S. et al “Scientific package of organic cultivation for various crops”, November 2007, National Conference on Agronomy, Navsari Mehta M.H., “The 20-20 Model, Agriculture Year Book – 2009” 

M H Mehta Chairman – Working Group on Eco Agriculture – ICFA – New Delhi Ex. Vice Chancellor – Gujarat Agricultural University The Science Ashram / Gujarat Life Sciences – Vadodara (Gujarat) E-mail: chairman@glsbiotech.com www.glsbiotech.com

It has been seen in a number of situations and under different agro climatic conditions that the proper use and application of good bio-compost becomes the main and perhaps the most important input for higher and sustainable production of different crops, both for conventional as well as organic farming practice. In fact, organic farming cannot be practical without the proper management and application of biocomposts. Scientific bio-composting with multi microbial consortia technology should become standard practice for preparing most valuable agri input for sustainable farming.

It has been possible to develop and demonstrate that a multimicrobial consortia culture consisting of various combinations of Azotobacter, Azospirillium, Torulosporaglobosa, Bacillus Coagulans, Celullomonas sps, Pleurotus sps, etc., can be applied very effectively for productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner. The major functions of such a culture, when applied to agrowastes is improvement of N-fixation, P-solubilisation, plant growth enhancement and anti-fungal activity.

The bio inputs are low cost, farmer-friendly and ecofriendly and a boon for sustainable agriculture. Contrary to the earlier beliefs, they have clearly shown higher productivity in many different situations such as Bihar, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kutch-Gujarat, etc. In fact, it was proven that during the crisis, the new and appropriate technologies were adopted by the small and marginal farmers quickly. And these models emerged even more cost effective and eco-friendly in a typical un-irrigated field.

Looking for Professionals to document field experiences for LEISA India An opportunity is awaiting you to uncork your creative abilities!

• If you have a deep interest to document field experiences in sustainable agriculture/ organic farming • If you have abilities to analyze and consolidate field experiences • If you are good in writing in English the documented experience • Professional background in agriculture and development journalism is preferable Please send your CV indicating your professional background and experience details before 10th August 2018 along with 2-3 relevant samples of your publications to The Managing Editor, LEISA India at leisaindia@yahoo.co.in

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Photo: Linda Kabaira

Students grow vegetables in school garden using permaculture principles

We are not too young Linda Kabaira In Zimbabwe, children across the country are putting food sovereignty into practice. They are redesigning their schoolyards based on permaculture principles to regenerate the soil, harvest rainwater and produce their own food.

Children from more than half the schools that have gone down this path are now able to supplement their lunches with freshly picked produce.

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n the face of climate change and chronic malnutrition in Zimbabwe, the schoolyards of 107 schools across the country are being transformed into green landscapes of edible food forests. Schools and Colleges Permaculture (SCOPE) is a practical education programme of the Zimbabwe Institute of Permaculture. Working in partnership LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

with the Ministry of Education in Zimbabwe, SCOPE has been implementing projects with young people in schools throughout the country.

We use climate friendly agriculture and youth empowerment activities to address school-based supplementary feeding and household level food sovereignty. Educational centres and schools are developing integrated land use designs aimed at transforming schoolyards into healthy, productive agroecosystems. In addition, SCOPE works to facilitate and influence a school curriculum that is centred on building an

Children are working on practical solutions to address and meet their needs at their schools using locally available resources

Children are working on practical solutions to address and meet their needs at their schools using locally available resources and inspired by permaculture. Permaculture is a system of ecological design that demonstrates how the relationship and co-existence with nature can model how to meet human needs.

At the same time, permaculture designs aim to regenerate the environment around us in the face of a changing climate.

Permaculture lies, not in any single technique, but in looking at how multiple techniques can be woven together into systems that are more than the sum.

How it works The schoolyard is transformed into a local school food system. The land is divided into food forest zones that protect it from erosion. The school lawn zone and flower beds are transformed into productive food gardens where cereals and vegetables are produced. The food forest zones are where multipurpose trees, mostly indigenous species that are well adapted to the environments, and fast growing fruit trees are planted. This has allowed most of the schools to enjoy diverse fruits throughout the year.

One fifth of the schools have integrated fish farming into their systems, where the water from the fish ponds is used to water vegetable gardens. The fish waste fertilises the plants, and the plants clean the water. These systems use 70-90% less water than conventional farming and can produce large amounts of food within the small school spaces.

Nurturing the water, soil and fauna Children learn how to value water, and to be in control of their own water systems. In a world where water is becoming ever more scarce and precious due to climate change, children are taught how to engage and practice waterharvesting earthworks such as swales, ponds and keyline

Students have learnt to think holistically about their landscape and their food

Photo: Rudo Chihota

understanding and application of the ecological principles on which sound land use practices and food production systems are based.

Primary school pupils selling vegetables at the food and seed festival held in October 2016

systems. The most common feature in all of the schools practicing permaculture is in-situ rainwater harvesting, coupled with planting of banana and paw paw around the school buildings to harvest roof water.

Another common practice coupled with food production is the use of grey water from the school. Water from hand washing points is captured, filtered with simple systems and used to grow trees, shrubs, and herbs.

As a way of working with the soils and rebuilding them as carbon sinks, the young people are taught to feed the soils through continuous mulching, composting, and use of green manures. Where possible, schools have managed to restore significant numbers of predators and keystone species needed for food productivity. For example, lizards and chameleons have come back to their environments to feed on the pests. Unlike massive geo-engineering schemes, these are practical solutions that are affordable and teach learners to observe and work with nature to produce food.

Not too young to be involved SCOPE’s work is an attempt to encourage generations of system thinkers by bringing the ethics and principles of permaculture design and regenerative systems into the classroom. It is an attempt to empower the young people of Zimbabwe to determine and create a future of their choice.

At the center of each schools’ work is the demonstration of good practices. Children create safe green spaces abundant in food and water, using locally available resources.

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In addition, SCOPE works with children to create awareness of climate change action. An important success factor has been the acknowledgement that children and youth can actively support initiatives that lead to building resilient and sustainable communities.

Challenging the status quo Applying permaculture has been difficult because practices such as mulching and intercropping have been perceived as dirty and less systematic than monocropping and maintaining bare soil. This led to limited support and somewhat negative attitudes from school administrators. Making more creative use of resources at hand, rather than doing what everyone else is doing also challenges the status quo.

programme through the produce from their schools’ gardens.

But beyond producing food, students have learnt to think holistically about their landscape and their food. This will be useful for self-reliance in their future careers, and in their lives, and it is also the first step towards building food sovereignty in our society. 

Linda Kabaira (linda.kabaira@gmail.com) is the national coordinator for Schools and Colleges Permaculture (SCOPE) Zimbabwe.

This article was first published in Farming Matters, April 2017, 33-1.

We cultivate a large diversity of plants in the schools. In some places there was inadequate knowledge of local and indigenous plants. Although the design process brings parents and elders back into the school to share their knowledge and seeds, in some cases, local communities no longer have diverse seeds for sharing.

SCOPE continues to support more sharing of lessons learnt for implementation of good practices. The schools that are able to maintain their production independently act as learning and demonstration centres for the other schools.

Besides this, different schools are connecting with and learning from each other through social media such as WhatsApp.

Youth as agents of change In the past year, half of the schools were able to provide food to supplement the Government’s school feeding

Call for Articles Small holder farm enterprises Vol. 20 No. 3, September 2018 For small holder farm family, farm diversity is the key. Diversity of enterprises is integral for sustainable small farmer livelihoods. Farm diversity offers food and nutrition, sustainable incomes, and gainful engagement in an activity throughout the year. Most often, they build on resource recycling, where an output of one enterprise becomes an input for another, thus keeping the costs low.

Farm enterprises could be kitchen gardens, backyard poultry, mushroom cultivation, small ruminants etc. They could be at the farm household level or graduate to operate at a community level.

In general, these small enterprises are based on simple affordable technology options and are operated at a scale which minimise business risks but offer limited margins. Most often, women manage

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these enterprises which provide steady and supplementary incomes as well as household access to diversified food options.

In the September 2018 issue of LEISA India, we would like to look at what are the motivating factors and challenges for these small holders in setting up these enterprises? What do they see as advantages of remaining small? Could they become a community based enterprise and if so, what are the opportunities and challenges they have to face in collectivising efforts? We are looking for examples of enterprises by small holders, both at the household level as well as at the community level.

Articles for the September 2018 issue of LEISA India should be sent to the editors before 10th August 2018.

E-mail: leisaindia@yahoo.co.in

Fish Amino A useful biological option S Premalatha Farmer groups in Tamil Nadu found a successful solution in Fish Amino for enhancing the soil fertility. Rich in nitrogen, Fish Amino not only reduced the requirement of nitrogen fertilizer, but also served as a growth promoter enhancing yields. Being produced from wastes which hitherto resulted in health problems, fish amino also served as a means to reduce pollution in the region.

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nhancing farm productivity by chemical inputs like fertilizer, pesticides succeeded in increasing overall productivity and helped in achieving food security.

Prolonged application of the chemical inputs gradually hijacked the natural systems. Several species of soil micro and macro flora and fauna like blue green algae and azolla which were abundant and were an integral part of the farming system are being replaced with exotic weeds like Salvinia, making the water bodies almost biologically dead.

Indiscriminate use of chemicals and pesticides not only killed pests, but also the predators leading to a resurgence of pesticide resistant strains. These chemicals also deteriorated the health and longevity of livestock and humans, causing a variety of new generation diseases like cancer.

Fish Amino, rich in nitrogen serves as a fertiliser

small quantities, often become a limiting factor for the growth and the productivity of important crops. These compounds produced out of enzyme activity and fermentation from fish and meat waste can be given as a foliar spray.

During the post monsoon season, huge quantity of fish waste and non-edible fish related waste is generated. The fish processing units too generate a lot of waste. With no proper disposal systems, it often results in environmental pollution and epidemics. If this waste is properly processed in time, besides solving the problem of pollution, it will also serve as a wonderful growth booster. This growth booster is much Thommai Innasi raises her vegetable garden using fish amino

Like animals, plants also need amino acids. They cannot be synthesised or may not be synthesised in sufficient quantities in plants. This is also the case with amines and organic ring compounds like indole and pyrrol compounds etc., which are very vital for vegetative growth, flowering and productivity. These compounds, which are required in very

“Waste from one system should form the food for other systems�

VK Nardep

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amino acid, within no time. Mix the material well with papain (Papaya latex) and keep it for 5 – 8 hrs. Keep the vessels closed with periodical stirring. After 5 – 8 hrs, add jaggery solution, made from 200gm jaggery dissolved in half litre of water, for one kilogram fish waste. Jaggery helps in preventing the growth of sulphur group of bacteria, which is mainly responsible for the breakdown of the sulphur containing protein and evolution of foul smelling gases like hydrogen sulphide. Moreover, jaggery promotes the growth of micro-fungi like saccharomycetes, which break down protein into amino acids and carbohydrate into alcohol and ketones. In this process, the bones also get digested and get degraded into phosphate and calcium compounds.

Pramela, a retired teacher grows vegetables, greens, flowers, fruits on the terrace. She attended Fish amino training in the month of Feb 2016 at Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari. Afterwards, she prepared fish amino and sprayed the plants once in 15 days.

“Controlling mealy bugs was a challenge. I tried other methods but failed. After spraying fish amino, this problem is completely solved”, says Pramela.

better than the synthetic amino based plant boosters, that are commercially available in the market.

VK-Nardep, an NGO has been developing technologies for recycling biowastes and value addition. The philosophy is based on “waste from one system should form the food for other systems”, thus making the system more energy efficient. This holistic model will conserve nature, protect biodiversity, save fossil fuel, reduce emission enhance CO2 sequestration, prevent poisoning of food and the environment, ultimately saving human beings from a number of new generation degenerative diseases.

Recycling fish wastes The fish waste contains rich proteins. But it cannot be kept beyond 24 hours, as it attracts microbes, flies etc. Microbial degradation with aerobes will putrefy it emanating foul smell. A scientific and controlled fermentation can minimize foul smell and produce desirable products which can be handled and packed for future use, as a plant growth promoter.

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Fish Amino is prepared in the following way. Collect the fish/ meat waste and store it in a plastic can with lid. Add half the quantity of water. Then add 0.05 gm to 0.1 gm of Papaya latex, per kilogram of fish waste. This papaya juice, which is collected after making a small injury on the surface of mature papaya fruit, is a very powerful plant enzyme, capable of converting any animal protein into peptones and LEISA INDIA  JUNE 2018

Proper fermentation by a consortium of micro fungi and bacteria will complete the fermentation within 15 – 20 days.

The extract can be prepared by adding 2 – 5 times water to the final product and filtered. The solution can be applied to plants, preferably as a foliar spray. The undigested part, if any, can be used for soil application as manure.

Production cost comes to about Rs.30/- per litre while the farmer can easily sell it for Rs.50/- per litre.

Spread of the technology Vivekananda Kendra - Nardep is training farmers and selfhelp group members in preparing fish amino. Farmers have started accepting the technology. Pramela, a retired teacher attended Fish Amino training in the month of Feb 2016.

She started preparing and using fish amino on the vegetables she grows and is now happy to get 15 to 20% more yield. (see Box) Presently, Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, as well as NABARD, are also promoting this technology through their popular programme, Capacity Adaption of Technology (CAT).

Fish Amino helps not only in making wealth from waste, but also helps in reducing the pollution and works as a growth promoter. Results in the fields are highly encouraging. Production increases by 15 to 20% and at the same time reduces the requirement of nitrogen fertilizer.

Moreover, farmers dependance on the market is reduced. 

S Premalatha Research Assistant Vivekananda Kendra – Nardep Kanyakumari – 629702 E-mail: vknardep@gmail.com www.vknardep.org; www.greenrameswaram.org

Women as entrepreneurs Nirmala Adhikari Consumption of vegetables produced through biological means has improved the health of communities in Dandafaya village in Nepal. Coming together and producing organic vegetables as a group, the women in Dandafaya not only increased their income and built sustainable employment opportunities, but also became socio-economically empowered.

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andafaya village is located in Humla, a remote Himalayan district of Province 6 of Nepal, on the Simkot-Mount Kailash and Mansorabar trekking route. Agriculture is the major livelihood option.

Traditionally, women are engaged on farms and produce cereals such as buckwheat, naked barley, finger millet, Himalayan millet, potatoes, wheat and rice, among others.

Local varieties of crops are grown applying traditional methods of agriculture. The yields are low, which meet their food requirements for about 3 to 4 months only in an year.

Women also grow vegetables like pumpkin, chillies and turnip, which suffice for about 3 months in a year. As a result, most of the children are malnourished.

Common Forum for Development (CFD), an NGO has been working in Humla district with an aim to improve the quality of life for the rural poor, since 2012. Adopting a multidimensional approach, CFD has been addressing the issues concerning livelihoods, food security, healthcare, education, Common Forum for Development (CFD) CFD, established in 2012, is a leading NGO in Nepal that focuses on sustainable poverty reduction, enhancement of food security and livelihoods of the poor, disadvantaged and marginalized families including small and marginal farmers in the remote Himalayan districts of Nepal’s mid-western Karnali Zone. It enables women, dalits and other marginalized as well as indigenous groups in impoverished rural villages work their way out of poverty and become more self-sufficient and empowered. It helps people help themselves by developing cost effective solutions to end extreme poverty in Nepal.

Women sell the produce locally or in the nearby market

community management and gender equality, particularly working with women, dalits, indigenous Janjatis and low income households with an income less than NPR 50,000 per year.

In 2014, CFD visited Dandafaya village, talked to some women about their vegetable production practices, their problems and challenges and decided to work with them in improving their livelihoods.

Organic vegetable production In mid 2014, CFD had discussions with the rural women about the importance and scope of organic vegetable production and marketing. It emerged during discussions that there is a good demand for organic vegetables, especially during the May to September period, when Indian pilgrims visit Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarobar via Simkot every year. And this figure, according to DDC records, was 11,000 LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

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in 2017. Understanding the importance of organic vegetable production, in terms of its potential in meeting the nutritional requirements and income generation, backed by the rising demand, women of Dandafaya village decided to produce vegetables organically.

In 2015, CFD facilitated formation of Women Organic Vegetables Group. Group members with the support of CFD, developed ideas to improve the organic vegetable production and marketing. Together, they finalized the activities and plan for implementation.

An exposure trip was organised to Thehe village, to interact with women’s group, which had won the seed prize in 2014.

The visit helped women farmers of Dandafaya, develop confidence to run their enterprise.

Capacity building An important step was to provide training to the group members. Women were trained on both technical as well as management aspects of organic vegetable production.

A 3-7 day training focused on topics like homestead gardening, nursery management, compost making and application, herbal pesticides making and application, green house/ poly-tunnel construction & management, business plan preparation, micro-enterprise development etc. All these trainings were organised in collaboration with the district agricultural office. Also at the field level, they were trained on aspects like seed bed preparation, compost making, transplanting, weeding, locally made pesticides application, harvesting, grading, packing, transportation, marketing etc.

Further, trainings were organised on group formation, group meetings, record keeping, savings and credit management, nutrition, health and hygiene etc.

Awareness of organic agriculture has risen significantly among women members

Organically produced cabbage

The group members also joined a 6-month long economic literacy class conducted by CFD in their village, to develop confidence to run the enterprise.

Organic vegetable production All members in the group grow vegetables at different levels of production. Women who have a small plot of land produce vegetables which met their family consumption needs.

However, some women produce vegetables in 5-6 ropanies (19.67 ropani ~ 1 hectare) of their land. It is estimated that organic vegetable cultivation is carried out in more than 75 ropanies of land, currently.

Members grow a variety of vegetables - onion, tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, garlic, broccoli, pumpkin, eggplant, cucumber, coriander, spinach, broad leaf mustard, etc. Generally, market demand forms the basis of the type of vegetable grown by the women. It also factors off-season as well as niche markets, the tourist season (May-September) and Dashain, a major Nepali festival in October every year.

The women enterprise group makes use of compost and organic pesticides for crops which are prepared by them.

While compost is prepared at an individual level in their backyards, using animal waste and organic household waste, organic pesticides are produced collectively. Organic

The number of malnourished children and the number of diarrheal patients visiting the health clinic has significantly declined with consumption of organic food

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Children are healthier after they began consuming more vegetables

pesticides are produced using locally available herbal plants and distributed among the group members.

carrots. Presently, marketing is being done individually, but there are plans to go in for collective marketing.

During winter, when there is snow, women produce vegetables inside green house or poly-tunnels. The greenhouses have been constructed using locally available materials, with partial support from CFD for green house roofs (90-120 GSM plastic), plastic for poly-tunnels, watering cans and garden pipes.

Some impacts

Marketing the produce is done by women themselves.

Women sell the produce locally or in the Simkot market, after meeting household nutrition needs. Also, there is a good demand from many hotels and restaurants. The average income of a household in 2015 was NPR 22,000, NPR 26,000 in 2016 and increased to 37,000 in 2017, primarily through the production and sale of onion, garlic, chilli, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber, cabbage and “Vegetables helped me fight poverty. I was able to buy new clothes for my children, and my husband repaid Rs 5,000 loan. I even gave gifts to my neighbors and relatives, something that I could never afford before”.

Ludki, a member of women organic vegetable group, Dandafaya

Training in organic agriculture has had a very positive impact on homestead farming and commercial vegetable farming.

Awareness of organic agriculture has risen significantly, particularly amongst women, who now use organic fertilizer and encourage other people to do the same. Most of the group members say that green house and extension services, along with vegetable production technology on organic vegetable farming, has helped them transform their agriculture system.

Cultivation and marketing of organic vegetables enabled the women enterprise groups in Humla district enhance their income and also build sustainable employment opportunities.

With enhanced incomes, the women are able to send their children to school and are able to buy school dress and stationery. They are also able to buy red sarees and bangles to celebrate teez festivities, a women’s festival in September every year.

The local community in Humla believes that their children are healthier after they began consuming more vegetables.

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or without any goods and materials. This empty slot could be used by the group to transport vegetables to Nepalgunj and Surkhet at reasonable costs. The group plans to scale up their organic vegetable production as more number of women are expressing interest to join the group. This will not only help in meeting the increasing demand for organic vegetables, but is also expected to increase the incomes of women entrepreneurs by 40-50% in the next five years.

The women consider the organic vegetable production enterprise to be a great success and plan to transform the village into a major organic vegetable production centre in the area. They also plan to make their village chemical free in the next five years.  Women plan to upscale vegetable production to meet the market demand

The local health workers say that the per cent of malnourished children and the number of diarrheal patients visiting the health clinic have significantly declined.

Nirmala Adhikari Executive Director Common Forum for Development (CFD) P.O.Box 13141, Sundhara Kathmandu Nepal E-mail: nadhikari@cfd.org.np

Women voices are being heard at home and in the community as well. Some of the women were also chosen by a political party for the local and provincial assembly elections, which they won.

Future plans There is a growing demand for organic vegetables in Nepalgunj and Surkhet, as organic vegetables grown in cold temperatures is very tasty and nutritious. The group plans to meet this market demand by enhancing the scale of production. Though Humla district has no access to road and everything has to be airlifted to Nepalgunj or from Surkhet, the existing 15-20 air cargo services which operate every day in Simkot, Humla provides a great opportunity to scale up production. Usually, cargo services fly in with goods and materials and fly back to Nepalgunj and Surkhet empty

Advertise with Us LEISA India magazine reaches more than 20000 people interested in development of agriculture, that is sustainable and eco-friendly. Every quarter, the print and digital editions of the magazine reach farmers, NGOs, academics, researchers, students, government departments, banks etc., who are interested in practical field experiences.

Produced since more than two decades, LEISA India magazine is known for its practical and quality content, attractive design, colourful layout, consistency and timely production.

It is produced in 8 languages – English, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Odiya, Punjabi and Marathi.

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We invite institutions, companies and Universities to advertise their services, products, courses and events which align with the philosophy of agroecology. For details, contact Ms.Rukmini at leisaindia@yahoo.co.in LEISA INDIA  JUNE 2018

Farmers in Aladipur village shifted to vegetable cultivation using biofertilisers

Farmers in Odisha replenish soil fertility – the natural way Practicing bio-fertilizer cultivation to grow vegetables for selfconsumption initially, many farmers in Aladipur village in Odisha took up to organic vegetable production for the markets. Besides benefitting environment and quality of food, shifting to organic methods helped farmers become selfsufficient and reduce their agricultural costs.

“With ten people in the family to feed, use of chemical fertilizers was the only option for me to produce more in less time”, said B. Reddy, a 55-year-old farmer from Odisha.

Reddy, like many farmers of his village, started using chemical fertilizers about a year ago to increase food productivity. For the initial period, this method seemed to have brought good returns. However, as time passed, he, like most other farmers realized that with repeated use of chemical fertilizers, the quality of soil was not the same as it was a few seasons ago. Using chemical fertilizers had not only reduced their agricultural yields, but also damaged the quality of soil.

VIEWS, a non-governmental organization based in Odisha, has been active in the field of upholding the food security of marginalized farmers. In Aladipur village of Chikiti block, where most farmers including Reddy grew vegetables solely using chemical fertilizers, the damaging effect of this practice was threatening the sustainability of their livelihood.

Ascertaining the need of the farmer community, VIEWS organized a comprehensive training program between January and June, 2014, on preparation of organic manure and its benefits for the inhabitants of Aladipur village. Along with Reddy, 24 other farmers attended this program. Apart

from Aladipur, the training program also reached out to farmers in 20 other villages of Ganjam district.

This program was a part of the ICCO Foundation’s supported project on “Sustainable Livelihood Initiative in Odisha” in three blocks of Ganjam district. Under this project, VIEWS trained villagers on practicing bio-fertilizer cultivation to grow vegetables for self-consumption initially. After the training, many households were provided with vegetable seeds such as tomato, ladyfinger and bittergourd. Reddy, along with the other farmers, started cultivating vegetables using organic manure.

The results were encouraging. All the farmers were happy to see their vegetables grow well even without the use of chemical fertilizers. Gradually, from self-consumption mode, they started producing vegetables for sale in the local market. The response on part of the consumers reinforced their belief in the advantages of using organic manure.

Consumers felt that these vegetables tasted much better than the chemically grown ones available in the market.

Soon, there was a growing demand in the market for their organic produce. While other sellers received Rs 25 for one kilogram of ladyfinger, these farmers were able to sell their organic produce at Rs 35 for the same quantity. Besides the immediate and positive effects organic farming had on the environment and quality of food, it also greatly helped Reddy and his farmer friends become self-sufficient and reduce their agricultural costs. 

Source: http://iccoindia.org/story/farmers-in-odishareplenish-soil-fertility-the-natural-way/ LEISA INDIA  JUNE 2018

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NEW BOOKS Sustainable Intensification of Agriculture Greening the World’s Food Economy Jules Pretty, Zareen Pervez Bharucha, 2018, Routledge, 190 pages, ISBN: 9781138196025 Sustainable intensification (SI) has emerged in recent years as a powerful new conceptualisation of agricultural sustainability and has been widely adopted in policy circles and debates. It is defined as a process or system where yields are increased without adverse environmental impact and without the cultivation of more land.

Co-written by Jules Pretty, this book sets out current thinking and debates around sustainable agriculture and intensification. It recognises that world population is increasing rapidly, so that yields must increase on finite land and other resources to maintain food security. It provides the first widely accessible overview of the concept of SI as an innovative approach to agriculture and as a key element in the transition to a green economy. It presents evidence from around the world to show how various innovations are improving yields, resilience and farm incomes, particularly for ‘resource constrained’ smallholders in developing countries, but also in the developed world.

The Development Trap How Thinking Big Fails the Poor Adam D. Kiš, 2018, Routledge, 172 pages, ISBN: 9781138574564 Poverty is an entrenched, intractable problem that will never be entirely eradicated.

However, if we reorientate our objectives in line with realistic goals that improve the way that poverty is confronted on a smaller scale, we can still continue the fight for meaningful change.

Using rigorous scholarship illustrated with vivid storytelling and personal anecdotes from fighting against poverty in the field, The Development Trap argues that we need to make progress against poverty on the micro, rather than the macro scale. Instead of shooting for a single overarching end of poverty, our goals must be modest and reachable. Poverty still won’t go away, on a macro scale, but it can go away for specific individuals - in fact, it already happens all the time.

The Development Trap is a compelling account of the challenges of eradicating poverty, and the possibilities for meaningful change at a smaller scale. It will be perfect for international development professionals, students and scholars, and for those with a general interest in the future of aid and development.

The New Peasantries Rural Development in Times of Globalization, 2nd Edition Jan Douwe van der Ploeg, 2018, Routledge, 312 pages, ISBN: 9781138071315 When first published in 2008, The New Peasantries revolutionized our ways of thinking of what constitutes the peasantry and repeasantization. It showed how a new era of empire and globalization was creating new forms of peasantry.

This new edition is thoroughly revised, with a reorganization of chapters and several new chapters added. It includes a new chapter on China, based on the author’s extensive fieldwork there, and much more information on Brazil. It integrates and critically reviews the many publications on peasants, peasantries and peasant modes of agricultural production published in recent years. It combines and integrates different bodies of literature: the rich traditions of peasant studies, development and rural sociology, neoinstitutional economics and debates on empire and globalization.

The original book has been used in several international postgraduate courses. The experience and feedback thus obtained has been used to simplify the structure of the book and make it more accessible as a textbook for students.

24 LEISA INDIA  JUNE 2018

SOURCES Ecological Engineering for Pest Management: Advances in Habitat Manipulation for Arthropods Geoff M Gurr, Steve D Wratten, Miguel A Altieri, Csiro Publishing, 03-Aug-2004, 244 pages, ISBN: 9780851999036 Ecological engineering is about manipulating farm habitats, making them less favourable for pests and more attractive to beneficial insects.

This book brings together contributions from international workers leading the fast moving field of habitat manipulation, reviewing the field and paving the way towards the development and application of new pest management approaches.

Chapters explore the frontiers of ecological engineering methods including molecular approaches, high tech marking and remote sensing. They also review the theoretical aspects of this field and how ecological engineering may interact with genetic engineering. The technologies presented offer opportunities to reduce crop losses to insects while reducing the use of pesticides and providing potentially valuable habitat for wildlife conservation.

With contributions from the USA, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya and Israel, this book provides comprehensive coverage of international progress towards sustainable pest management.

The Spirit of the Soil Agriculture and Environmental Ethics, 2nd Edition Paul B. Thompson, 2017, Routledge, 252 pages, ISBN10 1138676632 In this second edition of The Spirit of the Soil: Agriculture and Environmental Ethics, Paul B. Thompson reviews four worldviews that shape competing visions for agriculture.

Productionists have sought increasing yields—to make two seeds grow where only one grew before—while traditional visions of good farming have stressed stewardship. These traditional visions have been challenged by two more worldviews: a call for a total cost accounting for farming and an advocacy for a holistic perspective. Thompson argues that an environmentally defensible systems approach must draw upon all four worldviews, recognizing their flaws and synthesizing their strengths in a new vision of sustainable agriculture. This classic 1995 study has been thoroughly revised and significantly expanded in its second edition with up-to-date examples of agriculture’s impact on the environment.

These include extensive discussions of new pesticides and the effects of animal agriculture on climate and other areas of the environment. In addition, a new final chapter discusses sustainability, which has become a dominant idea within environmental studies and agrarian political philosophy.

Biochar for Environmental Management Science, Technology and Implementation, 2nd Edition Johannes Lehmann, Stephen Joseph (Eds.), 2015, Routledge, 944 pages, ISBN: 9780415704151 Biochar is the carbon-rich product used to improve agriculture and the environment in several ways, and its persistence in soil and nutrient-retention properties make it an ideal soil amendment to increase crop yields.

The first edition of this book, published in 2009, was the definitive work reviewing the expanding research literature on this topic. This second edition includes not only substantially updated chapters, but also additional chapters: on environmental risk assessment; on new uses of biochar in composting and potting mixes; a new and controversial field of studying the effects of biochar on soil carbon cycles; on traditional use with very recent discoveries that biochar was used not only in the Amazon but also in Africa and Asia; on changes in water availability and soil water dynamics; and on sustainability and certification. The book therefore continues to represent the most comprehensive compilation of current knowledge on all aspects of biochar.

LEISA INDIA  JUNE 2018

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ISSUES AND THEMES OF LEISA INDIA (1999-2017) Published in English 2000-2016 V.1, No. 1, 1999

26

V.1, No. 2, 1999 V.1, No. 2, 1999

Markets for LEISA and Organic products Stakeholders in Research Restoring biodiversity

V.11, No. 1, 2009 V.11, No. 2, 2009 V.11, No. 3, 2009 V.11, No. 4, 2009

Farming Diversity Farmers as Entrepreneurs Women and Food Sovereignty Scaling up and sustaining the gains

V.2, No. 1, 2000 V.2, No. 2, 2000 V.2, No. 3, 2000 V.2, No. 4, 2000

Desertification Farmer innovations Farming in the forest Monocultures towards sustainability

V.12, No.1, 2010 V.12, No.2, 2010 V.12, No.3, 2010

Livestock for sustainable livelihoods Finance for farming Managing water for sustainable farming

V.3, No. 1, 2001 V.3, No. 2, 2001 V.3, No. 3, 2001 V.3, No. 4, 2001

Coping with disaster Go global stay local Lessons in scaling up Biotechnology

V.13, No.1, 2011 V.13, No.2, 2011 V.13, No.3, 2011 V.13, No.4, 2011

Youth in farming Trees and farming Regional Food System Securing Land Rights

V.4, No. 1, 2002 V.4, No. 2, 2002 V.4, No. 3, 2002 V.4, No. 4, 2002

Managing Livestock Rural Communication Recreating living soil Women in agriculture

V.14, No.1, 2012 V.14, No.2, 2012 V.14, No.3, 2012 V. 14, No.4, 2012

Insects as Allies Greening the Economy Farmer Organisations Combating Desertification

V.5, No. 1, 2003 V.5, No. 2, 2003 V.5, No. 3, 2003 V.5, No. 4, 2003

Farmers Field School Ways of water harvesting Access to resources Reversing Degradation

V. 15, No.1, 2013 V. 15, No.2, 2013 V. 15, No.3, 2013 V. 15, No.4, 2013

SRI: A scaling up success Farmers and market Education for change Strengthening family farming

V.6, No. 1, 2004 V.6, No. 2, 2004 V.6, No. 3, 2004 V.6, No. 4, 2004

Valuing crop diversity New generation of farmers Post harvest Management Farming with nature

V.7, No. 1, 2005 V.7, No. 2, 2005 V.7, No. 3, 2005 V.7, No. 4, 2005

On Farm Energy More than Money Contribution of Small Animals Towards Policy Change

V. 16, No. 1, 2014 Cultivating farm biodiversity V. 16, No. 2, 2014 Family farmers breaking out of poverty V. 16, No. 3, 2014 Family farmers and sustainable landscapes V. 16, No. 4, 2014 Family farming and nutrition

V.8, No. 1, 2006 V.8, No. 2, 2006 V.8, No. 3, 2006 V.8, No. 4, 2006

Documentation for Change Changing Farming Practices Knowledge Building Processes Nurturing Ecological Processes

V.9, No. 1, 2007 V.9, No. 2, 2007 V.9, No. 3, 2007 V.9, No. 4, 2007

Farmers Coming together Securing Seed Supply Healthy Produce, People and Environment Ecological Pest Management

V.10, No. 1, 2008 V.10. No. 2, 2008 V.10, No. 3, 2008 V.10, No. 4, 2008

Towards Fairer Trade Living soils Farming and Social Inclusion Dealing with Climate Change

LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

V. 17, No. 1, 2015 V. 17, No. 2, 2015 V. 17, No. 3, 2015 V. 17, No. 4, 2015

Soils for life Rural-urban linkages Water-lifeline for livelihoods Women forging change

V.18, No.1, 2016 V.18, No.2, 2016 V.18, No.3, 2016

Co-creation of knowledge Valuing underutilised crops Agroecology-Measurable and sustainable Stakeholders in agroecology

V.18, No.4, 2016 V.19, No.1, 2017 V.19, No.2, 2017 V.19, No.3, 2017 V.19, No.4, 2017

Food Sovereignty Climate change and agroecological approaches Ecological livestock Millet farming systems

Sustainable farms, sustainable futures Y M M Srikar and Debasis Mohapatra A shift from conventional to organic methods of cultivation is possible with a little support. The case of Golapi, a tribal farmer in Odisha proves this. Golapi has not only become an organic cotton farmer, but has been practicing ecological ways of cultivation in other crops too, enhancing the sustainability of her farm.

G

olapi Illa is a tribal woman in her mid-thirties and resides in Badmanjurkupa village in Muniguda block of Rayagada district, Odisha. Married for about 17 years, she lives with her husband and 6 children.

Till some years back, her family depended primarily on conventional agriculture and made their living from the four acres of land that they own.

Owing to lack of irrigation facilities, the family grew only paddy in the kharif season. Some crops were grown in Rabi in case there was sufficient residual moisture left in the soil after harvesting paddy. Many times, shortage or delay in rainfall led to the failure of paddy. During times of drought, they had no other coping mechanism and were forced to work as agricultural labourers in the nearby town of Ambadola. Sometimes, Golapi’s husband migrated to other towns outside Odisha in search of work. Managing a large family of eight members was becoming extremely difficult.

The organic journey In 2011, Chetna Organic, an organisation which promotes organic food production launched the pigeon pea programme in Badamanjurkupa village. Farmers were trained on improved practices in redgram cultivation. Redgram was promoted as an intercrop in maize.

In 2013, the Mahila Kishan Shasakti Karana Pariyojana (MKSP) programme was implemented. Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana(MKSP)is a sub component of the National Livelihood Rural Mission(NRLM) is a programme

by Government of India for livelihood enhancement and vulnerability The objective of the programme was to

Women picking cotton

empower women in agriculture by making systematic investments to enhance their participation and productivity, and also to create and sustain agriculture based livelihoods of rural women. As a part of the programme, women were organised and Maa Bhairabi SHG was formed in October 2013. Golapi became a member of the group. The SHG was oriented on SHG strengthening, organic farming, and compost preparation, among others. She got trained on farming methods and shifted from managing a household to being a farmer.

In April 2015, Chetna Organic in an attempt to address these issues, started working with the communities under a project titled “Sustainable Farms, Sustainable Futures (SFSF)” with the support from Traidcraft Exchange, UK and The Big Lottery, UK. The broad objective of the programme was increasing food security and reducing the vulnerability of cotton farming households in two districts of South West Odisha. The project was designed to address the issues of high risk, high cost and unsustainable cotton cultivation practiced by small and marginal farmers. Other important aspects of the project were to enable women in small-scale cotton farming families to get increased access to information, technology and income generating opportunities, leading to increased status in the household LEISA INDIA  JUNE 2018

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Table 1: Intercropping in cotton and their advantages Inter-crops

Ratio (Cotton: Intercrops)

Advantages

Red gram

10:2

Provides additional income; acts as insurance crop in case of main crop failure; improves soil fertility.

Green gram/ Black gram/Cowpea

15:1

Provides additional income; traps sucking pests; improves soil fertility as N will be fixed; enhances predator and parasite population for controlling pests.

Randomly sown Randomly sown

Trap crop for Helicoverpa (American Bollworm); provides additional income.

Trap crop for Erias/ Spotted bollworm; provides additional income.

Sown in borders and also randomly in between cotton

Trap crop for Spodoptera; provides additional income.

Sown in borders

Promotes multiplication of natural enemies/pollinators; provides additional income.

Trap crops Mari-gold, Sunflower Bhendi/Okra Castor Border crops Maize, Jowar

through greater ownership, access, and direct control over resources.

Till 2015, Golapi was cultivating crops like paddy, pulses, millets and maize. In 2015, with the support of Chetna Organic, she started cultivating organic cotton. She was trained on various organic methods of cotton cultivation.

The trainings were organised before the season, during the season and after the season too. Along with trainings, she was supported with supply of non-GMO cotton seeds at lesser price and marketing of organic cotton. Besides this, she also received training on SHG strengthening, leadership, communication and gender issues.

Biological initiatives Several initiatives were taken up by the project to enable farmers shift to more biological ways of farming, for example, application of tank silt, an organic amendment for improving water-use efficiency and productivity. Farmers identified potential tanks which contain healthy sediments Women prepare liquid manure using plant biomass

in the village. Samples from these tanks were collected and sent for testing in the labs to understand the status of organic carbon contents and other nutrients in the soil. Thereafter, farmers were recommended to deposit the soils once they received a positive report from the labs. Each farmer was recommended to deposit a minimum of 10 tons of silt in an acre of land. Golapi applied 16 tractor loads of tank silt in one acre of land in the year 2017-18. The tank silt was procured from the Baraghati dam, which is a kilometre away from the village. Since the government was undertaking renovation of ponds through panchayats, procurement of silt was easy.

Increasing cropping system diversity was yet another strategy adopted. Promoting diverse based cropping system helps in building the food security of the household apart from enhancing the income to the farmers. Earlier, Golapi’s family used to cultivate paddy which was used for household consumption and cotton for the market. Cotton was grown as a monocrop.

Now, red gram is grown as an inter-crop in cotton, as it not only enhances soil fertility but is also serves as an insurance crop, if main crop fails.

Green gram, black gram and cowpea are included in cotton crop, which act as trap crops and also provide nutritious pulses to the family. Marigold, okra and castor are grown as trap crops. Maize and sorghum are grown as border crops to enhance presence of pollinators.

Planting castor and maize as border crops helped in reducing pest incidence in cotton.

28 LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

Farmers were encouraged to apply liquid manure, as plants can absorb nutrients 20 times faster through the leaves than if they are applied through the soil. Liquid manure is made from farmyard manure or plant material by soaking them in water for several days or weeks to undergo fermentation.

Frequent stirring induces oxygen resulting in more microbial activity. The resulting liquid manure can either be used as a foliar spray or as soil application. Some of the liquid manures used by Golapi during vegetative and reproductive stages were Panchagavya, Amruthpani, Jeevamruth and Vermiwash among others. These liquid manures/growth hormones have lots of macro and micronutrients, which helps in growth of the crop and production.

Golapi faced many challenges in controlling pests in cotton and other crops. Chetna helped her overcome the challenges by providing training on pest management techniques.

Information on preparation of bio-pesticides and application on pest infested crops helped her learn various techniques which also enhanced her knowledge on bio-pesticides and their relevance. She prepared and applied bio-pesticides like Neem Seed Kernel Extract (NSKE) and Chilli-garlic spray as an alternative for the management of insect pests of cotton and other crops. Planting castor and maize as border crops helped in reducing pest incidence. Golapi also practiced mechanical methods like hand picking of larvae, beating with stick and shaking the tree, among others.

Some impacts Adopting these organic methods continuously, Golapi has been harvesting better yields than before, not just from few crops but from diverse crops. She introduced cotton in 2 acres of land in first year and got a yield of 4 quintals. In the second year, the yield rose to 7 quintals and in the third

A training session for SHG members

year, it went up to 12 quintals. Through introduction of cotton crops and various promotional activities supported

by Chetna Organic, her family income tripled as compared to the previous years. Table 2 represents the average increase in the crop yields in the area.

The capacity building efforts has increased the confidence of farmers like Golapi. The convergence method adopted

by Chetna with different agencies like Tata Trust along with projects like MKSP and SFSF has also helped her maximize the productivity of land. Golapi is now a certified organic farmer.

Her leadership qualities are further enhanced by participating in training and meetings at different block and district level forums. Her importance and decision making authority, both at household and community levels, has also increased. She is now able to address different social issues along with members of different groups in the village. Her socioeconomic condition has improved and she leads a more dignified life in the society. ď ľ

Table 2: Increase in crop yields with organic production system S.No Type of Crop

Production in Quintals /Acre Pre-conversion

After Conversion

3-4 8-10

7-8 12-14 5-6 4-5

01 02

Cotton Paddy

03

Paddy (SRI)

04 05

Finger Millet Red Gram

2-3 2-3

06

Green Gram

2-3

3-5

07

Black Gram

2

4-5

08 09

Horse Gram Ground Nut

4 5.5

6-7 7

18-20

10

Tomato

20-30

50-60

11

Brinjal

35-40

50-60

Y M M Srikar Director- Programs Chetna Organic Farmers Association 3-5-703/4, Vittalwadi, Narayanguda, Hyderabad, Telangana, India -500029 E-mail: srikar@chetnaorganic.org.in Debasis Mohapatra Supply Chain Specialist Traidcraft India, 2nd Floor, Badhe House, 6-3-788/36& 37A, Durganagar, Ameerpet, Hyderabad-16 E-mail: mohapatra.debasis@gmail.com

29 LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

IN THE NEWS ICAR backs use of cow urine in organic farming Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the autonomous body responsible for co-ordinating agricultural education and research in the country, has put a stamp over the use of cow urine in organic farming. Under its Network Project on Organic Farming, ICAR observed that cow urine can supplement the nutrient value of the soil and help in the management of insects, pests and diseases under the organic production systems. ICAR evaluated cow urine in different cropping systems. ICAR officials said that the use of fermented cow urine enhances soil fertility and it can also be turned into liquid fertiliser as a pesticide for crops. Liquid manure from cow urine is easy to make and is good for plants in comparison to artificial fertiliser.

Incidentally, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, has received 50 proposals from different academic and research institutes to study the benefits of cow urine and milk under the Scientific Validation And Research On ‘Panchgavya’ (concoction of cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd and ghee) programme.

The decision to ask ICAR to conduct a study on use of cow urine in organic farming was taken after a high-level meeting at the NITI Aayog in October last year.

Sikkim is the only state that has officially been declared an organic state. It is India’s first fully organic state where cow dung and urine are used for farming and killing pests.

For more details: http://www.newindianexpress.com/ thesundaystandard/2018/jan/07/icar-backs-use-of-cowurine-in-organic-farming-1746498.html

Leaves from nitrogen-rich trees can be potential fertilizers Persistent overuse of fertilizers to increase the crop yield has led to serious consequences on environment and human health. The problem has now come to full circle and the challenge ahead is to produce enough food for burgeoning population but in a sustainable manner. Scientists are now on look for alternatives to fertilizers which can substitute nutrients in soil without damaging the environment.

30

Now scientists at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have shown that application of leaves from nitrogen-rich trees in soil can increase the soil fertility and grain yield of rice and can therefore act as potential replacement of fertilizers.

LEISA INDIA  JUNE 2018

They have found that supplementing soil with dried leaves of nitrogen-rich trees such as shisham, amaltas and neem can increase the content of soil microbial biomass and grain yield of rice. Microbes, when abundant in soil, deteriorate plant and animal residues and other organic matter to release carbon-dioxide and other plant nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous, making soil fertile and nutrient rich.

Suitability of tree leaves was measured on three parameters.

High nitrogen content, low polyphenols —substances that inhibit microbe growth— and low lignin content as it takes longer time frame for decomposition. Treatment of soil with these leaves increased the grain yield by 68 to 161%.

Scientists found that among the three trees, leaves of shisham were the best for increasing microbial density and nitrogen content in soil. However, fast decomposition of nutrients from these leaves means they are effective only for crops with shorter lifecycles. The use of combination of fast degrading shisham leaves and slow degrading wheat straw could be a preferred approach if crop cycle is longer or the intent is to replenish soil nutrients for long term.

The results of this study have been published in scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences India Section B. The research team also included Rajani Srivastava and K. P. Singh. https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/ leaves-from-nitrogen-rich-trees-can-be-potential-fertilizers/ article23604631.ece

Farmers can boost crop yields and contribute over 1 Gigatonne of emissions reductions A new international study shows that carbon removal from the atmosphere through sequestration by agricultural soils could deliver annual emissions reductions equivalent to removing 20-40% of cars from the roads.A study published in Scientific Reports and conducted by an international group of scientists from the Chinese Academy of Science, The Nature Conservancy and International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) has revealed how crop farming can make a significant contribution to tackling the threat of climate change, important ramifications for the UN COP23 climate talks currently underway in Germany.

Scientists have previously established that crop production depletes soil carbon through intensive tillage and the

excessive use of chemical fertilizers, with an estimated 5070% loss of soil carbon stocks in cropland soils worldwide (Lal, 2004). Since croplands can sequester more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere if farmers use improved farming practices like increased manure, cover cropping, mulching, conservation tillage, fertility management, and other natural climate solutions such as agroforestry, the international group sought to establish where in the world these activities could deliver the greatest carbon sequestration benefit.

Using a small increase in soil carbon, that experts say should be attainable in cropped soils almost everywhere, the scientists found that improved soil management in crop farming could contribute to annual carbon emissions reductions of between 0.9 and 1.85 billion tonnes per year, equivalent to the emissions of Canada and the Philippines combined, or removing between 215 and 400 million cars from the roads.

The study found that most of the world’s soil carbon is stored at northern latitudes, with North America, Northern Europe and Russia accounting for more than half of the world’s soil organic carbon stocks on croplands. In contrast, large areas of croplands in India, across the Sahel, northern China, and Australia have cropland soils that are low in carbon.

Although the capacity to increase soil carbon depends to a large degree on the types of soils and the environment, all of the major agricultural countries in the world were shown to have significant carbon sequestration potential. Whereas the United States has the largest area of croplands and consequently the largest sequestration potential, other major agricultural countries with large areas of cropland such as India, China, and Russia can make substantial contributions to mitigating climate change through soil carbon sequestration.

The scientists also noted in the paper that there are other important benefits of soil management, including increased yields from improved soil fertility and better water holding capacity, which also support farmers with adapting to climate change.

native aquatic plants, thus, killing them, becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes or parasites and depleting dissolved oxygen, threatening life under these water bodies.

In a path-breaking move that could be adopted across urban lakes in the country, Hyderabad-based Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) and Khar Energy Optimisers converted water hyacinth from the Kapra Lake into organic manure for farming.

Water hyacinth was being removed from the lake since November 2017, and the project is now in its final stages.

Speaking to the publication, CEO of Khar Energy, Raju L Kanchibhotla said, “Around 100 tonnes of useful organic soil conditioner has been prepared, which can be used for farming with water hyacinth, removed from Kapra Lake.”

The process used to convert water hyacinth into organic manure is called Accelerated Anaerobic Composting (AAC).

Here’s all you need to know about it: •

In this process, the first step is to remove water hyacinth from the water body. After retrieval, it is dumped on the shore using an earth mover.

•

Once dumped on the shore, the roots of the water hyacinth are separated with stems and leaves and chopped into small pieces. The resulting components are then filled into composite pits.

•

A ratio of 90% water hyacinth material, 8% dung and 2 % bioculam liquid (which is bacteria) is required to facilitate the composting process.

•

The resulting mixture or compost is a paste-like material which is then removed and dried on tarpaulins (heavyduty waterproof cloth) to turn into manure.

•

Once dry, the compost is filled into bins, packed and sent to a warehouse, where it is later crushed into a powder.

https://www.thebetterindia.com/141776/water-hyacinthorganic-manure/ 

The study in Scientific Reports is available here: www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-15794-8

Water hyacinth destroying lakes? IICT makes 100 tonne organic manure from it!

For years uncontrolled water hyacinth, an invasive species has posed a grave threat to the aquatic ecosystem. This invasive species that covers lakes and ponds is infamous for affecting water flow, blocking sunlight from reaching

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Reaping multiple benefits from biological crop management T M Radha and J Krishnan Adopting eco-friendly practices and enhancing crop biodiversity has several advantages in terms of soil fertility, pest management, crop yields, costs and returns, and environment. More importantly, it builds farm resilience and makes farmers self sufficient. Farmers in Pennagaram have shown the way.

M

ore than 80% of the area in Dharmapuri district in Tamil Nadu is under dry land agriculture. Out of 8 blocks of Dharmapuri district, Pennagaram block with 33 panchayat villages is the most backward area in the district. Pennagaram has red sandy soils. The soils are low in nitrogen and phosphate content. In the dryland

32 LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

areas, farmers cultivate millets and pulses like ragi, samai, horse gram, mochai and red gram during the rainy season.

Sorghum and little millet are grown in kharif and rabi under rainfed conditions.

Farmers in this region are faced with uncertain and uneven rainfall patterns. Also degraded land resources with very less organic matter content, declining ground water table, high run off of rain water leading to water and soil erosion,

In 2014-15, there was less rainfall. Farmers in 13 villages could go in for groundnut sowing using pre-monsoon showers. To compensate the yield loss from main crop, farmers from all these 13 villages went in for short term crops like black gram. In the remaining 7 villages, late sowing of various crops was taken up - Jowar in 3 villages, Same in 2 villages and Ragi crop in 2 villages was done during September end.

Learning by doing

Treating the groundnut seeds with biological

inappropriate production practices such as monocropping, indiscriminate use of chemicals, resources intensive crops, all have resulted in unsustainable farming. AME Foundation, a development organization, has been working with farmers in Pennagaram block from 2011-12, with an aim to help farmers move towards resilient farming systems by adopting ecofriendly biological options.

The Initiative In 2011-12, AMEF started working in 5 villages, which expanded to 25 villages by the end of 2016-17. In all the villages, preliminary meetings were conducted to interact with the communities and explain the purpose of the intervention. Grama sabhas were organized to inform the village communities and the local leaders about the purpose of intervention and to seek their support. PRAs were conducted in all the villages to get to know about the village situation and most importantly to understand about people, their conditions, their livelihoods, their challenges and limitations. The exercise helped in building rapport with the people. Around 60-80 farmers, both men and women participated in each village which enabled farmer groups to assess their resources collectively, depict relationships, problems and opportunities to support their farm activities.

Ecofriendly ways of farming were promoted using the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach. FFS is a season long learning process, wherein farmers understand their crop ecosystems and learn to take crop decisions in groups. Local youth and women were thoroughly trained who facilitated the FFS sessions across villages. FFS covered a wide range of topics covering soil water conservation, soil fertility, crop biodiversity, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Varietal choice, crop management, harvesting etc. In this article, we have focused on three aspects – a) soil fertility enhancement b) enhancing crop biodiversity and c) IPM. a) Soil fertility enhancement Insufficient attention to soil nutrient management in dry land is quiet common. Farmers see reducing livestock population as the reason for non-availability and application of organic manure to soils. At this juncture, some of the alternative options like seed treatment, green manuring, enhancing biomass on farms, FYM enrichment, use of biofertilizers, Rock phosphate etc., have given new pathway to the farmers to adopt them as best alternatives.

Seed treatment with bio fertilizers like Azospirillum, Rhizobium, and antifungal agents like Trichoderma viride, soil application of Pseudomonas, Phospobacteria along with FYM is one of the important steps that farmers learnt in

Interested farmers in each village were identified and organised into eco farmer groups. Twenty member groups were formed in all the villages. Meetings were held in each village to discuss about crop plans, required inputs, aspects like group management etc. For the first time, these groups of farmers analysed the situation, identified gaps and explored possible opportunities. For instance, in 2013-14, the groups decided to cultivate groundnut crop as main crop if there were timely rains, red gram and lab lab as intercrops, sorghum as border or barrier crop and castor as a trap crop.

33 LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

strengthening plants from the very start. That way, they could successfully cope not only with pests and diseases, but also with unfavorable environmental conditions such as stress and nutrient-poor soils.

Green manuring was another practice that farmers learnt through FFS. Women farmers took up sunhemp as green manure crop, before the main crop. In 2012-13, for the first time in these villages, the farmers incorporated around 1-1.5 tons of sun hemp to plots. Also, they were guided in estimating the amount of Nitrogen fixed through the incorporation of sunhemp. Farmers found that sunhemp was also a good low cost alternative. While purchased FYM costs around Rs. 2500/tractor load, the cost of incorporating 2-4 tons of sunhemp was only Rs. 300-400/acre.

Farmers learnt that adding FYM to soil enhanced the water holding capacity of the soils. Small experiments were conducted during FFS to drive this point. Enriching FYM was another practice that farmers learnt to improve the soil nutrient levels. 300 kgs of FYM was enriched with 50 kg of Rock phosphate and one kg each of Rhizobium, Azospirillum, Trichoderma and Phospobacteria.

Mulching was promoted for limiting the moisture loss from the soil. For instance, in 2013-14, red gram as a major intercrop in groundnut field suffered moisture stress during flowering stage after the harvest of groundnut. Heat waves, moisture stress due to the failure of one or two rains, generally expected during flowering stage, had resulted in 30-45% flower shedding. As this was unexpected, contingency measures were planned to adopt stubble mulching underneath the red gram. Through this operation further flower drops were controlled resulting in mulched red gram plants yielding 0.5 to 1 kg higher yield than the non-mulched plants. b) Enhancing crop diversity Enhancing crop diversity by including multiple crops on the farm was a strategy promoted to reap multiple benefits – improve farm resilience, pest management, provide good nutrition, source of additional food and income, and drought management. Farmers in Gandhinagar, Thinnur, Anumanthapuram, Attapallam villages tried out several crop combinations. In groundnut based cropping system, castor as trap crop, sorghum as border crop, red gram as major inter crop and cow pea as another inter crop was taken up by 280 farmers. Inclusion of multiple crops was also one of the ways to manage pest incidence.

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Sequential crops were promoted and farmers were guided to cultivate black gram which extended the crop production period by another 40 days. This was taken up after harvesting LEISA INDIA ď ľ JUNE 2018

the main groundnut crop, to make use of the residual moisture. Around 300 hundred farmers cultivated horse gram as a sequential crop in 150 acres. In all the villages, except Bilianur, farmers could go for second crop of horse gram using the residual moisture and nutrients fixed by groundnut.

This not only gave them extra income but also served as a source of fodder for animals. c) Integrated Pest Management Many experiments and studies were taken up during FFS to enable farmers to get convinced on biological and nonpesticidal management of crops. Farmers were encouraged to do biotic and abiotic assessments in farm ecosystem and decide the pest management practice. For example, leaf cutting experiments helped them to avoid pesticide sprays.

Importance of border crops and trap crops were tried out. In some of the FFS sessions, farmers tried out intercropping of groundnut with red gram and lablab, while sorghum was sown as border crop and castor and cowpea as trap crops for sucking pests. In case of samai, they tried sorghum as border crop with red gram as intercrop.

Mulching is followed to prevent soil moisture evaporation

Box 1: Field day on “Yellow Sticky Traps” A field day conducted at Nallampatti village in 2012-13 saw a huge gathering of farmers along with school children coming from five villages. For the first time, a field day was conducted with central focus on Yellow Sticky trap to promote it widely across farming community. To create excitement with learning, the day was called ‘Yellow Sticky Day’.

Farmers and school children prepared yellow sticky traps using various materials like, waste bottle, coconut shell, plastic mug, waste wood, etc., along with yellow paints and brushes. Everyone was enabled to prepare yellow sticky traps by painting yellow the materials given coated with castor oil as sticking agent. Volunteers explained the importance of sticky trap and shared the results obtained during FFS. Finally, each one of them carried the sticky traps to install in their farm lands. A total of 765 yellow sticky traps have been used by the farmers in five villages.

Events like field days are used as a platform to share the learnings on sustainable agriculture methods.

Pheromone traps, yellow sticky traps, light traps were installed in FFS plots in 5 vilalges - Germalampatti, Arangapuram, B.Agraharam, Kattunayakanahalli, Gowrisettipatti. The yellow sticky trap prepared using old mud pot, used water bottles, plastic mugs etc., were installed in FFS field that not only trapped sucking pests but attracted other farmers attention too. They got inspired seeing thousands of sucking pests trapped. Participants counted that 267 sucking pests of various kinds were trapped in a single trap (see Box 1).

Inspired by this, farmers in Gundakettukuli, Manjanayakanahalli, Nalampaty, Sinnapoompallam, Vannathipatti prepared yellow sticky traps themselves using locally available materials. They made yellow sticky traps with plastic bottles, coconut hulls, broken mud pots, etc.

Around 15 yellow sticky traps were installed per plot.

Farmers observed that these sticky traps have attracted high numbers of sucking pests thereby protecting the groundnut crop from pest infestation. They also observed that yellow colour was the best among all and yellow sticky trap as the best ecological alternative to address sucking pest problems.

Some impacts Seed treatment with biologicals improved the rooting pattern.

This further enhanced the crop withstanding capacity during moisture stress, besides fixing nitrogen in the soil.

Contingency options like spraying rice gruel solution served as a drought management practice protecting groundnut crop from moisture stress. Rice gruel spray (on Hose gram) during active growth phase controlled the opening of leaf stomata, thereby reducing transpiration losses.

Women prepare yellow sticky traps using local materials

In many cases, measures such as higher biomass application through sun hemp, EFYM, biofertilizers etc., coupled with effective in-situ soil moisture conservation helped in protecting crop from severe moisture stress. Use of soil amendments like FYM and EFYM, bio fertilizers, rock phosphate etc., helped in keeping soil profile and root zone temperature lower during drought period. An analysis of sample harvest taken from 30 plants indicated a significant difference in plants between FFS plots and farmer plots in terms of pods per plant, plant population, no. of branches, nodules, over all biomass output per plant etc.

Adopting an appropriate variety served as a good coping mechanism to escape from moisture stress. Farmers took up cultivation of VRI2, a drought resistant variety, which could cover the soil surface quickly by producing extra branches and leaves, which served as self mulch. Besides, VRI2 had good seed vigor and has good root penetration into the soil.

Adoption of eco-friendly practices saved the crops from total failure owing to drought conditions. For example in 201516, just ten to fifteen days prior to harvest, while there was insufficient rainfall in some areas, it rained heavily in some other areas. This affected groundnut, red gram and cowpea crops. However, by the adoption of LEISA practices, the crops fared better. Application of higher quantum of FYM helped to increase moisture holding capacity of soils.

Biological management of crops enhanced the crop yields and provided diversified food for the farming communities.

In a diversified cropping system, apart from main crops, farmers gained a lot from inter crops, border crops and sequential crops. Besides main crops like groundnut and Ragi, farmers on an average, harvested 8-10 kgs of cowpea, which was grown as an intercrop in groundnut. Castor as a LEISA INDIA  JUNE 2018

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Women learn to use pheromone traps during a FFS session

trap crop yielded 80-100 kgs; sorghum as border crop yielded 10-25 kgs. Farmers could harvest around 500 kgs of sorghum stems which served as livestock fodder. Sequential crop like horsegram which was grown to make use of residual moisture was another source of food for farmers. In 2014-15, farmers could benefit with an overall horsegram yield of 300-350 kgs/acre, of which around 100-150 kgs was kept for family consumption and remaining 200kgs was sold.

Adoption of alternative practices reduced the expenditures on chemical fertilisers and pesticides, thereby the costs of production. With adoption of soil fertility enhancement measures, farmers applied less fertilisers. Use of IPM measures, especially the yellow sticky traps reduced the number of pesticide sprays and thereby the water use. The cost of cultivation decreased by 24% in groundnut, 20% in ragi and 3% in samai. With reduced costs of cultivation, huge gain was observed in net incomes. The net income increase was to the extent of 82% in groundnut, 42% in ragi and 71% in samai.

Conclusion A holistic approach to crop management is necessary to make farming more remunerative while conserving and enhancing the quality of natural resources. A season-long approach like the Farmer Field Schools provides a great opportunity for the farmers to assess, discover and learn on the farm, understanding the ecosystem and the biological science of farming. ď ľ

T M Radha AME Foundation #204, 100 Ft. Ring Road, Banashanakari 2nd Block, 3rd Stage Bangalore - 560085 E-mail: amefprog@yahoo.com; amefbang@yahoo.co.in

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