Agriculture Development

Agriculture Development Program promotes sustainable livelihoods in India by building capacities of farmers, including women farmers, on improved agricultural practices and new technologies that increase crop yields, conserve water, and improve soil fertility. The team works with small-holder and marginal farmers in rain-fed and irrigated areas to facilitate adoption of advanced and sustainable agricultural practices that include soil health management, climate-smart interventions, crop production management, input-use efficiency, small farm mechanization, water-efficient irrigation techniques, horticultural development, livestock management, and the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in agriculture.

WHY DO WE NEED AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT?

With one-seventh of the world’s population, India’s economic stability is dependent on the sustained growth of agriculture and allied activities. The Government of India set an ambitious target of doubling farmers’ income. However, the crucial challenge for India’s agricultural development is to ensure that small and marginal farmers are able to gain adequate remuneration from farming and contribute to the country’s increasing demand for food.

Less-efficient traditional farming practices limit farmers from realizing the full potential of their landholding. In addition to the traditional challenges, climate change is a major concern in agriculture that impacts small farmers. Deviations in rainfall, changing temperatures, efficiency, and availability of inputs, all have an impact on the crop yield, quality of the produce, and overall output.

At the same time, cultivable soils are slowly becoming difficult to farm on due to high cropping intensity, inappropriate application of fertilizers, and inadequate usage of manure, among others that are causing severe nutrient deficiencies in soils. All these factors add to the risks in small and marginal-scale agriculture, thereby making it non-remunerative.

CROP DEMONSTRATIONS

The Agriculture Development Program uses a learning-by-doing approach to build on the knowledge and capabilities of farmers to maximize their crop productivity and better manage soil health. It lays heavy emphasis on regular capacity building and on-field demonstrations to educate farmers on sustainable agricultural practices.

The Agriculture Development team at S M Sehgal Foundation conducts crop demonstrations and carries out training sessions to help farmers understand the importance of soil testing, appropriate seed rates, quality seeds, seed-sowing methods, correct quality and quantities of plant protection chemicals, weed management, pest management, use of compost, and other advanced techniques. The use of bio-fertilizers, micronutrients, and macronutrients is promoted to improve soil microbial activity. This increases organic matter in the soil, leading to a significant increase in agricultural productivity, thereby boosting farmers’ income.

The crop demonstrations are carried out on the farmers’ own fields, with the control and experimental fields side-by-side. This put into action the theory of seeing-is-believing, where farmers observe the results themselves, while learning firsthand the practical application of the new and sustainable techniques. The results also motivate farmers to adopt and scale these improved farming practices, thereby increasing crop productivity.

FARM MECHANIZATION

Use of appropriate machines and modern technology in agriculture has the potential to address and overcome challenges such as poverty, resource scarcity, climate change, hunger, and malnutrition. Introducing farm mechanization in agriculture saves time and labor costs, decreases input cost, reduces the risk of weather and labor uncertainties, increases the quality and quantity of produce, and improves return over investment and farm income over time.

The Agriculture Development Program increases the penetration of mechanization among small and marginal farmers by providing farm machines to enterprising farmers at subsidized rates. Farmers contribute to the cost of the machinery, which instills in them a sense of ownership as well as entrepreneurship. The program trains farmers to operate and maintain the machines and subsequently earn an extra livelihood by renting these machines to other farmers.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT

While small-holders and marginal farmers have the fundamental know-how of farming, they have limited awareness of allied agri-entrepreneurship activities to supplement their income. There is a need to build upon the capacities of farmers to undertake calculated risks for increased profits and financial sustainability.

The Agriculture Development Program encourages entrepreneurship among small-holder farmers, and landless women in particular, by supplementing the existing sources of income, mitigating the risk of farmers, and in some cases protecting biodiversity, and promoting food security. The Agriculture Development team educates farmers about the nuances of various enterprises and business models, and facilitates backward and forward linkages. Some of the entrepreneurship activities promoted include high-value crop cultivation, horticulture development, goatery management, and farm machinery, among others.

WATER CONSERVATION

Availability of water is critical for the sustenance of agriculture and for ensuring food security. India is a water-stressed country, and agriculture consumes more than 80 percent of the total available water. Therefore, it is imperative to bring water use efficiency in the agriculture sector.

The Agriculture Development Program improves irrigation water-use efficiency by promoting the use of micro irrigation, mulching, laser leveling, direct seeded rice, and use of water absorbents to maintain soil moisture. The use of these water-saving irrigation practices reduces the consumption of water by 25–85 percent, while also improving farm productivity and reducing the cost of labor and the incidences of weeds and diseases in crops. It further educates farmers that efficient use of water is the key to sustainable agriculture.

CAPACITY BUILDING OF FARMERS

The Agriculture Development Program imparts information about modern and sustainable agricultural practices to strengthen and adapt the capacities of farmers to changing circumstances. The Agriculture Development team promotes a wide range of capacity-building methods including classroom training sessions that introduce modern techniques and best practices, on-farm training with practical application of these techniques and practices, field days and exposure visits to introduce farmers to new innovations and approaches, and workshops for peer-to-peer interaction and learnings. Leveraging digital technologies and ICT aids small and marginal farmers with access information and services, which results in improved agricultural productivity, better adaptation to climate change, resource efficiency, and increased market opportunities. The Agriculture Development team also invites experts from Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s, state universities, and district-level departments to provide knowledge about the benefits of government schemes on agriculture and allied activities to small and marginal farmers.

FARMER PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS

Collectivization of producers, especially small and marginal farmers, into farmer producer organizations has emerged as one of the most effective pathways to address the many challenges of agriculture, but most importantly, improved access to investments, technology, inputs, and markets.

The Agriculture Development Program strengthens institutional capacities of farmer-producer organizations along with training on better agronomic practices and technologies to improve the quantity and quality of their produce. The Agriculture Development team builds capacities of the farmer producer organizations to establish backward and forward market linkages, facilitates access to credit and strengthens the supply chain management. The overarching aim is to strengthen the operational and financial sustainability of these farmer producer organizations.

CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE

As a populous nation, India faces an enormous challenge in coping with the consequences of climate change. The majority of the country’s population resides in villages and depends largely on climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, fisheries, and forestry for their livelihood. This vulnerability puts Indian farmers in great need of adaptation strategies in the face of climate variability and change.

The Agriculture Development Program supports climate-smart agriculture focusing on adapting and building resilience to climate change, using an approach to transform agriculture systems to effectively respond to the challenges posed by climate change and to ensure food security. The Agriculture Development team works with farmers to promote water use efficiency in agriculture, soil health, and nutrient management, use of renewable energy and appropriate machines, protected cultivation, and the adoption of salt-tolerant varieties of cereal and vegetable crops.

ANIMAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION

The Agriculture Development Program promotes animal health to improve milk productivity. Profitability of dairy farming depends on three main factors: breed of the animal, management, and feeding practices. Inadequate feeding causes nutrition imbalances in milch animals, so they do not attain the desired body weight, they remain unhealthy, and produce less milk. The Agriculture Development Program encourages farmers to regularly deworm dairy animals and include high-quality mineral additives to their diet, including green fodder. The method is sustainable as dietary supplements are locally available, and training is provided on how to give them to the animals.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

The Agriculture Development Program advocates for the adoption of renewable energy in farming practices without compromising on productivity. Usage of renewable energy reduces input costs particularly as an alternative for petroleum products. This has a positive impact on the environment as it reduces the carbon footprint of agriculture. These measures include solar water pumps and solar sprays, among others.