SATNET intraregional visit participants learn about participatory approaches and organic farming practices in India

Farmer field school session

Farmer field school discussion

On day 2 (3 September, 2014) of the SATNET intraregional Visit for Smallholder Value Chain Actors in South Asia which is currently ongoing in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India, the participants took part in a hands-on Farmers Field School session on paddy cultivation. The objective of the session was to demonstrate participatory research aimed at finding community-driven solutions for sustainable agriculture. During the session, the participants divided into groups and conducted Agro Ecosystem Analysis in a paddy field along with local farmers. They noted parameters like type of soil, age, height and density of the plants, number of tillers, types of pests and farmer-friendly predators etc. The parameters were analysed by each group and recommendations for Integrated Crop Management were presented to the village community for deliberation and adoption. There was keen interest within the local community to adopt some of the recommendations from other countries (eg. transplanting paddy along with the soil that holds its root, and use of human urine as a pesticide). 

Preparation of Panchkavya

Later in the day, the participants were given a step-by-step demonstration for preparation of various bio-inputs such as Panchkavya (a plant growth promoter and bio-pesticide made from cow urine and other ingredients), vermicompost, and Azola (a bio-fertilizer). A low-cost method for selecting high quality paddy seeds was also demonstrated, to which one of the participants added his knowledge of seed selection for wheat. The demonstrations were performed by volunteers from amongst the visiting group to ensure better absorption of the knowledge.

Another interesting activity was the participants’ interaction with lead farmers from organic farmer groups in the area. As a result of Kudumbam’s outreach efforts, 500 local farmers across 50 farmer groups have now successfully received organic certification from INDOCERT – a certification company - enabling them to market their products in major cities for higher prices and even target export to other countries. Given that organic produce certification is still not available or is in nascent stages in many South Asian countries, there was strong interest amongst the participants in the certification process and Kudumbam’s strategy for adoption of organic farming at the community level. The certification process is based on the ‘Internal Control System’ where a farmer group is itself responsible for maintaining full documentation and monitoring of organic practices in addition to the assessment performed by the company.

At the end of the day, the visitors were shown a film made by Kudumbam showcasing the NGO’s efforts in establishing 400 acres of community forest in 11 villages to enable ground water recharging and improvement of soil fertility.