Study tour participants visit Assam State in India in second stage of the tour

Participants of the SATNET intraregional Visit for Smallholder Value Chain Actors taking place in India began the second stage of the visit in Guwahati in Assam state in north-eastern India on day 4 (5 September 2014). It part of the visit is organized by CAPSA in partnership with Concern Universal and the Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Nidhi (a Guwahati-based NGO) which are implementing a European Union-funded project titled ‘Cross-border Transfer of Agricultural Technologies, Institutional and Market Development’. The project aims at improving food security and nutrition for vulnerable groups in border areas of India and Bangladesh.

Demonstration of bio-inputs

The participants visited an organic vegetable collection centre in Rangamatti village of Darrang district which is operated on a cooperative model by a group of women members. The centre aims to enable smallholders to better market their produce, both through traders as well as a local weekly vegetable market. Collective marketing can also help them to sell in bulk, better negotiate the selling price, and realize higher incomes. This initiative is complemented through training in organic cultivation practices provided through Local Service Providers (LSPs) for which the villagers pay a token amount.

Preparation of Bordeaux mixture

Pheromone trap for pest control

Subsequently, the participants attended a community meeting and demonstration in Barathekerabari village where they were shown various products and techniques for sustainable agriculture production. These included low-cost Pheromone Trap to control pests, enhanced compost making using bio-organic inputs available in the market, and health products made from banana tree stems. A step-by-step demonstration of preparing Bordeaux Mixture (a safe fungicide) was also given. During the demonstrations, participants also shared their experiences of using some of these techniques in their home countries.