India is endowed with vast potential resources. Some of the factors that helped us to make great strides in agricultural production were: Proper planning, bold agricultural strategy and exemplary adoption of technology by the farmers. Still, there exists a wide gap between technology generation and technology utilization.
The ecological foundation of agriculture involves judicious nutrient management and crop planning based on land and water use pattern and attention to building up soil health. This requires top priority to meet the food challenges in the years to come. To meet these challenges, the major responsibility lies with various extension systems working in the country.
KVK – An effective means for transfer of technology
KVK is one of the major extension wing established by the Indian Council of Agriculture (ICAR) with the main objective being technology transfer.
KVKs are playing a vital role across the rural economy in areas as diverse as animal husbandry, horticulture, plant protection and food processing. They are strengthening the linkages between academic institutions, line departments and rural people. These include small and marginal farmers having small land holdings, especially rural women and youth. KVK is ideally placed to disseminate field tested proven technologies, modifying them based on local conditions, needs and priorities. Nearly 300 KVKs in various parts of the country are actively involved in diverse areas to empower rural communities with new skills and knowledge through participatory approaches.
CARD-Krishi Vigyan Kendra was established at Pathanamthitta District, Kerala. The Christian Agency for Rural Development (CARD), Thiruvalla, a registered NGO is implementing KVK activities in the district.
Farmers are involved in selection, experimentation, adoption, implementation and evaluation of new technologies. Some of the joint experiences are described in the following paragraphs.
Vermi composting – a boon for a rice farmer
Kerala the green stretch of land lying on the coast of Arabian Sea was once among the leading producers of rice. In 1974-75, area under rice cultivation was 8.81 lakh ha. and production 13.76 lakh tonnes. Owing to scarcity of labour, high labour costs and costly inputs like chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc., farmers moved away from rice cultivation to more profit-oriented cash crops like arecanut, rubber, pepper, cocoa, etc. As a result, in 2001, the area under paddy decreased to 4.1 lakh hectares and production was 8.2 lakh tonnes, i.e., 25% of requirement of the State.
Besides increasing the productivity, the major thrust area identified was bringing down cost of cultivation.
CARD-KVK took up a demonstration in vermi compost with an innovative farmer, Sri. Rajan Varghese. With technical assistance and training from CARD-KVK, he constructed four vermi compost pits and used worms of variety Eudrillus Eugenia. In his field of 1.5 acres of rice crop, he applied two tonnes of vermi compost. By avoiding stearmeal and cow dung as basal application, he did save Rs. 4000/- being the cost of sterameal and Rs. 2,500 for cow dung. He also reduced the application of urea as basal dose from 40 kg to 30 kg.
Some of the most important advantages he reported were: convenience of transporting vermicompost over cow dung; labour savings; reduced pest incidence thereby reduced sprays ( in fact only one when compared to three by neigbouring farmers); reduced irrigation.
With his positive experiences he has become a master trainer and a role model for many farmers.
Case of backyard poultry rearing and vegetable cultivation in gunny bags
A PRA was conducted with 100 families from landless colony, with malnourished children and below the poverty line. The priority expressed was, requirement of nutritional food for their own consumption. Training and critical inputs were provided by KVK.
The groups were involved from seed to seed and egg to egg stage. The groups demonstrated their skills to other groups.
Good yields of vegetables were reported and were able to add necessary vegetables in their diet. Through poultry rearing, they were able to produce sufficient quantity of eggs for domestic requirement and also able to make profits by selling eggs and birds. The cheerful faces of these farmers inspired several others.
Nursing entrepreneurship
Mr.Joseph and Mr. Philip were uneducated and unemployed youth, when they visited KVK. They chose to start a nursery after examining several options provided by KVK. They attended requisite training sessions and jointly started an agricultural nursery with financial assistance from the National Watershed Development Programme for Rainfed Areas. They received technical guidance and planting materials from KVK.
These two entrepreneurs have now successfully produced a number of plants. They expanded their nursery and have set up an outlet near the town area. They further took part in a flower show at Pathanamthitta Municipal Stadium, in which their plants not only received a good response, but they also obtained export orders. They serve as role models for youth in the area.
Empowering rural women
PRA exercises conducted in Ashtamudi area of Kollam district, Kerala, revealed that a major problem faced by the rural poor of that area was serious environmental hazards caused by dumping of tonnes of undecomposable coir pith waste from the coir industry.
The women’s cell comprising of marginalized rural women from the area prioritized this problem, and KVK intervened with options for coir pith composting. A series of training sessions were offered. These women later formed a group known as “Sthree Sakthi” with the assistance of KVK and started production of compost on small scale with minimum investment. Now, this small group has income from the enterprise leading to household food security.
Case of mushroom cultivation by women SHGs
The poor and destitute women found mushroom cultivation as a very good alternative. KVK was able to organize members of different SHGs and SHG members were imparted an intensive training on group management and mushroom cultivation. Through interactive discussions, KVK experienced that popularization of mushroom cultivation among rural people is mainly constrained by the non-availability of raw material (spawn) and technical support from time to time. Therefore, a bio control lab for producing spawn to these groups, was established. SHG members have started a mushroom production unit financed by DWCRA. These groups are earning reasonable amounts by selling their products through door to door marketing and also through different super markets.
These groups are now exploiting the possibilities of starting a spawn production unit in that area.
Leisure time avenue for rural women.
With a majority of women below the poverty line, the future looked bleak to Nellimala Mahila Samajam , a SHG group in Kozhencheny, Pathanamthitta, Kerala.
Most of them worked as maidservants, involving back breaking labour. They continued with the work, as there was no other way to earn their livelihood. KVK helped them to identify alternative options and prioritize. Majority of them were ready to undertake value addition of under exploited fruits and vegetables. Different training courses cum demonstrations were organized. They started a small scale unit in their samajam buildings for making tapioca cutlets, mushroom cutlets, etc. They are selling the products through bakeries and taking the orders for parties. It is observed that the unit is quite profitable thanks to the active participation of SHG members. The expenses and savings were equally divided among the members. The members agreed that the low cost technologies imparted by KVK has changed their lives.
Besides obtaining the benefits of economies of scale, the group approach brings about a sense of common awareness and oneness of purpose, thereby minimizing the opportunity for exploitation. Above the village level Mahila mandals, it is possible to envisage a cooperative society at block level in which all women’s activity groups can become members. Such an umbrella type society will provide the efforts formal status, which the informal activity groups now lack.
The technologies to be transferred are evolved in response to the needs of rural poor who have little purchasing power. In all of the above cases, the focus was on involving landless labourers / poor farmers / women below poverty line, as, “primary stake holders” at all levels- as producers, as consumers and change agent from designing to adoption of cost elective technology package to suit local needs.
From the examples cited, it is clear that the end of participatory efforts would be very effective and rewarding. PRA & PTD serves as the best suited developmental approach that can ensure accurate appraisal, timely formulation, effective implementation, inbuilt monitoring and realistic evaluation of projects. More importantly, the role models being available among themselves ensures spread.
REFERENCES:
- Tamil mani (2002) People centered Development Projects through PRA, Kurukshethra Vol. 50
- Krishi Vigyan Kendra – A Reality (1999) edited by P.Das & B.S. Hansra, Division of Agricultural Extension, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan, Pusa, New Delhi
- New Vistas in Rural Development Strategies & Approaches edited by R.K. Samanta, Zonal co-coordinating unit, VIII, Bangalore.
Nisha Aravind – Training Associate (Agricultural Extension), CARD-KVK, Pathanamthitta dist. Kerala and D. Rakhesh – Soil Conservation Officer, Changwwsery, Kottayam District, Kerala
