June 2026
Community-led diversification models can significantly strengthen local food systems in tribal and peri-urban regions. By integrating farmer learning, ecological cultivation practices, urban gardening, and direct market linkages, a peri-urban agriculture initiative in Nandurbar successfully created a more connected rural-urban food ecosystem, supporting both livelihoods and nutrition.
Nandurbar district in Maharashtra, located along the borders of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, is a predominantly tribal region grappling with multiple livelihood and nutritional challenges. Small and marginal farmers in peri-urban and tribal villages largely depend on seasonal agriculture, characterised by limited crop diversity, fluctuating incomes, and uncertain market access.
In response to these challenges, the Dalai Lama Foundation initiated a peri-urban agriculture intervention, running from 2023 to 2025. Its aim was to strengthen local food systems through diversified vegetable cultivation, farmer learning processes, and robust rural-urban food linkages. Alongside farming households, urban families were also encouraged to adopt terrace and container gardening, fostering a closer connection between producers and consumers. Over time, the initiative evolved into a community-led model, comprehensively integrating ecological cultivation practices, nutrition, local markets, and collective learning.
a) Strengthening local food systems
The initiative was implemented during the Kharif 2023 and Rabi 2023–24 seasons across 22 villages, situated within a 5 to 20 km radius of Nandurbar town. A total of 126 farmers participated, predominantly smallholder and tribal farming households with limited irrigation facilities. The project team commenced with village-level meetings, farmer interactions, baseline assessments, and the establishment of small demonstration plots. Gradually, small, informal farmer groups emerged in the villages. While formal producer organisations were not created, these collectives became vital spaces for sharing inputs, coordinating training sessions, and planning cultivation activities.
Farmer Field Schools and ecological farming practices
Capacity building formed the backbone of the initiative. Eighteen Farmer Field School sessions were organised across demonstration plots, bringing farmers together for collective observation and experiential learning. Discussions focused on crucial topics such as soil preparation, nursery raising, crop rotation, seasonal planning, and integrated nutrient management.
The initiative placed considerable emphasis on ecological farming practices. Over time, many farmers began adopting these low-cost ecological practices, which not only reduced dependence on chemical inputs but also significantly improved soil health. Farmers were introduced to innovative techniques such as drip irrigation systems, low-cost protected cultivation methods, and market-oriented production planning through exposure visits to progressive farms.
Moving beyond mono-cropping
Through continuous demonstrations and consistent field-based guidance, farmers slowly moved from monocropping of vegetable crops to diversified vegetable cultivation systems. Lead farmers who successfully diversified their cultivation also motivated neighbouring households, particularly after visible improvements were observed in their fields.
Seasonal mixed cropping and staggered planting practices were encouraged to mitigate production risks and ensure more regular harvests. Most farmers initially tested these practices on small plots. As they experienced improved income stability and enhanced household consumption, cultivation areas gradually expanded.
b) Urban gardening and reconnecting consumers with food
A significant aspect of the initiative was the engagement of urban households through terrace and container gardening workshops. Five workshops were conducted for youth, families, and working professionals interested in growing food at home. Participants learned about grow bags, compost preparation, seasonal crop planning, and water-efficient irrigation methods.
Urban households experimented with terrace beds, kitchen gardens, and vertical gardening systems. Challenges such as heat stress, pest attacks, and water scarcity were addressed through mulching, crop rotation, and micro-irrigation practices.
Digital WhatsApp groups became active peer-learning spaces where both farmers and urban gardeners regularly exchanged crop updates, pest management solutions, and harvesting experiences. These interactions gradually fostered stronger relationships between producers and consumers, moving beyond conventional market systems.
Strengthening Rural–Urban food linkages
Weekly rural–urban 'haats' (local markets) were facilitated in Nandurbar, Shahada, and nearby peri-urban market locations. The initiative also piloted a subscription-based vegetable supply system, directly connecting 46 urban households with peri-urban producers. Under this system:
- Farmer groups aggregated produce at village collection points
- Weekly vegetable baskets were planned according to seasonal availability
- Produce was transported collectively and delivered directly to urban consumers
- Urban households subscribed to regular vegetable supplies
This model reduced market uncertainty for farmers while ensuring access to fresh produce for consumers. Farmers reported that direct interaction with consumers reduced wastage, improved trust, and helped them plan cultivation according to actual demand.
Outcomes and Impact
The initiative brought together two interconnected participant groups: peri-urban and tribal farming households engaged in vegetable cultivation, and urban households practising terrace gardening primarily for nutrition and self-production. Although their roles differed, the interaction helped strengthen awareness about local food systems and sustainable consumption practices.
Over two agricultural seasons, approximately 74 acres in 22 villages were brought under diversified vegetable cultivation. Farmers cultivated leafy vegetables, gourds, brinjal, tomato, chilli, and indigenous crops using ecological cultivation methods. Vegetable production reached nearly 312 metric tonnes during 2024–25. Farmers reported yield improvements of around 18–22 percent, while input costs reduced by approximately 28 percent due to increased use of composting, botanical pesticides, and Integrated Pest Management practices.
Weekly rural and urban 'haats', direct linkages with local vendors, and a subscription-based vegetable basket system improved farmer access to local markets. Farmers received 15–30 percent higher prices compared to conventional 'mandi' systems, while transportation costs reduced considerably. The initiative also reduced food miles, with vegetables now travelling shorter distances between villages and nearby towns.
Women farmers played a major role in the initiative and now constitute more than half of the active vegetable producers involved in the programme. Many households reported improved dietary diversity and regular availability of fresh vegetables for family consumption.
Challenges
Despite positive outcomes, several challenges continue to affect the sustainability and expansion of peri-urban agriculture systems in the region. Climate variability, irregular rainfall, and water scarcity influenced seasonal crop planning and production stability. Farmers also faced constraints related to limited cold storage facilities, fluctuating vegetable prices, and dependence on small local markets.
Urban gardeners encountered issues such as heat stress, pest attacks, and limited space for cultivation. While digital peer-learning groups helped address some of these problems, there remains a need for stronger technical support and local resource centres.
Case study Savita Vasave, a 34-year-old tribal farmer from a peri-urban village near Nandurbar, earlier migrated seasonally for sugarcane cutting because of irregular farm income. In 2023, she joined the Dalai Lama Foundation’s vegetable cluster initiative and received training on nursery management, vermicomposting and ecological pest management. She diversified her small plot by cultivating brinjal, okra, spinach and bottle gourd using low-cost ecological methods. Within a year, she produced around 6.8 metric tonnes of vegetables and earned a net income of nearly ₹78,500. More importantly, the family no longer needed to migrate for seasonal labour work. Today, Savita supplies vegetables directly to urban households and leads a women’s vegetable group involving 14 members in her village. Her experience motivated neighbouring farmers to experiment with diversified vegetable cultivation and ecological practices. As Savita explains, “Earlier we sold whatever traders offered. Now we know our customers and they know how we grow their food.” |
Another significant challenge is the absence of formal Farmer Producer Organisation structures and limited policy recognition for peri-urban agriculture. Strengthening decentralised market systems, local aggregation mechanisms, and supportive urban food policies will be crucial for scaling such initiatives in the future.
Key learnings
The Nandurbar experience highlights several important lessons. Firstly, diversified vegetable cultivation enhanced both nutritional and income security for farming households. Secondly, demonstration-based learning boosted farmer confidence, leading to the gradual adoption of new practices. Finally, informal farmer collectives proved highly effective in supporting early-stage mobilisation and peer learning.
The initiative also demonstrated that strengthening rural-urban linkages can help create more stable local food systems while simultaneously improving consumer awareness of food production. Furthermore, digital peer-learning platforms significantly strengthened continuous engagement and local problem-solving processes.
The peri-urban agriculture initiative in Nandurbar clearly demonstrates how community-led diversification models can strengthen local food systems in tribal and peri-urban regions. This experience also suggests a strong potential for upscaling which could significantly enhance farmer resilience, strengthen local food systems, and boost consumer engagement.
Shrikant Amrutsagar
Dalai Lama Foundation,
16 A, Dandpaneshwar Society, Prakasha Road, Nandurbar (Maharashtra)
Email: foundationdalailama@gmail.com
