Innovative technologies in agriculture and rural development

Innovative Technologies
in
Agriculture and
Rural Development

LIVOLINK FOUNDATION
BHUBANESWAR

Preface and Acknowledgement

Agriculture and rural development are few of the sectors where a system approach to
innovations has been least applied for several reasons. Institutional barriers and the perceived
distance between research and practice meant that, in many countries including India,
farmers’ knowledge and practices has only insufficiently been taken into consideration as
a possible source of innovation.
Much of what has to be done for rural development is made difficult by the
complexity of the systems in which we intervene. Many interventions may appear relatively
straight-forward, maybe routine or programmable. However, the challenge lies in the
judicious application of such interventions according to the contextual applicability for a
particular target area or masses.
For advancing local collective action towards up-scaling various technological
innovations in the development sector, we felt the ardent need to bring out a consolidated
document on select innovations undertaken by civil society organizations, rural communities
and research agencies from various parts of the country. We strongly believe that the only
way India can sustain its long-term economic growth is by unleashing and harnessing the
creativity of its grassroots innovators especially in rural areas. The challenge is however,
in the fact that grassroots innovations don’t scale up. Indeed most rural innovations and
initiatives however impressive they maybe – are sadly limited in their impact to a local and
regional level and end up in augmenting the economic status and livelihoods of a limited
segment of the poor and rural people.
This document is brought forward to facilitate a mechanism to cross-pollinate and
scale-up these bright and innovative ideas for subsequent attention of Government, policy
makers, research institutions, donor agencies, scientists, academicians and others towards
enabling wider replication of such innovations in our country.
We express our heartfelt gratitude and acknowledge the work initiated by various
civil society organizations, NGOs and research agencies on innovative technologies. This
document is a compilation of initiatives and cited experiences drawn from selected initiatives
of NGOs and other agencies on such innovations. These constitute the reflections presented
in this document on Innovative Technologies for Agriculture and Rural Development.

Anibrata Biswas
Livolink Foundation

Foreword

Dr Sanjiv Phansalkar
Programmes Leader
Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Allied Trusts
Mumbai, India

As population pressure rises and land man ratio becomes adverse in wider areas of the country, the
problem of sustaining rural populations will become more and more pressing. Social safety nets of the
entitlements type offer politically attractive solutions to this problem though given our track record their
efficacy in alleviating the miseries of the resource poor will remain in question. Even if social safety nets are
offered well, two questions will still need to be answered well. The first is how does one ensure that resources
are protected and enhanced. The second is finding gainful ways of engaging and channelizing energies of the
people. Hence it is important to find new ways of helping the resource poor manage their meager resources
in ways that are profitable to them and sustainable in the long run. The solutions to these questions will vary
across regions and places given the diversity in conditions that prevails in the country.
This booklet offers a collection of various methods of addressing these three issues: the incompletely
answered food security question, the meaningful engagement for livelihoods activities question and the
resource sustainability question. These provide interesting and useful mechanisms for solving practical problems
facing millions of resource poor people across the country.
The booklet is a narration of the methods and their possible gains. The development community would
profit by experimenting and piloting the methods that appear relevant in the local context. Future work on
this issue needs to be focused on three different dimensions:
Techno-economic validation of these methods.
Specification of the conditions under which the methods will be found to be most effective.
Identification of methods for extending these innovative methods to possible users who live in the
appropriate conditions.
While one remains optimistic, here is a somber note. Virtually none of these methods need inputs
which are to be provided by an external economic actor. This appears to be a good news but only on surface.
For, unless there is a strong economic motive in spreading an innovation, efforts to take it to scale suffer.
Our society has not learnt to solve problems which are merely important but not commercially promising.

Contents

Tree Based Farming Systems in Arid Regions 1

Landless Garden 5

Promotion of Low Cost Kitchen Garden 7

Scaling up Mariculture 11

Up-scaling Stress Tolerant Rice Varieties in Flood Prone Areas 22

Gravity Flow Irrigation 24

Integrating Poor into Marketing Systems 27

Khaichum 29

Machan Vidhi 32

Up-scaling Innovative Technologies on Rain Water Management 34

Tree Based Farming Systems in Arid Regions

This innovation has been undertaken by Bhartiya Agro Industries Foundation (BAIF)
Core of the activity
Nearly 70% of the geographical area of India is dry land, under three main categories: arid, semi-arid
and dry sub humid. The arid zone lies between 24° and 29° N latitude, and 70° and 76° E longitude.
Covering an area of around 35 million hectares (ha) spread over seven states—Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab,
Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra—the arid zone constitutes around a sixth of the
country’s area. Deserts in Rajasthan (20 mn ha) and Gujarat (6.2 mn ha) account for over 80% of the arid
zone of the country. Desertification, which is described as “land degradation in arid, semiarid and dry sub
humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities”, under the
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), is a major problem in dry lands of
India, especially in the north-western parts of the country.
The desert ecosystems poses a major development challenge as climato-vegetational factors result in a
very poor natural resources base. The region is characterized by low and erratic precipitation (155- 350mm/
yr), sandy terrain and sparse vegetation. High wind and solar regimes increase the effect of rainfall variability.
Sand dunes are the dominant landform. The entire ecosystem is highly fragile and a small disturbance may
cause great and irreversible loss.
Drought is a recurring phenomenon and extreme temperature and loss of water through evaporation is
common. In the face of these obstacles, subsistence agriculture is practiced, mostly irrigation. Traditional
animal husbandry and agro-forestry practices are the major livelihood activities. Traditional watershed
management (run-off farming) and rainwater harvesting (through structures like tankas and kunds) are the
main technologies used. Some silvi pastures are developed and protected near holy places. In general, the soil
has low organic content. Accumulation of soluble salts or carbonate minerals just below the surface makes
the soil more alkaline.
Animals are an essential part of the production system. Generally, goat and sheep are reared on the
available scanty grass and native tree leaves. Permanent pastures are highly degraded and neglected. Many of
these pastures do not have any basal plant cover. Increased grazing pressure has led to disappearance of
many species and decline in biomass yield.
In the absence of any other alternatives for livelihood generation, migration is adopted as a coping
strategy by desert communities. Most of the men migrate and women who stay in villages face a difficult life
due to scarcity of water, fuel and fodder. The desert economy is thus increasingly characterised by rising
number of migrants and decreasing socio-economic opportunities based on traditional practices. Climate
change is likely to put additional pressure on ecological and socio-economic systems that are already under
stress, thereby threatening the very survival of the population.
Desert districts have a poor health care infrastructure due to lack of communications and road network.
High infant and maternal mortality rates, low life expectancy, malnutrition, high prevalence of infections
and chronic diseases are some of the major health challenges. Recurring droughts, poverty and non-availability
of health care systems contributes to the complexity of situation.

Innovative Technologies in Agriculture & Rural Development 1

In these circumstances, there is an urgent need to develop appropriate technology solutions, based on a
thorough understanding of communities and their livelihood systems.
Agriculture production and income from livestock in hot arid zones is vulnerable to high inter-annual
variability in rainfall. There is a need to develop a stable, land-based source of income. To meet this need,
BAIF is an organization that has piloted the tree-based farming model, known as Wadi. This has been
recognised as a holistic model of development for backward regions. The core component is plantation of a
selected variety of fruit trees in agriculture plots of around one acre, in such a manner that some cultivation
of crops is possible till the trees reach maturity and start yielding regular annual income. Multi-purpose tree
species (MPTS), grasses or crops like til are planted near the plot boundaries. After trials, fruits like ber,
gunda (Cordia gheraf), date palm and pomegranate can be identified for wadis in the Rajasthan cluster. In the
Kachchh (Gujarat) cluster, where the problem of salinity is acute, date palm is recommended. Amongst
forestry species guggal, an endangered local tree whose gum has good commercial value, has potential for
plantation along wadi boundaries, along with MPTS like khejari (Prosopis cineraria).
Locally available natural resources can be used for fencing plots and protecting saplings from extreme heat.
Cultivation of cucurbits like bottle gourd and ridge gourd along the fencing and fodder grasses are the ones that
can be cultivated in spaces between fruit trees. Gunda is a small to moderate-sized (up to 5m) deciduous tree with
a short trunk and spreading crown. It thrives in sandy soils, in areas with annual rainfall less than 500 mm. Thw
berries are used as a vegetable and to make pickles while the sticky pulp is used to make glue.
Conserving and promoting Guggal
Guggal (Commiphora wightii), also known as mukul in
north India, is a slow-growing woody shrub/small tree found
in arid and semi-arid zones of India. After growth of 7 years, it
has thick branches that yield fragrant oleo-gum resin which has
high value in pharmaceutical and perfume industries. Guggal
gum is one of the most effective cholesterol-lowering agents
available naturally.
Owing to its demand in the pharmaceuticals industry, poor
propagation through seeds, slow growth and over-exploitation;
it has become an endangered species. Conservation and
promotion of guggal in arid regions is thus a big challenge and opportunity.
Intervention Package
Types of Harsh Arid (like Barmer) Other Arid (like Kutch)
Intervention
A. Tree Crops
1. Fruit Crops Ber, Pomegranate, Gunda Date Palm, Pomegranate , Sapota, Mango,
2. Forest / Fodder Khejari(Prosopis cineraria),
Crops Pilu(Careya arboria)Indian Siris, Sewan(Lasiurus hirsutus),
3. NTFP Crops Rohida(Tecomella undulate), Dhaman(Cenchurus ciliaris L.)
Babul, Kumath(Acasia Senegal), Guggul (Commiphora wightii) Neem,
Khair, Guggul(Commiphora wightii) Gunda(Cordia dicotoma)
B. Agriculture Bajra, Gourds, Moth, Mung Wheat, Brinjal, Lady’s Finger, Tomato,
Crops (Kharif), Watermelon, cucurbits, Cowpea Chilly, Guar, Mustard, Isabgol,
Cotton, Bajra

2 Innovative Technologies in Agriculture & Rural Development

C. Water
Resource
Development
1. Traditional Traditional Tanka with Agor Water Recharge well, Roof top Harvesting
System Roof top Harvesting
2. Micro
Irrigation System Drip irrigation System
D. Livestock Sindh Goat Banni Buffalow, Khader
E. Area based Silvipasture development model on Silvipasture development model on
treatments community owned pasture lands to community owned pasture lands to address
address fodder and fuel wood needs fodder and fuel wood needs of villagers
of villagers Basic Principles

The basic principle of tree based farming system is to evolve a self sustaining livelihood development
model within the resources of the poor people by utilizing the existing natural resources of the area. The
thrust is laid on developing and then optimally using water resource to support agro horticulture forestry
species on land adjacent to the communities. Traditional management of the entire arid zone ecosystem is
centered on minimizing the risk of drought in diversified components and in efficiently utilizing scarce
available natural resources, including agro-forestry products. The sustainability of any development activity
to improve livelihoods depends on the degree of synergism with nature, native vegetation, livestock and
locally available inputs. Livelihood development has to blend the traditional systems of farming and water
conservation with new technologies, to promote natural regeneration/rehabilitation of arid zone ecosystems
and create assets for sustainable livelihood. This calls for use of a participatory and multi-dimensional approach.
This approach comprises raising of 2/3 suitable perennial species of dry land horticulture crops for generation
of sustainable income for the participants. The improved agriculture production should be able to ensure
food security while the forest and forage plantations will provide the requisite fodder and to a certain extent
the fuel need of farmers. To address the water scarcity problem including drinking water, establishment of
rain water harvesting structures can be envisaged.
Economic analysis
Cost of establishment of one unit Wadi (One Acre with 50 fruit plants)
Sl No Particulars Cost (Amount in Rs.)
1 Fruit tree plantation (For 3 years) 16400
2 Drip irrigation for fruit trees 5000
3 Forestry plantation 1000
4 Vegetable production in wadi 1000
5 Irrigation support (For 3 years) 10200
Sub Total 33600
6. Water resource development activities Rainwater
harvesting + agor/Rooftop connection 41575
7. Goat Intervention 500
Grand Total 75675
Assuming a maintenance cost of Rs 5000.00 for two years, the total cost up to 5 years works to be Rs
80675.00 say Rs 81000.00.


Benefit:
Average Income from One unit of Wadi (50 Plants )+other interventions (Amount in Rs)
Particulars 1st year 2nd year 3rd year 4th Year 5th year Total
Income Income Income Income (Projected Income
in Rs in Rs in Rs in Rs Income in Rs
in Rs)
Income from fruit 0 0 10000 20000 30000 60000
Income from the Leaves
of the Trees 0 00 500 1250 2500 4250
Income due to Savings
of Man days for
collecting water 3000 3000 3000 3000 3000 15000
Other Income
1. Vegetable
2. Agriculture 500500 600500 700500 700 700 32001500
3. Goat Intervention 0 0 3000 3000 3000 9000
Total Income 4000 4100 17700 27950 39200 92950

Benefit Cost Ratio works out to be 1.14
A steady flow of income of Rs. 39200/- per annum will be expected from 5 th year onwards for next 20
years.
Constraints for up scaling/Risk in up scaling
Hostile agro climatic conditions: Scarcity of water, poor soil condition, environmental hazards
Inadequacy of extension support
Non availability of quality planting material and manure
Inadequacy of skilled /experience human resources
Limited availability of post-harvest technologies for Ber spp.
Under developed forward linkages


Landless Garden

This innovation has been undertaken by Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP)

Core of the Activity
The main focus of the activity is on Integrated Agriculture development for generating sustainable
income of the families through Landless garden and Kitchen Garden promotion with the most vulnerable
and disadvantaged community in their backyard of their house. This would entail capacity building of poor
families promoting landless garden to grow different seasonal vegetables to cater to their own consumption
for ensuring balanced nutrition for the whole family especially the women and children and enabling them
to access nearby markets to sell their surplus produce to sustain the economic gain without disturbing the
family livelihood cycle.
Basic Principles
In today’s scenario the type of people
we are targeting in most developmental
schemes or programmes are not consuming
any vegetables in their daily diet. Mostly they
buy potato and onion from the market with
limited use to major vegetables. Due to this
the health status of the children and the
women are very poor. Such initiatives are
suited to ensure nutritional security and then
to sell the surplus produce to earn some
money for their family. One could produce
one’s own vegetable requirements in the
backyard using available freshwater as well
as the kitchen and wastewater. This will not only facilitate prevention of stagnation of unused water which
will be hazardous to health through environmental pollution, but can be useful for successful production of
one’s own requirement of vegetables. Cultivation in a small area facilitates the methods of controlling pests
and diseases through the removal of affected parts and non-use of chemicals. This is a safe practice, which
does not cause toxic residues of pesticides in the
vegetables produced.
The average land holding of farmers in many
regions is very low almost 1 ha. This coupled
with high soil submergence due to heavy flood
in the rainy season and limited financial capital
has led to poor agricultural productivity and a
high rate of migration.
Many farmers and families in rural areas are land
less; all they have is a small patch of land in the
Vegetables grown in landless garden


back yard which remains fallow. These people generally are agricultural or unskilled labour. Therefore,
the activities we are proposing are with these segments of families.
The aim is to cater to those families focusing upon the women and the old aged people who remain in the
house and can supervise the landless garden, kitchen garden without hampering the earning of their
household (which may come from labour work or migration of the adult males).
In addition, after the smoothening of production cycle the families can be motivated to go for agriculture
to earn their livelihood by taking leased land.
Economic analysis
Promoting four bags per family as a package can be considered at the outset. This is because two bags
for self consumption and two for the market to earn additional income for the family. This number can be
increased depending upon the space available. The economics of four bags are as follows:
Input Cost:-
Vermicompost (5 kg/bag @Rs5/kg) - Rs 100.00
Zyme (50 g/bag @Rs35/kg) - Rs 14.00
Seed (3 varieties of seed) - Rs 10.00
Labour Cost (0.5 day) - Rs 60.00
Total Input Cost - Rs 184.00
Output :-
3 plants in a bag
Total 12 plants in four bags
Production from 4 bottle gourd plants - 60 pcs @1.5 kg per Pc @Rs4 per Kg - Rs 1440.00
Production of 4 bitter gourd plants - 5kg per plant @ Rs8 per kg - Rs 160.00
Production of 4 smooth gourd plants - 10 kg per plant@10 per kg - Rs 400
Total value of produce - Rs2000.00
Net Profit – Rs 1816.00
Crop cycle - 3.5 months
So out of the total production the family consumes half of the produce and sells the rest half in the local
markets. There is an additional income of Rs 900 to the family in addition to their regular sources of
livelihood.
As this is a new method of vegetable cultivation, so for the first cycle proper handholding is needed.
There may be families with whom this activity is being implemented who are not farmers and hence
having no/little knowledge about the vegetables crop.
Germination of seed is sometimes a problem.
Advice and suggestions for pesticide application for pest attack is difficult to control.


Promotion of Low Cost Kitchen Garden

This innovation has been undertaken by AVDRC – The World Vegetable Centre

Under nutrition is a serious problem in India; Forty percent of the world’s malnourished children and
35% of the developing world’s low birth weight infants live in India and these micronutrient deficiencies
often go unnoticed despite their insidious effects on the immune system, growth, and cognitive development.
Micronutrient deficiencies have been referred to as “hidden hunger” and include iodine deficiency disorder,
iron deficiency anemia, and vitamin A deficiency. Per capita per day vegetable consumption in India is 130g
which is far below recommended levels of 300g by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Most
people subsist on cereals based starchy staple-diets lacking in diversity, which contribute to micronutrient
deficiency and result in severe diseases, especially in young, pregnant women and children. The most popular
approaches to address malnutrition are supplementation and food-based strategies, which include nutrition,
education, and food fortification. Home gardens/Kitchen garden are one of the most efficient sources of
nutrition for poor families. These gardens make use of spare land, recycled water, and organic wastes from
home, and add nutritional value and variety to the diet year round. Indigenous vegetables, the cheapest
source of vitamins and minerals, are high value food sources for the poorest families and can be incorporated
in home gardens.
Basic Principles
Basic principle to design the home garden is to improve production and increase consumption of
diversified vegetables round the year. The model is suitable for a plot size of 6 x 6 m. The plot has five
longitudinal blocks (6 m long and 1 m wide) and each longitudinal block is further subdivided into 2 to 3
plots measuring 2 x 1 m and 3 x 1 m depending on the crop. Four irrigation channels, each 25 cm wide is dug
between the blocks. Fields are prepared after two to three ploughing and well-decomposed farmyard manure
should be mixed in the plot area. Twenty-three crops are selected based on location specificity, cropping
seasons, nutritional availability, performance, and family requirement preference. Thirteen cropping sequences
for the model layout are (Fig. I). Participatory home
garden design, planning, planting, nutritional yield and
contribution of designed home gardens to household
diet content including moisture, ascorbic acid, and beta
carotene Protein, vitamin A, iron contents of vegetables
from home garden are being measured. Household
survey on acceptability of vegetables in home garden
with designed questionnaires and survey is conducted
in selected areas. Modified food practices based on
survey results in improving nutrient retention and
increase availability and utilization of vegetables.
Recipes are designed containing high protein, Vitamin
A and Iron vegetables based on the recommendations Home garden Module
and available vegetables in designed home gardens. Training courses on home garden, food and nutrition;
and establish community-based training centers are also conducted in target areas.

Brief history of the innovation and spread
Whatever we call it home, mixed,
backyard, kitchen, farmyard, compound or
homestead gardens, family food production
systems are popular in most of the countries
worldwide. They may be the oldest production
system known and their very persistence is
proof of their intrinsic economic and
nutritional merit. Traditional tropical gardens
typically exhibit a wide diversity of perennial
and semi-perennial crops, trees and shrubs, well
adapted to local microclimates and maintained
with a minimum of purchased inputs. Studies
on traditional mixed gardens have emphasized
their ecologically sound and regenerative
characteristics, by which they “recreate natural
Traditional home garden
forest conditions” and minimize the need for crop management.
The dynamic role of home gardening in family nutrition and household welfare must be assessed in the
context of the wider farming system and household economy. Usually, the functions and output of the
home garden complement field agriculture. Whereas field crops provide the bulk of energy needed by the
household, the garden supplements the diet with vitamin-rich vegetables and fruits, energy-rich vegetable
staples, animal sources of protein and herbs and condiments.
Experiences:
In 2008 the home garden model was established by AVRDC and evaluated on-station at Birsa Agricultural
University (BAU), Jharkhand and Krishi Gram Vikas Kendra (KGVK) Rukka, Ranchi. The weekly and
average yield of the vegetables grown was calculated from August 2008 to March 2011. The fresh vegetable
yield was further used to calculate the nutritional yield and nutritional supplies for a household of four
members. The nutrient values of the vegetables were derived from the Indian Council of Medical Research
and United States Department of Agriculture databases. The quarterly average nutritional yields (per person
per day) including protein, vitamin A, vitamin C and iron were calculated over one year from August 2008
to July 2009, and compared to RDA values. In 2009, the Center’s home garden model was demonstrated by
160 farm households; in 2011, approximately 885 Jharkhand households established home gardens based on
the AVRDC model. Thirteen vegetables were grown and harvested in every season in 36 m2 home gardens.
The gardens produced an average of 5.10 kg vegetables every week and 266.5 kg per year, providing an
average of 182 g of vegetable per person daily in a four-member household family. A total of 351 kg fresh
vegetables were harvested from April 2010 to March 2011
The quarterly nutritional yield (per person per day) for protein, vitamin A, vitamin C and iron was
calculated based on the recommended daily allowance (RDA). Vitamin A and vitamin C supplies were more
than sufficient, and approximately 3/4 of protein and 1/4 of iron requirements were met (Table 1). The
Center is incorporating high protein legumes and very high iron vegetables in the garden designs and
disseminating improved recipes using these plants to enhance the nutritional value of meals.


Table 1: Nutritional yield from home garden vegetable harvest, Jharkhand
Protein (g) Beta Carotene (mg) Vit C (mg) Iron (mg)
Nutritional yield/year 5348.5 3898 96819.1 9012.3
RDA for a family of four 1287.5 3212 58400 38142.5
% RDA met 73.4 121.4 165.8 23.63

Other activities related to home garden in three years of the project 160 home garden kits along with
the home gardening information were prepared and distributed to the farmers. 2000 home garden kits
including five leafy vegetables were distributed to the farmers. Modified food practices including pickling,
sauce making, drying were the food processing methods identified for vegetables and detailed processes of
these were suggested to the farmers in the training programs. Extension material for home gardening and
nutrition awareness were prepared and distributed to the trainers and farmers. 529 NGOs field staff, farmers,
and household were trained in 30 one day home garden trainings cum demonstration programs joaintly
organized with the partners at different sites for enhancing home garden vegetable cultivation awareness.
There were seven training courses and two field days conducted involving 273 trainers and farmers. There
were 30 new modified recipes, utilizing home garden vegetables, developed. Modified food practices including
pickling, sauce making and drying were also promoted to farmers in training programs. More than 4,000
village members, policy makers, visitors and media persons visited the model home gardens. There were
8,000 home garden fact sheets and model posters developed and distributed to farmers.
Investments and economic analysis
Well-planned, intensive cultivation of vegetables in home gardens can enhance vegetable productivity
by 73.9 t/ha compared with average vegetable productivity of 12.7 t/ha in India. To promote home gardens,
AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center and partners distributed a total of 160 year-round home garden and
2000 winter leafy vegetable kits; the home gardeners were able to produce about 142 t of vegetables worth
about Rs. 15.4 lakh. Although dietary customs are culture-related, new indigenous vegetables can be introduced
to diversify diets. Highly nutritious vegetables such as kangkong and basella have been introduced and have
been accepted and consumed by the farm families. New recipes have been developed to enhance the
bioavailability of iron, protein, and vitamins A and C. The number of home gardens increased to 885 in
2010-11, which will have the capacity to produce about 214.5 t annually.
The potential economic benefits of home gardening, which should be considered in designing garden
projects and included in project evaluations, include the following:
Returns to land and labour are often higher than those from field agriculture;
Gardening gives dual benefits of food provision and income generation;
Gardens provide fodder for household animals and supplies for other household needs (handicrafts,
fuelwood, furniture, baskets, etc.);
Household processing of garden fruits and vegetables (drying, canning) increases their market value
and ensures year-round supply;
Low-input, low-cost gardening has few “barriers to entry”;
Marketing of garden produce and animals is often the only source of independent income for women.
Strategies for Upscaling
In areas where diets are based on cereals, meat, or spicy crops, promoting vegetable consumption becomes
more difficult. The importance of vegetables contribution to daily nutrient requirements should be promoted


and the healthy diet gardening kits supported to gain wider acceptance among farmers and consumers.
Establishments of home gardens on a large scale can help improve year-round vegetable production; ensuring
nutritious vegetables are available to the smallholder farmers and poor households. Training provided to
scientists, extension workers, and farmers will encourage the adoption of new technologies and home gardening
skills for enhanced vegetable productivity in the region. Overall, the interventions in this project will help
the people of Jharkhand achieve nutritional security, and provide an additional source of income to poor
farmers. In another five year, the program can be implemented in other areas of Jharkhand as well as other
states of country.
The following strategies are required for upscaling the home gardens:
Work should be done in areas where households have some experience with home gardening; build on
traditional methods to enhance household food security.
Using a group approach and select village leaders for technical training.
Integrating nutrition awareness and education into garden planning.
Involving whole families in garden planning and management, and especially women in the distribution
of garden harvests and income generated.
Flexibility with respect to choice of species and cropping patterns, encouraging diversity and use of
locally adapted varieties.
Encouraging reliance on local materials for soil, water and pest management and on household or
community seed production; minimize “giveaways”.
Monitoring the project for regular feedback and fine-tuning of training and other needs.
Constraints for upscaling/Risk in upscaling
Non availability of water in summer
Less attention to home garden during rice season
Damage by domestic animals and poultry
Less availability of quality open pollinated variety seeds
Lack of seed production technique and storage.
Shifting / discontinuation of home garden according to season


Scaling up Mariculture

This innovation has been undertaken by Coastal Salinity Prevention Cell (CSPC)

Concept of lobster fattening
The spiny or rock lobsters (Panulirus spp.) are marine crustaceans (shellfishes) commonly found in
rocky shores and grow up to a body length of 60 cm. The dominant and most widespread species of the
Pacific is the golden rock lobster. Other common species are the painted lobster, the striped leg lobster and
the ornate lobster. Eight species of spiny lobsters, six shallow water species and two deep-sea species and the
sand lobster contribute to lobster fishery of India. The shallow water species are: P. homarus, P. ornatus, P.
polyphagus, P. pencillatus, and P. versicolor and P. longipes).
Background of related initiatives
Initiation of Fishery Groups
People’s Learning Center for Livelihood Security and Disaster Mitigation for Coastal Communities
(PLC)- has been an organization whose intervention in the fisheries sector begun in 2004, when an initial
survey was carried out to assess the dependency on fishing as a livelihood. A training programme in Victor
village followed this where 58 people came forward for a two-day training. The people were all from the
Vaghri community, which is not a traditional fishing community but its members are adept at catching small
wildlife and many were practicing sea-shore fishing, albeit without legal permits and without proper
equipment. After the training, 32 people decided to come together to set up a self help group on a cooperative
basis. 21 of these were involved in temporary fishing while 2 to 3 were practicing fisheries on a regular basis.
Due to poor catch and harassment by local authorities most of these people were unable to make a livelihood
out of fishing and had to migrate to survive.
The cooperative made it possible for them to:
- Gain legitimacy by procuring license for seashore fishing catch and sale.
- Access loans to buy fishing nets
- Get technical guidance from PLC’s resource-persons as well as from Fisheries Department to carry
out sustainable and profitable fishing.
- Get a better price for their produce in the market
Fishing intervention and its impacts
On the suggestion of PLC team, several changes in the fishing methods and norms were made which
began to bear fruit in terms of increased productivity and income on a sustainable basis. Where the daily
income from fishing was Rs. 30-50/- before, now it has increased to about Rs. 70-80/- per day. On an
average, a family began to earn an additional Rs. 1000/- month and as a result, migration levels began to
come down. Soon more villages began to join the movement and by the beginning of 2008 there were 21
groups. The group has been registered in the name of Matsagandha Sarvangi Vikas Sanstha as a public trust
and Society.

Genesis of Lobster fattening and other mariculture opportunities
While working with the fisheries groups, the PLC team encouraged them to be innovative and make
small experiments. At Akhtariya (as also other villages), there was a tradition of using small pits to store fish
for a few days (say 10-15) and then sell them in order to get the right price. PLC team recalled that during an
exposure visit to Hindustan Lever at Chennai they had seen experiments on lobster fattening which was
proposed to the people. This resulted in the development and standardization of the pit culture method for
lobster fattening. The species of rock lobster found here is Panulirus homarus. The pits were made in soft
rock on the seashore where the pits were flushed regularly by tidal water. Pits of small size (virdas) as well as
larger sized tanks were made to find out the best option.
At Chanch Bawadiya there are many creeks. The Creeks
people used to carry fish and lobster in bags made of
net and keep them for a while before marketing. PLC
team asked Bachubhai Verabhai, one of the members
to put some juveniles in a net bag and tied it in a
creek. After three months the lobsters had grown
from 50 gm to 70 gm. And after another two months
they became 150gms in weight, making them
marketable. However, predators had damaged the
legs of the lobsters, which affected their market value.
The experiment paved the way for developing the
cage method and standardizing the culture procedures. The cages were made of bamboo sticks and nylon
nets were tied in two or three layers around the bamboo structure.
In the same way, crab-culture was also initiated recently and the results are very promising. Although
crabs fetch a lower price than lobsters, they are less prone to the kind of production risks faced by the latter.
These experiments/trials and their outcomes are discussed in more detail in the next section.
Basic principles
Seed (juvenile) collection
Juveniles are not easily available everywhere. The natural habitats are usually located in areas, which
have soft rock bottom - lobsters avoid clayey and silty bottoms. Juvenile seed material is available during the
two monsoon months of July and September. The seed material collected thus can be stocked in pits until
mid October when the first cycle begins.
Catching lobster juveniles is a specialized job and 2-3 members of the mandal can specialize in it. Juveniles
are best caught with Japan disco net of gauge 3" x 3". Such nets are costly, and last only for a month, but the
cost can be recovered in one day itself because marketable lobsters would also be caught along with the
juveniles. At current prices, the net costs Rs. 500/- for every 200 ft. The cost of total length of net required
would be about Rs. 2000/-. In Bhavnagar area, these nets are easily available in the Rajual market.
Juvenile lobsters can also be bought from other fishermen who do not belong to a mandal and who are
happy to sell their produce at a lower cost in order to get immediate cash.
Site selection
Lobsters are sensitive to certain environmental factors. Hence care should be taken to ensure that such
factors are favourable in the chosen site. The following criteria may be used for selecting a suitable site:
i) The first and foremost condition is to look for soft stone areas where tidal water is 2-3 feet deep.
Stony areas with sharp edges should be avoided as this will make it difficult to clean the pits and to


move about in the mariculture site. The site should be level as far as possible. Care should be taken
to ensure that there are no hollows in the stone site and that there are no sweet water aquifers
beneath. Sometimes if sweet water finds its way through the hollows, it can adversely affect the
salinity levels and cause mortality. Muddy water should be avoided at all costs.
ii) Tidal waves should be coming on the site two times a day. Ideally the salinity level of the water
should not exceed the range of 24 to 28 ppt. Areas where salinity of the water can fluctuate beyond
this range should be avoided. Sites, which are inundated with sweet water currents, should be avoided.
iii) In case the pits are located above the level of the tidal water, arrangements should be made to pump
water into the pits and drain out water from the lower end. About a fourth of the water should be
changed once in every three days.
iv) Lobsters are very sensitive to temperature. The temperature should be between 18-20 degrees
centigrade. In summer if the tidal water is hot their metabolism gets affected. Wet sacks can be
placed on top of the pits in summer to prevent the water in the pits getting hot. Sites, which are
frequently inundated with hot water currents, must be avoided. Sites with black stone should be
avoided as these can get heated up more quickly.
v) If a dungra or bet (small raised islet on the coast) is selected care should be taken to avoid the side
facing the sea, as this side tends to get muddy.
vi) The pH of the water should ideally be 7.5 and can range from 7 to 8. The pH gets affected also when
sweet water flows come into the creeks or pits, especially during monsoon.
vii) Areas with high predator population should be avoided to minimize loss of juveniles to predators
and damage to the nets - in case of cage method.
viii) Avoid sites where the water current is too strong to cause damage to the pits or cages.
ix) Some times people may select a site that is difficult to access so that it is not vulnerable to damage /
sabotage by other human beings. But this could also make it difficult to attend to the routine work
related to husbandry of the lobsters.
x) While selecting a creek for cage culture, care should be taken that there are no river flows in the
creek or that saltpans are not located upstream as the latter release rainwater from their pans in
monsoon. Very small creeks (with water flows of only 1 ft deep) should be avoided, as these will
bring in mud or hot water flows.
xi) Creeks, which have a high load of seaweeds, are generally not preferred for cage culture as this can
mean more labour for keeping them clean. However, if the weeds can be converted into vermicompost,
as done in other parts of coastal India that can serve as an additional source of income.
Preparation of pits / tanks
i) Although the size of pits can vary, two sizes have been found to be useful. The “virdas” are small
pits of dimension 8’ x 6’ x 3’. The virdas must be spaced out to allow enough space for movement
between them – say about 5 feet. The layout would depend on the shape of the available site. The
large pits or tanks with dimension 20’ x 30’ x 5’ have also been tried. The borders of these tanks are
made firm with a cemented stonewall about one foot in height. The pits are located at lower levels
where the tidal water flushes take place two times a day. Hence the dissolved oxygen and nutrients
flow in naturally. In the case of the tanks an outlet with a valve is located at the lower end from
where the lower muddy water can be drained out. Provision for pumping in fresh seawater must be
made. The pump needs to be located on a pedestal and protected from tidal water.


ii) Pits are made with hand tools, since the rock is soft. Often the time available between tides is less
and the time available during a given day for digging may be only a couple of hours. This implies
that more number of people may be needed in order to accomplish the work in stipulated time.
iii) In the sides of the pits, small holes of half a foot are made so as to provide a hiding spot for the
moulting lobster. Heaps of loose stones on the bottom of the pit can also serve the same purpose.
iv) The pits must be covered with nylon
nets that prevent the lobsters from
being taken away by tidal waters. The
nets must be fastened in such a way that
the force of the water does not easily
remove them. If the nets open up, not
only can the fattened lobsters be lost,
but predators can also enter the pits
and cause harm to the stock.
v) The entire site should be cordoned off
so that it is not affected knowingly or
unknowingly by any other human
activities.
Recommended practices for pit culture
Preparation of pits
i) Only male juveniles are used for
lobster fattening. The seed consisting
of male juveniles should first be
stocked in a separate pit. The seed can
be stocked for the entire year. About
half the seed will be used in the first
round of 4-5 months. The other half
will remain in the stocking pit without
growing. After five months they can
be removed and used in the next cycle
for grow out.
ii) The pits should be prepared first by
cleaning them. The tidal water should
be allowed to wash the pit at least
twice. The quality of water should be
tested on all the various parameters like pH, salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen (only in
case of tanks where fresh water does not enter twice a day).
iii) Stocking density – Juveniles should be stocked in such as way that each lobster gets 2.5 sq ft of floor
space of the pit. In the case of cages, the stocking density can be 1.25 times that of pit method. For
a cage of size 6’ x 3’ about 7-8 lobsters is optimum.
iv) Juveniles of the same weight and size should be kept together so that they all undergo moulting at
the same time as far as possible. Due to cannibalism, large lobsters may feed on small ones or on ones
that are in the moulting stage. For the same reason, moulting lobsters should be placed in a separate
pit.


v) The quality of seed should be checked before releasing into the pits. The tail should not be damaged
in any way. The seed should be disease free. The incidence of disease so far has been rare, but
elsewhere certain fungal and bacterial diseases are reported due to over-stocking.
vi) The pits must be cleaned once in 3 days and the tanks once in 15 days. The water should be emptied
out and filled again after cleaning. To test if the pit needs cleaning other than the routine cleaning,
tie a saucer to a string and hang it in water. If it can be seen clearly upto 2 feet in depth the pit does
not need cleaning. If the water is murky/ muddy, it needs to be cleaned.
vii) During cleaning operations, the lobsters should be removed and placed in another pit. After cleaning
the pit, the routine pit preparation should be repeated. Sort out the lobsters based on size, moulting
stage etc. and re-start the pit.
viii) Measurements of environmental variables must be taken thrice a day (before sunrise, at 12 noon and
after sunset) and entered in a logbook. Action may have to be taken to protect the stock from any
sudden changes in temperature, salinity or pH values. Periodic weighing of the juveniles is also
necessary to monitor the growth in different pits.
ix) In order to maintain sanitation and hygienic conditions, it is recommended that only one or two
people are designated to do the cleaning work and others should not enter the pits. The use of
rubber shoes and gloves is recommended for the same reason.
x) Feeding practices: trash fish like chipla (snails); boomla (Bombay ducks) and sundhi jinga (small sized
white marine prawns) and undersized boi fish are considered ideal feed material. These are all fish
which fetch some market value, but when undersized they don’t get fetch any value and therefore
considered trash fish. Other types of trash fish do not lead to good growth and should therefore be
avoided. The trash fish should be minced and fed in accordance to the weight of the lobsters. It is
recommended that the feed should be about 1/10th of the weight of the lobsters. If excess feed is
given, it leads to wastage or indigestion.
xi) During stormy weather, protection is needed. The fishermen should ensure that the nets are fastened
securely with galvanized nails that do not dislodge or corrode easily.
xii) Protection from human interference, pilferage and sabotage is important. Some system of watch
and ward may be needed in villages where the social threat is high. Oil spills can affect the cultivation.
Sand and silt coming from nearby jetties and ports can create problems.
xiii) If any specific experiments are to be carried out to measure the impact of different treatments on
growth etc. this should be done in separate pits marked out for the purpose.
xiv) The lobster must be alive when taken to the market. Live lobsters fetch a better price in the market.
The quality of the lobsters should be checked before placing in the market. Lobsters reddened due
to lack of nutrition or oxygen etc may not fetch a good price and must be segregated. They must
also be segregated by weight since price is fixed according to weight and size of the lobster.
Preparation of cages
i) The structure of the cage can be made from any salt-tolerant wood material. Bamboo sticks
(Dendocalamus strictus) can easily be procured at a reasonable price and used for the purpose. In
selecting this material sticks with smaller inter-nodes should be preferred. Unlike the larger bamboo
species, microorganisms in the water do not attack this variety. Approximately 10-12 bamboo sticks
are needed to prepare a cage of size 6’ x 4’ x 3’. The cage has a rectangular base and tapers towards
the top so that seaweeds and other material would not cling to it and it would not be broken easily
due to wave action of water.


ii) The fishermen can themselves prepare the
Nylon nets
cage with or without the help of a local
carpenter. It is recommended that the poles
be fastened together with nails made from
bamboo splinters instead of using metal
nails, which may corrode in the water. The
approximate labour for making one cage
at current prices is Rs. 200/-.
iii) Once the structure is ready, it must be
covered with nylon nets of 20 mm mesh.
At least two layers of net, each separated
from the other by a distance of 1-1.5" is
recommended. This is because predators
like crabs can cut through the nets and attack the juvenile lobsters in the cage. Sometimes snake like
predators also get in through holes when the cage gets damaged. The mesh of the two layers should
criss-cross each other so that snake like predators would get stuck in them.
iv) A small round feeding gate is made at the top end of the cage by cutting the net. It should be large
enough for a human hand to go through and should be stitched together each time after feeding
operations.
Recommended practices for cage culture
i) The cage should be placed in a suitable site in a near-by creek. It should be fastened or anchored
down with the help of a large boulder or a heavy log.
ii) It should be submerged at least 75% but should not lie on the bed of the creek, which is bound to be
muddy and where predator attack is likely to be high.
iii) About 7-8 cages can be stocked in a cage of the size mentioned above. The first cycle starts from mid
October and takes about 4-5 months.
iv) The cages should be inspected regularly to see if any predators have attacked, to repair the nets of
the cages, to clean it from seaweeds and silt.
v) The same trash fish mentioned for pit culture should be fed through the feeding hole in the same
proportion mentioned earlier. However, since fresh water is continuously passing through the cage,
it brings natural feed into the cage, which can also sustain the lobsters. Hence even if the fisherman
misses feeding on a particular day because of some urgent commitment, the lobsters would not be
adversely affected.
vi) Watch and ward of the cages and constant vigilance to check the salinity and temperature of the
water are important factors for success.
Equipment for monitoring environmental variables
The following equipments are required for measuring the variables mentioned earlier:
i) Refractometer, which can measure salinity ranging from 0 to 100 ppt.
ii) Litmus paper strips to measure pH. If budget allows, a pH meter can also be considered.
iii) Thermometer to measure temperature of water.
iv) Weighing machine to measure the growth of the juvenile lobsters from time to time.


Economic analysis
Financial analysis of Lobster Fattening (Pit Method)
The financial analysis of lobster fattening as shown below is on the basis of our previous experiences of
the complete pilots. With more experiences, it will be possible to further minimize risks.
Assumptions:
Possibility of two lobster fattening cycle in one year
One family requires one stocking pit and three fattening pit (each unit size 8 x 6 x 4 feet)
23 juveniles in one pit for fattening with 80% survival rate i.e. 18 lobsters x 3 pits=54 no. of fattened
lobsters.
In first cycle lobster will weigh 8 kg 100 gm and second cycle lobster will weigh 10 kg and 800 gm
(stocking pit converts in to fattening pit in second cycle). Total production: 18 kg and 900 gm
Each fattened lobster weigh 150 gm
126 lobster x 150 gm = 18 kg and 900 gm
Rate of 1 kg Rs. 600 (conservative price)
Particulars Amount (Rs.)
Capital cost (includes preparation of pit by breaking rocky terrain,
Cement works purchase of nets, ropes and other hardware) 7,460/-
Production cost per year (includes cost of feed, lobster juveniles,
Water maintenance etc.) 4,924/-
Income(from sale of adult lobsters in two cycles) 11,340/-
Contribution (towards capital costs, being income less production cost) 6.416/-
Break even: since the contribution is enough to cover about 85% of the capital cost the project will
easily break-even after the first cycle of the second year even after taking care of the overhead and marketing
expenses.
Risk Assessment and strategies for dealing with them


Table 1: Risk Assessment of Pit culture Method


A similar risk analysis has been carried out for the cage culture method also, which is shown in table 2.
Table 2: Risk Assessment of Cage culture Method


It has been noticed that the risks involved in crab fattening are much less. Crabs are less prone to
predator attack. However, they are more likely to cut the nets and escape or make burrows in the side of the
pits and escape. Regular feeding, slippery sides and other measures are recommended to minimize these
risks.
Some general strategies for risk mitigation:
A general solution for both the methods for
lobster fattening would be to explore the
possibility of getting insurance cover for both the
stock of lobsters as well as fishermen. Since the
economics is attractive, the cooperative/ mandal
would be in a position to pay the premium
collectively.
Apart from that efforts should be made to
reduce the period of production cycle from five
to four months so that two cycles could be
accommodated in a year without running into the
monsoon months when the risks are high. This
could be achieved through better feeding and
culture practices. The use of commercial feed to supplement the trash fish currently being fed could be
explored. Husbandry methods that lead to earlier moulting could also be explored. In one experiment carried
out by the organization, the “moustaches” of 16 lobsters were trimmed. It was noticed that four of these
experienced early moulting by a month. Also the body weight of treated lobsters was 15 gm more than that
of control lobsters. However, the local people did not find it attractive because the “moustaches” did not
grow again – thus the net weight of the lobsters sold was not significantly different. Such experiments could
lead to breakthrough in reducing the cycle, which is very important from the viewpoint of reducing the risk
factors. In the short run, it is advisable to go for only one cycle so far as the cage method is concerned, since
the risk factors in the creek are far greater during the monsoon months. Instead, more number of cages can
be placed in the creek to achieve the desired turnover.


Upscaling Stress Tolerant Rice Varieties in Flood Prone Areas

This innovation has been undertaken by Grameen Development Services (GDS)
Now climate change and global warming are widely discussed topics with their own perspectives.
However, for agriculture and the farmers, climate change means
Erratic rainfall (early, late, below average, more rain within a short span of time) leading to drought,
floods and submergence.
Shorter rainy and winter seasons, extreme conditions are rampant with sudden changes. (extreme summer
and winters are seen and there are rapid changes in the season)
In the changing climatic conditions, the stress on the crops is increasing and is resulting into reduced
yields or the complete crop losses. Following stress tolerant varieties have been developed by the research
institutions and have been field tested with the farmers in the eastern UP and northern Bihar:
Submergence Tolerant Rice: Swarna Sub-1, IR-64 SuB-1, Sambha Mussourie Sub-1 (Improved version
released by International Rice Research Institute Manila). These varieties give good yield under normal
conditions and have tolerance to submergence up to 15-20 days.
Drought Tolerant Rice: Sahbhagi Dhan (IRRI), Shuska Samrat (NDUAT Faizabad). Required irrigation
is like wheat requires. It can be field tested in rain-fed areas.
Basic Principles
Climate change and the stress to the Agricultural crops are the reality of present days. Nothing much
can be done to check the impact of the climate change on Agriculture, overnight. The requirements are the
development, the resilience, the coping capacity and tolerance among the existing crops (particularly cereals
for food security of poor) through technical innovation (the work being done by the research institutions).
The field based social organizations like GDS work for transferring these technologies and practices to the
users and practitioners for contextualization, adoption, up scaling, and provide feedback to the Research
institutions. This is the core of this entire effort.
Economic Analysis:
Cost benefit analysis for these varieties has been worked out to be as follows, based on the above-
mentioned yield patterns:


Cost of Demonstration Execution in the field is estimated roughly to be as under for a unit of 400
farmers in 200 Acres of Land and for a period of 6 months:
Particulars (one season Paddy crop-6 months)
Unit No. of Unit Total
Units Cost (in Rs.)
Agriculture Executive Month 6 18,000 108,000
8 Barefoot Agriculture Resource Persons
(Local- Part time) Person Months 48 1,200 57,600
Training to Farmers and Resource persons
(LS), organize field days, exposure of other
farmers to Demo sites etc Lump sum 1 80,000 80,000
Subsidized Inputs (One Time) Hectare 200 1,800 360,000
Agriculture Experts/ Resource Persons Person days 10 4,000 40,000
Operational overheads Lump sum 1 60,000 60,000
Grand Total 705,600
Strategies for up scaling
The possibilities of enhancing the outreach would depend on the resources being put in. However, the
strategies would include the following
Varieties should be identified based on the climatic trends analysis in the region with inputs from
agriculture experts and progressive farmers.
Ensure the availability of quality seed of these varieties through universities or by establishing farmer
seed banks.
Large-scale demonstrations need to be organized at strategic locations where it can provide visual
impact and trigger self-replication.
First time field-testing should offer subsidies to the farmer for risk sharing.
Training, follow up and regular interaction with agriculture experts will ensure success of the
demonstration, which is critical for large-scale adoption.
Capable and trained human resources are extremely important for interaction with the farmers and
provide timely feed -back and solutions to the problems. In the absence of such an arrangement, it may
become a seed distribution programme.
Provisions for technology transfer can enhance the effectiveness of such intervention e.g. SRI with
these varieties, technical instrument required would be cono-weeder and markers.
The process and outcome of such demonstrations should be recorded, analyzed and taken back to the
farmers and the research institutions.
Constraints for up-scaling:
Non-availability of quality seeds may jeopardize the whole endeavour.
If the climatic conditions become more erratic and beyond the toleration limit of these varieties, the
crops would be then damaged.
Competition with Hybrid varieties.


Gravity Flow Irrigation

This innovation has been undertaken by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) and The Allied Trusts
The gravity flow irrigation in our country is mainly of two types:
One is to revive the traditional irrigation systems and the second is pipe laid gravity flow irrigation
system. The most important feature of this system is low-cost irrigation schemes addressing issues of poor
and marginal farmers. It emphasizes indigenous simple technology, which can be managed by the community.
Revive traditional irrigation system: Generally in almost all the drought / flood prone areas of our
country there are traditional irrigation systems that need to be revived in an innovative manner using simple
modern technologies.
Ahar Pyne in Bihar and Jharkhand
These are traditional water harvesting system to store the rainwater using an earthen bund called ahar
and the canal to carry irrigation water from this ahar is termed locally as pyne. The pyne irrigates the
command area of the up streamside ahar and connects to another ahar at the down streamside to store the
surplus water. Thus, it is a network of water bodies to harvest the rainwater and use for irrigation.
There are also canals (pynes) directly connected to the rivers that carry water at non-silting non-eroding
velocity that irrigates thousands of hectares in kharif season. The waterlogged areas near the ahar in kharif
season are used for rabi crop like gram and give bumper yield due to the fertile silt that retains the residual
moisture until the harvesting of the crop.
Dong in Northeastern states of India
Dong is a canal that is connected to a river that draws water from a river for irrigation and drains out
water from the waterlogged areas during flood. Both the sides of the canal are encroached and generally, the
canals are not maintained. Simply cleaning these canals and constructing a sluice gate before it joins the river
can cater to thousands of hectares benefitting thousands of families. This intervention gets support from
many farmers and opposition from few people who have a stake in the encroached land at both the sides of
the canal since many years.
Pipe laid gravity flow irrigation system
This system is used when the source is comparatively at a higher elevation than the command area. This
system not only protects kharif and rabi crop but also caters to household water supply and kitchen garden
throughout the year.
This system consists of mainly three components
Intake structure
Conveyance system
Distribution system


Intake Structure
The intake structure has a sedimentation tank that helps removing in sands and particles which pose a
threat to damage the conveyance system. The tank of 3m X 2m X 1m dimension is capable to remove a
0.2mm particle with an 80 liter per second discharge. This tank is constructed below the streambed level and
creates barrier of 20cm height above the bed level to divert water into the tank. The construction of the
walls of the tank is done by 1:2:4 CC and RCC slab covered on it. On the top of this tank, below the RCC
slab a strainer is placed to obstruct big size particles in to the tank.
3X2X1 model Intake Structure

Conveyance system:
The PVC pipe is preferred for conveyance of water for irrigation because of the following reasons.
Less costly for low discharge and high head
Easy installation by the villagers
Long life (100 years)
Low maintenance cost
Cross drainage works not needed
Not damaged by surface operations
Runoff does not enter into it
It can cross mounds
No conveyance loss
Economics can be singled out
Distribution system
The outlets near the crop field use flange outlets and ball valves to control the flow of irrigation water.
Sprinkler and drip irrigation can be installed according to the crop and the head availability. Where ever
possible water supply to each household in the village is also included for growing kitchen garden to address
the nutritional need of their family. This water is also used for bathing near their house that reduces women
drudgery because the women of these villages use to go long distance for bathing during summer.
Basic principles
Few people have individual interests and lack of community mobilization causes non-maintenance of
traditional irrigation systems. Revival of the existing systems is not in practice and needs not only financial


support but also meticulous community mobilization. There is also need of creating such new systems,
which requires less investment than any other modern irrigation system.
This is an innovation because it is community managed irrigation system using low cost technologies
for conveyance of water and construction of sluice gates to regulate entry and exit of the water in the canal.
Generally irrigation means big dams with canals but the pipe laid irrigation targets small and marginal
farmers mostly ST, SC and OBC community living in undulating terrains from where all the streams start
flowing. Mono-crop paddy economy is the main stay of their livelihood that also fails due to frequent
drought. The secondary occupation of these people is NTFP collection and seasonal migration.
Brief history of the innovation
There has been sporadic effort by few agencies for renovation of traditional irrigation as well as pipe
laid irrigation system. However, SDTT and allied trusts have launched a national program to promote these
technological innovations for gravity flow irrigation and named it Diversion Based Irrigation program during
2008. After that, around 49 NGO partners experienced both revival as well as creation of traditional irrigation
system and pipe laid irrigation system. This step can be termed as the demonstration of some low cost
irrigation but the scope for spread is in all the drought-affected districts.
Strategies are required for up scaling
Revival of traditional irrigation system
can be done in around 100 districts of our
country and in next 5 years, it can be spread
to about 100,000 hectares (Rs. 15,000/Ha).
Similarly, in next 5 years pipe laid
irrigation in around 100 districts can address
irrigation issues for 500 hectares in each
district. A special emphasis should be given
to the hilly undulating districts affected by
Left Wing Extremists. There are 60 LWE
districts identified by the central Government.
The cost would be around Rs 15000 per ha
for 50000hactares.
Major strategy for up scaling would be Irrigation & household benefits
to sensitise the district officials through
exposures, workshops and trainings to let them believe the concept that low cost irrigation schemes have
high economic as well as social benefits. Creating a large number of local barefoot engineers through rigorous
training and exposure is very essential, as the schemes would be implemented in remote areas. Convergence
of these DBI schemes with the existing government programs like NREGA is essential for leveraging.
Constraints for up scaling /Risk in up scaling
For revival of the existing traditional irrigation system, the main challenge is to convince the individuals
who have encroached the canals and the common water bodies. The risks could be of political interference
and few people-creating disturbances during implementation. In case of pipe laid irrigation system, most of
the streams are found in the forest areas where the permission from the forest department may be a problem
in up scaling. A major constraint is to arrange and provide quality capacity building and identification of
village level experts.


Integrating Poor Into Marketing Systems
This innovation has been undertaken by International Development Enterprises (India)

International Development Enterprises (India) started implementing the programme titled Integrating
Poor into Market Systems (IPMAS), with the goal to assist smallholders overcome poverty by removing
water and market constraints and increasing agricultural productivity. Since inception, IDEI has focussed on
enabling smallholder farmers overcome the constraint of water by promoting affordable irrigation
technologies. Over the years it was found that there were farmers who make more additional income than
others while the technology promoted & its usage by both set of farmers was the same. Research show that
farmers that were using additional inputs like organic nutrients or those better connected with markets were
making more money. Taking the cue, IDEI conducted an external evaluation and identified the constraints
farmers face. Following were the key findings:

A thorough analysis of constraints at each market level and in each constraint category will normally
result in a long and daunting list of market constraints. In order to limit and focus the potential areas of
intervention, constraints are prioritized to identify the “key logs in the logjam” that can unleash growth
potential for large numbers of smallholders. Such leverage points may be found by identifying nodes in the
value chain where a small number of firms act as intermediaries for large numbers of smallholders, or by
taking advantage of geographic clustering of similar enterprises or production systems, or by identifying
policy levers that will remove constraints for many market actors at once. Constraints are ranked and
prioritized based on the potential impact on smallholder income and the number of smallholders affected.
Based on these findings, framework for implementing the programme was developed.


Framework for addressing the key constraints:
The programme was implemented with support from
SDTT in 2006 in the state of Orissa in 12 market sheds
for a period of 18 months. The programme was evaluated
and upon getting positive feedback, it was expanded to
the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in 2008.
Strategy and steps
Following are the components of programme
implementation:
At the input stage, the focus may be on promoting
low cost affordable technologies to improve water use efficiency. Elements of this strategy include a product
focus, technology development and supply chain development. Depending upon the need of the farmer,
technologies can be identified and promoted amongst the farmers. The range of technologies include water
lifting technologies such as bamboo treadle pump, surface treadle pump, pressure pump, rope and washer
pump (and their adaptations); water application technologies such as drum kit, bucket kit and customised
drip irrigation systems. Developing supply chain included identification and establishment of a chain of
manufacturers, dealers and village based mechanics.
At the on farm stage, the focus can be on compiling and documenting information on agricultural
practices and disseminating them to smallholders. It involved documenting best practices from the fields and
promoting them amongst larger farmer base. These are called Productivity Enhancement Packages. At this
stage, sustainable agricultural practices such as organic farming techniques (vermi-wash, pot manure, magic
tonic, biodynamic pesticides) were also promoted and a sustainable medium was promoted so that it continues
by promoting entrepreneurship at the grassroots level.
Output stage: With the use of organic material and following the tips on increasing the yield, farmers
can increas output/yield. However this in itself does not provide increased additional income, instead selling
this produce directly in markets will fetch them the money. Therefore, there is a need to connect the farmers
directly to markets and to eliminate (as much as possible) the middle man. Towards the end, farmers need to
be connected with mechanisms that provide them information on market trends on crops, price and to
conduct exposure visits so that they make informed decisions w.r.t price of crops. Finally efforts can be
made to connect the farmers with traders directly so that their capacities to negotiate with the markets and
therefore get best price for their produce.
The impact can definitely be result in increased incomes, higher surpluses converting into higher
investments / savings, reduction in migration and a high level of KAP impacts both about sustainable
agricultural practices as well as about market information about vegetables.
Experiences indicate that farmers are now growing
multiple vegetables and thus use to get good returns.
Thus, efforts are part of a basket of crops suitable for
various seasons and areas. Introduction of new crop
varieties and package of management practices also lead
to improved productivity substantially. Moreover, it is
also revealed that while the technology is user friendly
and does not require much maintenance, one of the major
reasons of for low level of complaints is the centrally
monitored quality assurance programme. This has led
to a successful de-centralisation of manufacturing process. Marketing strategies


Khaichum

This innovation has been undertaken by Action of Women in Development (AWID)
“Khaichum” is a low budgeted locally innovative
initiative for food and livelihood security in the
villages of North East parts of India. It is a system of
rearing fish in mini ponds dug/constructed in paddy
field. These ponds are called khaichum in Tangkhul
dialect of the North East India. The literal meaning
of Khaichum is fish bank. Fish is called Khai and Bank
is called Chum. Generally the Khaichum are dug and
constructed in irrigated paddy field plots, with sizes
ranging from (one to one & half {1- 1 ½} Metres
side) 2-3 metres or more in circumference with a
depth of 1- 1 ½ metre. The shape may be rectangular,
square or circular. The circular one is the most Khaichum
common type; there may be 1-3 such ponds in each
of the plot depending on the size of the plots. Some ponds are walled with stone or pine wood logs where
the soil of the field is loose. In each of the ponds, logs, stones and small bundle of straw or thatch grass are
piled up on the bottom floor for the fish to take shelter in the water filled ponds.
Brief History
Since time immemorial, fishes have been an integral
part of the food habits of these communities. Fishes
are collected from rivers, streams and wet paddy fields.
The main species of the fishes found in the rivers of
parts of North East are – Nunga, Tharobi, Ngarin,
Ngami, Ngamu, Ngamu shangom etc. On the other hand,
the rivers of Western & Northern areas are smaller,
shallow with wide banks which are suitable for
construction of paddy fields. The fishes found in this
area are small indigenous fishes like Ngami, Ngakha,
prawns and crabs. These smaller fishes migrate to paddy
fields and lay their eggs in the fields itself. Therefore,
people rear these fishes in their fields by digging ponds and catch the fishes from these ponds instead of
going to rivers and streams. These practices have been followed since generations.
Nowadays, most households in these areas have started rearing common carps, a species not known to
them in the past. It was only in the late 60’s that this species had been introduced and people have started
stocking them in their fields. Every household, who own paddy field rear this species which they buy from
the local agents. Poor families who cannot afford to purchase the fingerlings take loan from moneylenders
for purchasing the fingerlings. In these cases the farmers have to give half of the harvested fish to the
moneylender.


STOCKING AND HARVEST SEASON OF FISH
The stocking season for the fingerlings is in the month
of June and July when paddy plantation is over and the
body weight of the fish ranges from 3-5 grams. The fishes
are harvested in the month of September – October before
paddy harvest.
There are some people who do not harvest all their
fishes in Sep-October and harvest the remaining fishes in
the month of May or June. thus they are able to harvest
fish twice in a year. The body weight of fish harvested
during this season may attain 900 grams to 1 KG, whereas
the body weight of the fish harvested earlier attains around
300 to 500 grams.
How to harvest the Fish
Generally before paddy is harvested, the water
in the paddy field is drained out from the fields, water
outlet are fenced with nets, and canal like water
passages are made by parting the paddy plants from
ponds to water outlets. During the draining process
when water level starts decreasing then the fishes swim
to the ponds along the water passages. After the water
is drained out from the ponds, with a bucket. During
the draining process fishes can be seen gasping and
jumping which can be caught easily with bare hands,
without using a net.
Feed and Management
Harvesting of fish People in the region do not use chemical
fertilizer, pesticides, weedicides or any other chemical in the field and no special feed is required for the
fishes. They feed themselves on insects and other naturally available tiny aquatic plants found in the field.
They get plenty of sunlight and water to swim freely. If the water level becomes shallow they swim towards
the pond and take shelter in the pond. During this process paddy plants are aerated and become healthier.
No manpower or technique is required for its management. We need to be careful only when water level
rises during heavy monsoon and fishes do not flush out with overflowing water. Water outlets should be
properly fenced with bamboo, woven nets.

Feed and Management


Basic Principles
1. Pond should be dug/ constructed in irrigated paddy fields.
2. The perimeter/dykes of paddy fields should be strong and should be high enough to hold water body.
3. The ponds should be constructed during dry seasons ensuring that the walls are not collapse when
filled with water. The wall should be strengthened by using stones, logs etc.
4. Use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or any other chemicals should be avoided.
5. No extra labour and technique is required for management. The only care to be taken is to check
water level during heavy rainfall time that fishes does not flush out with water overflow.
6. Water outlets of the field should be fenced properly with bamboo or iron mesh.
7. Inner wall should be strengthened in such a way with stones or pine logs, to avoid soil erosion.
Economic Analysis
Activities Unit cost Quantity Cost (Rs)
Construction of pond 2000
Fingerlings Rs 8 per piece 100 pieces 800
Total Cost (a) 2800
Fish harvesting Rs 150 per Kg 40 Kgs
Total selling amount (b) 6000
Profit a–b 4200
Along with this there are some of the indirect benefits as well associated with this intervention.
a. Some families preserve dry fishes for their future consumption. In this technology different species
of indigenous fishes are also harvested along with the common crops.
b. These local varieties like Ngamu, Ngakra, Ngakijou, Ukabi, Ngacha etc are marketable. It can be
dried, fermented and preserved for future consumption.
c. Fish is a wonderful source of nutrients which is required by our body such as carbohydrate for
energy, protein for growing, mineral and vitamin for glowing, fat for body heat.
Constraints and Risks
- Attitude culture and behaviour of different communities
- For low lands it may be risky for stocking common calf, due to frequent flood, but for local varieties
there will be no problem.


Machan Vidhi

This innovation has been undertaken by Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN)
Creating more space for root growth (for vegetables)
Raising machan for proper spreading, flowering and fruiting of plants
Collective monitoring, planning and local marketing
Trained Community Resource Persons for handholding support
Irrigation/WHS/strengthening drainage channels
Basic principles
The poorest in the community can be
targeted.
It enhances monetary returns to the
participant families.
It can be replicated among small and
marginal farmers for regular cash inflow at the
household level.
Share croppers and landless households can
also benefit from this.
Current Investment and Economic Analysis
The investment per family varies between Rs 5000/-(Rupees Five thousand only) to Rs 10,000/-(Rupees
ten thousand only) depending upon the topography, catchment area and quality of land.
Current investment is Rs 7000/-per family (Rs 6000/- on infrastructure and Rs 1000/- on Agriculture
intervention including Machan vidhi). The return is in terms of food security (additional gains), nutritional
security and a cash income in the range of Rs 5000/- to Rs 15000/- through machan vidhi vegetables integrated
with root intensification. A group of 30-50 farmers in a village can implement and execute this project
collectively.
Cost of one unit (50 households with 25-30 acres)
Sr N. Particulars Amount(Rs)
1 WHS, Command area development 250,000.00
2 One borewell 120,000.00
3 Agriculture intervention 30,000.00
4 Training and capacity building 50,000.00
5 Techno-managerial assistance 50,000.00
Total 500,000.00


Thus the investment per family is Rs 10,000.00. This ensures round the year food and nutritional
security with cash income for household needs.
Strategies for upscaling
Interventions required are:
Creating space in market and linking the
market with small and marginal cultivators
Linking with KVKs and other government
departments and banks
Creating WHS/irrigation infrastructures to
support the interventions
Constraints
Non-availability of funds for such investments
is the major constraints for this initiative. The
government can take up these interventions at a
large scale to address poverty of small and marginal Promoting vegetables through Machan Vidhi
farmers. There is no support for small producers from the market. Mandis exclusively for small and marginal
farmers market need to be created in small cities and towns to mainstream these poor households. There
should be large-scale skill building of small and marginal farmers on Machan Vidhi integrated with root
intensification methods of vegetables cultivation. These poor farmers need to be organized in groups and
with mutual help and collective efforts they would bring changes in their lives. Vegetable preservation
centers would also help in scaling up these activities, as more small and marginal farmers will join the activities.


Innovative technologies in agriculture and rural development

Innovative technologies in agriculture and rural development

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