BMZ PROJECT NO.2008.3422.6
Anisha
Sustainable Rural Development in Karnataka
Project report from January – June 2009
Introduction:
The Martahalli Gram Panchayat consists of 21 villages about 180 km south of Bangalore in the Kollegal Taluk of the Chamarajnagar District in south-eastern Karnataka.
ANISHA before starting the work identified many issues such as poor quality of soil, high usage of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, more indebtedness and dependence on market and PDS for food products, apart from agriculture coolie no other employment opportunities, more migration leads to health problems etc., keeping all these issues in mind ANISHA started intervening on organic farming and food security. In this process ANISHA keeping a vision to transform 500 acres of agricultural land from chemical to organic farming and initiating kitchen gardening activity to provide nutritional security for 200 families. To achieve this vision ANISHA started working in twenty villages of five clusters during the project period.
Project goal:
The sustainable improvement of the living conditions and the food security of small and marginalized farmers and landless coolies and their families in the Martahalli region.
To achieve the project goal number of interlinked activities like - Improvement in the agriculture methodology and food security through using organic techniques, Income generating activities, Infrastructure for storing and enriching agricultural products, Creation of seed banks, A resource centre together with land for demonstration and trial purposes, Better marketing of the produce (Forming a farmer’s federation, certification) based on this goal the following activities are planned.
Activities:
Baseline Survey
During the reporting period from January to June the baseline survey was completed in five clusters and identified 375 small/marginal and medium farmers, in this 250 dry land and 125 wet land farmers having small land holdings from ½ acre to 2 acres. These farmers accepted to do organic farming in their portion for the trail. The farmers selected crops what they are going to grow organically. 115 landless families has identified in all clusters for implementation of kitchen garden and other income generation activities.
| Actual planned from January to June | Achieved | Impact | Remarks |
| 6 orientation meeting | 11 small orientation meetings and 246 participants participated in 5 clusters | 200 + participants agreed to implement organic farming in their portion of the land. | Actual plan has to conduct six orientation meetings, we conducted eleven orientation meetings at Cluster village level to involve more farmers to participate in the meeting. Which was more effective |
As per the plan the pre sowing activities like deep ploughing, compost preparation, seed treatment and testing, preparation of liquid manure etc has done. From October to December 2008, 124 participants participated in the meetings and also they accepted and from January to June 2009, 246 farmers participated in this 212 farmers accepted for the implementation of organic farming method in their farms.
Orientation Meetings
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Orientation Meetings
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Training & demonstrations:
| Actual planned from January to June | Achieved | Impact | Remarks |
| 5 training planned | 4 trainings done
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128 participants participated in four trainings | June month training has to be conducted but due to early monsoon farmers busy in agriculture work so we could not conduct it. |
Soil Testing 1
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Soil Testing 2
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How to test the soil fertility by using locally available materials. It is very useful for the farmers to find out the soil fertility, how much sand, clay and others matters existing in their land etc, based on this the farmers could improve the soil fertility by adding the deficient nutrient to the soil. Many farmers tested their soil and prepared to improve the soil fertility by preparing improved compost manure, liquid manure, and sand manure, green leaf etc.
One training on the importance of seed treatment and testing before sowing was done, because generally the farmers buy the seeds from the shop and the quality of seeds are very poor and percentage of germination is very low and also it attacks seed borne disease. In this process the farmers spend more on seeds then the required quantity i.e. 1:2. This training was mainly to address the importance of seed treatment and testing to overcome the above issue.
Farmers training (1)
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Farmers training (2)
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The importance of live fencing and green manure was discussed in length with the farmers and in the sangha meetings. Generally the farmers has in mind that if they grow plants in the broader the roots will enter the land and it will be difficult for ploughing. This has to be removed from farmers mind and explained the purpose and usefulness of live fencing plants such as fodder for live stocks, to protect the soil erosion and crops, the leafs could be used for compost preparation etc. And also regarding sowing of green manure seeds before sowing the main crop. The farmers expressed that if they do this it will create more weed problem after series of meetings we explained the farmers the importance of green manure that the green matters could incorporate directly into the soil and it improves the soil fertility, nutrient, increase of biological activity and also it controls the growth of weeds etc.
Farmers to Farmers Concept
Live fencing in dry land farm of Gopal Nayak
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165 Site analysis of selected farmer’s farm has done. Site mapping is done to know about the existing resources in the farms like number of tree, live fencing, bunds etc and to measure the improvements after ANISHA’S intervention.
One landless women’s self help group and four farmers group formed during the reporting period.
Exposure visit: 16 farmers attended one day seminar on Natural Farming in Dodahinduvadi Village conducted by Mr. Kailash Murthy one of the natural farming farmer. He shared his experience in natural farming and also ANISHA’s farmer shared their experience in organic farming.
Farmers sharing with natural farmer
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Land for seed bank – identified land for construction of seed bank in two clusters. In cluster 1, one of the farmer having ½ acres of land and in another cluster the women headed family having 1 ½ acres dry land both these people came forward to give land for seed bank by charging minimum price for the land. It is in the process by next month end the other formalities will be completed and after taking permission from village panchayat start the construction.
Resource center: Document verification has done and after doing land survey the registration of land in the name of ANISHA will be done. Initially we thought the formalities will be finished by June end but some of the documents we couldn’t get for verification and also surveyor to survey the land has postponed his visit so the registration delayed. We paid Rs.1 lakh advance for the land owner and made written agreement.
Collaborations with the government scheme – The Government of India introduced Dry Land Development Project called ‘Jalanayana’ in this project they are mainly developing to improve the soil and water conservation putting bunds, farm ponds, tree planting etc. And the horticulture department wants to implement the programs and have to distribut horticulture plants to farmers many farmers are not interested to plant horticulture plants in their farm because it occupies more space and it needs more water etc. Finally the horticulture department approached ANISHA to convince the people to grow the horticulture plants. Regarding this we had series of meetings with the farmers as a group and individual to convince and explained its importance such as it avoids soil erosion, provide fodder, for compost and get seasonal fruits etc. Finally, 40 farmers came forward and showed interest to grow the horticulture plants and started planting.
ANISHA staff distributing the Scholarship money to members
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Herbal medicine:
Three orientations held in two clusters i.e. in cluster 1 and 4 and three demonstrations on preparations of herbal oil for simple ailments was done. The below mentioned tables show the health problems identified and given treatments.
| Sl.no | Name of the patient, age & place | Suffering from | treatment | Remarks |
| 1 | Rukkamma puttaswami, 30yrs, Bedarahalli, Huccappana haddi | White discharge since 10yrs | Aloevera treatment | Improvement but she is not following the advice. |
| 2 | Jayamma Putta, 25yrs, place same as above | Same problem since 3 yrs | Same treatment for 6 days | Cured |
| 3 | Vasantha Madesha, 25yrs Same place as above | Same problem since 3 yrs | Same treatment | Improvement but not following the advice |
| 4 | Five women and one child | Scabies | External application of the extracts and combination of Neem, turmeric, etc | All are cured |
| 5 | Radha,w/o mahalinga, 26yrs, Bedaranahalli, Bolidemy | White discharge since 2 yrs and had spent more than Rs.3,000/-for the treatment | Aloevera treatment | cured |
| 6 | Chiukkamadiah,70yrs, same place as above | Ring worm since 10 yrs and had earlier spent about Rs.6,000/- | Astamola oil treatment for one week | Cured |
| 7 | Kuppeswamy, 40 yrs, same place | Diarrhea | Extraction of Pomegranate skin, leaves and fruit with other herbal extraction | Cured |
| 8 | Meena, 40yrs, Keerapathi halli | Leg, back and hand pain since 2 yrs and had taken treatment in several hospital | Nellagundeoil treatment for 10 days | Improvement but due to adequate supply of oil from Centre she could not continue the treatment |
| 9 | Maddamma, 50yrs, same place | Skin allergy and ring worm | Same oil for 10 days | Cured |
Comparison to the project planning
ANISHA started work in five clusters and done 735 baseline survey, Small and marginal farmers 565 and 170 landless families. 375 interest farmers accepted to do organic farming 390 acres.
The table shows the actual plan during the period and it achievement…
| SL N0. | Actual plan during October to December 2008 | Achieved | Remarks |
| 1 | Work to be started in Cluster N0.1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 | Work started in all five cluster | |
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* with 500 farmers |
* with 375 farmers covered 390 acres covered | Balance 110 acres has to be covered | |
| * with 200 landless families | * 170 landless families | Remaining 30 landless families to be identified during the year 2009 | |
| 2 | Baseline survey | 735 baseline survey done in all Cluster | Report analysis has to be done |
| 3 | 6 Orientation meetings | 11 meetings done on the concepts and approaches to organic farming | 5 small meetings done at village and cluster level |
| 4 | 5 Training camps | Done four pre sowing activities
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1 training could not conduct due to early monsoon |
| 5 | Exposure visit | One exposure visit to natural farm | More farmers interested to visit the natural farm existing in the same taluk |
| 6 | Further agricultural activities | Distribution of agriculture implements | It is in the process by July it will be distributed |
| 7 | Formation of Farmers Sangha and Landless SHG’s - (20 has to be formed) | Formed 10 sangha | Remaining 10 sanghas has to be formed, |
| 8 | Health | 3 orientations has been done and 2 herbal medicinal oil prepared for simple ailments. | More patients are they but we could not reach all the patients because of limited resource |
| 9 | Implementing government schemes | 1) Awareness on ‘Jalanayana’ project has given to farmers and using the benefits. 2) organized small group meetings, and helped them to fill the application and got the job cards of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme 3)Through NREGS Compost pits are going to be done | To get more NREGS scheme work for people and also regular meets has to be done and develop their land. |