Support Small Farmers in India

Dear Friends,

Food insecurity, fully or partly, is an imperative concern of households in our region. According to a recent study, 10.2% households reported cutting or skipping meals in the last one year due to a shortage of food. However, this somewhat low figure belies the more serious situation that is most clearly revealed in the high rates of malnutrition amongst both children and adults. In this region, the size and quality of agriculture land cultivated by a household directly affects the amount and variety of food available for consumption. Furthermore, this being a drought-prone area with receiving scarce and erratic annual rainfall, access to sufficient irrigation facilities is another factor determining food security. Availability of all components constituting a daily staple food is important for fulfilling the nutritional requirements of the population.

Seva Mandir, through its interventions for watershed, water resources and agriculture development undertaken since last two decades, has been working to enhance the quality, i.e. productivity, of arable lands. Treatment of land and drainage-line together with creation of irrigation facilities- have significantly increased the productivity, while emergence of opportunities to take 2-3 crops a year increased the annual crop production for the families. In Dhala village where watershed was completed 3 years back, production of wheat of 24 farmers have risen to 239 qntl from 39.4 qntl of pre-project. Similarly, in another watershed village of Babri-Gadunia, farmers got 139.15 qntl of wheat that was hardly grown by them earlier. At the same time, in 14 Lift Irrigation System installed during last 5 years, wheat was grown earlier in the command areas of only 3 systems. Nevertheless, farmers of all 14 lifts grew wheat and obtained a production of 842.90 with the productivity of 12.64 qntl/ha.

Another major transformation that has happened through these activities is the change in cropping pattern in these associated villages. Earlier, only a few crops, like maize, black gram, rice, wheat, gram, mustard etc. were taken in monsoon and winter months. However, currently with better land conditions and availability of water, farmers have started taking new crops like pigeon pea, lusen, sismum, vegetables, barley etc. Some farmers who have more water are also taking the third crop in summer months. In a few places, farmers are also shifting onto cash crops, which are helping them in meeting the gap of cash. For example, in Damana, 16 farmers last year grew 82 qntl of Garlic with a market value of Rs. 2 to 3 lacs.

Change in productivity and production has contributed significantly in improving the food security of many households in these villages. Whilst we still lack enough data to substantiate this claim, during our interaction at various places, communities clearly shared that the need of purchasing food grains has reduced substantially for several families. Many of them do not have to buy their food grains from merchants, means a saving in their cash. At the same time, encouraging farmers to diversify their agriculture and providing them with vegetable seeds and fruit trees have benefited in two folds- households are getting green vegetables and fruits more in their food, and source of additional income is created mitigating their risk of being dependent on only one crop.

Some special studies will also be conducted to determine the impacts of our interventions on the food security of children, including change in their nutritional status. Further, a study was conducted by Seva Mandir in collaboration with SIPA, University of Columbia with an aim to develop a Toolkit for Assessing the Food Security in our region. The study helped in deriving various indicators- including nutritional status, which can be used to measure food security. We shall also try to include some of these indicators in our organisational programme monitoring and evaluation system.

Thank you so much Friends for your support.

Regards

Atul Lekhra 

Links:

• Seva Mandir's Website