The majority of Indian farmers own very small plots and practice rain-fed agriculture, depending almost entirely on the yearly monsoon for irrigation. A bad monsoon - too little, too much or untimely rain - means that they are unable to sow or harvest successfully. Poor soils, high cultivation costs and inefficient farming methods worsen the situation, leading to low productivity and uncertain incomes. Erratic weather patterns caused by climate change are making their risky livelihoods even more precarious.
ITC's Sustainable Agriculture Practices Programme is designed to assist such small farmers to cope with these challenges. Demonstration plots and farmer field schools in villages give them information and practical training on climate smart farming practices and technologies, e.g. water saving irrigation devices, organic pesticides and fertilisers, mechanisation appropriate for small plots, etc.
The interventions help farmers to conserve and manage soil and water resources, improve crop yields and reduce cultivation costs - leading to higher incomes and fewer incidences of crop failure, making farming less risky and a more sustainable livelihood now and in the future.
Small &
Marginal
Farmers
Primary Beneficiaries, Key Decision-makers, Financial Contributors
NGOs
Project Implementation, Domain Expertise, Local Experience
Academic /
Technical
Institutes
Research & Best Practices, Appropriate Technology
ITC
Facilitator, Programme Design, Funding, Monitoring & Evaluation
Target group - small/marginal farmers
Practical and classroom training in modern and traditional best practices
Platform for interacting with experts and experience-sharing with peers
Exclusive schools for women farmers work towards transforming their role from labourers to decision-makers
Drip and sprinkler systems
Construction of group irrigation wells
Making and using fertilisers and pesticides from farmyard waste and cattle manure to protect and enrich soil nutrients naturally
Equipment that enables farmers to adopt time, labour and cost saving practices like zero tillage and broad bed furrow
increases soil carbon content
reduces greenhouse gas emission as crop residue is not burnt
makes soil less vulnerable to water and wind erosion
enables sowing of another crop straight after harvest with the use of appropriate machinery
Crop diversification helps to reduce risk
Trees prevent erosion, enrich soils, retain water, absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide, improve biodiversity
Select tree species to increase incomes e.g. fruit trees = higher annual incomes, pulpwood species or mahogany/teak, etc = lump-sum incomes at periodic intervals
Assisting small farmers to act collectively and take advantage of economies of scale e.g. purchase of quality agri-inputs at bulk rates, transportation savings, purchase/hire farm mechanisation equipment, seed banks, seedling nurseries, etc.
Farmer-run custom-hiring centres offer farm equipment to the small farmers.
Women-run Agri Business Centres (ABCs) hire out agri equipment, undertake seed production and establish nurseries.
