India Diversified-INTEGRATED FARMING adaptation strategy for small and marginal farmers in coastal lowlands of Sundarbans

Diversified-INTEGRATED FARMINGadaptation strategy for small and marginal farmers in coastal lowlands of Sundarbans

[How & Why]

Ardhendu S Chatterjee&

Anshuman DasDevelopment Research Communication and Services Centre

West BengalIndia

The SettingSunderbans, world’s largest delta, formed by 3 major

riversand more than 300 tributaries & distributaries

Mudflats,mangroves,saltwater swamps spreading over 2

countries,along 250 Km coastline.

basic data

• latitude 21.31to 22.40 N

• longitude 88.05to 89.06E

• Av Rainfall 1800 mm/yr

• Av Temp 30C in Smr,20C winter

• Pre monsoon [Mar-May] Thunderstorms

• Monsoon[85%Rainfall ,June-Sept]

• post Monsoon [Oct-Nov] Cyclones

Changes

• mangrove forest loss livelihoods lost

• rising salinity levels loss in Diversity and Productivity of Soil and Water.

• Rivers Silted, whole islands Disappearing Climate refugees

other changes

• Rising number of man-tiger conflicts• Forest Lands diverted for water and energy

intensive farming, shrimp culture, Rubber plantation etc.

• Falling Groundwater levels,salinity intrusion reducing farm productivity

• Farmlands converted to townships, resorts, industrial units Increased Pollution. Reduced water productivity.

Rising No of Disastersafter Aila

Courtsey: Outlook magazine

Some problems, intensified in last 2~3 year- increased rainfall/occurrence of lightning, storm intensity and

frequency- rains in the monsoon season tend to be more intense and persist for

6-7 days before they break rather than the 1-2 days that characterised past seasons

- winters and summers have become warmer in the last 3-4 years- intermediary seasons have changed – spring/autumn has now

disappeared- summer rainfall that had the benefit of reducing temperatures,

supplying moisture to the soil, has declined- freshwater flooding from the adjacent Hugli River- gradual infiltration of saline water into the soil. - water logging, water does not flow quickly out of the cultivation area.

Resulting into reduced rice yields crop growth delayed, increasing susceptibility to pests and diseases erratic flowering of fruit trees loss of cash crops e.g. chillies

Intervention Objectives

• Extend growing season through Enhance d Diversity at Spc,Var & Ecosystem Levels

• Build Reserves of Water,Fodder,Firewood etc. and Increase System Resilience through Integration of Semi Perennial & perennials, animals,aquatic organisms etc

• Reduce the need for External Inputs through Multi step recycling ,Use of Biol & other Renewable Resources

multi step use of organic manure

other strategies• Reduce Inputs and Labour required through

close integration[chicken tractor, duck aerator and weeder etc.]

• Eliminate the need for Bio-cides through mixed and rotational cropping, use of resilient indigenous varieties, trap crops etc

• Design of Multi-purpose & Multifunctional elements, such as Live Fences, hedgerows, multi step ponds,multi level Climbing Frames.

Ducks supply manure, add oxygen to water, reduce weeds, control pests and convert them to meat/egg.

multi step,multi utility pond

multi level climbing frame

diversifed Vegetable garden

Paddy field bunds used

Space above pond utilised

Duck-house above pondmade using local materials

Collaborative Trials on Farmers fields as Extn Strategy

• Farmers Describe their resources,Assess Farm Productivity over Seasons, Define their Econ,Soc-Cultrl,Ecol Objectives in short and medium term, Design models in 2 or 3D,and assess progress periodically in neighbourhood groups ,often with external resource persons present.

• farmer to farmer exchange visits are facilitated

• Profiles and databases are created for lesser known plants,birds animals.

Let’s take specific case of 3 farmers

Banamali Das Sukomal Mandal Gobardhan Patra

Total Land 0.6 acre 1.1 acre 0.4 acre

Cropping pattern Vegetables during winter and rainy season, Rice in winter

Rice in Kharif, some vegetable during winter

Rice in kharif, some vegetable during winter, Vegetable during rainy season

Other Assets Home + Homestead Garden + pond = 0.25 acre.

Pond + home=0.2 acre

0.05 acre pond

Family Member 7 Adult + 4 Children

2 Adult + 2 Children 10 Adult + 10 Children

* all of them having low lands, during rains/flood takes 3~4 months to recede – making the land uncultivable

Common Problem-Very small amount of land- Low land, which becomes uncultivable due to long and unpredictable water logging condition- Unpredictability of climate (rainfall/temperature/fog/storm) effecting germination and yield- Pest attack increased- Can’t manage to feed their family

Interventions tested so far

1. Ditch/pond/canal in the low land to drain excess water to make the low land cultivable

2. Raised beds and bunds, Levelling of Paddyfield3. Change from mono-cropping system to mixed cropping –

reducing dependency on single crop/animal etc4. Integrating field crop Subsystem ,with Home

garden,Orchard, Fish Pond,Cattle subsystems to reduce risks of total crop failure.

5. Using each and every vertical & horizontal space for production[Multi storey arrangements]

6. introducing bio gas ,azolla,Vermicompost to recycle all waste,reduce pollution,increase C Seq potential of soils.

Water logged

Farmer1: Before intervention

Water logged

Farmer1: After intervention

1 Canal around the area

3 MPT in bund

4 Vegetable over canal6 Cowshed

8 Biogas

9 raised bed

7 Hen coupe over pond

5 Net over pond

2 Small pond

1Canal

2 net over the canal

3 MPT

4 Rain water hvst

5 Raised Bed

6 Small Pond

Farmer 2

1 Net over the canal

2 Paddy (SRI)

3 MTP 4 Cow

5 Vermi

6 Canal

9 Pond

7 Hen

8 raised bed

10 water logging tolerant aurum

Farmer 3

Intra system dependency: Rice-fish-duck-azolla

Banamali Das Sukomal Mandal Gobardhan Patra

Crop Winter – 12 types

Summer – 8 types

Rainy Season – 17 types + Paddy-fish-duck-azolla

Winter – 25 types + Paddy (SRI)

Summer – 13 types

Rainy Season – 22 types

Winter – 10 types Summer – 5 types

Rainy Season – 10 types + Paddy-fish-azolla

Perennial Tree

5 types of fodder/wood/biomass generating + 7 types of fruit

5 types of fruit 6 types of fruit

Animal/ Poultry/Fish

5 Cows

8 ducks, 18 hens

Fish

2 cows, 6 goats

24 hens, 2 ducks

Fish

2 cows, 2 bull

24 hens

Fish

Bioinput Compost, vermicompost, fish/poultry/fodder from his own plot, bio-pestrepellents, biogas slurry

Compost, vermicompost, fish/poultry/fodder from his own plot, bio-pestrepellents

Compost, vermicompost, fish/poultry/fodder from his own plot, bio-pestrepellents

Others Seed preservation, Biogas

Seed preservation Rain water harvesting, seed preservation

Intervention

Impact: diversified output/income

Summary: Land shaping cost 5000 INR as loan. Total input 12235.5 INR (9497.75 INR is internally generated), Total output 28222 INR + own consumption 13000 INR

48

25

24

25

23

40

5 10

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2006-07 2007-08

Enterprise

Livestock

Aqua

Agr

Impact: reducing livelihood dependency on single enterprise

Impact: energy/input cost/calorie/biomass recycling within the system – making the system more stable

Before Biogas plant:Fuel consumption: 25 dung cakes (300 g per dung cake) & 10 kg of firewood per day.After Constructing Biogas plant:Fuel consumption: Biogas at the rate of 1.5 hours per day and 10 Kg of firewood per week.+ biogas slurry for making vermicompost

No fossil fuel dependency, no mechanized tillage – no irrigation/chemical fertiliser/pesticide

Impact: Clean Energy

Impact: Faming season extended, more days of work, more cash in hand, no migration

Impact: More resilient shock proof system, can manage water logging, longer summer

Upscaling Initiatives• Advocacy through DST and presenting data

to academic researchers,state institutions and PRIs.

• Negotiations with NABARD

• Lobbying with unions of farmers and State Extension Dept Workers,as well as NGO forums,state level Disaster Working Group etc.

• Close Integration at farm and household level can enhance food security, and make farms less disaster prone

• Productivity of smallholders can be significantly enhanced without using groundwater ,non renewable energy,and synthetic agro-chemicals .

• Farm households need capital loan support in the initial conversion phase, which can be provided as revolving fund.or the earthworks can be supported through MGNREGS

Summary

Limits/Challenges• Farm level adaptation need to be supplemented with

Watershed level interventions , such as Mangrove Protection and regeneration, embankment strengthening, Canalbank planting,Grass – land regeneration as well as desilting rivers and removing encroachments on drainage channels.

• State support is never/ or seldom available for Indigenous plants and animals .The specialised cows,ducks,fishes,pigs etc that are promoted, perform poorly in integrated system.Focus needs to shift to whole farm productivity

• Focus needs to shift from Extension to Dialogue. ‘Experts’ need to work in multi disciplinary teams

Thanks