In a five year timeframe, it is to develop and demonstrate practical methods by which rural farming communities with institutionalisation, technical interventions are able to achieve optimum utilisation of local resources, to ensure livelihood and minimise their carbon footprint. Following mechanisms have been initiated to create low carbon pathways. These are basically focussed on carbon emission per unit production of crop produce and track results:

Farmer Institution:

At each intervention, village Farmers Interest Groups (FIG) are formed and registered under the Society Registration Act as Farmers Adaptation Clusters (FAC). At present 20 FIGs are formed with the support of National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) in 20 villages in the Jhansi district. These institutions send one representative to the next tier of institution that is christened as Farmers’ Adaptation Cluster (FAC). Currently, there are over 300 members under the umbrella of FAC. The sensitisation programme of the members rests on participatory forms of assessment, wherein the members are co-researchers and come together with the Development Alternative team in identifying practices that are inappropriate to the region from the perspective of its agro-climatology and Green House Gases emissions. They collaboratively decide on which alternate practices can suffice for this elimination from their practice and undertakes decisions for going ahead with adoption of practices that are techno-economically viable and also improve farm productivity. These interventions have resulted in adoption of energy-efficient irrigation systems and alternative land use practices by these farmers.

Seed treatment refers to the application of organic fungicide, insecticide, or a combination of both, to seeds before plantation, so as to disinfect them from seed-borne or soil-borne pathogenic organisms and storage insects. It is crucial to prevent the spread of plant diseases. The treatment protects seeds from seed rot and seedling blights, improves germination, provides protection from storage insects and also controls soil insects. The treatment has largely benefitted the farmer groups, who feel that, "Seed treatment has enhanced the chances of procreation and played a critical role in reducing the quantity of seed required. It has also reduced the gap-filling activities, since most of the seeds germinate properly."

Initially, the farmers in large parts of Bundelkhand, broadcast seeds uniformly and then used the ladder technology for levelling and distribution of seed. The current system of line sowing has enhanced productivity, reduced water requirements and has facilitated other management practices between rows, including weeding. Through Farmers’ Adaptation Cluster (FAC), the farmers have been provided seed drill machine by which farmers adopted line sowing strategy.

In semi-arid regions, the total water supply (irrigation water plus rainfall) varies greatly from year to year. In drought years, the irrigation water requirement is more due to higher air temperature; more wind velocity and larger vapour pressure deficits. At the same time, water availability is less in the wells. Rainfall is unpredictable and often occurs after full irrigation, resulting in surface run-off and water logging. A reasonably assured supply of irrigation water makes the farmer less dependent on rainfall vagaries and more confident in undertaking the intensive crop production methods. The application of least amount of water required to bring the root zone depth up to field capacity is considered improved and efficient way of irrigation.

The management strategy of improved irrigation is to optimise production per unit of applied water, rather than to maximise yield per unit of land. A major advantage of improved irrigation is the increase of irrigated farm land and higher water use efficiency. Conjunctive use of irrigation water and rainfall can be improved indirectly by conservation tillage. Conservation tillage decreases run-off, increases infiltration and reduces evaporation due to residue cover. Consequently, storage of rainfall in the soil is increased.

The most common method of irrigation in Bundelkhand is Surface Irrigation (Flood irrigation). A survey by the Wageningen University and International Commission of Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) has shown that in surface irrigation systems, application efficiencies vary from 35 to 75 per cent and conveyance efficiencies from 30 to 90 per cent. The overall efficiencies fall between 10 to 50 per cent. Many large surface irrigation systems in Asia have efficiencies somewhere in the middle of these ranges or about 30 per cent, compared to about 37 per cent in some developed countries. By contrast, the more advanced drip systems are known to achieve 85 per cent and sprinkler systems in developed countries have efficiencies of about 60 per cent. Therefore, when Bundelkhand farmers adopted the drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation practices, they took a step towards efficient sustainable farming practices.

Continuous use of chemical fertilisers for higher yield has created a negative impact on environment quality. Appropriate and combined use of chemicals, organic or bio-fertilisers can ensure an enhanced productivity as well as a safe environment. For sustainable crop production, an integrated use of chemical and organic fertilisers has proved to be highly beneficial. In the Jhansi district, approximately 100 farmers around 300 acres of land have demonstrated the beneficial effects of the combined use of chemical and organic fertilisers to mitigate the deficiency of several secondary and micro-nutrients in the fields that continuously received only Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) fertilisers for a few years, without any micro-nutrient or organic fertiliser. The most commonly used organic fertilisers are vermi-compost, organic residues, animal excreta etc.

Appropriate agricultural tools and equipment have contributed to the broad objective of increasing the viability, productivity and concern for environment. Most farmers of Bundelkhand are currently using traditional technologies or high valued farm equipment, such as tractors. Traditional technologies are not efficient enough to enhance the productivity as required for the food security. On the other hand, big equipment, such as tractors are available on high rent basis. Also Green House Gas emission is very high, leading to unsustainable agriculture practices. It is therefore, the goal of intermediate technology proponents to help fill this gap with good quality tools and equipment that are affordable and suited to the scale of operations of the small farmers. Various drudgery reduction and water saving machineries, such as seed drill, ground nut harvester, wheel hoe, hand hoe, wheel plough, hand held groundnut decorticator, bakhar (a portable water pump) were identified and procured to support at least 300 farmers of FAC. A renting system has been setup among the farmers through FAC. The Farmer Cluster has also set up the ownership policies for different implements, based on investments and source of investments. The system has also emerged as a revenue generation frame for FAC and simultaneously reduces the drudgery and enhances the livelihood among the farmers.

Bundelkhand has a long and warm Rabi season. Rainfall is not properly distributed during the crop growing season. The farmers generally depend on rainfall for cultivation of crops. The intensity and distribution of rainfall in the region has been 625 mm in last 10 years, which is slightly low in comparison to the national average, which is 1120 mm. Farmers generally use check dams, or wells for irrigation and for recharging ground water, which is not enough for full-fledged irrigation. Therefore, there is a need of specific kinds of crops, which is characterised by drought tolerance and less water requirement, compared to the general variety of crops.

Water/moisture conservation is achieved simply by ploughing and planting on the contour. Without effective moisture conservation in the original position, up to and even more than 60 per cent of rainfall in low-rainfall areas can be lost through run-off. Therefore, forming small contour furrows, each capable of holding 50 mm of rainfall and in which seeds are planted, has played a critical role in recharging the water table. During normal monsoons, there is virtually no run-off with such furrows; the water that does not evaporate soaks into the soil and is available to the crops.

It is critical to optimise the quality and quantity of the yield during the harvesting period. The FAC members of Bundelkhand are trained from time to time to ensure timely harvesting, based on the exact stage of the developed crops and market demands. It also ensures that the minimum interval has elapsed since the last agro-chemical application. For harvesting, appropriate utilisation of farm equipment is also provided through the FAC to reduce the drudgery and to harvest quality crop without any destruction.

The major crops in the Jhansi district are wheat, mustard and chickpea that are 1300, 240, 300 ton/ha respectively and are very low compared to the national average of wheat - 2500 ton/ ha, mustard - 360 ton/ha and chickpea - 400 ton/h. The continuous monitoring and evaluation has evolved due to the ignorance of farmers regarding packaging of practices, non selection of suitable variety of seeds, poor primary tillage practices and poor intercultural operations. The conventional methods of sowing, use of inappropriate dose of chemical fertilisers, poor weed management, poor integrated insect pest and disease management have played a major role in the reduction of these yields.

Among the entire remedies, the weed problem alone causes about 33 per cent loss of the total crop production. The Integrated Weed Management System is a specified aspect that needs stronger background. The component of integrated weed management is cultural, physical, biological and chemical methods, by using two or more of these methods, suitable for crop and weed reduction, weed can be controlled effectively and economically.

DA’s initiatives in Bundelkhand therefore, encompass integration of socio-technical interventions for improving quality of lives of the vulnerable farming groups by enhancing their abilities to cope with climate shocks and stress. Sustainability of outputs of such interventions, specially with vulnerable groups, rests on solid institutional foundations and technical advancements.

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