The global concern is towards food security, poverty, and sustainable livelihoods but very little attention is paid to the institutional transformation of agriculture. The sector has the potential to reduce rural poverty and absorb a large number of existing and new entrants to the new workforce, but it is not lucrative. A smallholder farmer can barely arrange square a meal for his family and sustain themselves.

Farmers from B.S Chora farmers club, Dharmapur-III, in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh took a step to overcome the difficulties faced by them together by doing collective or group farming. The idea of group farming is not new, but over the decades it has taken different forms. The concept of collective farming is to overcome poverty and identify small and marginal farmers in a small area or group.

Seva Kendra Arunachal East (SKAE), partner of Caritas India under FARM Northeast organised several programmes to promote and motivate the farmers for group farming. Mr. Biren Chakma, president of B.S Chora Farmers club a smallholder farmers group convinced his fellow members for collective cultivation and 14 members including the secretary agreed with the idea of collective farming, The group consisted of 5 single mothers, housewives, small landholders and 9 men who are unemployed and small landholders. Paddy and seasonal crops are a mechanism to alleviate rural poverty for Dharmapur. Crop productivity and incomes from crop production for farmers undertaking collective farming from B.S Chora FC, Dharmapur-iii, they initiated collective cultivation in 8 acres of land from the month of May 2021.

Starting from the month of mid-May to August they cultivate some local food crops like maize, turmeric, chilly, ginger, pumpkin, Ash gourd, and some other crops like cucumber, bottle gourd, okra, bitter gourd and brinjal for self-consumption as well as to sale in the market. They invested Rs 33,000 for ploughing and levelling of field and Rs. 5,000 on farm equipment like bamboo, water pipe, etc. Upon harvest during September- October 2021 and got a total income of Rs 2, 60,000 from surplus which they sold at the market. Collective farming helped the farmers to do multiple cropping at a low cost in a short period. These not only ensured food security but also ensured safe food through organic farming.

At first, several challenges were faced by them like poor prices, lack of market information, decision making, etc., but with continuous support and guidance from Team SKAE, the farmers’ collectives have gained necessary skills on agriculture, improved their decision-making capacities and leadership qualities.

“We are happy to have a piece of land where we can cultivate and gain experience in organic farming. We are happy and proud to be a farmer to produce, eat and feed our families with poison-free food and thus ensuring better health,” says Mr. Biren Chakma, President of B.S. Chora FC.

These farmers have started their second cultivation of seasonal crops like cabbage, cauliflower, laisak, palak, coriander, green pea, mustard, radish, brinjal, capsicum, beans, tomato, and chilli since October. They could sell some vegetables like mustard, mustard green, radish, beans and coriander for a total amount of Rs. 10,000 and are expecting an income of a minimum of Rs.4,00,000. According to them, mustard green, cabbage, cauliflower, and green pea are growing beautifully which will give them much profit.

According to Mintu Moshahari, Coordinator, SKAE Collective farming is about holding on to the age-old practice and ensuring a secured livelihood along with food security of the smallholder farmers. He adds that SKAE with support from Caritas India shall work harder to replicate such models in the programme villages.