How do we achieve food sovereignty – by investing in sustainable agriculture, promoting food diversity, providing fair price of the produce, restoring soil fertility without damaging the environment, promoting localised food system, build knowledge and skills. Small and marginalised farmers are the key as they constitute 78 percent of the country’s farmer who owns 33 percent of cultivated land still contributes 41 percent of the country’s food grains.

Caritas India through its FARM Northeast program pursues the goal of food sovereignty by empowering the community to increase nutritional food intake. They have selected the People Led Development approach to target small and marginalised farming communities in North East India. The program has promoted farmers clubs in the target villages to collectivise for mutual benefit. These farmer clubs have outperformed each other in terms of growth, profitability and strength.

In the West Tripura district of Tripura, Caritas India formed two farmers clubs Wabusa and Borgachia villages. In record time Yarung farmer club of Borgachia village showed exemplary achievement after getting trained by Caritas India Partner, Jana Unnayan Samiti Tripura (JUST), ICAR and other agencies. Formed in November 2013, the farmer club carried on with the FARM program. The trainings on Integrated Pest Management, Integrated Nutrient Management, and sustainable agriculture practices helped the farmers to implement these new methods of farming and achieve a better yield.

Arun Debbarma, a lead farmer from Yarung farmers club, identified by JUST implemented the learnings from the training in his field which has given promising results. Initially, he used to practise monoculture, but the training helped him to build his confidence in multi-cropping. Now his annual income reached between Rs. 2,50,000 to 3,00,000 by selling his farm surplus produces like maize, medicinal herbs, beans, bitter gourd & paddy in the nearby market. Arun also has been spearheading the idea of spreading the spirit of hard work among his fellow farmers in his village and it is heartening to see that at least 7 other members of Yarung farmers club are already following him and started earning well.

The success of Yarung Farmers club motivated Wabusa Farmers club to follow in their footsteps. Though Wabusa farmers club was formed almost one year later after the Yarung Farmers club, the members of the group were not very active.

Arun’s inspiring story went beyond his village and Hiranmala Debbarma, (51), President of the Wabusa farmers club, was motivated to start cultivating crops by availing a loan of Rs 5,000 in 2015. Today, Hiranmala is a proud farmer earning approximately Rs 3,00,000 annually by selling crops like banana, bitter gourd, lady’s finger, ash gourd, chillies etc in the nearby market.

Hiranmala has also planted 500 areca nuts in the year 2017 after being motivated by the JUST team. She shared in one of the training programs that she was motivated and empowered by the awareness programs conducted by JUST. Hairanmala’s hard work increased her family income and her self-confidence. She also received the best Farmer award from ICAR in the year 2017.

In 2021, she cultivated Ranjit paddy in 2.18 acres (5.5 kani). The seeds were preserved by her from the previous year. She with her husband and son plans to make 100 percent utilization of their land for cultivation and become a model for the other fellow farmers and make more income from her farming.

Mr. Robert Lushai, Coordinator of FARM NE Programme said that Mrs. Hiranmala Debbarma is a hard-working and determined lady who always aims higher in her life to become a self-sustained and contented woman. She has the potential to improve the standard of her family.

Another farmer Kanta Debbarma being motivated by the works of members of Wabusa farmers club is earning extra income from his patch of land by adopting improved agriculture practices. Since 2017, Kanta is earning approximately Rs. 2, 88,000 annually. JUST have plans to motivate more farmers of Wabusa farmers club to follow the lead farmers and make earning through improved cultivation practices. The global pandemic has been challenging but it has opened new avenues wherein the farmers are in the process of becoming resilient to such unforeseen events.

These farmers clubs not only create a ripple effect in the community but also lead the way towards food security and sovereignty.