VIDARBHA FARMERS LEARNT SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRACTICES TO TACKLES AGRICULTURE CHALLENGES

Conventional farming practices are not bearing fruits for the smallholder farmers due to climate change caused by global warming. The brunt of this global warming are more on smallholder poor and marginalized farmers especially farmers from Vidarbha due to their incapacity for adaptation and modern techniques.

50 farmers from Anjagao and Akot block were trained on sustainable agriculture and livelihood by Centre for Environmental Studies in Social Sector (CESSS). An initiative of Caritas India in the field of Natural Resource Management to create & replicable models of sustainable Agriculture Regeneration Measures to assist the farming communities in their socio-economic empowerment processes. Recently, the institution had awarded Chatrapati Shivaji Vanshree Vrikshamrit Award for plantation.

The present agrarian crises and its impact on smallholder farmers were shared with the farmers. They were oriented on climate change and its impact on agriculture, disaster of chemical farming and impact, organic farming and methods, alternate chemical farming, sustainable agriculture practices, Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Through field visit, farmers learnt mixed cropping technique, preparation of green manure, farmer’s friendly birds & enemy birds, developing live fencing at field, use and impact of soil & water conservation structure and mobilizing government funds.

First-hand experience on preparation on various bio manure and natural pest repellents like EMO, Jeevamrut, Fish tonic, NPK bio, Dashparni, Lamit, Neem Ark along with trap crop, light trap, yellow sticky trap were highly appreciated by the farmers.
The participants interacted with the Farmer’s Field School (FFS) members to take their experience of adopting organic farming and its related opportunities and challenges.