In The Hands Of The Community

“IN THE HANDS OF THE COMMUNITY” Inspiring stories from Community Managed Sustainable Agriculture CMSA Programme

[Implemented under Indira Kranthi Patham, Rural Development Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh]

Centre for Sustainable Agriculture

“In the hands of the Community”

FOREWORD A quiet revolution is happening in the rural landscape of Andhra Pradesh, led by poor women, to change the face of farming in thousands of villages. This revolution, of farmers taking charge of their farming, of farmers stepping off treadmill technologies which ultimately increase the financial burden and deplete their resources and of farmers saying that they are able to come out of the agrarian distress prevalent all over India, is through a state-supported programme called Community Managed Sustainable Agriculture [CMSA], implemented through women’s self help movement in Andhra Pradesh. The Rural Development department, through the Indira Kranthi Patham is investing its resources and energies in making farmers self-reliant in farming in terms of knowledge as well as resources. Dubbed by the media as the world’s largest ecological farming project supported by the state, this programme is making a sea change in the lives of farmers wherever it is being implemented to the extent that youth in the villages are returning to farming and farmers are seeing agriculture as a dignified and viable profession again. Farmers are reporting that their net incomes are going up and that they are able to step out of the debt trap. With committed and well meaning bureaucrats at the helm initiating this effort in 2004, this programme is being driven by the enthusiasm, skills and capabilities of women’s groups in eighteen districts of Andhra Pradesh. This small booklet tries to capture the changes that are happening in various villages which are part of the programme. These changes, which challenge established mindsets about farming and notions of development in general, are evident in individuals [farmers, scientists, technocrats, bureaucrats, political leaders and others] as well as in whole communities. In a remarkably brief time, this programme was able to create around fifty pesticides-free villages and seven organic villages in different districts and has plans to expand as well as intensify work on various other fronts like marketing. This documentation of the CMSA programme focuses on villages which have changed in toto and finds that a variety of factors have contributed to the successes – committed and well-equipped frontline workers as well as farmer-activists are a major reason for such change; women voting with their feet and going out of their way to implement this programme has contributed to the success in several places; existing advantages with some villages, like homogeneity in a community, one village elder that everyone listens to, or everyone in a village being unified in their objectives etc., have also helped. Further, the rapport and commitment of the local Non Governmental Organisation with the village community meant easier transition in several cases. The institutional systems built in the programme, including the presence of an extension worker in the form of the Village Activist right in the village and the regular conduct of farmer field schools have given tremendous strength to the programme. Capacity building efforts at all levels have given the right kind of 5

“In the hands of the Community”

confidence and inspiration to motivate more and more farmers to embrace these ecological approaches. In all locations, change resulted because the farmers, through their first hand experience, found out that ecological alternatives are indeed effective and have many benefits to offer them, including similar yields as conventional chemical farming. In fact, they found that where even chemical pesticides have failed to control certain pests and diseases, the ecological practices recommended in this programme have proven to be very effective! In this booklet, you would see different kinds of successful experiences presented – villages where farmers have regained access to lands that they had to mortgage in their intensive agriculture mode; villages where farmers have stopped migrating out of the village in search of livelihood; villages where factory workers are coming back into farming as they find it a more viable proposition; villages where women have shown their grit and determination to change the status quo; villages where agricultural workers in leadership positions have taken on management roles that helped farmers; villages where new enterprises have sprung up, centred around sustainable farming, proving that this approach could be a win-win situation for both farmers and agricultural workers; villages where lands obtained by dalits continue to remain in their hands only because these approaches allow farming to be a viable; villages where pesticide poisoning is a thing of the past; villages which have resolved not to go in for GM crops either since they recognize the similarity between pesticides and GM crops; villages where integration with other development programmes like NREGS is boosting the efforts of sustainable farming; villages where Panchayats are involved actively in agricultural issues and have resolved to keep themselves pesticides-free or organic, through Gram Sabha resolutions and so on. These are stories from villages which are located in intensive-agriculture belts like Khammam and Warangal as well as in tribal agriculture belts like Vizianagaram and Srikakulam. They also cover drought-prone areas like Anantapur. While some villages are pesticides-free, others are organic. We have also tried to capture experiences related to alternative credit and marketing systems in this booklet. A whole section has been devoted to a description of how the institutional structures have been built in this programme, particularly to create a lead role for women. Overall, farmers are reporting successes not just with effectiveness of the ecological practices in controlling pests, diseases and for managing soil productivity, but also with the economic viability of this approach of farming and the self-confidence that they have gained. Farming is a dignified occupation for these farmers once again. And women have proven once again that when they are in the driver’s seat, their development approaches are more eco-sensitive, equitable, sustainable and long term in their vision. Centre for Sustainable Agriculture March, 2008 6

“In the hands of the Community”

WOMEN’S SELF HELP GROUPS MANAGE CMSA PROGRAMME: Institutional Structures & Processes: Grassroots-upwards In the Community Managed Sustainable Agriculture [CMSA] programme, systems are evolving steadily as the programme is unfolding year after year. In the first year of implementation of pilot phase [2005-06], the programme was mostly led by Non Governmental Organisations. These organizations in the pilot year were partner organizations of Centre for Sustainable Agriculture [CSA]/Centre for World Solidarity [CWS] with experience in establishing NPM with farmers. In nine districts of the state, in 450 villages, NPM was established with financial support from Indira Kranthi Patham on 23000 acres in this pilot phase. There were no institutional structures so to speak of, other than some broad guidelines evolved for the entire programme. These guidelines included some terms and conditions on which farmers voluntarily enrolled themselves into the programme at the village level. Some of the conditions which are part of the programme to this day include: that the enrolled farmer takes a vow not to use chemical pesticides throughout the season on the land kept aside for such farming; that s/he will take part in all training meetings/exposure trips organized by the programme; that s/he will attend other meetings organized; that s/he will collect required local resources beforehand including neem seed etc. At the time of enrollment, farmers are also requested to pay a nominal registration fee of Rs. 20/- to Rs. 30/- which goes into the account of the women’s group at the village level. With the consolidation phase that began in Kharif 2007, structures and systems have been put into place in a manner that community based organizations of women take a lead in managing and implementing the whole programme. At the village level, two kinds of collectives – one of Sasya Mithra Groups which function along the lines of Polam Badi or Farmer Field Schools and the other of women’s Self Help Groups – act as the basic knowledge generating and sharing forums. At the village level, there is a Village Activist appointed for providing constant extension support to the farmers who enroll themselves in the programme. This VA is paid a monthly salary. Village Level Institutions and Structures SASYA MITHRA GROUP About 30 farmers each are formed into a Polam Badi or a Sasya Mithra group. These groups are not registered as of now but are collectives brought together by the CMSA programme. 7

“In the hands of the Community”

These Sasya Mithra groups, with the membership being at the family level, will meet four times a month, on set days of the week. Men as well as women farmers take part in the weekly meetings. These meetings are run in a FFS mode with a field of any chosen crop on one side of the village chosen for the meeting. These Polam Badis run from 8 am to 11 am or so in most locations. The Sasya Mithra group then meets in another field in another direction from the village in the following week. In this manner, plots on different sides of the village and different crops are sought to be covered by the farmers in a collective learning and knowledge-generating mode. Each Sasya Mithra group has a Convenor and a Co-Convenor. The meetings are facilitated by the Village Activist and the Cluster Activist (CA) who looks after five villages or so in a mandal/block. If possible, a representative of the local NGO which has taken the responsibility for that cluster also attends the Polam Badi each week. In several villages especially in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh, a system of creating public information around the Polam Badi has been evolved. Here, a black board is kept in the centre of the village and/or at the farmer’s field – each week, details about whose land has been visited, date, crop, pests and diseases observed and the recommendation for control of the same are written down right after the Polam badi. This is for everyone to read and implement the same advice if their crop is exhibiting similar problems too. In the following week, there will be a discussion on whether the practice/product recommended has actually worked or not. In the weekly Polam Badi, ten to thirty farmers take part and from each household the man or the woman of the family, depending on their convenience, takes part. Some organizations have also put in efforts to organize all-women Polam Badis or have organized children’s field schools. Children also showed great interest in understanding pests and diseases and ecological ways of managing the same. VILLAGE ORGANISATION (VO) – NPM/CMSA SUB-COMMITTEE The other institution at the village level which acts as the implementing and monitoring institution is the federation of women’s SHGs called the Village Organisation (VO). These CBOs are registered in many locations and have financial and decision-making systems well worked out, as part of the women’s self help movement in Andhra Pradesh. These VOs have Office Bearers [OBs] appointed by their members in all villages. There is a President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary in each VO. It is an all-women institution. In the CMSA programme, which is mainly implemented through the women’s self help groups, to ensure that the sustainable agriculture agenda does not get lost in the many other issues that the women’s groups are dealing with, a VO Sub-Committee on NPM/CMSA has been formed. This is from 2007 onwards. 8

“In the hands of the Community”

This Sub-Committee consists of seven members: one Office Bearer of the VO, Convenor of the Sasya Mithra group, one ‘model farmer’ [aadarsha rythu], the Village Activist or Grama Karyakartha and three women farmers of the women’s sanghas. The Sub-Committee at the village level meets on a designated day every month to review the way the programme is going on in the village, the situation with the crops and the efficacy of the ecological principles and practices being advocated etc. The local NGO representative also attends the Sub-Committee meeting. There are Sub-Committees which have taken their job seriously enough to go and meet enrolled farmers who are not adhering to the conditions of the programme for one reason or the other - to find out the reasons for the problem and to extend appropriate advice and support. Sub-Committees also review the work of the village activist and the local organization. They keep track of whether the Cluster Activist is performing her/his duties are not. At the village level, the sub-committee members also attend the Polam Badis and see the progress of work in the fields. They also interact with farmers who have enrolled themselves as part of their responsibility. What would be interesting to watch out for in the coming years are the possibilities of various social dynamics that would come into play into these institutions depending on how things are shaped. For one thing, this is the first time that men are being allowed to come into any VO level programmes since farming is understood to pertain to both men and women in the village. Further, in some villages, the VO representative in the sub-committee is a landless woman, who could utilize the opportunity to ensure that the programme has organically built mechanisms for generating more employment for agricultural workers in farming and for creating micro-enterprises around such farming. MANDAL MAHILA SAMAKHYA (MMS) SUB COMMITTEE A sub-committee similar to the one at the VO level is created at the Mandal level, attached to the Mandal Mahila Samakhya (MMS). At this level, the Cluster Activist, a paid worker, is part of this sub-committee, along with an MMS office bearer and farmers drawn from the villages where the programme is being implemented. The MMS control the funds for the programme in many places. From the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) at the state level, funds for the programme are released to the DRDA in each district where the programme exists. From the DRDA, the allocated funds are often released directly to the MMS. At this level, there is regular monitoring of work after which payments are released to the activists and for other planned activities. ZILLA SAMAKHYA (ZS) SUB COMMITTEE 9

“In the hands of the Community”

S Ramulamma, a ZS CMSA Sub-Committee member of Vizianagaram district explains the processes being adopted in their district by the federations of women’s groups quite well. “We decided that we needed to work along with the NGOs in the programme” and the ZS called all the NGOs involved in the programme this Kharif to explain the ongoing programme. “When we heard about the benefits of ecological farming, we discovered that this kind of farming also has more possibilities for repayment of monies that we extend as micro-credit to our members”, she says. In 2006-07, Sub Committees were formed at all levels. This helped in sharing of information across levels and mandals quite easily, including on innovations and best practices. By the women’s federations coming into the picture, it is not just effective monitoring and implementation of the CMSA programme that is happening. The women’s groups are also trying to integrate the benefits of the CMSA programme with other programmes. For instance, the better quality, safe food that gets produced without toxic chemicals in the CMSA programme is being procured in the Food Security Credit Line programme of Indira Kranthi Patham and such food is being supplied to the poorest households in the villages. Unlike in other state-sponsored organic farming projects which are meant for exports to rich consumers elsewhere, the women’s groups in many locations across Andhra Pradesh are utilizing the opportunity to support the food needs of the poorest households by supplying them with the safest food possible produced by other poor producers. In this manner, they are trying to re-build the connection between safe, nutritious food and basic health. The women in the Sub-Committees are also engaging in community service by monitoring implementation on behalf of their communities. They do not charge any fees for their management services but only get reimbursed for their travel costs. In some locations like the Vizianagaram TTDC (the training centre for the women’s groups), the women have decided to use the land in the campus for demonstrating ecological farming practices and principles. The vegetables that are grown in this plot are admired for their taste. This had in turn motivated more and more groups to take up such farming. Villages outside this programme are also changing – farmers in around 70-80 villages have changed by themselves. The ZS has plans of reaching out to all villages from Kharif 2008 onwards and motivating them to shift towards ecological farming. 10

“In the hands of the Community”

Women of the Samakhyas and at the village level are certain that these massive changes have been possible only because of the women’s groups. Left to men, they would not have seen such a large success, they say. “We go to the Polam Badis. We meet with individual farmers and try and address their problems. When an NGO brings a Utilisation Certificate (UC) and requests for release of funds, we go into the field and inspect the work. Only when satisfied, do we release funds even for salaries of Village Activists”, the Samakhya leaders explain. This is a programme where farming is seen as a livelihoods issue rather than a mere technology issue – more and more women’s groups are coming forward demanding that this programme be initiated in their villages too. Given that the members of these groups are all connected to farming, they understand the benefits of nonchemical farming in terms of economics as well as social benefits like improvement in health. What’s more, the programme has been able to create systems which have downward accountability, to the poorest women’s federations and farmers, unlike the mainstream agricultural extension system which has no accountability towards farmers. Financial powers are devolved upto the village level to ensure that the people employed for extension support actually do so. Further, the extension support is provided by some good practicing farmers who understand the reality of farming and not by non-practitioners as in the case of the agricultural research and extension systems. Finally, women are taking a lead in this programme, convincing their men that chemicals are not needed for farming. All of these have contributed to rapid change in hundreds of villages. - Written by Kavitha Kuruganti -

- As narrated by Ramulamma, ZS Treasurer, Vizianagaram district; Lakshmi Narasamma, MMS Sub Committee member, Amaduguru Mandal, Anantapur district; Cheelamamidi Ambamma, Jharasangam MMS, Medak district.

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“In the hands of the Community”

“Micro Credit Approach for supporting ecological farming – alternative credit for women for alternative farming” The CMSA programme, in addition to addressing agricultural production issues, is also trying to establish alternative credit systems for supporting rural women who want to shift towards ecological farming. In Indian agriculture, is as well known, majority of farmers are not reached through institutional credit mechanisms. Further, there are many issues with the credit terms and conditions. There is of course the central issue of faulty technologies resulting in the credit borrowings becoming unviable for farmers to repay. The technologies adopted are such that the cost of cultivation is ever-spiralling upwards, since these are treadmill technologies meant to increase the markets of the agri-inputs industry. In the CMSA programme, the women’s groups attempted to access credit in a novel way for ecological farming. A different scale of finance was evolved for Paddy and Chilli crops for the farmers participating in this programme, which fixed the per acre crop loan for paddy at Rs. 8300/- and for chilli at 16,600/-. These amounts were arrived at, after studying the experience of CMSA farmers in Guntur district. In 2006, the CMSA programme began in five villages of Pedanandipaadu mandal of Guntur district, a district notorious as the largest consumer of pesticides compared to any other district in India. The initial discussions with farmers on the current chemical-intensive agriculture in these villages pointed towards the strong hold that input dealers have on farmers, even in terms of agricultural credit. Taking high interest loans from moneylenders meant that these farmers were forced to sell their produce at low prices to these moneylenders at the end of the season. Getting out of the clutches of these moneylenders for whatever credit needs the farmers have, therefore seemed as an important step. At another level, it is also seen that many farmers are left out of the institutional credit systems because they do not have clear titles over their land to show. Half of the farming community members in India – women – get left out of the credit net because they are not landowners in a legal sense. Similar is the case with tenant farmers. There is also the issue of bank procedures being tedious for illiterate farmers. It is to address all of these issues that the CMSA programme in Indira Kranthi Patham chose a micro-credit approach to credit support for farmers in the programme. Starting from re-casting the scale of finance (support earmarked as short term crop loan per acre of a particular crop, depending on the estimated cost of cultivation which is in turn dependent on the recommendations on package of practices to be adopted put out by the agricultural research establishment), this approach meant that women were eligible for crop loans and such loans were actually 12

“In the hands of the Community”

available at their doorstep with the women’s federations taking care of all the processing procedures! In this micro-credit approach, land entitlements are not the criteria for sanctioning loans but peer collateral as for other loans in women’s self help groups. This micro-credit approach relies on MCPs (Micro Credit Plans) evolved from the household-level upwards, by which credit needs of each household for their farming are assessed beforehand and collated at the SHG and VO level. From all the VOs, the MMSs and the ZS in turn collate the requirement and present the credit plan for the upcoming season to the bankers. Ideally, the whole process is done in time for the funds to be released by end-May every year for Kharif season. In the past two years in Guntur district, the timing has been a bit of a problem – the funds from the banks did not reach the farmers in time. However, with experience, the women’s groups and the programme personnel are learning about time lines to be adopted. Now they realize that if the CMSA farmers’ list is finalized in the month of February each year (names of farmers, acreage and crop, with a maximum limit of two acres per farmer), it is easy to collate information on credit needed at the SHG, VO, MMS and ZS levels fairly easily. In the month of May, one final verification is done to see whether the lists are accurate and whether those farmers wish to continue in the CMSA programme. The funds from the concerned banks reach the SHG accounts directly from where individual women farmers avail themselves of the loan. The money is released in three installments from the SHG to individual members – during sowing, mid-season and before harvest. In 2006, farmers in Pedanandipaadu mandal and Rajupalem mandal availed themselves of the new system of agricultural credit devised in the CMSA programme. In Rajupalem mandal, in 2006, 250 women [farmers] (all the ones who enrolled themselves into the CMSA programme that year for paddy and chilli crop) from 43 groups in 5 villages received Rs. 29,23,055/- for their paddy and chilli crop. In that year, the meeting with bankers happened only in the month of September and the loan amounts reached individual members only in November. Between March and May in the subsequent year, the loans were repaid to the banks through the VOs and MMSs. The district collector took personal interest in creating the dialogue between the women’s group, CMSA programme personnel and the bankers in this case. In 2007, 500 farmers in 71 groups from 5 villages got credit support from banks to the tune of Rs. 66.7 lakhs for sustainable farming in 717 acres. In Pedanandipaadu mandal, 253 members of 45 groups in 4 villages received Rs. 36,22,200/- for Kharif 2007.

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“In the hands of the Community”

Repayment of these loans does not pose a problem for the farmers who borrow this credit because their net incomes are higher, with their cost of cultivation decreasing. The group leaders of the women’s groups at all levels, starting from the SHGs put in efforts to ensure repayment on time, between March and May of every year (on this credit, it has been decided that monthly repayments are difficult and a one-time repayment after the crop season is being adopted after dialogues with the farmers). This alternative credit system in the CMSA programme is paving a pioneering path for re-casting agricultural credit mechanisms in the country: by taking credit delivery to the doorsteps of women farmers, by relying on peer collateral in women’s self help groups, by recasting scales of finance to suit ecological farming requirements including labour intensification and most importantly, by making credit viable through changed agricultural production systems. The credit terms and conditions are also more suitable for the farmers who are making a large scale shift to ecological farming. It is time such experiences are replicated in more and more locations across the country to bring farmers out of the current agrarian crisis.

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“In the hands of the Community”

“We believed them and did not regret the decision” - KASNA TANDA, ZAFFARGADH MANDAL, WARANGAL DISTRICT Just one generation ago, all the households of this small village in Warangal (where everyone is related to each other) were engaged in annual bonded labour. Kasna Nayak came to the present hamlet called by his name, Kasna Tanda, around 45 years ago from Saathapuram village in Devaruppala mandal as a bonded labour with a Reddy family. He had four sons and three daughters when he started working as a bonded labour. As he grew old, he put his sons into bondage while he started working on 30 acres of land that his master gave him. The land was very degraded but Kasna Nayak persisted with his farming and slowly started acquiring more land. His family also grew and at present there are 46 families in Kasna Tanda. The families own around 194 acres of cultivable land that has been acquired over the years. The village grows many crops like cotton, chilli and paddy. The farmers in the village experienced many adverse effects of chemical pesticides but never really stopped to think about it and were not aware of any alternatives to such pesticides. Lakavath Bujjamma was hospitalized in 2003 after being exposed to the toxic fumes of a deadly pesticide that was sprayed on her paddy field. There were other such instances too. Some villagers also consumed these poisons that were readily available at home to end their own lives. Bhanoth Balamma, after a terrible fight with her husband, came home to her parents’ home in Kasna Tanda and committed suicide by consuming a pesticide. That was six years ago. Farmers in the village used to spray around fifteen times on an average on a crop like cotton in the village. They used to try out newer and newer pesticides in their belief that such pesticides were needed for better crops. Such was their dependence on pesticides that in 2002, four farmers from this small village came all the way to Hyderabad to buy a pesticide called “Avaunt” at thousand rupees per small container. In 2005, the local NGO called Modern Architects for Rural India [MARI] came to Kasna Tanda and initiated a discussion on chemical pesticides with the villagers here. The various effects of chemical pesticides came to the fore in the discussion that they initiated. MARI talked to the villagers about how it was possible to give up pesticides in farming through adoption of NPM methods. They told farmers how the NPM programme can be combined with another government programme being implemented for tribal development in Warangal district called RSVY [Rashtriya Swayam Vikas Yojana]. For this, the farmers would have to pay Rs. 1000/- into an account specifically created as part of their contribution for the programme of improving their livelihoods. In turn, they would be supported with Rs. 3000/- from the RSVY which would be an interest free loan for them to shift towards NPM farming. 15

“In the hands of the Community”

Thirty farmers in the village came forward to make this shift, on two acres each in Kharif 2005. They were all keen to try out the NPM practices on cotton to begin with. In the first year of trying to shift to non-pesticidal farming, there was a severe outbreak of sucking pests on cotton crop and the farmers nearly broke their resolve of not spraying chemical pesticides. Many of them were ready to use “Confidor” on their crop. The cluster activist stepped in and urged the farmers to try tobacco extract for control of the pest. He personally showed in B Murali’s field. The farmers tried this out and the difference was apparent for everyone in just three days’ time. The fields where the tobacco extract was sprayed were distinctly better than pesticidesprayed fields. Later, in the greengram crop that farmers were growing as an intercrop with cotton, a lot of ladybird beetles were discovered. Several farmers, not knowing the distinction between friendly insects and pests, panicked again. The cluster activist once again explained to them about how the ladybird beetle will actually be of use. At that time, it was decided to hold a Farmer Field School every Tuesday in the village so that collective learning can take place right there in the fields. These processes also lent much conviction to the farmers. As part of the programme, with the funds deposited in the bank account, farmers purchased pheromone traps and 50 kilos of neem seed powder. After spraying NSK extract, farmers found that the larvae of Helicoverpa stopped feeding on the plant and soon died. They were very excited about this and told other farmers about the efficacy of this method. In 2006-07, 40 farmers joined the programme to take up NPM farming in 80 acres. By 2007-08 Kharif, the whole village shifted into non-pesticidal management of their crops. For some basic inputs in NPM farming, they continue to use the funds deposited into their bank account – sixty thousand in the first year and one lakh twenty thousand in the second year. These are being revolved in the account. While they were using chemical pesticides, farmers used to take decisions at the individual household level. They would compete with each other in the chemicals they were buying from the market and spraying. However, some of the elders of the village led a discussion in the village where they reminded youngsters about how they used to farm three decades ago. It was decided that decisions about various practices to be adopted should be taken collectively, in consultation with each other, by sharing knowledge on appropriate practices. The whole village decided to bring down its costs in agriculture and thereby, debts from outside.

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Thirty farmers also set up two vermin-compost beds each and today, chemical fertilizer use is reported to have decreased by 50% in the village. Today, farmers in this village find that their average cost of pest management in cotton is around Rs. 260/- per acre, compared to Rs. 1800/- per acre before the advent of the programme. The village also decided to remain GM-Free by opting for non-Bt Cotton seed. After looking at pest and disease problems in Bt Cotton, seeing that livestock were being adversely affected by grazing on the Bt Cotton fields and hearing complaints that the land productivity is being impacted negatively by Bt Cotton cultivation, these farmers decided to opt for non-Bt Cotton. In the first year, the NGO encouraged the farmers to try out Bt Cotton as well as non-bt Cotton and to compare the experiences firsthand. An evaluation at the end of such experimentation saw the farmers deciding that non-Bt Cotton was better, especially with NPM methods for pest management. Today, all farmers in this village place an indent for some popular non-Bt Cotton seeds well in advance so that they can remain GM-Free. Seeing that the village was working collectively on improving the livelihoods of everyone here, SERP recently sanctioned a cow each for each family, as desired by the villagers. Farmers are glad that they have chosen to believe the NGO when it first approached the villagers. “They will only give us advice that is good for us and we believe them. Today, the village has attained a lot of recognition thanks to this trust we placed in their word”, says B Murali. Today, confident after observing the changes in Kasna Tanda with the shift to NPM, neighboring hamlets including Durga Tanda have also shifted to ecological methods of pest management. Together, around 485 acres of land of the two hamlets have become pesticides-free this year in the cultivation of crops like paddy, cotton, chilli, groundnut, maize etc. - Banoth Murali, Kasna Tanda along with the Ramesh (Cluster Activist) & Tara Singh, CSA

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“Neither Bt Cotton nor chemical pesticides are the answer” - story of Laxminayak Tanda, Zaffargadh Mandal, Warangal district Laxminayak Tanda is a small hamlet of Timmampeta Panchayat with 52 lambada/ banjara families and with agricultural land spread over 194 acres. Starting from 2003, the local NGO called MARI (Modern Architects for Rural India) initiated different development activities in the hamlet including watersheds and improving drinking water supply in the village. The watershed work resulted in several dried up wells getting recharged in the village and the villagers developed trust on the organization. The farmers in the tanda mainly grow cotton. Majority of them are small and marginal farmers. Cotton cultivation meant very high use of chemical pesticides. Soon enough, debts of farmers in the hamlet started increasing with the returns from the cotton crop not matching such investments. Many of them were also rushed to hospitals and clinics when acute poisoning symptoms set in due to use of extremely toxic pesticides. Banoth Babu’s legs were paralysed for several weeks after spraying a pesticide called “sutathion” in 2003 on his cotton crop. Those were the days when farmers used to spray 5-8 times per month, mostly in the months of August and September. Around this time, in 2005, MARI held a meeting in the village and asked all the farmers whether they would be interested in taking up Non Pesticidal Management (NPM) of their cotton crop. They said it was possible to take up cotton cultivation without the use of chemical pesticides. The farmers were very skeptical having seen that even the deadliest of pesticides was unable to solve the pest problem for them. However, with the encouragement of the NGO, 30 farmers came forward to try NPM out in two acres each. “We felt that we need to try out these alternatives since the NGO will only advise good things, for our benefit”. That year, many farmers experimented with NPM methods and compared it with their conventional methods. For instance, for sucking pests, on two acres each, they tried out tobacco decoction and on other plots, they tried out a pesticide called confidor. They found that in the NPM plots, the pest was controlled quite well. Later on, when they tried neem seed extract for controlling bollworm, they found that this works very well too. The organization brought pheromone traps and set them up in all the NPM plots. The adult moths trapped in the pheromone traps made them curious about the life cycles of pests and this is how they started understanding insects and pests better. At the end of the season, a comparison between NPM and other plots revealed that in the NPM plots, the cost of cultivation was lower and yields the same. In the second year, on chilli crop, when the plants were drying up in a drought-like situation, some farmers were advised to use Panchakavya. Soon enough, the plants became green again and started flowering. 18

“In the hands of the Community”

Realising that there are various practices and methods for all crops and pests, more farmers came forward to take up such practices. For a group of farmers vexed with chemical pesticides, these non-chemical methods seemed like an ideal solution. In the following years, more farmers shifted to NPM cultivation. Today, all the land in this village is cultivated without the use of chemical pesticides. They grow cotton, paddy, chilli, maize, greengram, pigeonpea, groundnut etc. Every Monday, the farmers attend the Polam Badi in the village. There is one Rythu Mithra group consisting of 15 farmers in this hamlet in addition to six women’s self help groups. The health of the agricultural workers is found to have improved quite a bit. “There were days when we could not afford to take care of the workers’ hospitalization costs after acute poisoning set in – we would even leave them to their own devices. The situation has improved drastically now, after we gave up the use of chemical pesticides”, explains Bhukya Sudhakar. He and his brother find farming quite viable now – they have leased in four acres of paddy land and two acres of cotton by paying around Rs. 2000/acre this year. They harvested around 8 quintals per acre of non-Bt Cotton from this land and around 25 quintals of paddy. What is also interesting about this village is that they have chosen to remain nonGM growers. They do not cultivate Bt Cotton in this village. “We have seen several problems with Bt Cotton including livestock deaths in Nemaligonda village close to our hamlet. There are also other problems like wilting of the crop - Bt Cotton cannot stand extreme conditions. We decided in our village to continue growing non-Bt Cotton with NPM methods. We asked Bt Cotton companies not to advertise in our village. We also book our non-Bt Cotton seed well in advance with the preferred companies through our dealer in Ghanpur”, explains Sudhakar. “We don’t need chemical pesticides or GM seeds for our farming”, he says emphatically. -

Narrated by Ramesh (Cluster Activist), Bhukya Sudhakar (Farmer) & Tara Singh (CSA) Written by Kavitha Kuruganti

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“From poor producers to poor consumers: Marketing of CMSA produce” The women’s groups in Andhra Pradesh under the Indira Kranthi Patham are not only addressing production issues in farming but are also addressing forward linkages related to marketing of non-chemical produce. Usually, produce from organic/ecological farming, especially in those cases where it is promoted by the government, is meant for export markets for the consumption of rich consumers. Very often, such projects do not address equity issues of the poor producers – their entitlement to consume the safe and nutritious food that they are producing. Most organic production projects, because they cater to distant markets with the consumers not having seen or met the producers, also involve expensive, external certification – in that sense, they “externalize trust”, even as they internalize other farming inputs into the farm production system or the community. This means a higher cost for organic production which is sought to be offset through premium prices. Such premium prices being sought from consumers compel the producers and exporters to make organic produce into niche markets. Niche markets have an in-built paradox of not spreading themselves to more and more farmers at the production end! In the CMSA programme, the women’s groups which have organized themselves into well-managed institutions have begun with an advantage that is probably not so readily-present elsewhere. They have vast networks of poor producers and consumers within the village level, mandal level, district level and state level institutions created over the years – these networks have communication and other management systems as well financial resources at all levels which allows for easier marketing of produce. This is the strength that the women’s groups have leveraged in their attempts to market CMSA produce. Women’s groups in different districts decided to dovetail a “Food Security Credit Line” programme with the CMSA programme. In the food security programme, households of the poorest women in the groups were availing themselves of food grains given to them on credit during the hunger period, to be repaid throughout the year. These grains used to be procured from the civil supplies department earlier. Now, these food grains are available to them from the produce of the CMSA programme – this means that the safest food produced by members of the women’s groups will be available in a convenient manner to poor women. This is exactly what the women’s federations of Adilabad district did. The Chennoor MMS used the experience that they gained in marketing by picking up CMSA produce and supplying it through the Food Security Creditline programme. The MMS was formed in 2003, with 32 Village Organisations federated at the mandal level. Most members were from Manne Koya community. As part of the monthly 20

“In the hands of the Community”

MMS meetings, various issues used to be discussed. One of the issues that came up repeatedly was that the members in all the villages found that they had to go to Chennuru for every small item that they needed. The prices were also high here while their own produce fetched lower prices when they had to sell, the women discovered. They decided to find a solution for this in the form of entering into marketing. In 2004, the MMS started procuring NTFP from their members – this included products like vishamushti (a medicinal plant), chilla ginjalu, brooms, karanji (pongamia) etc. They procured these goods to a tune of Rs. 30 lakhs. They found that even though the MMS actually ended up making losses, individual members of the women’s groups benefited from the higher prices paid by the MMS. Just the presence of the MMS in auction sites improved the prices for the members, they found. The MMS members then decided to make up for the losses by shifting their attention to silk worm rearing and silk yarn. The silk yarn from Chennoor (used for Tussar silk) is sought by various groups from as far as Himachal Pradesh, they found out and decided to procure and sell it. From Rs. 310/-, the auction bids went up to Rs. 450/- for every thousand cocoons after the entry of the MMS. Later on, the MMS also set up a Tussar silk centre where women were trained in yarn making. Today, 50 people are employed full time in this Centre. The MMS also ventured into other products like paddy, sesame, soyabean etc. They earned a profit of five lakh rupees through this. In 2006, the CMSA/NPM programme began in 5 mandals of Adilabad. In the ZS meeting at the end of the season, there was an order placed for NPM paddy by Mancherial MMS. The Chennoor MMS agreed to procure and supply to Mancherial. The MMS marketing resource persons went personally to the villages and fields where NPM paddy was being grown. After convincing themselves of the nonchemical status of the paddy, the MMS bought 150 quintals of NPM paddy directly from farmers. They paid an additional price of twenty rupees per quintal to the farmers over that day’s market price. They procured this paddy from 60 NPM farmers of two villages – Kachanapalli and Angarajupalli to the tune of five lakh rupees. The Mancherial MMS purchased this NPM paddy from Chennoor MMS. They also procured NPM pigeonpea [toor dal] of 150 quintals. Several MMS staff members, ZS staff members and APMAS staff members also purchased the NPM produce from the MMS. In 2007, the Chennoor marketing centre was closed down. However, the Jaipur MMS procured 1000 quintals of paddy and 150 quintals of pigeonpea. This produce will be supplied through the Food Security Creditline programme. In this whole effort, the MMS marketing interventions have helped to create a winwin situation for everyone at many levels. For one thing, farmers find that the prices for their produce have increased due to the MMS stepping in. They save also on 21

“In the hands of the Community”

transportation costs which they would otherwise spend on, because the VO first procures it from them at their doorstep. They also benefit from better weights and measurements since the regular traders who buy from them cheat on that front. For the MMS, the margin that they keep for themselves accrues from removing middlepersons from the procurement and supply chain and from directly approaching buyers. For the consumers who get the CMSA produce from their MMS, especially through the Food Security creditline programme, it means access to safe, uncontaminated food, that too on credit on fair conditions, to be repaid throughout the year. In this manner, the women’s groups are showing that alternative ways of marketing are possible which benefit both rural producers and consumers in the bargain. There are also many individual farmers who have benefited from easier marketing for their CMSA produce because the high quality of such produce (no chemical residues) has acquired special recognition. The story of Gollapudi Raja Rajeswari from Nagulapaadu village in Pedanandipaadu mandal in Guntur district is a case for illustration. She used to grow her chilli crop using many sprays of chemical pesticides. At the end of the season, marketing of her chilli produce involved paying around hundred rupees per quintal for transportation costs in addition to around fifty rupees for labour. Commission agents in the market yard further take a commission of 3%. In 2006, when she grew her chilli crop by NPM approach, Bharat Exporters, a firm from Mumbai came to her village and purchased her chilli crop at the rate of Rs. 4700/- per quintal, by paying a premium of nearly thousand rupees per quintal. She earned an additional net income of Rs. 28000/- from her one and a half acres of chilli crop that year. In cases like hers, buyers are lining up in front of CMSA farmers recognizing the pesticides-free quality of their produce. Narrated by Chennoor MMS’ Marketing-CRP, written by Kavitha Kuruganti

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23

“In the hands of the Community”

24

“In the hands of the Community”

Pesticide free Village: Killaripeta Panchayat- Tandyam Mandal – Ponduru District- Srikakulam Three factors have played a crucial role in the transformation of Killaripeta into a pesticide free village. First - the village is homogenous single community village consisting of members from a single family tree; second - one person, Killari Surya Rao and his family who have the greatest influence in the village decision making were the first to convert to NPM and this was influential in the change of others; third - the Community Organiser Appala Naidu, himself a farmer, had been working with these villagers since 1994, in other programmes. Killaripeta is a village comprising of 93 families all belonging to the Kapu community and a population of 372 people. Of the 93 families, 89 have landholdings while four are landless families. Of the 89 farmers big farmers with about 5 acres land are seven, small farmers with about 4 acres land are three, and marginal farmers with 1 to 3 acres of land about 79. The village is has two ponds, 32 wells for irrigation purpose. Total land under cultivation is 300 acres out of which 120 acres is dry land and 180 acres is irrigated. The major crop in Kharif is Rice (120 acres) and groundnut (112 acres) while the rest is under vegetable cultivation. Similarly in Rabi the major crop is Chillies (93acres) followed by green gram (75acres) and groundnut (75acres) and the rest is under vegetables. Brinjal, Okra, Ribbed gourd, tomatoes and Kidney beans are the vegetables mostly grown here. In earlier times, there were only two ponds available for irrigation, and most parts of the village were under dry land cultivation. At that time, farmers grew a combination of crops like Jowar with Horse gram (Rabi), Ragi with horse gram (Rabi), black Moong with various vegetables like brinjal, kidney beans, okra and ribbed gourd (Kharif) or Korra and groundnut (Kharif). Since they were involved in dry land farming, most of the young people migrated to Donebanda near Vijaywada to work as labourers in the stone quarries. Only the parents and some young men stayed back to look after agriculture. Thirty to forty years ago, one farmer Killari Sanyasi started the use of pesticides in Brinjal. Seeing him, even the others followed suit. Pesticides were mostly used for the vegetable crops, and the black Moong crop.

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“In the hands of the Community”

From December of 1993 until the year 2000, ARTIC, an NGO worked in this village organizing thrift groups and helping in activities like credit and health through the women’s groups, youth groups and farmers groups. Farmers were given agricultural inputs etc. At that time, Appala Naidu was associated with the village as Cluster Coordinator. Appala Naidu is a farmer himself. “Since our NGO was associated with the Deccan Development Society, I knew a little about the issues concerning pesticides and chemical farming. I personally never used pesticides in my farm. But at that time, when I spoke to farmers about it, they did not believe it. Actually, since my awareness on the issue was not exhaustive, I could not convince farmers”, says Appala Naidu. In 2000, ARTIC retracted from the activities in the village and started farmers cooperative called, Kasi-Annapurna Krishak Samithi, and Appala Naidu was appointed as its secretary. Through this co-operative he was able to take the farmers for exposure visits to see various programmes like watersheds, also managed to procure good seeds for the farmers. But the crucial issue was water which cemented the relationship between Appala Naidu and the villagers. In the year 2003, through the Krishak Samithi, 32 wells were dug up in the village which helped the farmers to grow more crops and brought back the migrants to the village. It was then that Chillies and rice cultivation intensified in the village along with it, the use of Pesticides. Appala Naidu was instrumental in the execution of these works as also the procurement of electric motor pumpsets and kerosene engines for the wells the next year. In June 2006 that the IKP NPM program was initiated in the village with help from ARTEC and the Mandal Mahila Samakhya, along with Tandyam, Gunanapeta, Jadapeta, Krishnapuram villages. But it was in Killaripeta that the entire village was able to shift to pesticide free agriculture, within a short time. ‘At first, nobody believed in the concepts of NPM. But after a prolonged awareness campaign, using various cultural activities, highlighting on the effects of pesticides on people’s health and after an exposure visit to villages in Vizag district as also nearby villages in the same area; one farmer, Killari Surya Rao came forward to take up NPM practices in his chilli crop in one acre land, in Rabi 2006", says Appala Naidu. Other than chemical fertilizers, he used the silt from the ponds, deep ploughing methods, sheep manure and 120kgs of Neem seed powder, seed treatment, border crops like jowar, trap crops like marigold, and also sprayed various natural pest repellents like neem oil, cattle dung and urine sprays, tobacco and garlic decoction, to prevent pest attacks. He spent about 2200 rupees for chemical fertilizers and about 550 rupees for various natural pest repellents. Including the soil treatment activities like deep ploughing, FYM and pond silt, labour costs etc, the cost of cultivation was about Rs. 8025. “I got a yield of 54 quintals, I sold the first picking of 28 quintals at the rate of ten rupees per kilo, second picking of 23 quintals at the rate of 14 rupees per kilo and third picking of 3 quintals at the rate of 15 rupees per 26

“In the hands of the Community”

kilo; and got an income of Rs. 64,700 and a net profit of Rs.56,675. When I compared that with my input costs of the previous year (2005), I find that the input costs have reduced by nearly 2/4th parts. Earlier, I was spending about Rs. 4000 for chemical fertilizers and Rs. 1600 for pesticides and my total cost of cultivation was nearly Rs. 11,525, while my yield used to be around 40 quintals. Thus my income used to be around Rs. 50,000 and net profit around, Rs. 38,475. With the profits I earned in 2006, I was able to pay off my outstanding debts of Rs. 35,000. This year (2007) I have taken a lease of two more acres and planted groundnut, chilies, onions and cabbage using the NPM methods”. Seeing Surya Rao’s success, all the other farmers also took up NPM cultivation in the following season that is 2007 Kharif. As Killari Narsimlu another farmer from the village says, “I have four acres of land of which 2.5 acres is dry land and 1.5 acres is irrigated. In Rabi 2006 -07 I planted rice and used NPM practices, and spent about Rs. 5450 for the cultivation, and managed to get a yield of 39 bags, which I sold at the rate of Rs.550 per bag, and got an income of Rs. 21,450, and a net profit of about Rs. 16,000. Seeing these results, with supervision from our Cluster Activist, in the Kharif of 2007, I did organic SRI Rice cultivation in 40 cents land. Earlier I used to spend about Rs. 1800 for chemical fertilizers and Rs. 800 for pesticides where as this time I spent about Rs. 600 for Neem cake, Rs. 100 for vermin-compost and Rs.150 for natural pest repellents. All other cultivation costs were more or less the same, like deep ploughing, seed costs, green manure, farm yard manure and pond silt. I think I will get a yield of 30 bags, I have harvested my crop, but am yet to do the winnowing”. But the crop where it all started Brinjal, was the most effective, since maximum pesticide use was in this crop to a tune of Rs. 2000 per acre. With NPM, the farmers immediately were able to reduce their inputs by Rs.2000 in addition, instead of spending Rs. 1500 for chemical fertilizers they are now spending only Rs. 500 and compensating that with Vermicompost, for which the farmers don’t have to spend anything, since they do it themselves. Thus the cultivation costs in Brinjal came down from Rs. 6100 to Rs. 3300. The yield also increased from 200 baskets earlier to 280 baskets now fetching an income of Rs. 23,800 and a net profit of Rs. 20, 500(earlier it was Rs. 16000 and the net profit was 9,900). By the second season that is Kharif of 2007, all the 89 farmers except one farmer in the village took up NPM due to the persuasive powers of Killari Surya Rao whose family is also the guiding light for the village. The last farmer too converted to NPM in the Rabi season of 2007. This farmer is Killari Chandraiah, son of the late Killari Sanyasi – originator of pesticide use in Killaripeta village. Now the village says No to pesticides due to the reduction in input costs, increase in yield and last but not the least, because food has tasted better since the use of NPM. Another important turnout of the whole programme is that the landless families in 27

“In the hands of the Community”

the village have now been given the work to prepare the natural pest repellents like Neem Decoction, thus the landless widow like Meesala Annapurna is able to earn about Rs. 800 per season selling the pest repellents in addition to finding work as a farm labourer in all seasons.

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“A tribal woman creates a pesticides-free village” Kothapeta is a small village consisting of 70 households, in Amadaguru Mandal of Anantapur District. Most of the farmers in this village are marginal farmers with an average farmland of one to two acres. About 20 households are landless families. There is a total of 311 acres under cultivation, of which 248 acres is cultivable land. Out of these 248 acres, about 30 acres is irrigated under wells and tubewells, the rest is entirely dependent on the monsoons. The main crop is Groundnut while tomatoes and rice are cultivated in the irrigated land. When there is a good amount of water available in the wells, farmers plant rice, otherwise they plant tomatoes. In the rain fed land, along with Groundnut, Red gram, Green gram, field beans, castor, sorghum and finger millet are grown as intercrops. But farmers’ income is dependent mostly on sale of Groundnut, while the other crops are mostly used for their own consumption. Farmers in this village were perennially debt ridden due to the high cost of production. In groundnut for example, a farmer would spend about 2-3000 rupees for purchase of seeds, 3-4,000 rupees for chemical fertilizers and a minimum of Rs.1500 for pesticides per acre. For tomatoes the cost is even higher from Rs.1000-1500 for seeds, Rs.5000 for fertilizers and anything between Rs.2,000 to 5,000 for pesticides per acre. They would spray pesticides at least once every week in case of tomatoes. Unable to bear the huge costs of cultivation, nearly 3/4th of the population in the village migrated in search of livelihoods. Most of them ended up as daily wage labourers and domestic workers in big cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad. Some have even migrated as far as Kerala. The landless families too used to take up agriculture by leasing land from the other farmers in earlier times. Ever since agriculture became unprofitable, the landless families who were hitherto doing agriculture on leased property, stopped agriculture altogether. In this scenario, the NPM programme was initiated in the neighbouring village of Tummala in the year 2005 with help from the Women’s Self Help Groups. Though the NPM programme had not started officially in Kothapeta in 2005, farmers in this village started their shift towards NPM practices. Most of the farmlands of Tummala are adjacent to the agricultural land of Kothapeta. On seeing the NPM practices, Nagamma the Village Organisation’s leader of Kothapeta, decided to try them out in her farm. “When I saw that this could benefit farmers since it did not involve any kind of expenditure for the inputs, I thought of trying it out in my own farm. My field was ready for sowing by then. So first I did the seed treatment using cow urine, Asafoetida and cow dung ash. I asked the other farmers in the village to try these methods. They all laughed at me and said I was crazy. But I just went ahead and practically demonstrated the benefits of NPM in the fields of two other farmers. One was Venkatramana and other was Gangulappa.” Nagamma implemented NPM practices in Groundnut, while Venkatramana used various natural pest repellents 29

“In the hands of the Community”

like Neem extract in his rice crop. “When the other farmers practically saw the results in my field and in Venkatramana and Gangulappa’s fields, even they became interested”. Why did Nagamma choose these two farmers in particular? “Because, not only are they very good farmers, but they are also capable of convincing the others and spreading the word”, is Nagamma’s reply. Nagamma belongs to the tribal community of Sugalis, also known as Banjara tribe in Andhra Pradesh. Hers is the only ST family in the entire village, but she enjoys a lot of good will in the village largely due to her social skills and leadership qualities. She had been a member of the self help group in her village and been a leader of the Gayatri Village Organisation since 2003. A lot of credit of the success of Kothapeta goes to Nagamma, who with her perseverance has turned the entire village towards non-pesticide agriculture. The second most important influencing factor in this village is the basic unity in the village among all caste groups and the hard working nature of the farmers themselves. In the Kharif season of 2006-07 NPM programme was initiated officially in Kothapeta village. Of the 54 farmers in the village, 23 had joined the NPM programme. These farmers were first registered and then a loan for purchase of seeds and chemical fertilizers was granted. In groundnut crop alone, Rs. 27,500 was disbursed among three SHG groups, which was later passed on to the NPM registered farmers. Even fertilizers were procured and distributed to the farmers. NPM was taken up in 70 acres of land. While -

giving the loans, the farmers were placed under oath to follow certain rules: farmers had to pay a registration fees they must not use any pesticides they must attend the ‘farmers school’ without fail they should pay back the loan in six installments farmers must attend all training programmes and meetings all NPM practices must be implemented without any compromise every farmer has to maintain the expense-income records they should undertake practices to improve soil fertility

Farmers readily agreed to all the above mentioned rules. With the disbursement of loans for the groundnut crop, distribution of fertilizers and enforcing rules has made it easy for motivating farmers to take up NPM. As a VO leader and an ideal farmer Nagamma set the ball rolling by taking the first step. She had used the NPM methods on different crops like Groundnut, Rice and Vegetables and ensured that all the farmers followed the NPM methods without fail by constant observation and monitoring. The village level NPM subcommittee of the Village Organisation, met once every month and reviewed the programme along with the farmers. It was decided that if 30

“In the hands of the Community”

anyone had used pesticide, his/her membership would be cancelled and their NPM loans taken back immediately. However the farmers had a shown equal zeal in learning the non-pesticide management methods. Some farmers like B.Venkatesh (Potato crop) and Venkatappa (Carrots) had converted completely to NPM in the Kharif season of 2006 itself. Another important aspect responsible for the success of the programme in Kothapeta, is the nearness to Tummala village, which enabled the activists of both the villages to work together. In addition, the activists being farmers themselves practiced NPM in their own farms and were able to guide others successfully. For example, Narsimhulu, the activist from Tummala cultivated sunflower in Kharif season of 2006 and was able to demonstrate to the other farmers how he had managed to increase yields using NPM. During the same season, sunflower crop in the entire Amadaguru Mandal had failed, while Narsimloo got a yield of six quintals per 70 cents of land. The weekly farmers school played a major role in turning farmers mindset from one of blindly following the pesticide shopkeeper’s advice to observing crops, recording changes and analyzing the reasons behind these changes; enabling them to understand pest cycles, noticing different harmful and useful pests, as well as understanding how and why the leaf and cattle manure decoctions worked while dangerous chemical pesticides did not. Ram Reddy, the Cluster Coordinator who conducts the farm field schools, is also a farmer himself, thus the knowledge transfer was not a top-down approach, but one of shared, collective experience. ‘I am very happy to offer you poison-free food in my house’, says Ram Reddy offering visitors, a pesticide free breakfast. Though in the Kharif of 2006, the monsoon was not satisfactory and in many places including Kothapeta groundnut crop had not given satisfactory results, farmers in Kothapeta noticed that they earned profits due to the low input costs- an observation made with the help of the expenses-income records maintained during the season. While there had been an expense of Rs.95, 050 for 248 acres, the output was Rs.2, 81,560 resulting in a net profit of Rs.1, 86, 510. Farmers also noticed that the quality of crops was better when they did not use pesticides nor did they face any health problems while using NPM methods as they did while spraying pesticides. Seeing the good results rest of the farmers also took up NPM in the Kharif of 2007. But another reason for this shift in Kharif of 2007 is that the Village Organisation had undertaken seed production in the Rabi of 2006, and supplied good quality seeds to all the farmers in the village at the govt. subsidized rates under the condition that they should use NPM practices for groundnut cultivation. Farmers have seen the results to be better with the home grown seeds than the seeds supplied by the Govt. and many have decided to store their own seeds from this season onwards. 31

“In the hands of the Community”

In the third season, that is the Kharif of 2007-08, all the 50 farmers possessing land, joined the NPM program and all cultivable land, i.e., 248 acres was brought under NPM cultivation. All the households in the village have now become members of the SHGs and the number of Self Help Groups has increased from 3 to 7. In the year 2006-07 five landless families took 10 acres of land on lease and practiced NPM. By 2007-08, all the 20 landless families leased about 50 acres land for farming, using NPM methods. Today, when you go to the village, the dominant reason farmers cite for their shifting to NPM is health, as one farmer puts it, “My father is 80 years old, I am in my thirties, but my father is stronger than me even today and works a lot more than I do. That is because he had eaten healthy food, when there were no pesticides used in agriculture. But I have grown up eating this pesticide food, so though I am thirty, I am equal to my fathers’ eighty years or may be even more. So, we chose this farming”. Now most farmers in Kothapeta say, “Though we knew these methods earlier, which were followed by our parents and grandparents, when we saw that using chemical fertilizers and pesticides was easier than composting or collecting leaves from the forests, we slowly switched to the chemicals. But now we realize that the farming practiced by our fathers and grandfathers is the right method, we must stop using chemical fertilizers also, and go back to complete natural farming”. Another positive impact of the NPM programme is that now farmers with irrigated land are diversifying into other crops like carrots, beetroots, radishes etc, in the Rabi season, while the landless are taking land on lease to practice agriculture. This then is the story of Kothapeta where the women’s groups have played a crucial role in making the village Pesticide free.

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“In the hands of the Community”

“Regaining control over Seed” Seed is a major issue for the farmers of Groundnut, in Rayalaseema region. And Anantpur is no exception. Due to the low rainfall and dry land conditions, farmers grow mostly groundnut which is a rain fed crop. The crop diversity in this region earlier included many dry land, rain fed crops like Sorghum, finger millet, foxtail millet and groundnut. People used to grow various crops using crop rotation. And groundnut was alternated with other crops like Red gram, coriander, sesame, Sorghum and finger millet. But over the time, the commercial value of groundnut made it the major crop of the region. Thus season after season, farmers are growing groundnut. While the mono culture cultivation has depleted the soil of its nutrients, the indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, has led to soil degradation. The high input costs on one side and the decreasing yields on the other, force many farmers to take debts every crop year. And the moment the crop is harvested it is sold immediately in order to pay off the debts. Another important reason why farmers stopped saving their own seeds was the supply of seeds at subsidized rates. This enticed farmers to sell their own crop at Rs. 1000 a bag, because they were able to purchase a bag of seeds for Rs. 630 only. Over a period of time, new myths that using seeds grown in their own land was not good and each time one has to use seeds from elsewhere etc., also percolated in the farmers’ minds. All in all, farmers who, at one time were saving and using their own seeds for the next crop, became dependent on the government agencies for the supply of seeds. Every year, as the monsoon begins, farmers queue up for the subsidized seeds. Each farmer has a passbook which he has to take with him, in order to get the seeds. On presenting of the passbook, he is given a token which he must produce at the godowns in order take delivery of the seeds. But the going is not smooth, many a time, farmers end up making at least three to four trips to the town looking for seeds. The subsidy which they were supposed gain actually ends up as additional expense for travel, not counting the strain and struggle, fighting in the queues, getting beaten by the police etc. Instances of farmers dying of heart attack while waiting in the queues have occurred in recent years. Many a time, even after a couple of trips farmers end up not getting the seeds or getting them after the time for sowing has passed; and if he does get the seeds on time, there is no guarantee for the quality of the seeds. Thus, not only is the farmer unable to make two ends meet due to the high input costs, but often he/she is forced to quit farming itself, due to the lack of availability of seeds. This then is the situation in Anantpur district. Realizing that without a control over the seeds, farming cannot be made fully sustainable, an initiative for seed production, by the farmers and for the farmers was started under the IKP NPM in Kothapeta village from Amadaguru mandal, along with Yerravankapalli from Nallamaada Mandal and Battalapalli from Kadiri Mandal in Rabi of 2006. Of these, the Kothapeta 33

“In the hands of the Community”

programme was done on a larger scale and also became successful. While in Kothapeta 22 farmers took up seed production in 22.5 acres, in Yerravankapalli 6 farmers took up seed production on 15 acres and in K.Battalapalli there were seven farmers doing seed production in 10.8 acres of land. Kothapeta is a hamlet and part of the Tummala Panchayat. In this village, Nonpesticide cultivation had already been taken up by some farmers in the Kharif season of 2006. Most of the farmers in this village are marginal farmers with an average farmland of one to two acres. About 20 of the 70 households are landless families. There is a total of 311 acres under cultivation, of which 248 acres is cultivable land. Out of these 248 acres, about 30 acres is irrigated under wells and tube wells, the rest is entirely dependent on the monsoons. Normally, it is the 30 acres irrigated land which is used in the Rabi season. At first there were discussions held at the Mandal Mahila Samakhya office in Amadaguru Mandal and Kothapeta was selected for starting the seed village programme. The importance of seed production was emphasized to the attending Village Organisation leaders like Nagamma, Cluster Coordinators, and Village Activists and also to farmers. In Rabi 2006, farmers were about to plant dry land crops like Jowar, Bajra and Ragi. Then, Nagamma, Cluster coordinator Ram Reddy and Village Activist Venkatramana met the farmers and asked them if they would like to take up Groundnut seed production. Farmers said that they did not plant groundnut since they could not get the seeds that season. “Some farmers even told us that they were planning to go to Bangalore for work and return at the time of harvesting. We told them that we shall provide the seeds and if they practice NPM and not get a good crop they need not repay their crop loans”, Nagamma recounts. Farmers were invited to the VO meeting and a decision to provide loans for seed production on condition that farmers should practice NPM and sell the crop back to the Village Organisation, was taken by the VO. The farmers agreed to this, and 22 farmers took a loan of Rs.47, 000 and took up groundnut production in 22.5 acres of land. But for the seed production there was a need to procure good seeds. For this purpose, Ram Reddy, CSA’s district coordinator Subramanyam and the local NGO, REDS’s representative, went to the ARS in Kadiri. But there were any good seeds available at the ARS. So, the team went scouting for seeds among the farmers, and was able to find good seeds from farmers of a different area in Anantpur District. Thus they purchased the K6 variety seeds and supplied them to the seed producers of Kothapeta. Then the V.O leaders, Village Activists, Cluster Coordinators along with noted farmers from the villages where seed production was being taken up were trained in the techniques of seed production at the TTDC in Anantpur. As part of this training they were also taken to Madirepalli village in Singanamala Mandal for a 34

“In the hands of the Community”

field visit. The resource person from REDS, Adinarayana along with the cluster coordinators, in turn trained the farmers in the village in the techniques of seed production, and about the various precautions that had to be undertaken for the purpose: for example: keeping the field physically and genetically pure, free of contamination from other varieties of groundnut, weeding regularly, maintaining a distance between one groundnut field and another with other rabi crops like rice or soghum in between, crop harvesting techniques etc. NPM methods like deep summer ploughing, seed treatment, planting border crops like jowar and bajra, making bird perches, using white boards and trap crops like Castor for control pests etc were used in these seed production farms. Cluster Coordinator Ram Reddy and VO leader Nagamma worked hand in hand with the Village Organisation, supervising the farmers regularly and at every stage, thus successfully completing the programme. They all worked together as a team and prepared various natural pest repellents, made bon fires before the planting of seeds, planted intercrops and trap crops. Farmers got an average yield of 15 bags of groundnut per acre. This is highly significant because, on average farmers were getting less than ten bags of groundnuts per acre. Post harvest, the village organization appointed a Purchasing Committee with Nagamma, Mubeena, Aademma, Venkataramana, to buy back the seeds from the seed producers. REDS representatives, Cluster Coordinator Ram Reddy, Village Activists and the Purchasing Committee met to discuss the issues concerning care of in seed procurement, selection of bags, seed quality to enhance their understanding. IKP District Program Manager Sivaiah, SRP (Marketing) also came to train the Purchasing Committee in techniques of seed selection like checking the seed quality, moisture content, oil content etc. The committee took the following decisions: - To purchase the seeds for market prices. - And then to distribute the groundnut seeds to the other farmers of the villages in the next Kharif season (2007). Thus, while the farmers in Tummala – Kothapeta got a yield of 347 bags, 249 bags (weighing 30 kgs) were bought by the Village Organisation. The rest was retained by the farmers for their own use.The procured seeds were stored in a godown rented by the VO. Before storing the godown was sprayed with Neem decoction. Even the gunny sacks meant for storing the seeds were dipped in 10% Neem Decoction and dried before they could be used. The godown windows were fixed with wire mesh and painted with lime wash, to prevent insects and pests. A little before the distribution of the seeds to the farmers, the MLA of Nallamada Dr.K.Mohan Reddy attended the General Body meeting of Amadaguru Mandal Samkhya on 26 th May2007. During that meeting, VO leader Nagamma told him 35

“In the hands of the Community”

about their seed production programme and asked him that the govt. subsidy for seeds should be applied even to the seeds supplied by their Village Organisation. The MLA asked them to send a recommendation by the Mandal Samakhya on this issue. On receiving the Mandal Samkhya’s letter he took up the issue with the State Agriculture Minister and the Marketing Officers of the Ministry of Agriculture. Thus, a team consisting of K. Amarrender Reddy from Andhra Pradesh Co-operative Oil Seeds Growers Federation Ltd, K. Chennakesavulu of Aruna Agro Agencies visited Kothapeta village and checked the K-6 variety seeds stored in the godown there. Satisfied with the quality of the seeds, they promised that a subsidy rate shall be applied and each passbook should be supplied three bags of the seeds at subsidized rates. Once a farmer takes seeds from Kothapeta VO his passbook will be marked, so that he cannot access the seeds from the Government subsidy elsewhere. Thus, a bag of seeds weighing 30 kgs was priced at Rs. 630. The Village Organisation purchased a bag at the rate of Rs.25 per kilo, thus costing Rs.750 per bag and the government had given a subsidy grant of Rs. 5 per kilo, thus each bag fetched them, Rs. 150 per bag, while the V.O sold the seeds to the farmers at Rs. 630 per bag. Thus on each bag the V.O was able to make a profit of Rs. 30 (630-750+150); and a total profit of Rs. 7470 for 249 bags. 249 bags x 30 kilos = 7470 kilos 7470 kilos purchased @ Rs.25 per kilo = Rs.1,86,750 – Cost price Farmers were sold @ Rs. 21 per kilo = Rs. 156 870 - Sales price Balance (in negative) - Rs. 29, 880 Govt. subsidy grant Rs. 5 per kilo x 7470 kilos= Rs. 37,350 Profit for the VO = Rs. 7470 In Yerravankapalli the VO was able to get 150 bags and supplied to 50 farmers, while in K. Battalapalli, the farmers got a yield of 88 bags, but they had not sold their crop to the VO. Battalapalli farmers retained about 56 bags for their own use and sold 32 bags to 5 farmers in the same village directly. A total of 83 farmers from Tummala-Kothapeta villages were supplied the new seeds, while the seed producers had saved their own seeds. In Kharif of 2007, it was found that seeds grown in the NPM methods by the farmers gave very good results and were disease free as compared with regular seeds purchased by the farmers in the open markets. The 83 farmers got a yield of nearly 1500 bags from the 249 bags of seeds purchased in the earlier season. Once again the VO had purchased the seeds from the farmers and supplied to farmers in the Rabi season of 2007. Even the State Agriculture Department approached the VO to procure seeds from this village after the harvest in Kharif 36

“In the hands of the Community”

2007. With the success of Kothapeta, plans are underway to take up the seed village programme in 142 villages in the same district. This whole exercise has given immense confidence to farmers on their own seeds and is taking more and more farmers towards self-reliance. Farmers, who were once migrating very regularly, are now confident about their returns on agriculture. Needless to say, migration is a thing of the past in Kothapeta village.

37

“In the hands of the Community”

“One can make a change” Under the aegis of SERP, CSA DRDA and the Mandal Mahila Samkhya of Ranasthali Mandal, the local NGO, “Mahila Margadarsi Seva Sanstha”, has begun the work on NPM in the village of Rawada in May 2006. Rawada is about 50 kilometres from the District Headquarters, Srikakulam town. There are a total of 242 farmers in this village belonging to various communities. The majority community is Kapu -164 families, followed by SC’s 74, and other castes – 3 families. The total area available for cultivation is 424acres of which 344 is irrigated land and 80 acres is dry land. There are a total of 18 women’s groups and 11 farmers groups in this village. Major crop in this village is Rice, which is grown in Kharif, followed by Chillies and Groundnut. Other crops include Green gram, black gram, onions, brinjal and lady fingers. In Kharif of 2007, Rice was planted in 344 acres, while groundnut was planted in 80 acres. In Rabi, Chillies was planted in 140 acres, Groundnut in 70 acres, black gram in 64, green gram in 46 acres, onions in 32, brinjal in 40 acres, and okra in 32 acres respectively. Along with Rawada, NPM activities started in Ranasthalam, Lankapeta, Yamalapeta, Teppalavalasa villages of the same cluster. The NGO and activists of the NPM programme began to conduct awareness activities and meetings with farmers in Rawada village from May 2006. But it was not until August 2006 that NPM got grounded in this village, it took some time for it to take off; because farmers were not yet in a worse situation like in Warangal or other areas. But a beginning was made with one farmer Reddy Sathyam. On a visit to his relatives in Bejjipuram village, he found that they were using NPM methods on their rice crop. On returning he realised that an awareness programme on NPM was happening in his village too. So, he went to the Village Activist and asked him details regarding the NPM methods. At first, he prepared the cattle dung spray using cattle dung, cattle urine and asafetida on his rice crop. Within 8 days, his crop began to look better. So, after another week, he sprayed the same decoction on his crop. “I found that using these sprays, I was able to prevent various diseases and pests in my rice crop. Even the grains were of good quality and broken rice quantity has decreased too”, says Reddy Sathyam. Reddy Sathyam recounted his experience in the Village Organisation meeting to the women farmers, who tried the same spray in their fields and found the results to be satisfactory. Farmers in the neighbouring fields were surprised to see the results and started to show interest in NPM. 38

“In the hands of the Community”

In Rabi of 2006, Reddy Sathyam and his brothers Reddy Chittibabu and Reddy Laskman and another farmer Gantyada Anjaneyulu followed the NPM methods in the Chilli crop from the beginning, starting from deep ploughing, to using bird perches, white and yellow boards, and various Pest repellent sprays like Neem and manure sprays. They did not have any pest problems and got very good quality crop, which fetched them higher price in the market. Seeing their results, other farmers in the village too became interested. Thus, in the Kharif of 2007, 200 farmers joined the NPM programme and got good results in the Rice crop. By Rabi of 2007, all the 242 farmers in the village joined the NPM programme. ‘Earlier cultivation costs in Rice, (seeds = Rs. 400; ploughing, mulching, weeding = Rs.3900; chemical fertilizers = Rs. 1900 and pesticides – Rs. 700) was about Rs. 6, 900 per acre; we got a yield of 25 bags which was sold at Rs. 600 each, giving us a profit of Rs. 8100. After using the NPM methods the costs (seeds= Rs.400; ploughing, mulching, weeding =Rs. 3,900; chemical fertilizers = Rs.900; natural pest repellents = Rs. 500); the costs have come down to Rs. 5,700 while the yield has increased to 27 bags, which was sold at Rs. 600 per bag giving us a net profit of Rs. 10,500", says Reddy Sathyam. In chillies, the farmers use the local variety seeds called Kurakula, which they feel can be used for many seasons. The cultivation costs included Rs. 5000 for ploughing etc, Rs.3000 for chemical fertilizers, Rs. 1000 each for weeding and post harvest work, and Rs. 1500 to 2000 for chemical pesticides. Farmers were getting an income of Rs. 30,000 giving them a net profit of Rs. 18000. After using the NPM, the costs of chemical fertilizers reduced by Rs. 500 and since there was no chemical pesticides used, the cost for natural pest repellents was Rs. 500, reducing the input costs by Rs. 2000. Thus for the same income, Rs. 30,000, they got a net profit of Rs. 12,000. “After using the NPM methods, we find a great difference in the health of the villagers”, says Reddy Sathyam. If not for anything else, they feel the benefit of health a major draw towards continuing NPM methods. This year (2007) farmers used footpaths in between the rice crop, in order to allow air to pass and reduce the incidence of disease, and also used Azola to increase the fertility of the soil, and got good results. Thus, even if a single farmer is changed, it could lead to complete change; reinforcing the fact that change can happen from farmer to farmer contact more effectively; as is demonstrated here in Rawada village.

39

“In the hands of the Community”

“We’ve proven that another agriculture is possible” In the year 1970, five Banjara families from the Timma Tanda of Kachikal Village in the same Mandal, came to live near the dried pond near Errabelli village. These families grow Bengal gram in the dried pond, thus this Tanda got the name “Senega kunta Tanda” (Senega =Bengal Gram, Kunta= Pond, Tanda = hamlet), in Nellikudur mandal of Warangal district. The settlers purchased land from the Velama Landlords of the Errabelligudem village, who were migrating to cities for education and employment. Since the Pond was close to a forest and there was plenty of fodder available for the cattle, as also firewood, the first settlers brought their relatives also to join them there. By 1985 there were about 25 families; the number has grown to 35 at present. There are about 30 farming families and the total population is about 230. The villagers are small and marginal farmers with about 3-4 acres of land. The total land in the village is about 120 acres of which 100 acres is cultivable land and about 20 acres is left fallow. The people used to grow Jowar, Bajra, green gram, Bengal gram, and sesame at first. Later they dug about 15 wells for irrigation purpose of which water was found only in 8 wells. Farmers who could not get water in their wells continued to grow rain fed crops. During that time, some of the people from this hamlet used to work as farmhands for the big landlords (Kapu community) of the neighbouring villages; who were growing cash crops like cotton, chillies and turmeric. But cotton was the major crop here. Following in the footsteps of their employers; the people from SKTanda, started planting cotton, chillies and turmeric. And like them, the banjaras too started using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. “I used to spray pesticides for nearly 10-12 hours in the big farmers’ lands. I saw the way they made profits and and came back told my father and grandfather to do the same”, says B. Lakshman. “When we wanted to start the chemical agriculture, my employers also encourage us and would say, “You go to this shopkeeper he will give you fertilizers and pesticides on credit”; thus we started going to this man, Gorantla Sivanarayana, who had his shop in Mecharajupalli, our neighbouring village. Whatever he told us, we used to follow his advice”. “At first, it was sufficient enough to spray the pesticides once or twice in a season, later it increased to 10-12 times in a season. On an average for the cotton crop we used about 3-4 bags of fertilizers, (DAP, Coromandel, 20:20;0.15) and about 1012 sprayings of pesticides (Monochrotophos, Roger, Chloro). The cost of inputs was 40

“In the hands of the Community”

about Rs.1500 for fertilizers, Rs.2000 for pesticides and about Rs.2000 for ploughing, weeding and harvesting, a total of about Rs.5500. And we used to get about 4-5 quintals of yield which we sold at Rs.1500 per quintal, giving us a net profit of Rs. 1500. But by year 2000, the expenditure increased to about Rs. 2000 for fertilizers, Rs.3000 for pesticides, while the other costs remained the same, at Rs.2000, with a total of Rs. 7000. But there was no change in the yield, it remained at 4-5 quintals and even when sold at Rs. 1600 per quintal, the net profit was not more than Rs.1000”. While the farmers made profits initially, over the time, most of the money earned had to be paid back to the Sahukar, who charged compounded interest on the credit he extended to farmers. Thus, most of the farmers became entrapped in the debt cycle and with the reduction in profits over the time, it became increasingly difficult to pay back the trader. Thus, each farmer ended up with a continuous debt of Rs.50, 000 to Rs.60,000. “Our lives became terrible; people could never smile or celebrate any festival. Once Ravi, a farmer from our village attempted suicide. Because the trader came to confiscate his bullocks since, Ravi was unable to pay back his debts. Ravi was unable to bear the insult and attempted suicide, then he was taken to a private hospital for treatment and we all contributed for his treatment expenses; it cost us nearly 80,000 rupees for the treatment”, says Bikku Banotu. It was during this time, that some farmers used Bt cotton. “In 2003, Mecharajupalli village farmer Nakka Venkanna’s goats grazed on the Bt Cotton field of Gugulotu Somulu. They grazed in the morning around 10-12 am and three of them died by nightfall. This discouraged us from taking up Bt Cotton after that”, says Lakshman. Unable to get further credit, some farmers stopped using pesticides altogether. That same year in 2003, they got the same yield as those who were using pesticides. At about this time 2003-04, Gade Ashok a village activist of “Pragathi Seva Samstha”, an NGO based in Nellikuduru, started working in the neighbouring villages. He met Bikku Banotu who was working as a private teacher and asked him, if they would like to take up NPM in their Tanda. To which, Banotu replied that since one year, some farmers stopped using pesticides and were able to get normal yields, so it may be a possible idea to take up NPM in their Tanda. One day, a meeting with the farmers was organized to discuss about NPM and its benefits. But the farmers questioned Ashok as to how these methods can work where pesticides don’t. “I told them that our organization was already working in some villages on this programme with support from OXFAM. I offered to take them on a field visit to see those villages”, recounts Ashok. Thus the farmers visited Laxmipuram, Vavilala, Narayanapuram and Aleru villages and interacted with the farmers. After seeing about the positive impacts of NPM in these villages, farmers of Senegakunta Tanda also started cultivation using NPM methods. At first 15 farmers joined the 41

“In the hands of the Community”

NPM programme, the next season, the other 15 also joined, thus now all the farmers in the village use NPM. “In the first year, we spent about Rs.2000 for fertilizers and Rs. 2500 for ploughing, and labour costs and got a yield of 4-5 quintals at a total cost of Rs. 4500. We sold the cotton at Rs. 1800 per quintal and were able to make a net profit of Rs. 3000 to Rs. 4000.” Lakshman says. The second year the cost of fertilizers was only Rs.1500 and the cost of cultivation was about Rs. 2000, a total cost of Rs. 3500, fetched them 4-5 quintals of yield which was sold at Rs. 1800 per quintal and resulted in a net profit of Rs. 5000 per acre. The third year saw an increase in yield with the same cultivation and input costs (Rs. 3500). Farmers got a yield of 5-6 quintals, and even the sales price increased to Rs.2200, thus the net profits went up to Rs.7500 per acre. “At one time, the Sahukar was a god for us, we could never think of farming without agriculture. Now, it is different. We use decoctions made from Custard apple leaves, or Vavilaku leaves, or use Neem seeds, or just use the white and yellow boards; there is no more any use for pesticides”, says Gugulotu Gangu. The village is taking NPM further by making sure everyone adheres to the principles of NPM. But having faced the situation with pesticides, the farmers are absolute in their determination, to never use pesticides again. Even a seed village programme was initiated in this village in the year 2005-2006, and seeds of Green gram, brinjal and black gram were produced by the farmers of this village, cleaned and supplied to other farmers for the next crop.

42

“In the hands of the Community”

“Fertile Traditions” (translated) Our village is Durbilli, in Biyyalavalasa Panchayat of Kurupam mandal of Vizianagaram district. All of us in the village belong to Savara tribe. The population of our hamlet is 294 with 139 men and 155 women. The agricultural land in the village is 270 acres – 90 acres irrigated, 100 rainfed and 80 acres of Podu cultivation. In our village, we used to grow many grains like jowar, horsegram, little millet, foxtail millet, proso millet, redgram, paddy etc. The main source of livelihood for all families is farming and farm labour. Earlier, there was no use of chemical pesticides or chemical fertilizers in our farming. Instead, we used farmyard manure, livestock penning, tank silt, green manure etc. In addition to good yields, the quality of our produce used to be quite good. In those days, we never borrowed from anyone for our agriculture since it did not involve any great costs. Our yields used to hover around 22 to 23 sacks of paddy per acre. Some time ago, things started changing. We had farmers from other districts migrating into our area. These farmers were ones who used chemical fertilizers, company seeds and chemical pesticides in their farming. We started feeling that we should also use such inputs for our yields to increase. We also hesitated wondering whether this is a good path and whether it suits us. In 2005, the ITDA (Integrated Tribal Development Authority) people came into our village to encourage us to take up SRI (System of Rice Intensification), a method of paddy cultivation. They started giving chemical fertilizers like DAP and Super Phosphate free of cost to farmers, in addition to neem cake. They also gave two kilos of seed per acre free to the farmers. Only some of us used the chemical fertilizers given, that too in very small quantities. Because of the fertilizers used, each acre of SRI paddy cost the farmers around Rs. 750/-. Around ten farmers from our village got loans from moneylenders at two rupees interest for this purpose. In 2006, Jattu Trust, a charitable organization introduced us to NPM through the Indira Kranthi Patham programme. We had a Gram Sabha in which traditional farming practices were extolled and NPM principles and methods explained. We decided that this is most suitable for us. From 2007 onwards, all the 65 households in the villages gave up chemicals in farming. We practiced many sustainable agriculture practices – deep summer ploughing, application of farm yard manure, penning of animals, green leaf manure, yellow and white greased plates, bird perches, leaving pathways in the paddy fields etc. We also took up non-chemical seed treatment practices. We formed ourselves into two Sasya Mithra groups – Tooneega (dragonfly) and Kandireega (wasp). We selected Convenors and Co-convenors for the groups. We conducted farmer field schools and discussed about pests, predators, diseases etc., 43

“In the hands of the Community”

in the fields. Every Friday, between 8 am and 11 am, these field schools are run. We work out what methods to be adopted in case there are problems. With such organization, it is not just our agriculture that is improving but our social relations too. We took a collective resolution that in our village, no one can use chemical fertilizers or pesticides in their farming. In our Panchayat, there are nine villages – five of the villages have resolved to remain chemical-free. These are Durbilli, Biyyalavalasa, Pellivalasa, Suryanagaram and Marriguda. After giving up chemicals completely, the yields were still around 24 to 35 sacks per acre. The quality of the produce was very good and there are health improvements. There are no debts, no costs. Our local resources acquired importance and recognition as useful resources. We now understand their utility and are happy to protect and conserve them. It is not just the adults in the village who have taken part in this programme – students of Class IV and V in the aided-school in our village also take part in field schools. Every month, on the last Saturday, the students learn through the field schools. With this kind of atmosphere, the school has decided to begin a kitchen garden in the school premises. We have regained our fertile traditions and we hope to pass them on to our next generation too. -

44

Narrated by Bijikka Appanna, written by Satya Srinivas

“In the hands of the Community”

“Earlier it was Taravaani, now it is Panchagavya” (translated) The net profit per acre on an average at one time in Pativaada was around 9,280 rupees. Today, it is 16,180 rupees. At that time, from every household, there was at least one person who used to work in the nearby factories – many of them were educated youth. Now, everyone finds livelihood sources right in the village. Now their path is that of “Let us farm our own lands and let us stand on our own feet”. “Farming Factories” Pativaada village is in Poosapati Regada mandal of Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh. There are 138 farmers in the village who grow paddy, groundnut, tobacco, chilli, banana and vegetables. Paddy is the main crop. There are also 12 acres of cashew plantations here. On the upper reaches, there are casuarina plantations. In their greed to get more and more yields, farmers here used a lot of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on all these lands. Because of this, rather than getting higher yields and incomes, farmers found that pests and diseases on their crops have increased a lot and had become unmanageable. All their efforts to control these pests with chemicals proved futile. Soon, they were facing an economic crisis. There were loans borrowed from moneylenders in nearby places. The interest rate was around 2.50 rupees per hundred rupees every month. On top of that, the produce from the crop is to be sold to the same moneylenders at the prices the moneylenders dictated. As per the farmers’ estimate, they used to spend around 6000/- on groundnut crop per acre, whereas the gross income was Rs. 10,000/- or so. On Chilli, they spent around 6,500/- as cost of cultivation whereas the gross income was around 12,000/ -. On Paddy, while the total returns were around Rs. 14,500/- per acre, the cost of cultivation hovered around Rs. 5,220/-. As agriculture started becoming unviable, farmers as well as agricultural workers found that their livelihoods were jeopardized. Many young men from the village started working in factories in Poosapati Regada. For some of them, this move meant adverse health impacts. Meanwhile, due to use of chemicals in groundnut cultivation, there were instances of animals dying after feeding on such feed. “The ecological seedling” Through a local NGO called SNEHA, the villagers got to hear about the NPM programme of the Indira Kranthi Patham in 2006. While the state government came forward to support them financially with ecological farming through the IKP programme, Centre for Sustainable Agriculture in Hyderabad came forward to help the farmers. To create awareness amongst farmers about the ill effects of pesticides and the possibility of shifting to ecological practices, there were cultural programmes organized in the village (Kala Jathas). Several rounds of meetings were held with the farmers to initiate the dialogue. All the villagers decided to try out these practices 45

“In the hands of the Community”

and resolved in the Grama Sangham that they would do so. Farmers from the village went on an exposure trip to another village in Parvatipuram mandal and interacted with farmers there. Farmer Field Schools were set up in the village and there are 5 Sasya Mithra groups – they are Vaanapamu (Earthworm), Nagali (Plough), Akshintala Purugu (Ladybird beetle), Tooneega (Dragonfly) and Kandireega (Wasp). Convenors and Co-Convenors were chosen for each of these groups. There was an NPM Sub-Committee created within the Village Organisation (VO). Soon after, in paddy, shift towards organic farming started. “The path forward” Deep summer ploughing and managing the soil productivity through organic practices like application of farm yard manure, tank silt, green manure and neem cake were taken up. Paddy seed was treated with ash and cow urine before creating the primary bed. In the main paddy plots, neem cake was applied in addition to release of Azolla in 70 acres of land. Bird perches were erected in the fields along with yellow/white greased boards. In 2007, the banana plantations were infested with Panama Wilt [“panama tegulu”]. Around this time, Dr Raghunath, an entomologist from CSA visited the village and recommended a few practices to the farmers – farmers then sprayed Panchagavya twice on every banana tree from the top to the bottom. Twenty days later, farmers found that the disease was under control! Lakshmi Nayudu, a farmer, reports that in the past even the use of chemical pesticides did not really control the disease. This really gave more confidence to the farmers in NPM methods. At present, farmers do not find any major pests or diseases on their crops and are happy. As a precautionary measure, however, many of them use cowdung-urine solution, neem seed extract, “Panchapatra kashayam” etc. The whole village has given up the use of chemical pesticides in their farming. The cost of cultivation has decreased considerably while the yields increased and the quality of produce improved. Farmers feel a great sense of relief to get out of the debt trap. The economics of the crops they grow have changed. In groundnut, the costs are around Rs. 5750/- while the gross returns are Rs. 15000/-; in chilli, the cost is around Rs. 5300/- with total returns being Rs. 20,000/-. In paddy, the total investment is Rs. 4120 per acre while the gross income is around Rs. 20,300/-. These favourable economics in various crops did something unimaginable – the ones who had migrated out of the village and into non-agricultural sectors found out that this new ecological path could be viable for them. They have now returned to their farms. 46

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Today, every household in the village prepares its own Panchagavya, Panchapatra kashayam etc., takes up non-chemical traditional seed treatment and is more aware of the need for rearing livestock. There is a rule laid down in the village that no trees are to be felled anymore and this they decided upon, keeping the needs of livestock also in mind. “Earlier we used to save taravaani [a sour preparation which was stored and used in the local cuisine and symbolically considered as Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth], and now we are saving Panchagavya. The good smell of Panchagavya is spreading in our soils and air. It has helped us stand on our own feet”, says young farmer Lakshmi Nayudu.

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“In the hands of the Community”

“Kashaayalu replace chemical pesticides” (translated) Vemulapalli village has a population of around 1500 people. All of them belong to backward castes. The village is in Srungavarapu Kota mandal of Vizianagaram district. Agricultural land is spread over 478 acres with lowland on 300 acres and upland on 178 acres. Main crops include paddy, banana, chilli and sugarcane. Even thirty years ago, the farmers in the village did not use any chemicals in their farming. Farmers here feel that their health status was much better in those days. Their investments on farming were also quite low. Some years ago, migrant farmers (Chowdharys) came into the village and started buying lands. They used to apply chemical fertilizers and some farmers in Vemulapalli started emulating them. Chemical pesticides also crept into our farming. For buying these inputs, several farmers would borrow from moneylenders and the loans ranged between two thousand and three thousand rupees on an average per family. Some of them found that paying back the debt was difficult as agriculture was turning out to be expensive and unviable. They started working as daily wage earners. The soil fertility also started deteriorating. Purchasing seed from outside proved to be another mistake – often, the quality was suspect and farmers were making losses. In 2006, the Cluster Coordinator of S Kota mandal organized a meeting to discuss the possibility of sustainable agriculture. The ill effects of chemicals in farming on human health, on the environment and the economics of agriculture were discussed at length. NPM as an alternative out of this situation was explained. Vemulapalli Gram Panchayat immediately resolved to take up NPM in the village. Soon, there were farmer field schools being conducted in the village. Discussing the crop ecology, the different pests, insects and diseases in the fields gave the farmers better understanding of their farms. In that year, during kharif season, NPM approach was taken up in most of the lands of the village, a very unique thing, out of which paddy constituted 355 acres. All the 160 farmers were happy with the results. There are eight Sasya Mithra groups formed in the village and it is mainly through these groups that the programme implementation takes place. The yields have started improving, the farmers report. In paddy, the yields have gone up to 30 to 35 sacks. In Rabi 2007, groundnut is being grown without pesticide usage in 20 acres. Sunflower was used as a border crop for all groundnut fields. The farmers get support and draw confidence from the IKP personnel, YDO and CSA. The village is now planning to shift towards organic farming….

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Each panicle had 180 to 200 grains….. My name is Penta Ramudu. Because I did not have conviction in the NPM approach, I did not adopt any of those practices in 2006. In my one acre of land, using chemicals as usual, I made losses that year. Fellow farmers in the village gained a lot by taking up NPM. I decided then that I should also follow the same path. In my one acre paddy plot, for 2007 Kharif, I applied two tonnes of farm yard manure and 2.5 tonnes of tank silt. I prepared the nursery in the first week of June. In the five cents of the nursery land, I applied 5 kilos of neem cake and 500 kilos of compost. I had a raised bed (1/2 a foot) for the nursery. I treated the 30 kilos of seed I used with cow urine. After fifteen days after sowing, I sprayed cow dung-urine solution once and also ensured that stemborer eggs were removed from the tips of the seedlings. In the first week of July, I prepared my main land. I added 50 kilos of neem cake and 50 kilos of vermin-compost to the land. I planted my seedlings by maintaining a distance of 2-3 feet. The crop grew very well. There were no pests or diseases for 65 days on this field. Our Cluster Activist, Mr N Srinivas Rao used to attend the farmer field schools and visit this plot. It was only after 65 days that I sprayed a botanical extract from Vitex. Each hill of my paddy plant had 18 to 22 tillers. Each panicle had 180 to 210 grains. Earlier, my net returns used to be around Rs. 7400/-. Now, my net income is Rs. 8705/-. If I could save Rs. 1350/- on my one acre of land, imagine the total savings for the village with all the 160 farmers which would have otherwise flown out of the village! Not only will I continue with NPM, I will also encourage more and more farmers to make a shift…..

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“In the hands of the Community”

“Together, in Ecological Farming” (translated) In 2007-08, villagers of Akuthotapalli in Dharmavaram mandal of Anantapur district created a committee in the village and decided to ban the use of chemical pesticides in the village. There are 55 families in this small village, drawn from various communities like Yerukula, Reddys, Kurubas etc.. While the total agricultural land is 379 acres, 199 of these are completely rainfed. Around 110 acres are irrigated by tubewells and around 70 acres through the tank. The tank-irrigated lands get water supply very rarely since the Dharmavaram tank does not get filled up every year. The main crops of the village are groundnut, paddy, sunflower, redgram as an intercrop with groundnut and cowpea. Under tubewell irrigation, some farmers grow chilli, tomato, brinjal etc. In the rabi season, where irrigation is available, groundnut and sunflower are grown. The general situation prevailing in Anantapur district, as a major groundnut-growing district, is visible in this village too. Pests and diseases afflict the groundnut crop and reduce the yields dramatically for the farmers. Farmers incur heavy losses due to this. To control the pests and diseases, farmers spend around Rs. 1500/- to Rs. 2000/- on an average per acre in groundnut. Farmers in this village used to borrow from input dealers in Dharmavaram and around 26 families had accumulated debts worth nearly Rs. 50,000/- with moneylenders. In July 2007, RDT, a well known NGO working all over the district of Anantapur, decided to begin work in this village. A Gram Sabha was convened – here, the ill effects of pesticides and the benefits of ecological farming were explained in detail. Speakers mentioned that not only will the cost of cultivation decrease but a shift to ecological farming will mean great improvements in our health. Farmers of Akuthotapalli were skeptical and asked many questions, which were clarified satisfactorily. It was emphasized that women have a great role to play in taking forward this approach. A committee was formed comprising of representatives from all communities. Here, it should be mentioned that this village has a history of being united and this nature of the villagers helped the CMSA programme implementation also. Three women’s groups were formed as thrift groups, for improvement of livelihoods. These women’s groups began working quite actively for the overall development of the village. In addition to the three groups that existed, two more women’s SHGs were formed and with the five SHGs, a VO was created. An NPM Sub-Committee was formed in the VO. In this committee, there are four persons representing the women’s groups and 3 representing farmers. A woman farmer called Padmavathi who was known for her leadership abilities was also included into the Committee. 50

“In the hands of the Community”

It is important to note that she is a landless agricultural worker. However, she found an important role to play in the whole programme. Trainings were given to create various botanical extracts and on pest management in general. Sasya Mithra groups consisting of both men and women farmers were formed and the members named the groups after various friendly insects. Every Thursday, field schools are organized for the members. Every farmer in the village followed the practices suggested by the extension workers during Kharif 2007. Because of this, the farmers in the village were able to control leaf curl in groundnut and have improved the yields of their paddy and chilli crops. A review of the experiences of the season reinforced everybody’s belief in these practices. BOX ITEM OF POLAM BADI HERE? Sanjeevani…. 1 Meenakshamma’s field of chilli crop, due to a disease attack was all wilted up. She lost hope on that field for the season. When she consulted the RDT staff, she was advised to use Jeevamruth on her crop. In twenty days’ time, after using the Jeevamruth, the crop revived dramatically. There was flowering and fruiting. Because the plot is right next to the road, all the passersby observed these changes and were curious to know what she used. Meenakshamma is very happy with the results. The Jeevamrutham that she used is like Sanjeevani for the crop, she says. Women impose a ban on chemicals… It was the women who began taking a vow that they will not allow any chemicals into the farming of Akuthotapalli. They started dialoguing with their menfolk and convinced them not to go anywhere near chemical pesticides. Some of the main reasons why the women wanted to make this shift included the high cost of these inputs, health effects of the chemicals. Women say that they used to wait anxiously at home when their husbands went to spray in the fields. There were instances of acute pesticide poisoning in the village. The women found a solution from these problems when they shifted to NPM. In Rabi 2007, where tubewell irrigation was present, groundnut was sown. Jowar was grown as a border crop on 20 acres of groundnut. The farmers started using a variety of methods and practices to control pests and diseases on their crops. These included deep summer ploughing, white/yellow greased plates, pheromone traps, trap crops like castor, trichogramma cards etc. All farmers took up need seed extract sprays twice. Input dealers in Dharmavaram started asking 51

“In the hands of the Community”

whether farmers have shifted to other dealers elsewhere and quite could not believe it that they had given up the use of chemicals. It is hoped that in the years to come, Akuthotapalli villagers, with the women taking the lead as in the past, will shift to organic farming. This is possible, they feel, if there is good extension support which advises farmers on good practices regularly and provides them with the right kind of information and if supply of some inputs like neem seed are addressed. Narrated by M Siva Shankar, RDT, Anantapur, written by Satya Srinivas (Footnotes) 1 One that gives life

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“A whole village shifts en masse in the very first year” (translated) Sobhanapuram is a small hamlet in the Kothur block of Srikakulam district. There are 85 farming households in the village. 38 of them belong to a tribal community called Jatapu. The remaining are from the Kapu community. Agriculture and livestock rearing are the main livelihood sources in the village. The farmers here had practiced traditional farming methods from ancient time. Their lands get flooded quite regularly by the Vamsadhara river; they don’t get any water from the river for irrigation. There is another village nearby called Sivagam with some input dealers selling pesticides to farmers. To begin with, they started to sell fertilizers like Urea, DAP, Potash etc., during paddy sowing period and usually, these would be priced at rates that were higher than the market price. For instance, a DAP bag which would cost Rs. 500/- would be sold at Rs. 600/- by these dealers. However, when it was time to sell paddy, farmers were forced to sell the harvest at prices lower than the market rates to these same dealers. In addition, they would sell pesticides like endosulfan, nuvacron, cypermethrin etc., to the farmers and convinced them that without the use of these chemical pesticides, crops cannot be saved from pests and diseases. Farmers of Sobhanapuram estimate that their loans were around two lakh rupees; there are around ten villages around Sobhanapuram which the input dealers used to cater to and the overall credit they extended is estimated to be around 50 lakh rupees. In June 2006, as part of the NPM scaling up programme in Indira Kranthi Patham, non-chemical pest management work began in this village. The exploitative practices of these dealers came to light during a survey conducted by the programme personnel. To motivate farmers to shift to NPM, there were kala jatha programmes organized twice in the village. Every month, there was a farmer awareness meeting organized. Mr Gollangi Ramulu, a village elder, convened a meeting of all the farmers and all the issues that were brought up by the IKP programme personnel were discussed in detail. Everyone agreed that there is indeed an urgent need to shift to alternatives. The risks and benefits were discussed by everyone. It was decided that the shift has to happen with everyone in the village taking up NPM at the same time. All the 85 farmers agreed. In this manner, in a very unique fashion, a whole village decided to shift en masse into NPM. The foundation for such collective thinking and planning was laid years ago in this village. In 1995, with the help of the local organization called BREDS, villagers installed gobar gas plants in each house. However, the slurry from the plants was not utilized properly. Now, the situation has changed. In a systematic fashion, the slurry is now applied in the paddy nurseries, in the main plots after the deep summer ploughing and before transplanting. In the paddy fields, they are leaving spaces/ 53

“In the hands of the Community”

paths for sunlight to come in. For improving the growth of the crop, all farmers sprayed cow dung-urine solution three times over their paddy crop – after 30 days, 60 days and 90 days of the crop. Every Thursday, farmer field schools are organized. This is proving to be critical for improving farmers’ understanding of the various pests and insects in their fields and the next steps that they should adopt. There are three Sasya Mithra groups in the village, named after the dragon fly, wasp and spider. Convenors and CoConvenors have been selected for each group. An NPM sub-committee was set up under the VO. The VO President, two group organizers, two model farmers, panchayat sarpanch and the village activist are part of this sub-committee. On the 25th of every month, this committee meets and reviews the manner in which the programme is getting implemented in the village. They also take decisions related to financial and administrative matters. With such institutional support also created for the CMSA programme, farmers have shifted fully to ecological farming. The quality of rice produced through NPM methods is very good, farmers inform. They have labeled their produce as “Sahaja”, which means ‘natural’. To support farmers in their effort, when the market price was Rs. 575/- per quintal, BREDS procured paddy from the farmers for Rs. 600/-. They started selling it in the open market under the new label and publicized through leaflets. On June 3rd 2007, the District Collector inaugurated the sales of “Sahaja” produce. Over a period of time, the demand for this rice has increased. The officials in the district administration, CSA personnel, NABARD AGM, elected representatives in the district and others started purchasing the produce. On June 8 th , in the Agricultural Research Station of Ragolu, in a kisan mela, the agriculture minister of Andhra Pradesh, Sri Raghuveera Reddy congratulated the people of Sobhanapuram for their ecological practices. Many rice millers from nearby as well as faraway places [like Hyderabad and Vijayawada] started sending orders for the produce of Sobhanapuram. In this manner, “Sahaja” is carving out a name for itself. Inspired by the success of “Sahaja”, farmers of Sobhanapuram have decided to grow their rabi crops also in an organic fashion. They hope that the IKP network will allow easy and remunerative markets for them. Sobhanapuram has become a veritable tourist spot now – many farmers from neighboring mandals and districts are visiting the village. Visitors are appreciative of the institutional systems, the unity of the villagers and the support extended by the agriculture department also. The CMSA programme has brought farmers out of their debt trap. It has also taught them about how better markets can be secured by better quality, poison-free produce. 54

“In the hands of the Community”

The villagers hope that certification of some sort by SERP can increase the demand for their products. Let us hope that the dreams of these villagers come true! Narrated and written by Sri G Manmadha Rao, Cluster Activist-IKP and BREDS, and Satya Srinivas

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“In the hands of the Community”

“V K Ramavaram steps out of the debt morass” (translated) With sustainable agriculture practices, we can improve our health. We can conserve our resources. We can get out of the debt trap. More importantly, we can earn better incomes. All of this was proven by Vepa Koyya Ramavaram or VK Ramavaram, a village in Mulakalapalli mandal of Khammam district. Under the big neem tree in the village, there used to be a small temple. That is how this village got its name. It is said that about 120 years ago, three families of Podiyam Borraiah, Uke Bojji and Irpa Lakshminarsu came from Bastar district of Chattisgarh and settled down here. At that time, this whole place used to be a dense jungle. Murredu stream used to flow close by. These three families started podu cultivation and started growing jowar, bajra, foxtail millet, little millet, fingermillet etc. Now, the village consists of 156 tribal families with 487 people. The agriculture of the village also expanded. In 2007, paddy was grown on 122 acres, cotton on 56.5 acres, groundnut on 44 acres and cowpea on 7.5 acres. Around 90 acres of land is fallow. Debt morass Twenty years ago, two traders who had come into the village with almost no possessions now are big landlords. One of them owns 40 acres of land and runs an agri-inputs shop. He began his business by extending loans for household needs and agricultural investments on high interest rates. Slowly there were encroachments on the lands of the tribals. The farmers who migrated into the village brought intensive agriculture with them. In the beginning, the crops were grown with very little costs. Looking at these farmers, the tribal farmers in V K Ramavaram also started leaning towards commercial crops and intensive farming. They started leaving their traditional millet crops and started growing crops like paddy, cotton and groundnut. Right from the beginning, there was always this belief that such crops do not grow without the use of chemical pesticides. This was the propaganda created for such crops quite systematically. Beginning with these commercial crops, the farmers of the village started using more and more chemical fertilizers and pesticides in their farming. As each year went by, the use of the chemicals increased and so did the dependence on traders and moneylenders. Many companies started entering the picture and their agents always used to lure the farmers by saying that there would be better yields with more chemical sprays. Soon, the debts on each household began increasing and they would be forced to sell to the traders at the prices dictated by them since they were also the moneylenders. 56

“In the hands of the Community”

Three farmers of the village – Irpa Narayana, Podiyam Veeraswamy and Karam Narayana – borrowed anywhere between Rs. 25000/- to Rs. 60,000/- each and unable to repay the loans, committed suicides. Some of the farmers sold their mortgaged lands to the traders, unable to repay.

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Kranthi Patham – Path of revolutionary change Starting from 2005 kharif onwards, the village saw a retracing of its earlier path. Personnel from Indira Kranthi Patham and SECURE, an NGO, started visiting the village and campaigning about the ill effects of pesticides. They also explained that farming is quite possible without the use of pesticides. In April and May of 2005, a survey was undertaken by them in the village. Following the tribal tradition of going through the respected elder in the community, it was decided to first take the village elder Sri Podiyam Venkateswarlu along with other farmers to Punukula village, the first village in Andhra Pradesh to declare itself pesticides-free. After coming back, Mr Venkateswarlu began NPM practices on two of his eight acres of paddy land. At the end of the season, there were discussions held with nineteen other farmers in the village about his experience. In the first year, only 20 farmers came forward to adopt this ecological approach. On 20 acres of paddy and 20 acres of cotton, these farmers tried out NPM. They showed great enthusiasm in implementing the recommended practices. After the season in 2006, when there was a review of the costs and benefits of NPM for the participating farmers, it became very clear that these farmers had benefited a lot, while their costs decreased appreciably. After seeing their results, the entire village came forward to adopt NPM in 2007. They systematically followed practices like deep summer ploughing, community bonfires, good seed selection and seed treatment, trap crops, border crops, intercrops, yellow and white greased plates, pheromone traps, bird perches arranged in the fields and so on. They also took up the spray of botanical extracts as and when needed. By adopting all of these, they found that their costs reduced drastically – they were using materials that were available free of cost around their village and fields, after all! There were improvements in health and farmers also started feeling that their livestock health also improved. Other benefits followed soon…. Podiyam Venkateswarlu, one of the farmers in the village, had mortgaged his lands to Seethaiah, for borrowing money for investment in his farming. After practicing NPM methods for two years, he made enough savings on his agriculture that he could release his land after paying back Seethaiah. He got his land back and formalized this in a meeting of the VO. With a shift to large scale NPM farming, other benefits followed soon. The Grama Samakhya received a neem seed crusher and mixers for making botanical extracts from Indira Kranthi Patham. In summer now, villagers collect as much of neem 58

“In the hands of the Community”

seed as they can and get these ground with the help of the machine as and when they need it. The ayacut or command area of the tank in the village (called Eedula Vaagu) is 180 acres. Water from this tank is used by neighboring villages too. There are no encroachments on the land belonging to the tank. In addition, there are other small tanks like Dubba Veeraswamy Kunta, Podiyam Bhadraiah Kunta and K Ramulu Kunta which also provide irrigation water to the lands of the village. Last year, all the three smaller tanks got de-silted. Because of this, the irrigation facility could be extended to 45 more acres. Usually, the water in the tanks would not be enough for irrigating the crop towards the end of this season. After the desilting, that did not happen. Earlier, to spray on their crops, farmers had to bring water from a long distance. Now, with two percolation ponds dug close to the tanks, water is more easily available for many farmers to spray the NPM extracts on their fields. Due to the de-silting activity, 2874 tractor-loads of silt was added to 148 acres of agricultural land. In those lands where tank silt was applied, paddy yields went up to 28 bags per acre, as against the average of 20-22 bags. Earlier, during heavy rains, all the water from the surrounding hillocks used to stream down and destroy the crops. Now, such water has been drained out through diversion channels. Through the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, 288 persons obtained employment. Each person got an average wage of Rs. 78/- per day and earned an income of Rs. 8190/- per head on an average. The women’s VO in the village also benefited from leveraging various development programmes and schemes. They got Rs. 204,300/- as Community Investment Fund [CIF], Rs. 50,000/- under SGSY and Rs. 100,000/- through RMK. Today, 73 farmers of the village practice ecological farming on 230 acres of land. Many visitors in the form of farmers from other villages, officials, NGO representatives etc., come to V K Ramavaram to learn from their experience. Senior IKP officials like Dr G V Raidu visited the village in February 2007 and declared it as a “model village”. Today, because of the shift to sustainable agriculture, the village earned recognition for itself and is able to leverage more and more programmes. V K Ramavaram, the village born under a neem tree, is today able to repay nature for its bountiful giving, thanks to the sustainable practices adopted by farmers.

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“In the hands of the Community”

“Poison-free farming is the goal of Poodivalasa village” (translated) Poodivalasa is located 8 kilometers from the mandal headquarters of Vicherla and five kilometers from Srikakulam town. There are 75 families in the village drawn from different communities like Veladu, Kalinga, Yadava, Kapu, Vaishnava, SC etc. The village has around 300 acres of agricultural land, almost all of which is lowland. Paddy is grown in kharif and water is available in abundance. There are tubewells, tanks and surface irrigation from Nagavali Right Canal. In rabi, vegetables like okra, brinjal, cabbage and other crops like lentils and groundnut are grown. Many people from this village go to Srikakulam town for working in construction sites and as daily wage labourers. For the last fifteen years or so, the use of chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides in the village’s farming has increased tremendously. Farmers, who cannot invest too much time on their lands because they have other work in the nearby town, feel that using of inputs bought from outside is an easy way out. They firmly believe that agriculture is not possible without the use of chemical pesticides. They feel that farming is not very viable and that other livelihood sources are more fetching. To get more yields from their crops, they borrow heavily and invest on these external inputs and hope to reap profits. To begin narrating the story of the increasing costs of cultivation and the resultant crisis that the farmers of the village face would be a long story. For example, per acre, a farmer uses two applications of urea, DAP and Potash which together cost Rs. 2600/-, for one acre of paddy or vegetables. In addition, to control pests and diseases, farmers bring pesticides like endosulfan, nuvacron, monocrotophos, tracer etc., and spray several times. These costs add up to another 1500/- to 2000/- rupees. They also purchase seeds from outside – in all the costs add up to Rs. 6500/- to 7200/- per acre for paddy. In fact, in vegetable crops, it is worse. They end up spraying once every ten to fifteen days. The cost comes up to Rs. 10,000/- or so per acre. Despite the use of so many chemicals in farming, farmers were vexed with the fact that they were unable to control pests and diseases on their crops. In fact, over the years, the problem only worsened. Further, many farmers and farm workers fell sick while spraying. The lands started losing their productivity. It was in this context that SWEEP, an NGO, began work on sustainable agriculture in five villages of Echerla mandal. In June 2006, work first began in Kharif paddy with a focus on shifting farmers to NPM practices. Through gram sabha discussions, farmers’ trainings and through kala jatha performances, word was spread about NPM practices. A group of farmers went for an exposure trip to Marugula village in Visakhapatnam district. 60

“In the hands of the Community”

Sheep penning, farm yard manure, tank silt application etc., were taken up as a first step. Some farmers adopted green manure crops and applied neem cake. They took up deep summer ploughing. Many other practices followed. On 195 acres belonging to 175 farmers, NPM programme began that Kharif. This was on paddy – farmers took up non-chemical seed treatment by various methods like cow urine-asafoetida, neem oil application, with ash etc. The nurseries were organic and five kilos of neem cake was applied in each nursery plot. Even in the main paddy fields, many farmers reduced the use of chemical fertilizers and instead applied neem cake. Every Wednesday, farmer field schools were organized. Dividing themselves up into four groups, farmers would go around the crop fields in all directions of the village lands and come up with recommendations of practices to be adopted, depending on the situation of pests and diseases observed. This constant mode of extension advice helped farmers a great deal. The farmers who reduced chemical fertilizer use by taking up neem cake application saved upto Rs. 1830/- per acre compared to their usual practice of soil management. The savings because of giving up of chemical pesticides was around Rs. 750/- per acre. At the end of the first year, nearly all the enrolled farmers practiced NPM without using any chemical pesticides at all. There were visible savings on their costs and what’s more, they found that their yields had not decreased! This gave them tremendous confidence. In Rabi 2006, 180 farmers adopted NPM practices in 210 acres. The crops on which they tried this out included vegetables like tomato, brinjal etc. They took care to see that seed treatment was done through non-chemical methods properly. Yellow and white greased plates were installed in all NPM fields to catch some sucking pests. All these fields also had maize as border crop. Pheromone traps were set up. Each practicing farmer saved up to Rs. 3500/- per acre by adopting these practices and shunning chemical pesticides that season. To tackle leaches and snails in the fields, they adopted the practice suggested by Dr Raghunath of Centre for Sustainable Agriculture – tobacco cuttings put in the fields or tobacco decoction sprayed – and found impressive results – overnight, hundreds of snails and leaches were found dead in their fields. In fact, farmers in the village were tired of trying to get rid of these two pests for years and years now. They felt very happy and convinced about the NPM practices after seeing the results with these pests. 61

“In the hands of the Community”

What they thought was impossible was proven to be quite easily possible by the NPM practices. All the farmers resolved collectively that there is really no need for chemical fertilizers or pesticides in their farming. In Kharif 2007, 265 farmers came forward to take up NPM on 300 acres and this is how the whole village began to be a pesticides-free village. Farmers decided to remain poison-free in their farming. They found strong reasons to remain poison-free – their cost of cultivation reduces drastically; local resources can be used without having to depend on others; there is good control of pests and diseases through the NPM methods – even those that could not be controlled by chemical pesticides, in fact and, no change in yields even though chemicals were abandoned. In this whole effort, women took a lead in discussing the changes and supporting them. In October 2007, the village was identified as a resource village for exposure trips for other farmers – nearly 160 farmers from other villages and districts came to Poodivalasa and learnt from the farmers’ experiences here and went back confident about the possibility of the shift to ecological farming. Alli Srinu, a farmer of Poodivalasa recalls that in Kharif 2006, his four acres of paddy land did not suffer from any brown plant hopper attack because he had allowed for walkways in his field. This allowed ample sunlight to fall in the fieldRakota Apparao is the Sarpanch of and control the pest. His neighbors PoojariPoodivalasa village. In June 2006, when Paparao and Krishna suffered losses.the IKP programme first came into the Srinu saved around Rs. 1800/- onvillage, he tried out NPM practices on one pesticide costs and his yields were not anyacre of his paddy land. He used cow dunglesser than the others who had usedurine solution extensively in his paddy field chemicals on their fields – 26 bags per acre(four times), in addition to spraying chilligarlic extract once. His yields were 26 bags of paddy! per acre of paddy while the ones who sought to control paddy blast with the use of chemical pesticides, in vain, obtained around 18 bags per acre!

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“In the hands of the Community”

“Ambedkarnagar aims to be an organic village” (translated) Ambedkarnagar is a small dalit village with a remarkable history. The village is in Nellore district, seven kilometers from the mandal headquarters of Dakkili. It is a small village of 90 families and around 400 people, all of whom are dalits. Before 1990, all the people in this village were living as agricultural workers. In 1990, 85 people obtained “D-Form pattas” for 85 acres of land and for the first time, became landowners. In 1996, Speak India, an NGO entered the village for the first time to take up developmental activities. With the help of the government, it got another 85 acres of fallow land given to 65 others. All the 170 acres of land of Ambedkarnagar were then developed under the Rayalaseema Watershed Development Programme [RWDP]. This involved de-stoning and removal of shrubs and making the land cultivable by the new landowners. Now, all these families in Ambedkarnagar earn their livelihoods from their lands also. The main crops in the area, dependent on the northeast monsoon, include paddy and groundnut. The cultivation begins around September-October, with the onset of the monsoon. Earlier, the farmers in this village used to borrow on high interest (2% per month) rates from moneylenders for investing on their farming. They used to buy pesticides from the dealers and use them on the crops for controlling pests and diseases. Because of the indebtedness to the dealers, they were also forced to sell their produce at lower rates to the same dealers. Each farmer had around Rs. 5000/- to Rs. 5500/- per acre as loans with dealers. The returns were never enough to pay off the loans and to meet the family’s needs too. It was in this situation that Speak India began working with the villagers of Ambedkarnagar, to encourage them to shift towards ecological farming. Even though work on this front began way back in 2001, farmers were not fully convinced about giving up chemicals in their farming. Most of them reduced the usage of chemical pesticides but continued to use them in reduced quantities. The loans with the dealers continued. In 2005, with the help of Centre for Sustainable Agriculture and Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) and with the involvement of mahila samakhyas and the DRDA, work began with renewed vigour in June 2005. The objective this time was to completely eliminate pesticides from the farming of Ambedkarnagar, reduce the costs of cultivation drastically and sustain their yields. In the first year, in 2005 rabi season, 50 farmers came forward to try out the NPM methods in half an acre each and on 25 acres in all. Jangati Srinivas was one such farmer. He first treated his paddy seed with cow urine. The land was prepared using biomass like neem, kanuga and jeeluga leaves. He also left some pathways in the field for better entry of sunlight. He applied 20 kilos urea, 10 kilos DAP and 20 63

“In the hands of the Community”

kilos neem powder the first time and spent Rs. 450/- on this. During the second application, he used urea and neem powder. For the third application, he used only neem powder. The cost of these fertilizers came up to Rs. 900/-. If he had not reduced chemical fertilizers use, it would have cost him around 1500-2000/-. In the pest management practices, by taking up NPM methods, he spent around Rs. 3000/per acre instead of the normal cost of Rs. 6000/- with chemical pesticides. On an average, his yields that year touched 34 bags per acre. In the second year, in 2006-07, 100 farmers joined the programme. Each one decided to take up NPM methods in an acre each, drawing confidence from the earlier year’s experience. There was severe infestation of paddy blast in that season. The NPM farmers however stood firm in their decision not to use any chemical pesticides – they used cow dung – urine extract along with asafetida. Compared to the farmers who used chemical pesticides to control the pest in vain, these farmers did not spend any money but found that the method worked very effectively to control the pest. The non-NPM farmers spent several thousand rupees that year with yields that ranged only around 20 bags an acre. Seeing the better results in the NPM fields, they also decided to adopt NPM from the next year onwards. After paddy, 25 farmers who had tubewell irrigation facility also took up groundnut cultivation in 25 acres as a second crop. All of them decided to use ecological approaches and not chemical pesticides for pest control in this crop too. They accessed pheromone traps from the agriculture department by paying Rs. 8/- per trap. They found that even in groundnut, pest management is indeed possible without the use of pesticides. Based on the positive experiences of NPM farmers in the past two years, by Kharif 2007, all farmers in Ambedkarnagar decided to remain pesticides-free. The whole village became pesticides-free. The farmers adopted all the various NPM recommendations meticulously. At the time of writing this story up, no one in the village had used any chemical pesticides – in fact, there was no need for even the NPM botanical sprays! The borrowing from the dealers has come down drastically and farmers are excited about this important shift in their lives and farming. They are promising that the village can also become an organic village soon.

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19. “Poosarlapadu walks the NPM path” (translated) Our village is in Gara mandal of Srikakulam district. It is 14 kilometers from the district headquarters and 4 kilometers from Gara. There are about 400 families in this village. 300 of them belong to the Arava community; amongst the backward castes, there are some Velama and Kalinga families. There are also some dalit families. The total farm land of the village extends to 350 acres with majority of the land being low lying. Paddy is the main crop and the main irrigation source is surface water from Vamsadhara right canal. In rabi, the farmers grow chilli and some lands are used for growing lentils. About ten years ago, farmers in the village started to get influenced by the propaganda by the government and the industry about the use of chemicals in their agriculture. They started using chemical fertilizers and pesticides, even if it meant that they had to borrow loans – they were all hoping that the expected higher yields would take care of the higher investments.

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“Kalingapeta youth are again interested in farming” (translated) Kalingapeta village is part of Bonthala Koduru gram panchayat in Echerla mandal of Srikakulam district. Since all the families in this village belong to Kalinga community (BC-A caste), the village derived its name from the same. There are 68 farmers in the village who own around 164 acres of agricultural land. For the kharif crop, all the lands have irrigation facility. Earlier, the main irrigation source used to be water from Narayanapuram project right bank canal which would fill up the village tank of Kalingapeta. However, the tank has been encroached upon. At present, around 20 farmers have tubewells and irrigation water is from these sources. What is interesting about the village is that most farmers here are young and educated. There are more than 200 heads of livestock owned by the villagers and farm yard manure is not in short supply in this village. There is also the tradition of sheep penning for over a month during the summers. Shepherds from the golla community bring their flocks from Gara mandal, from villages like Toolugu, Allinagaram, S M Puram etc. The main crops in the village are paddy during kharif and chilli, blackgram and greengram during rabi. In the rabi crops of lentils, there is very little use of chemicals to begin with. In chilli, earlier the farmers used to grow traditional varieties. However, market prices for such varieties crashed and farmers used to obtain only around Rs. 1500/ - per quintal. In this situation, farmers started growing other chilli seeds from 2004 onwards. Seed is being brought from Galira mandal. This new variety fetches them upto Rs. 3000/- per quintal. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is high on these crops. In 2006, a local NGO called Mahila Margadarsi began NPM programme in the village. An initial PRA (participatory rural appraisal) exercise done with the villagers revealed the amount of chemicals being used in this village across different crops. A number of dialogues with the farmers ensued. Kala jatha performances also communicated the ill effects of chemical farming to the farmers. When farmers decided to come forward to try out NPM methods, three Sasya Mithra groups were formed in the village – Saleedu [spider], trichogramma and tooneega [dragonfly]. Trainings were organized through these groups. Even though it was already transplanting time for paddy before farmers began practicing NPM in earnest [which meant that some of the recommendations put 66

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out starting from summer ploughing could not be taken up], the NPM methods helped the farmers control aggi tegulu and doma potu that year. Venkata Apparao, a farmer from this village, applied cow dung – urine extract along with 200 gms of asafetida to control aggi tegulu on his paddy crop. He found that in a week’s time, the pest could be controlled quite successfully. He was very happy and he ensured that other farmers also observed the results in his field. Ganapathi’s paddy field was infested by sudi doma. As per the suggestions given by the programme personnel, he reduced the water levels in his paddy field and spread 15 kilos of salt mixed with two kilos of neem oil all over his field. He also cleared pathways for entry of sunlight into the field. He could also successfully control sudi doma. These successes positively influenced other farmers too. In 2006 rabi, on chilli crop, some farmers came forward to adopt NPM practices. These were all young farmers in the age group of 25-30 years. In that season, 15 acres of paddy, 43 acres of chilli, 38 acres of greengram, 58 acres of blackgram and 10 acres of sunflower were cultivated. On chilli, farmers began with non-chemical seed treatment first. They applied ash, termite mud and cow urine for the seed. They added farm yard manure and neem seed powder in the fields. They planted marigold plants all around the chilli crop as a border crop. For sucking pests, farmers sprayed neem seed kernel extract. Some farmers sprayed buttermilk and coconut water on their crop for better flowering and stop the dropping of flowers. To prevent fruit borer from damaging the produce, green chilli-garlic extract was also sprayed by a couple of farmers. The farmers found that all the methods are indeed effective and it is just that they take some time to show the results. They decided that they have to be patient with these methods. At the end of the season, they found that their yields had not decreased, as they had originally feared. In fact, it was that fear which made them hesitate in giving up chemical pesticides altogether. But after that season’s experience, the conviction of the farmers on NPM methods grew. What was more, the quality of their chilli fruits was found to be much better that year and the rates fetched for their harvest was higher! In this manner, with their own experience and experimentation, farmers realized that pests and diseases can be controlled quite effectively with non-chemical methods; they also found that their costs had come down by more than 50%. With this inspiration, in 2007, the whole village shifted to NPM farming. The farmers also decided that chemical fertilizer use should be reduced and be judicious. 67

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Following the decision, 120 acres of paddy cultivation were taken up in a completely organic fashion and 48 acres through NPM methods (with some amount of chemical fertilizers still applied). They took care to take up all practices possible right from the beginning including seed selection, seed treatment, soil fertility management practices with green manure and other biomass and organic fertilizers etc. etc. They also realized that adequate institutional support will also help them – every Tuesday, they organized themselves into farmer field schools and studied their crops carefully. Depending on their observations, they practiced various recommendations. While the JJ Samba variety yielded around 25 bags per acre on an average, Swarna variety gave farmers about 30 bags per acre. Farmers were quite happy with the results. These non-chemical practices were continued into 2007 rabi season too. In this manner, this village liberated itself from the shackles of chemical pesticides.

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21. “Enterprise around extracts” (translated) Savara Kumpi belongs to Panasamaanuguda hamlet of Haddubangi village [Seethampeta mandal] in Srikakulam district. His father, Pedda Sukkukundi was the Gram Sarpanch earlier. He has three sons and the eldest son is married. All of them live together as a joint family. They live off agriculture. There are thirteen households in the village. Everyone here belongs to the Savara tribe. They grow crops like brinjal, tomato, turmeric etc. All families depend on farming for their livelihood. Even though they use lesser amounts of chemicals in their farming compared to many other intensive agriculture belts, they still ended up spending around Rs. 1200/- on fertilizers and Rs. 800/- on chemical pesticides. Kumpi’s family was finding agriculture increasingly unviable. The Cluster Activist and Village Activist supported by ARTS, an NGO, began encouraging farmers to take up NPM on various crops from 2006 onwards. With the help of Indira Kranthi Patham, they created awareness amongst farmers about the ill effects of chemicals in farming. Kala jatha performances were organized. Five families came forward to try out these methods. Kumpi also joined the programme. Throughout that year, Kumpi tried out all the new practices he was introduced to with great enthusiasm. He also continuously shared his experiences with other farmers. On Kumpi’s crops, the family used the following practices – summer ploughing, sheep penning for soil fertility enhancement, application of farm yard manure, seed treatment with cow urine and ash, green manure ploughed back into the puddled plots etc. When there was infestation of leaf folder on their paddy crop, they brushed a thorny branch over all the plants and later, sprinkled sand mixed with neem oil. Instead of chemical fertilizers, they used neem powder. 15 days after transplanting, a second dose of neem powder was also applied (40 kilos), followed by one more application after 40 days. For gundhi bug, one spray of green chilli-garlic extract helped. The crop really grew well after that and yielded well. For stem borer in brinjal, taking up the advice of Dr Raghunath of CSA, Kumpi destroyed affected plants by burning them. Later, one spray of tobacco decoction was used on the plants. Further, depending on the need, other sprays like cow dung-urine or neem seed extract were used. Use of neem and vitex extracts was very effective. This controlled various diseases quite well. In the second year (2007), in the paddy crop, the family left pathways for better infiltration of sunlight into the field; yellow and white greased plates for trapping sucking pests were installed. This controlled brown plant hopper effectively. In the past, even pesticides could not control this pest and inevitably led to losses. 69

“In the hands of the Community”

Earlier, on paddy, the average cost of cultivation was at least two thousand rupees more per acre compared to these sustainable agriculture practices. This was a saving straightaway for the farmer. In the past, the average yields used to hover around 13 quintals per acre. Now, after shifting to organic cultivation, the yields have reached 16 quintals per acre. The average cost of cultivation after adopting these ecological practices, is now around Rs. 4150/-. This means a net income of more than seven thousand rupees per acre. On tomato, Kumpi’s yield was 3600 kilos from one acre. The cost of cultivation was Rs. 5700/- and the net income was Rs. 8700/-. On brinjal, the yield was 5500 kilos, while the cost per acre was Rs. 4700/-; the net income was Rs. 22800/-. Crop Yield in kilos Cost per acre in rupees Paddy 1600 Tomato 3600 Brinjal 5500

Per kilo market price Net income Rs. 7/11,200/Rs. 4/14,400/Rs. 5/27,500/53,100/-

Total income in rupees 4,150/5,700/4,700/14550/-

7050/8700/22800/38550/-

What’s more – Kumpi even made an enterprise of making various extracts and selling them to other farmers in neighboring villages. He estimates that he earned an additional income of around five thousand rupees out of this new enterprise opportunity. He says, “My income has improved a lot after adopting these ecological practices. I put in efforts to change other farmers in my village and made them all convert to sustainable agriculture. Seeing our successful experience with ecological farming in the first year, all the other farmers joined us in the second year. Our village is now a model village worth emulating by others”. On Independence Day on August 15th 2007, Kumpi was given an award as the “best farmer” by the District Collector. Let us hope that Kumpi receives many more such awards.

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22. “Ramachandrapuram regains its lands” (translated)

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