SCALING UP SRI: TRIAD SERVICES HOLDS THE KEY TO SUCCESS Nabarun Sen Gupta Dr. Atanu Thakur THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

EXPERIMENT SDC provided INR 200,000 for Action Research. Done with farmers in Orissa (Berhampur) and Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh) Years of experiment: 2006-07 and 2007-08. No. of farmers: Year 1 = 33 Year 2 = 48 Experiment done with marginal and small farmers Experiments done in Kharif season (Berhampur) and Rabi season (Srikakulam) 2008-09 Kharif: Project being scaled up in these and other states THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

SDC provided INR 200,000 for Action Research.

Done with farmers in Orissa (Berhampur) and Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh)

Years of experiment: 2006-07 and 2007-08.

No. of farmers: Year 1 = 33 Year 2 = 48

Experiment done with marginal and small farmers

Experiments done in Kharif season (Berhampur) and Rabi season (Srikakulam)

2008-09 Kharif: Project being scaled up in these and other states

Results Grain production showed increase irrespective of variety of seeds under SRI. The seeds used were high yielding THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

Grain production showed increase irrespective of variety of seeds under SRI.

The seeds used were high yielding

Results 2 Straw production also showed a similar trend. Increase in straw yield varied between 49-75% THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

Straw production also showed a similar trend.

Increase in straw yield varied between 49-75%

Results 3 Experiment has been taken to other locations during the second year and scaled up during Kharif 2008-09 1,067 farmers are registered for SRI in AP and Orissa 970 farmers are registered in Bihar, and 1,050 in Jharkhand THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

Experiment has been taken to other locations during the second year and scaled up during Kharif 2008-09

1,067 farmers are registered for SRI in AP and Orissa

970 farmers are registered in Bihar, and 1,050 in Jharkhand

APPROACH / STRATEGY EVOLVED TRIAD IDS LFS AGS Has evolved every year. First tried along agricultural services Financial services structurally provided (2 nd Year) Third-year Institutional Development services. Kisan Samruddhi Groups have been formed. THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

TRIAD IDS

LFS AGS

Has evolved every year.

First tried along agricultural services

Financial services structurally provided (2 nd Year)

Third-year Institutional Development services. Kisan Samruddhi Groups have been formed.

Learning 1 Agricultural Services Farmers pay a service fee for availing themselves of SRI services The ‘package of practices’ (PoP) evolves as farmers experiment and learn Cross learning regarding the PoPs happens on a regular basis Farmers pledge a small parcel of their land holdings for experimentation, and then expand this area in the next year THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

Farmers pay a service fee for availing themselves of SRI services

The ‘package of practices’ (PoP) evolves as farmers experiment and learn

Cross learning regarding the PoPs happens on a regular basis

Farmers pledge a small parcel of their land holdings for experimentation, and then expand this area in the next year

Learning: Evolving a profit-oriented Extension Model Farmers pay INR 340 (300 + Tax) for availing services Livelihood service providers provide extension services to registered farmers Increase in registered farmers from 75 in 2007-08 to 1,067 (2008-09) means total fees collected of 362 K Each provider serves 400 farmers on an average. Service providers are available during all critical periods of the crop – seed bed preparation, transplanting, weeding, pest control, etc. Service providers are paid Rs. 48,000 per annum. Our profitability per unit is 20-22 K. THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

Farmers pay INR 340 (300 + Tax) for availing services

Livelihood service providers provide extension services to registered farmers

Increase in registered farmers from 75 in 2007-08 to 1,067 (2008-09) means total fees collected of 362 K

Each provider serves 400 farmers on an average.

Service providers are available during all critical periods of the crop – seed bed preparation, transplanting, weeding, pest control, etc.

Service providers are paid Rs. 48,000 per annum.

Our profitability per unit is 20-22 K.

Learning 1: Package Of Practices Farmers experienced difficulty in adhering strictly to the suggested PoP of the extension agency. Transplantation mostly was done between 18-20 days; very few farmers did as per PoP (12-15 days) Adherence to alternate wetting and drying was found to be difficult; location of land was the reason Fear of monsoon not coming at the right time restricted farmers from adopting the alternate wetting and drying recommendation Farmers have adhered to the recommendation of 2-3 weedings in most cases. THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

Farmers experienced difficulty in adhering strictly to the suggested PoP of the extension agency.

Transplantation mostly was done between 18-20 days; very few farmers did as per PoP (12-15 days)

Adherence to alternate wetting and drying was found to be difficult; location of land was the reason

Fear of monsoon not coming at the right time restricted farmers from adopting the alternate wetting and drying recommendation

Farmers have adhered to the recommendation of 2-3 weedings in most cases.

Results 1 : Agriculture PoPs Production varied with transplantation age of seedlings and number of seedlings. Both grain yield and straw yield showed inverse relationship with seedling age (younger seedlings gave more yield of both) THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

Production varied with transplantation age of seedlings and number of seedlings.

Both grain yield and straw yield showed inverse relationship with seedling age (younger seedlings gave more yield of both)

Learning 2 Financial Services Farmers require capital for external inputs (seeds, fertilisers, and FYM). This was made available at door step, although the requirement varied at both locations. SRI showed higher cost than conventional in Berhampur only Out-of-pocket expenses showed an increase of +33 % in Berhampur with SRI, but a reduction of –16 % in Srikakulam THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL Rupees/acre 2007/08 SRI Conventional Berhampur 6,750 5,342 Srikakulam 4,238 5,402

Farmers require capital for external inputs (seeds, fertilisers, and FYM).

This was made available at door step, although the requirement varied at both locations.

SRI showed higher cost than conventional in Berhampur only

Out-of-pocket expenses showed an increase of +33 % in Berhampur with SRI, but a reduction of –16 % in Srikakulam

Learning 2 – Financial Services The out-of-pocket costs covered seeds, fertilizers and FYM. Credit support for farmers is presently extended through Joint Liability Groups (JLGs). Loans are extended for agricultural purposes (with crop not defined) In future, credit will be given through the Kisan Samruddhi Groups (KSG). Incentive is the lower rate of interest charged to groups. THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

The out-of-pocket costs covered seeds, fertilizers and FYM.

Credit support for farmers is presently extended through Joint Liability Groups (JLGs). Loans are extended for agricultural purposes (with crop not defined)

In future, credit will be given through the Kisan Samruddhi Groups (KSG). Incentive is the lower rate of interest charged to groups.

Learning 3 : Institutional Services Formation of CIGs (Common Interest Groups): 39 groups formed -- 21 AP and 18 Orissa Back-end services (input and credit) are carried out through groups; 265 kg of seeds were sold through KSGs to farmers at price 10% below retail Extension services are paid for collectively to BASIX Front-end services (marketing) for better price realization through collective marketing and linkages are presently being discussed THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

Formation of CIGs (Common Interest Groups): 39 groups formed -- 21 AP and 18 Orissa

Back-end services (input and credit) are carried out through groups; 265 kg of seeds were sold through KSGs to farmers at price 10% below retail

Extension services are paid for collectively to BASIX

Front-end services (marketing) for better price realization through collective marketing and linkages are presently being discussed

Summing Up Scaling-up requires all three types of service Specialized agencies or building up capacity of an existing agency to provide is the same No single prescription will work Context would determine the requirements of both content and delivery for services Agencies have to experiment and fine-tune their programs to meet farmers’ needs THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

Scaling-up requires all three types of service

Specialized agencies or building up capacity of an existing agency to provide is the same

No single prescription will work

Context would determine the requirements of both content and delivery for services

Agencies have to experiment and fine-tune their programs to meet farmers’ needs

THANK YOU Dhanyabad Abhar Nandry Kritagnyatalu THE LIVELIHOOD SCHOOL

Dhanyabad

Abhar

Nandry

Kritagnyatalu