2. INTRODUCTION
Much has changed over the past century. Resources, once abundant,
have now shrunk. Population has boomed. The extent of poverty and
hunger is high. The situation of health and malnutrition is grim.
The policies of the state and the Forest Department have greatly
impacted the cultivation practices of tribal community
The tribal communities of Dantewada are now at a crossroad. Their
traditional, forestdwelling way of life, their harmonious relationship with
the forest and their self-sufficiency based on the surrounding natural
resources have been disrupted. They have not yet been able to fully
embrace the modern agrarian way of life.
Government policies, based on the promotion of chemical-intensive
farming, have been, as of now, showing positive results in Dantewada.
But are these results sustainable?
Amid these government policies and schemes, three years ago, the
District Administration of Dantewada decided to follow an alternative
route, with the support of the then Collector, Mr K. C. Devasenapathi
3. LOCALE OF STUDY
3 blocks of Dakshin Bastar Dantewada district- Katekalyan,
Gidam, Kuakonda
Pota Cabin schools
Agriculture Extension programme promoting Organic farming
Vision:
To establish Dantewada as Organic district in the time span of
5 years
8. • Barbed wire
fencing
• Borewell
• Irrigation Pump
• Training and
Capacity
Building
• NADEP
• Vermi Compost
• Cow Shed
• Land
Development
• Farm pond /
Open Wells
• NADEP, Vermi
Compost
• Cow Shed
MGNREGA IAP/ BRGF
CSR
Agriculture
Dept
Mochobaadi
9.
10. LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES
Farm activities: Cultivation of Paddy, vegetable, Cereals, Millets,
Kodo, , Kosra
Off- farm activities: Agricultural labourers, exchange labour,
collecting fuel wood, mahua, tamrind, tendu patta, tora.
Non-farm activities: Government employees, widow+old aga
pension, income from shops, remittances.
11.
12.
13. PROJECT OVERVIEW
The important first step is to organize the farmers. As long as
they are alone, farmers will always remain at the whims of the
market. It is, therefore, important to organize them into groups
so that they speak in a collective voice and, thereby, take
strength from each other
Organic farming will not only safeguard the environment and
the health of the people, but will also minimize the expenditure
of the farmers in the long term
To create a wave of hope and optimism in the region of
Dantewada affected by the violence of LWE for long
14. OUTCOME
Members taking double crop and cultivating vegetables
thereby earning substantial income. The availability of the
vegetables in the local market has significantly increased due
to these efforts.
The farmers who cultivated rice through SRI have been able to
see 40-50% reduction in the overall cost of paddy cultivation
and increase in production by around 50-60 %. Within one year
there has been 150% increase in the number of SRI farmers.
15. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Primitive method of cultivation majorly rainfed
No demarcated grazing land for cattle
Marketing of forest produce still a big issue in the region
No much awareness about crop insurance
Farmer group meetings being affected due to high rate of
alcoholism
Transportation and road connectivity in remote villages is a distant
dream.
Tribal caught in between CRPF + LWE
Extremist wings posing restrictions on business expansion
16. KEY OBSERVATIONS
Agriculture is majorly rainfed and carried out at substance level
Tribals depend on great extend to NTFP for their livelihood ( tamrind,
selpi, date, mango, mahua)
Government initiated programme promoting organic farming via
providing training, exposure visits, agricultural equipment, pest traps
Bhoomgadi – Nirmaan organization initiated FPC providing market
linkage both forward and backward.
Major portion of the produce including paddy, vegetables, mahua,
cereals, tamrind, mango, custard apple, amla being sold at weekly
market on coopie basis.
Cases migration among tribal youths in unskilled sectors.
Uneven land leading to irrigation problem.
Pota Cabin schools providing a platform for tribal students to gain
their full potential.
17. State initiated livelihood schools promoting job opportunities
Youth actively participating in the farmer group
Easy and ample availability of biomass paving the way towards the
establishment of 100% Organic district.
Mocho Badi plays an important role in promoting vegetable
cultivation
PDS plays a major role in their survival.
Promotion of eucalyptus, sagwan plantation posing threat to
forest based livelihood
Digging of roads by extremists poses problem to both local people
and adversely affects health facilities in the region.
Murga Bazar is a major source of entertainment and making some
quick money.
18. RECOMMENDATIONS
Village panchayat must be considered as one of the key
stakeholders promoting agricultural farming.
Effective continuous monitoring mechanism for farmer
group meetings and dispersal of agricultural equipment
and inputs.
Training should be conducted in the language of the
masses.
Women participation should be promoted.
Transportation and proper marketing channels should
be improved.
Delay in payment of agriculture produce which is sell in
LAMPS cooperative marketing society.
Allied activities like animal husbandry, poultry, goatery
should be promoted via the farmers group.
