Agrarian livelihood strengthens in K’handi

The Pioneer, June 9, 2009
PNS | Dharmagarh

The last decade has ushered in a controversial debate on industrial development versus agricultural development in the Orissa context. However, the importance of agricultural development has been well realised since we are observing the Irrigation Year currently. Despite the larger volume of land being cultivated, the yield and returns are still poor and not proportional to the labour. Thus it has become more vital to make a swap from the traditional method of cultivation to the new technologies.

To have a broader view, let’s have a look into the case of Kalahandi. The district being categorised by its regular drought started dreaming sweet with the accomplishment of Indravati Irrigation Project. But majority of cultivable lands are still rain fed and irrigated lands follow the traditional methods of cultivation, resulting in low production.

In such scenario, a local voluntary organisation, Karrtabya, started promoting SRI (System of Rice Intensification) method of paddy cultivation in partnership with Syngenta Foundation during the year 2006. Karrtabya took an initiative to train the local farmers about the advantage of SRI method over the conventional method, for which 65 farmers were trained by scientists from the CRRI, Cuttack. Out of 65, only eight farmers accepted and practiced SRI in a total of four acres and the average yield from this land was 28.63 quintals per acre.

The basic differences that make the SRI method more reasonable and even profitable than the conventional method are: Less amount of paddy for sowing (only 2 kg/ acre), reduction in labour cost as weeding is done by an implement called Cono Weeder, use of organic manure due to early plantation of the seedlings resulting in high yield and the most important feature is, any variety of paddy including the traditional varieties can be used in this method. In subsequent years the organisation was able to reach more than 200 farmers to accept this method and the production has been reached to 22-42 quintals per acre as compared to 10-15 quintals per acre in the conventional method. Now other farmers coming in contact with these successful farmers are getting enthusiastic to adopt this technology.

Karrtabya has outreached several remote pockets of Kalahandi including Th Rampur and neighboring districts like Boudh where it has started Consultation Centres and is providing technical support to the farmers. Through its intensive activities like training to farmers on SRI, disease and pest control, inter-district and inter-State exposure to local farmers, providing basic inputs like seeds, weeders, markers, etc. Karrtabya is trying to enhance livelihood of farmers within the existing resources.