moments - kisan panchayet -...
TRANSCRIPT
Why Kisan Panchayet
67% farmers in India own less than a hectare of land, which means smallholders
form a bulk of the population in India. 50% of all vegetables and fruits in the
country are grown by them, 85% of the country's rural population comprises small
and marginal farmers and this is increasing because of fragmentation of holdings.
India is a land of such vibrant small and marginal farming community with rich
indigenous technological knowledge as well as innovative minds for new
technology development. The small farming community owns and practices a
production process, which protects biodiversity and care natural resources.
Kisan Panchayet is a confluence such farmer leaders and entrepreneurs form
across the country, who lead these as an exemplary in small holder farming,
horizontal and vertical dissemination of knowledge, and improving employability
through upgradation of rural skills.
Kisan Panchayat was organised by, with and for the small and marginal
farming community
- To discuss the challenges and to share and learn from each other on
good practices
- To look for policy support for upscaling the practices and processes
At a Glance
350 Farmers from 15 states - Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odhisa,
Maparastra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh,
Asam, Manipur, West Bengal, Jharkhand. Bihar, Chhattishgarh.
The process
• Sharing good practices through exhibition
• Plenary to flag issues on small holder farming on thematic areas of a)
Research, extension and education b) Input provisions c) Financial
Inclusion d) Post harvest and marketing e) Land f) Water
• Group discussion on 6 thematic issues on good practices, challenges and
demands
• Open forums on sharing technology, ideas, thoughts, comments
• Presentation of the Panchcyat discussions in front of the farmers, experts
and policy service providers
Distingused Guests
• Dr. Sompal Sashtri, Honourable Ex-Agriculture Minister
• Mr. Jaykant Sing, Head – Partnership and State Alliance, NSDC
• Dr. JP Sharma, Head – Extension, IARI
• Prof. Praveen Jha, Jawaharlal neheru University
• Dr. Rajendra Sing, Jalpurush, Magsaysay Awardee
• Dr. Amar KJR Nayek, Lal Bahadur Sashtri National Academy
• Mr. N. Sai Krishna, Head, NSFI
• Dr. Suneelam, Farmer leader
• Dr. PV Rajagopal, land Activist, Ekta Parishad
• Mr. Pasha patel, Member, Central Government Committee on MSP
• Dr. Srinivas, ICRISAT
• 350 Farmers from 15 States
• 30 CSOs, NGOs and CBOs
Setting the Tone – the plenary
Research, Extension, Education
N. Sai Krishna
- Most of the farmer trainings are production oriented – related to seed
treatment, composting, pesticide application, package of practice. But
there is hardly any training on management aspect – soil
management, water management, farm planning, post harvest
managemnt, market management, create bank linkages etc.
- Why we are not able to learn from farmers and take that to
laboratory?
- Most of training are for enhancing knowledge – not for building skills.
The trainings are mostly through lecture methods. More practical
training by local resource persons are needed.
Ranglal, farmer, Rajasthan
- Huge money are spent in the name of farmers – but hardly reaches us.
- The Government Officers have too much workload, so they distribute
literature to the known persons near the road. It does’t reach most of
us. Most of us can’t read – so literatures are of no use.
- Sometimes, we receive machineries from the companies – but nobody
teaches us how to use, so those remains idle.
- We need training, but according to our need and according the
specification of agro-climatic situation.
Input Provisions
Suneelam
- 20% farming land is going for making road and corridor – in future
7000 ha land in set to go for various projects. Irrigation water is
diverted to industry.
- Farmer’s suicide is not a new issue, but still we are planning to provide
more loans to the farmers.
- Why don’t we have a farmer’s policy?
- MGNREAGA should be linked to farming – but there are many issues,
including corruption is invollved in it.
Nirmal Sing, Farmer, Punjab
- The farmaers of Punjab are now like bonded labours.
- Most of the money is flowing out from the village/farmers through
seed, pesticide, fertiliser, tractor etc.
Financial Inclusion
Shanti, Farmer, West Bengal
- Women can do everything, we can drive tractor, haal – we should have
Mahila Kisan Crdit card.
- We do not get seed and fund in appropriate time – so young people
from the village has to migrate. We need support in appropriate time.
Postharvest and Marketing
Amar Nayek
- Though most of us want our children to stay near us, but it doesn’t
happaen because we do not get good net income from agriculture –
they have to migrate.
Why are you only talking
about ‘Kisan Bhai’ (farmer
brother), why not ‘Kisan
Bahen’ (farmer sisters)?
Shanti, Farmer, West Bengal
- There are about 2 crore Rupees allotted for the development of one
panchayet, but it distributed to individuals mostly, this should be
through groups.
- The community should strengthen their groups and cooperation to
intiate business in the locality itself – the market should be local.
- Youth should be the leader in developing such cooperative models
fror cluster of villages.
Bhaskaran, Farmer, Tamilnadu
- We are a PGS certified group, producing and processing organic
products since last 10 years.
- Recently we are facing trouble due to increase of cost in
transportation – we are looking for opportunities in creating more
local markets.
- Government give subsidy to chemecals, why organic farmers do not
receive any subsidy?
Land
PV Rajagopal
- The crisis for small and marginal farming is world wide, within India
large farmers from some states are grabbing land of marginal farmers
of the other states.
- The small and marginal farming community should form association
and fight against land grabbing, fight for agriculture to be more
attractive. To protect small farmers from becominga marginal farmer,
a marginal farmer for becoming landless.
- Only farm can provide gainful employment for the entire family.
Kasturi, Farmer, Madhya Pradesh
- It is evident that chemical farming is harmful, but we are trapped.
- The land are grabbed for the small farmers by many tricks for the
large dam and companies – if we do not stay together, it will be
tough days ahead.
- Those who don’t have legal paper of land – they don’t have Kisan
Credit Card.
Water
Rajendra Sing
- There is no river and
waterbody left in
India, which has
drinkable water.
- Maharastra has largest number of dam, yet it is the state where
number of farmers’ suicide is heighest.
- Can’t we bring back our strength as a country of excellence in
agriculture?
Krishna, Farmer, Madhya Pradesh
- Farmers are keen on selling water from
their pond – how do we feed our
animals?
- The water in the village is undrinkable.
How many times we need to vivst to the
officials for a hand pump. Evene we get
a pump, the rich family get the water
first.
- We should think of making our own plan
of the water conservation and
distribution in the village.
What we want has never
done through MGNREGA job;
what is done through that –
we do not want.
Ranglal, farmer, Rajasthan
Knowledge on Display
Farmers groups put up stalls with models, posters of good practices
… exhibited the rich diversity of food – wild and cultivated
… seeds of hope
Some of the good practices
shared and exhibited
SRI and single stick rice
cultivation
Azolla as a fodder
Integrated Farming System
Participatory Guarantee System
of organic certification
Various methods of traditional
and organic way of treating
plant and animal pest/diseases
Pani-Panchayat
Low cost rooftop rain water
harvesting
Water use master plan
Community college
Farmers’ cooperative and
community enterprise systems
for marketing
Zero energy cool chamber
Various organic preparation for
soil management
Farmer field school
Documenting and
domesticating uncultivated food
Seed preservation techniques
Dryland agriculture with millet
Improved animal shed
Creating farmer group fund as a
buffer support to farmers.
Food forest in common land
Reviving of traditional water
harvesting
National e-market place for
ecofarmersmarket.in
Recommendation from the Panchyat
Research, Education, Extension
• Better information dissemination on Government schemes
• Skill building initiatives, focusing on integrated, ecological agriculture
and local specific measures
• Agricultural education to be a part of school curriculum
• Compulsorily fund allocation for organic agriculture
• Encouragement and emphasis on animal husbandry, fodder
development
• Research must be participatory ie- from `land to lab’ and not top
down
• Farmers experience must be incorporated in research
Input Provisions
• Indigenous seed bank for every village
• Subsidy on organic farming
• Preference to NREGA workers for soil and water conservation works
• Recognition of seed breeders as scientists
• Documentation of nutritional value of traditional varieties
• Compensation scheme of Government must be easier
Financial inclusion
• More support for forming cluster groups of farmers to channelize
farm input, credit
• Easier crop insurance schemes, including more types of crop,
assessment on the basis of local need rather than following generic
standard definitions
• Reassessing the methodology of calculating MSP, widening the scope
by including more types of crop
• Single window service provision through localized kiosk by the govt.
• On time credit, on the basis of local need and demand
Market and post-harvest
• Separate and assured market place for organic produce
• Inclusion of minor millets in the PDS, midday meal
• Setting up of cluster/Panchayat level millet, rice and other cereal
processing units
• Subsidized transportation for produce
• MSP for millets and other local produces
• Warehousing/ cold storage facilities for perishable and non-
perishable produce at Panchayat level.
• Reassessing the pricing methodology of agricultural produce
• More focus on local market and strengthening local economy
Land
• Government must resist from acquiring village and common lands for
corporate interests.
• Protection and development of commons including biodiversity
conservation
• Developing watershed based land use plans and convergence of
activities of department of agriculture, land resource, irrigation and
other related departments according to that plan.
• Involvement of the farmers through Gram Sansad on developing land
use plan of the locality
• Ensuring rights of the women on the land
• Ensuring Right to Land
Water
• Water management must be part of curriculum.
• Water bodies and traditional water harvesting systems must be
revived.
• Gram Sabha and Panchayats must be capacitated for watershed
management work.
• The entire country must have a water policy from Panchayat to
national level.
• Rivers must not be polluted with industrial discharge and sewage and
heavy penalties must be imposed on violators. A national river
rejuvenation plan must be launched.
• Criminal proceedings must be initiated against Pollution Control
Boards, municipalities and other agencies if water bodies are
polluted.
• People living near rivers should have ownership in management of
this land.
• Promotion of organic methods of farming must be ensured.
Guests in the final presentation
Few Immediate Steps in Near Future
1. Forming People’s Policy on Agriculture
2. Thinking towards an agricultural budget
3. Documentation of knowledge and practices emerging out of
the field experience
4. Identifying and developing advocates for small holder
ecological integrated farming techniques and practices at
regional level
5. Holding similar Kisan Panchayats at regional level to bring
solidarity
Please feel free to share and use the recommendations.