Micro-irrigation for food security: the Untold Stories of Forgotten Stakeholders, SCAMPIS Project World Water Week 2012 seminar, Sweden

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Innovation brings happiness Tapan Kumar Pattanayak, India (Watch the Tapan’s story on Youtube)

Basuguda is a small village located in Pottangi Block of Koraput district. In this village 42 HH are living of which

100 % are Schedule tribe. In Koraput district out of total population, Schedule Tribe constitutes of 51%. All of them are

mainly depending on agriculture, forest and migrant labour to the neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and

Tamilnadu to sustain their livelihood. They usually go to different industries like cement, textile and brick manufacturing

unit as the contractual labour or as daily wages for 3 to 4 months in a year. They cultivate all staple crops during rainy

season and rest of the months it is labour works. In spite of much difficulty in migration period they forced to

go for migration as the income from agriculture and forest is not very much lucrative to manage their family.

In the month of March 2010 SCAMPIS team in Koraput organised a Haat demonstration at Pukalihaat in

Potangi Block. In the stall some villagers from Basuguda came and inquired about the technology. It was the

live demonstration of MIS in the weekly market (Haat). The demonstration was supported by Public Address

system where the SCAMPIS staff were promoting about technologies, its use and benefits. After convincing

about technology they took interest and asked promoter for a village demonstration in their village. After that

the promoter from IDEI went to village and organised a village demonstration. Then few people have shown

interest towards the technologies. They were asked to purchase the technology from the nearest dealer. It was

the local promoter who took initiative to train the local VBM regarding installation and after sales service.

The users were trained to take high value short duration summer crops and preparation & application of

Liquid Organic Fertiliser. Initially they were faced problem of cultivating high value crops and application of

Liquid organic fertiliser. All the STP users were immediately convinced as they earned good income in the first

season. In the subsequent seasons they continued with agriculture and use of LOF. Within two years all

villagers have adopted technologies. Due to engaged in cultivation throughout the years they stop going for

migration to other neighbouring states.

It was difficult to motivate farmers those who very much depend on subsistence agriculture to become

survive with only agriculture. Since it was a regular practice for them to go for seasonal migration they initially

not comfortable to make them engaged in agricultural field. The labour contractors were also created problem

and discouraged them not to take agriculture as main livelihood option. But after seeing the production and

good income villagers convinced and stayed back in the village during migrating season.

Micro-irrigation for food security: the Untold Stories of Forgotten Stakeholders, SCAMPIS Project World Water Week 2012 seminar, Sweden

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All the Treadle Pump users have stopped going to neighbouring States as migrant labour. They also have good

income so that they have improved social &economic condition. It helps them to develop better social status in the

village.It helps them to stop migration and to maintain a very peaceful & happy life.

Now the users are trained enough to continue agriculture and use of Liquid organic fertiliser as the substitute of

chemical fertiliser. The Village Based Mechanics are trained to provide sales after service as well as availability of spare

parts require for technologies. They also help to new users to purchase technologies. Due to using IDEI promoted

technologies and cultivating high value crops they were exposed to local market and develop their bargain power to sale

the produces to local traders.

It is more important to link them in bigger and distance market so that they will not face problem for

high volume production of vegetables. They also need to expose to advance technologies in agriculture to

compete the other farmers in the area. It was also important to influence government to set up a cold storage

in the area and to develop market yard which will help to sale their produce easily.