Successful Pilot Initiatives Story In Lagraine Agro Producer Company

 

                      The pilot model development initiative of IFS was developed by LAGRAINE AGRO PRODUCER COMPANY LIMITED taking four GPs of GOP Block Under PURI district of Odisha collaboration with Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. 

The focus of the pilot programme was on developing the principles and tentative models, giving attention to technology development on individual farms. On the other hand, this phase of upscaling is trying to increase productivity by increasing diversification, resource integration and creating market linkages.

While the pilot programme focused on developing models on individual farms, the scaling up phase focuses on mobilizing farmers into groups and extending benefits to not only farm production, but also marketing as a collective initiative. Farmers who are willing to do some experimentation and train others and also those who have the capacity to pay back initial investment, are formed into a group. Farmers are to be taken through a process of capacity building based on FFS principles. This is done through sessions on crop/tree management, soil/water management, soil nutrient management, pest and disease management, livestock management and multilayer designing. The sessions are organised in one of the farmer’s field from the group on a rotational basis. Farm analysis and designing has taken a priority in this phase. Each farm is analyzed with the individual farmer in the presence of other farmers of the group to understand the existing production cycles, the available resources and the periods of scarcity of food, fodder, firewood, drinking and irrigation water. Farm designs are made for each farm based on the farm analysis, which is different from each other. Generally, to begin with, the focus is on improving crop diversity. The diversity of the farm land is increased as much as possible by introducing at least 5-6 types of cereals and pulses/oilseeds, 10-12 varieties of vegetables, 5-6 varieties of trees of fruit, fuel wood and fodder, 5-6 types of spices or medicinal plans. Fast growing trees and shrubs like Gliricidia, Ipil Ipil, Sesbania, Bauhinia, Pigeon Pea are planted as they add high nutrient content to the soil. They can also be used as fodder for livestock as well as fuel. Once the crop diversity is enhanced and integration between existing components is ensured, 2-3 types of livestock, 3-4 types of birds and fish are added, depending on the carrying capacity of the farm judged during farm analysis. Integration is designed based on the existing subsystems. The process is facilitated by LAPCL. Farmers are helped to design various components in a way that they integrate into each other – the output of one component becoming the input to the other. For eg., the agro/livestock waste gets recycled through a biodigestor for vermicompost or biogas. Some components are designed based on the need. For eg., if there is livestock, then fodder crops are integrated on the farm. The decisions are taken by the individual farmers as the new design, at times calls for additional financial investment. To help farmers to add new components/sub systems, farmers are linked to other programmes and schemes of the mainstream institutions, for eg., NABARD, NREGA etc.

 

Another improvement over the pilot programme is to create local resource persons to take IFS forward. The programme envisages to develop 200 resource farmers who can train others in IFS, thus ensuring sustainability of the programme. The plots will be prepared in two phases, once for brackish water aquaculture and again for paddy cultivation. For aquaculture crop, the plot will be sun dried after the kharif harvest. If necessary, to rectify acidic soils, lime is applied depending on requirement of the soil. Urea will be used nitrogen deficiency of soils @ 60 kg N/ha. Some shade zones are provided over the perimeter canal with twigs, hay, palm leaves etc., so that during summer the shrimp can take shelter and also hide themselves from predation. Phases, once for brackish water aquaculture and again for paddy cultivation. For aquaculture crop, the plot will be sun dried after the kharif harvest. If necessary, to rectify acidic soils, lime is applied depending on requirement of the soil. Urea will be used nitrogen deficiency of soils @ 60 kg N/ha. Some shade zones are provided over the perimeter canal with twigs, hay, palm leaves etc., so that during summer the shrimp can take shelter and also hide themselves from predation.