State Level | Agri-Based Interventions

As in most of India, small farmers in Andhra Pradesh are chronically on the brink of crisis: they face challenges of low and stagnant productivity, high input costs, unpredictable rainfall, crop failure, high debt, and labour out-migration. Furthermore, they lack information on prices and have poor access to inputs, markets, and technology. Through an innovative consortium involving Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. USA, two local NGOs (PEACE and Krushi) and ACCESS, the UDAY project was launched in November 2007 to reach out to the poor farmers with better inputs in agriculture, thus improving livelihoods.

In Uttarakhand, the farming scenario is problematic on various fronts: inadequate irrigation limits the yield of major vegetable crops and spices, agricultural inputs are lacking and a sizeable rural population still remains outside of the formal credit system. With support from the Trehan Foundation USA, ACCESS initiated the UDAY project in March 2008 in the district of Dehradun. The Project objective is to improve socioeconomic development of at least 1200 local farmers engaged in vegetable and fruit production. Among the initial interventions, ACCESS has also helped to revive a pre-existing moribund Producer Cooperative.

The Ericulture Project started in June 2008 with support from the Department of Sericulture, Government of Madhya Pradesh in Betul and Hoshangabad districts. The primary focus of the project is to diversify and enhance the income generation opportunities of the local farmers. Ericulture has been identified as a high potential activity in the regions of Betul and Hoshangabad districts. At least 800 small and marginal farmers, of which 80% are below the poverty line, are targeted. On a long term perspective, the initiative will also allow the local population to harness natural resources in a more sustainable manner.

The National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) was launched by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) with the aim of creating new and alternate agri-based livelihoods options for the small and marginal farmers in the region. In West Bengal, ACCESS is a part of an implementing consortium with Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vidyalaya (BCKV), as the lead agency, and the West Bengal University of Animal and Fisheries Sciences. The project aims at increasing the productivity of crops through the transfer of technology between ACCESS's research partners and the beneficiaries. The cultivation of groundnut and sesame as well as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) were adopted as key components to diversify the income generation activities of the farmers. It was a major challenge for ACCESS to introduce the concept of SRI as this technology is totally different from the conventional method of rice cultivation in the area. Another key focus area of the project is to trigger women entrepreneurship. Through an initiative on animal husbandry (including goats, pigs, sheep and poultry), the SPARC specifically targets landless and tribal women. The effort is to improve their ability to manage economic activities and have a control on their income.

In addition to West Bengal, ACCESS is also a part of the consortium implementing the NAIP in Southern Rajasthan. Though agricultural research has made major breakthroughs, the dissemination and adaptation of the technologies are inadequate in this region. The NAIP was initiated to move agriculture from an input-based growth to a resource-based growth. Given that the region characterises subsistence level rainfed farming, maximum focus of the project is on increase in productivity through the adaptation of new package of practices.

Visit the blog about the National Agriculture Innovation Project in Udaipur : <a href="http://accessmpuatnaip.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" bitly="BITLY_PROCESSED">http://accessmpuatnaip.blogspot.com/</a>

Around 90% of ginger produced in Rajasthan comes from Jhadol, a tribal-dominated block in Udaipur district. However, during the last 10 years both the area under cultivation and average productivity of ginger have shown a declining trend due to severe rot attack. With support from Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), ACCESS initiated this 3-year project in April 2008 to help the affected farmers and enhance ginger productivity in Jhadol. The project directly targets a total of 1250 small and marginal farmers. More than 10,000 farmers (more than 60% tribal) will indirectly benefit through the project interventions. As in most projects, ACCESS follows a well-tested modus operandi: organizing - aggregating - integrating the small and marginal farmers in the value chain. Yet the context of Jadhol project is unique: ginger is a high return but also a high risk crop. Traditionally, a large number of farmers cultivated ginger in the region, but many gave up its cultivation owing to the frequent ginger rot disease that destroyed the crops. Before the project was launched in Jhadol, the farmers were quite skeptical about any impact of the project on their plight as in the past, solutions did not bear results.

Tonk and Sawai Madhopur districts of Rajasthan have very large chilli clusters. In collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Govt of India, ACCESS initiated the idea of setting up of a Rural Business Hub In April 2008, ACCESS started the MANDI project (Mainstreaming Agri-produce through Networks & Development Initiatives) to start and set up three Rural Business Hubs and enhance the income of at least 1500 marginalised farmers engaged in chilli cultivation.

In March 2008, ACCESS initiated a three-year partnership with Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) to provide technical support to the resource centre i.e. Vedanta Integrated Jana Jivika Yojana (VIJJY),set up by VAL towards addressing the livelihood issues of 9 villages located in the district of Jharsuguda. The ACCESS strategy has been to establish a sustainable institution federating the women SGHs to ensure sustainability of the interventions. After a year of implementation, the cooperative "Subhalaxmi Mahila Samabaya Ltd." has been set up by ACCESS federating 108 SHGs with more than 800 members. A board of 10 women now leads the decision making process along with the cooperative's CEO. The capacity of the targeted population was enhanced through several training programmes and capacity building inputs in enterprise management, poultry, floriculture and fisheries. Through a Revolving Loan Fund provided by VAL, loans were disbursed through the cooperative to help set up individual enterprises by members. SMSL, the cooperative, provides doorstep services to the clients to deposit their savings, avail credit and facilitate the loans' repayment, the rate of which is 100%. Also, the members are covered under a specialised insurance product in tie-up with Birla Sun Life and Royal Sundaram Insurance Company.

With the support of Anil Agarwal Foundation, ACCESS initiated the Sustainable Action for Farmer's Livelihoods (SAFAL) project in January 2009 in 20 villages of Sadar block and 9 villages of Gop block in the district of Puri. The goal of the project is to increase the local farmers' income by at least 100% through improved productivity and access to value chains. Through the project, farmers were linked to the line departments (agriculture, horticulture, fishery, veterinary, irrigation) and provided need-based services in various areas, including paddy cultivation, floriculture and fishery. Livelihoods advisory services from SPARC are helping the farmers in diversifying their sources of income and develop competences in managing existing livelihoods. Linkages with NABARD and financial institutions (SBI and Neelanchal Gramya Bank) were established and a saving initiative has been introduced.

Buoyant with the result of the first phase pilot Cluster Development initiative in strengthening MSME, SIDBI, under its multi-agency supported Project on financing and development of SMEs, has expanded its programme to 15 new potential clusters. Among them, one is the fruits and vegetable cluster in the districts of Ganjam and Gajapati in Orissa. Through a competitive bidding process, ACCESS was designated as the implementation agency for providing Business Development Services to the MSMEs in these two clusters.

<a href="http://accessdev-bds.org/" target="_blank">Visit the BDS initiative's website &gt;&gt;</a>