Documentation of Farming Practices and Yield:
We conducted a workshop for people
engaged in documentation of self-reliant farming model of Chetana-Vikas. The techniques and science employed in the model are
continually researched and improved by us and focus on low external input, high
internal regenerative farming.
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| Training of village resource persons during the workshop. In many instances, the trainers are from the villages too. |
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| Documentation of facts, figures and observations during the workshop. |
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Beej Swaraj - Seed Sovereignty:
Because of unprecedented monsoon this
year, farmers were compelled to sow twice, or in some places even thrice, which
adds to their woes. In view of this crisis, seed procurement and seed
distribution activities were carried out for them at their doorsteps. Most of
these seeds came from Chetana Vikas’s seed banks, or in a few cases, were
purchased from outside, and sold to the farmers at subsidised rates as part of
the movement called ‘Beej Swaraj’ – literal translation would be “Seed
Sovereignty”. We firmly believe that seeds are a renewable and unpatenteable
resource, and hence, it was made sure that the distributed seeds were not
hybrid or genetically modified and could be sowed in the next sowing season.
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| Beej Swaraj or Seed Sovereignty: Seeds taken to the farmers' door steps for second or third sowing. This was required due to extremely excessive rains causing unforeseen damages to crops. |
Planning for mid-course corrections
with regard to crop planning was done, especially regarding late monsoon and
early winter varieties of pigeon pea, sesame, some varieties of green
gram/moong, and various vegetables such as amaranthus, spring onions, rosella,
etc.
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Wasteland Regeneration & Soil-Water Conservation:
A part of the experimental farm of
Chetana Vikas is devoted to research on wasteland regeneration. We identify,
plant and monitor survival and growth of various native hardy species that are
resistant to long spells of water scarcity, but yet are fast growing. A quickly
established green cover of a hardy native species is important in soil and
water conservation which hastens the process of wasteland regeneration. This is
an important attempt as recent survey by the Govt. of India concluded that
about 50% of Indian landmass is degraded and unsuitable for any agriocultural,
farming or planting practice. We have been working on regeneration of such
plots through perennial pioneering species of plants for last 30 years. These efforts
have led to the improvement of the soil and the land supporting less hardy
species. Parts of these plots are now converted to the orchards and other
planting related experiments. We usually carry out gap-filling of trees in these
plots at the beginning of monsoon as the saplings have a higher chance of
survival due to conducive environment. This year, gap filling was carried out
using saplings of fruit trees such as
amla and custard apple, other perennial trees such as teak, neem, banyan, and peepal,
important nitrogen-fixing trees like gliricidia, and various improved fodders. Apart
from these activities on the experimental farm at Wardha, distribution of
suckers (shoot planting material) to farmers in the villages was carried out as
well. Vetiver grass which is an extremely good bio-agent for soil
conservation and serves as a good fodder was planted on the experimental farm,
and the planting material was provided to farmers in the villages as well.
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| Grasses for soil and water conservation, and for fodder. |
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Grass saplings created on he experimental farm ready to be transplanted in villages.
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