Moments

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

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