Livelihood Enhancement through Agriculture Productivity improvement Under ‘Sakh Se Vikas’ Rajasthan Microfinance Initiative

Background

care _access_ginger visit_2008 024Sixty percent of the state of Rajasthan is covered by desert. Despite this almost livelihoods of two thirds of its population depend significantly on agriculture and animal husbandry with only 28 percent of the total cultivated area under irrigation, the growth in this sector has been consistently low. There are further regional differences in agriculture due to terrain, rainfall, irrigation facilities and technology inputs. In districts like Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Bharatpur, Dausa, Alwar, Kota and Sawai Madhopur, farmers produce high input-based cash crops, whereas in southern and western Rajasthan, a single crop for domestic consumption and limited cultivation of cash crops is the norm. Maize, the major kharif crop account for 50% of total area cultivated and is grown only for household consumption. Traditional fibrous ginger is the major cash crop known for its aroma and medicinal value.

Geographical area

Jhadol block is a tribal dominated block in Udaipur district. Only 9% of the total area of Jhadol is under cultivation of which only 22% is irrigated. The subsistence level of agriculture is reflected in the statistic that agriculture being the primary source for 76% of population, contributes to 17% of total household income as against 32% from wage labor.

care _access_ginger visit_2008 020Coverage Area

13 villages of 6 Panchayats of Jhadol block in Udaipur district.

Beneficiaries

500 households of 13 villages.

Time Period

April 2008 to March 2011.

Supporting Agency

The project “Livelihood Enhancement through Agriculture productivity Improvement under Sakh Se Vikas – Rajasthan Microfinance Initiative” is supported by ACCESS, Udaipur, Rajasthan.

Goal

Develop and standardize a package of practices for improved ginger productivity and disease control suited through demonstration plots; work with farmers across villages to adopt the package of practices developed with regular extension support; organize farmers into a producer company for undertaking collective procurement of inputs, access to credit and marketing of the produce.

Objectives

  • To control market through a federation of farmers and to improve their income base.
  • To improve Ginger production by controlling diseases and to promote new techniques.
  • To make research for the preparation of alternative products and to provide information and instruction for necessary financial support.

Strategies

The overall strategy is to improve natural resource management to increase productivity of land for poor families which can be achieved through reduction in input cost, additional area/source of income and increased production.

Activities

  • Selection of farmers and demonstration plots
  • Develop package of practices, demonstration plot test plan and crop health cards
  • Training sessions and exposure visits
  • Preparation for sowing on demonstration plots
  • Capacity building of farmers business groups and planning of producer company
  • Preparation for next growing season

Outcomes

  • Standardization of package of practices for ginger crop in Jhadol region
  • Developing a knowledge base for value chain aspects of ginger
  • At least 70% of farmers in project villages adopt best practices in agriculture and availed extension services
  • Skill building in agriculture of local youth
  • One producer company comprising membership of groups
  • Direct linkage of groups with banks, input suppliers, buyers