People’s participation towards
sustainable agricultural Planning
Subhankar Chhandogi
INTTODUCTION
Participatory
planning is part of thedecentralization process and it aims to identify the
critical problems, joint priorities, elaboration and adoption of a socio‐economic development strategies. The use of participatory methods
and tools has become common practice in the field. The process mainly involves:
appraisal, needs identification, restitution, organization, planning,
implementation and evaluation. As stated by Olthelen (1999), participatory
planning is the initial step in the definition of a common agenda for
development by a local community and an external entity or entities. Over the
period, this initial step is expected to evolve for the parties concerned
towards a self‐sustaining development
planning process at the local level. A study on India's villages by M.N.
Srinivas (1993) and other sociologists and anthropologists from India, was an
effort to understand the social life of the villages in different parts of
India. It was observed that villages, even the neighbourhood villages, differed
considerably in economic, social, cultural, religious and political dimensions.
Thus the studies highlight the holistic understanding of the rural life that are
of immense importance for the framing of development plan.
A study by S. Galab (1993)
examined the functioning of Rural Employment Programmes in Anantapur district,
a drought-prone and backward one in Andhra Pradesh. This study revealed
exploitation of labour by the professional contractors and the problems faced
by the first generation contractors. S.N. Sangita (1990) made a comparative
analysis of Government and Non- Governmental Organizations that implemented
Self-Employment Programme for Rural Youth in four districts of Karnataka.
Mahesh Chander (1996)
undertook a study on farmers' participation in rural development programmes to
understand the modus operandi of three NGOs in Central Himalayan Region of
Uttar Pradesh. . A study on grassroots level organizations and rural
development was conducted by Yatish Mishra (2002) in Gaya district, Bihar with
the primary objective of analyzing the existing system of decentralization and
propose an all-round development of rural areas.
OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
- To identify the village level issues.
- To prepare a comprehensive village development plan through participatory approach.
METHODOLOGICAL
ASPECTS
This
section describes the methodological details of the study i.e. selection of the
study area, collection of data and analytical procedures used for fulfilling
different objectives of the study. The study was carried out in the framework
of a village of Angara Block, Ranchi District, Jharkhand. The Preliminary
information about the block has been gathered from the Block office and
secondary sources. Based on the information, a pilot survey was conducted in
the village to get acquainted with the overall situation and establish rapport
with the villagers. The data for this study was collected from Mahuatongri
village of 2012-2013. The village was selected purposively because of the
earlier experience of work in the same village.
Both the
primary and secondary sources of data were utilized for the report.. Tools used
for data collection includes Schedule, Observation, Visual Documentation,
Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) Tools, isolational and group interview. The
information related to identify village level issues and find out the possible
solution. Secondary data related to this study were collected from related existing
literature, websites and block office. The method of analysis was both
qualitative and quantitative.
THE CONTEXT: MAHUATONGRI VILLAGE
The study was carried out to document the Mahuatongri
village of Angara block, Ranchi district, Jharkhand. TheMahuatongri village
comes under the forest tracts of Chotanagpur plateau. The Village is surrounded by deciduous sal forest
in its east, north and south side. Beyond the forest cover south side is
bounded by Nagrabera and north by Baksidi village. Jaspur village and a water channel (connecting Getalshud
dam with Sikidrihydel power) flanks in the west and Tharpagna in the east. The settlement pattern ofthis village is
nucleated and arranged in a linear fashion beside the main entrance of the
village. The settlement is surrounded by the agricultural field and forest
lands, utilized by the villagers for cultivation and grazing of their
livestock’s. Houses of the village include both kutcha and Pucca type.
The Mahuatongri
village is upholding 321 populations with 157 males and 164 females. A total of
56 households are living in this village. The overall sex ratio (number of
females per 100 males) is Sex Ratio: 104.4
There
were only 2 castes in the entire Mahuatongri village. The major caste (45
family) in the village is Mahato which
consist 131 male and 133 female populations with 101.5sex ratio. The other
minor caste (11family) is Lohra which consist 26 male and 31 female populations
and 119.2sexratio. It is interesting to note that in both the ethnic group the
sex ratio is favourable for the female.
PROBLEMS OF VILLAGER’S
PERSPECTIVE RELATED TO SURVIVAL STRATEGIES
Three types of problems
are observed in crop production in the village. They are Ecological, production
and socio-economic.
1.
Ecological
Irregular Monsoon: The
agriculture of Mahuatongri village is mainly depended upon monsoon. So, if the
monsoon is not there in adequate proportion, it hampers the crop productivity.
2.
Production
Variety: Mostly
the villagers cultivate hybrid variety which often cannot give optimum yield
due to unavailability of inputs. Usually the villagers purchase the seeds from
general local markets. The grocers cheat with the villagers and mix the viable
seeds with non-viable seeds. According to the villagers, quality seeds are not
available in the market.
Weeds: Crops
of almost all families like Gramineae, Solanaceae, Legumeceae, Braciceae,
Alliceae etc. face weed related problem. Among them most affected crops are
Paddy, Wheat, Potato, Tomato, Pea, Groundnut, Cauliflower, Cabbage etc. Thus they create problem in
every stage of crop life.
Soil
health:It is clear from the discussion with
villagers of Mahuatongrithatthe low productivity of agriculture is mainly due
to the limited production of land under cultivation, soil erosion and other
related problems.
Poor
water availability:The western and
northern side land of the village has scarcity of irrigation water, because the
slope of the land is very undulating.Only few ponds contain lower level of
water in the summer season. Some of the villagers use those ponds for
irrigation as well as domestic purpose.
Other than monsoon season, the farmers are mainly
depended upon ponds and wells as sources of irrigation. But the pumpsets are
not sufficient in number for uptaking the water. Therefor the farmers have to
fetch water from wells by hand and provide irrigation to their land. It is
seems difficult for them.
Crop rotation:
Crop rotation is not followed by the villagers. So it causes problems in
nutrient and disease management.
Fertilizer:Only
10-20% of the villagers have followed balanced use of fertilizer in their
agricultural land.
Farm
machinery: The Mahuatongri villagers are more
interested in plough cultivation which is done through bullocks. They have no
such modern agricultural implements.
Post-harvest
technology:Potato is produced in huge amount,
but very few villagers adopt the cold storage facility in Ormanjhi. Therefore a major proportion is sold in lower price even
less than the remunerative price. The same case is occurred in case of
groundnut which is affected by stored grain pest.
Transport:The
villagers face regular problem related to poor transport system and maximum
number of villagers use bicycle for marketing their agricultural produce.
Market:Some
of farmers sell their produce to the middle man at very low rate even lower
than the remunerative price.
3.
Socio-economic
problems
Small size of Land holdings: Mahuatongri village contains farmer and individual that combine both
trading and farming .This complexity entails that household have to construct
their livelihood from multiple sources. Due to the fragmentation and sub
division of land holdings the average size of operation land holdings is very
small.
Cost and return:The
villagers do not keep the account of their cost of cultivation and its relation
with the return and profit. Manual labour is not included in that. A bumper
harvest in all the area returns in the ill-fate of the farmers.
Credit
related problems:The farmers have
KCC(Kishan Credit Card) but they are not getting loan for crop
cultivation.
Risk uncertainty:Prolonged
dry spell and irregular and late monsoon results in change in crop production
schedule which ultimately affect the production.
Traditional attitude:The villagers still have not adopted modern agricultural package
of practices as well as farm machineries and implements.
Knowledge:Knowledge
dissemination system is not perfect in the area. Demonstration on a few
improved practices have been conducted by KrishiVigyanKendra(KVK), but due to
lack of proper follow up, it has not entered in practice.
Domestic animals:Cows,
goats and hens are the main domestic animals of this village. These are also a
source of income to the villagers. According to the villager every year these
animals have to die for various reasons.
SUGGESTIVE
RECOMMENDATION
Villager’s
Perspective:
a. Constructions
of new wells and pondsin the village for irrigation purpose.
b.
Provision of marketing
channel and direct marketing for agricultural produce.
c.
Establishment of
regulated market in nearby area.
Researcher
Perspective:
Land and Soil Health
Management
The activities, which can be grouped under the broad
sector of development of Soil health, are the following:
a)
Soil
testing: Soil testing labs are present in the
District like KVK(KrishiVigyankendra),
KGVK(Krishi Gram Vikas Kendra), BAU(Birsa Agricultural University) which is
situated at Ranchi district and this infrastructure need to be strengthened to
extend the facility to the farmers. The mobile labs could also be used for
awareness creation among farmers about farming techniques, new crops etc.
though audio visual tools.
b)
Top
Soil Preservation&Moisture
Conservation: Field bunds can reduce
the velocity of runoff and enhance percolation of water into subsurface.
Technology
In
order to make technology delivery process more effective through the existing KrishiVigyan
Kendra(KVK), this new initiative will enhance farmers–scientist contact through
multi-stakeholders’ participation.
Credit institution
85 percentof the Mahuatongri villagers are in the
category of marginal farmers whereas 15 percent are only small farmers. At
present credit is to be made available to theall interested cultivators by near
commercial and cooperative Banks.Provision of farm
tools through micro-projects assistance, grants and loans by the Banks or
credit institution under the guidance of KVK or KGVK.
Seeds and Agricultural
Implements
The villagers of Mahuatongri have been
more interested in plough cultivation and have made a beginning in the
direction of applying improved agricultural practices through the advice by KVK
as well as Block Agricultural Department.
Crops:
a)
Demonstration
on the use of improved package of farming practicesand
HYV crop should be incorporated in cropping patternunder
the guidance of KVK.
b)
Train
farmers on integrated pest management, farming techniques and nursery through
KVK.
Weed Management
Practices
a)
Summer ploughing, timely sowing of crop, recommended spacing, application of recommended rate of nutrients
is generally use for control and destroy
weed vegetation. Bunds and
irrigation channels should be kept free from weeds.
Fertilizer
Application
of proper dose of fertilizer and utilize integrated pest management strategies
for all farmers in this village to minimize the use of toxic chemicals through
the advice of expert agency (KVK, KGVK, VSSetc).
Encouragement of use of natural and home-made compost manures
Animal manures, peat moss from bogs, leaves, straw,
newspaper, sludge, yard and garden waste, kitchen scrapsand green manures or
cover crops - all are forms of organic matter that can be incorporated directly
into the soil or in the form of manures.
Marketing
The low price, Poor marketing and Buyers imposed price of different
agricultural produce can be remedied through the creation of cooperatives.
Horticulture
Development
Ranchi district has been declared as special
horticultural zone for off season cultivationsfor which special package
including technical and financial backup supports are provided to the
interested horticultural grower through the KVK, Block and different Banks as
well as cooperatives.
Provision to motivate to cultivate organic farming
To encourage the villagers to
cultivate organic farming because Organic
agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people.
Integrated farming system
It has some importance
which motivates the villagers to do IFS because all requirement materials are
available in this village and it is low cost technology which is get more
benefit to villagers.
Optimal
Farm Plan for Small-Farmers and Marginal-Farmers
In the optimal plan obtained for
the marginal-farmers category, the dairy animals were the livestock that could
be more attractive in terms of income and employment generation.
Domestic animals
To save the animals and to prevent their death the
villagers have to realize the importance of various types of vaccines for goats
and hens and AI(Artificial insemination) for cows.
Training
of Agricultural & allied sectors: So
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Morabadi provide vocational training for rural youth free
of cost in different sector like-Dairy, Poultry, Mushroom, Bee keeping,
Vermi-compost and Agricultural training for to self-employment and livelihood
development.
Ber
and Palash plants are in the village in a large amount. It has a great
potential for lac cultivation. The villagers can get easily assistance for lac
cultivation from Divyayan KVK and Lac Research Institute, Namkum, Ranchi,
Jharkhand.
Provision
of mela (village fairs):Conducting and organizing annual kisanmela(agricultural
exhibition-cum-fair) cultural competitions at village level under the
guidance of KVK.
REFERENCES
CITED
Oltheten, M.P. T. (1999). Participatory
Approaches Toplanning for Community Forestry, A
Synthesis report, Forests, Trees And People Programme, Forestry Department
Working Paper No. 2.
Srinivas,
M.N., (ed.), (1993), India's Villages, Media Promoters & Publishers,
Bombay, Second Revised Edition, Reprinted.
Galab, S.: "Rural
Einployment Programmes - Case for Involving Voluntary Organizations", Economic
and Political Weekly, Volume 28, Number 10, March 6, 1993, pp.409-4 13.
Sangita, S.N.,
"Self-Employment Programme for Rural Youth - The Role of Non- Governmental
Organisations", NMB Management Review, Volume 5,Number 2,
July-December 1990, pp. 1-30.
Chander, Mahesh,
"Farmers' Participation in Rural Development Programmes: Case Studies of
some local NGOs in Central Himalayan Region", Journal of Rural Development, Volume 15, Number 3, July -
September 1996, pp.393-408.
Misra, Yatish, (2002), Empowering
People - Grassroots Organizations and Rural Development, Kanishka
Publishers, Distributors, New Delhi, 2002.
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