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Public Agricultural Extension System Support for the Natural Farming: A Case of Convergence Effort under ATMA, India

Hema Sarat Chandra. N*, K.S. Kadian

Dairy extension division, NDRI-Karnal

Abstract: Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) of India is a huge public extension system, it usually converge different extension service providing agencies, research organizations, NGOs, and other such agencies at district level with the farming communities (FIGs). Recognizing the importance of group led extension approach; ATMA has developed and/or strengthens several common interest groups (FIGs). One of the active performing groups was studied about its dynamics and empowerment brought forth by ATMA is presented in this paper. The reason behind in selection of this particular farmers’ interest group (FIG) is it’s unique practice of paddy cultivation rather to use synthetic chemicals. ATMA has strengthened this group with its convergence activity in collaboration with department of animal husbandry and NGO at their locality. ATMA is acting upon this group since eleven years to empower the farmers through group led extension. To measure the impact of ATMA in empowering the group, present study was conducted with the following objective: To measure the group dynamics of FIG - Natural farming and to identify the extent of empowerment as perceived by the respondents. To measure the group dynamics of this FIG, group dynamics index (GDI) was developed for this study. This FIG natural farming scored 0.63 out of 1 on GDI. According to the members of FIG natural farming, most of the empowerment (25.71%) fell out in economic security dimension.

Keywords: ATMA, Cow based Natural farming, convergence, group dynamics index, farmers’ interest groups, small farmers & poor farmers

Citation: Hema Sarat Chandra. N, K.S. Kadian, Public Agricultural Extension System Support for the Natural Farming: A Case of Convergence Effort under ATMA, India. American Journal of Rural Development, 4 (4). 93-99. January 2016. doi:10.12691/ajrd-4-4-3

1. Introduction

About a decade ago, in order to reform the public sector agricultural extension system and to increase its relevance, accessibility, and efficiency in knowledge sharing among various actors, players, and stakeholders, the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) was introduced as a pilot program (1998-2003) in 28 districts (DAC, 2005) [2]. Following a positive feedback from the pilot implementation (IIM, 2004) [4], the ATMA model was scaled up across 251 rural districts in 2005 and throughout the country in 2007 (Reddy and Swanson, 2006) [5] presently 614 Agricultural Technology Management Agencies (ATMA) have been established at the District level. ATMA has attempted to encourage greater linkages between extension services and the research institutions, as well as group-led extension by forming and/or strengthening farmer interest groups or common interest groups. Group led extension is an approach to disseminate agriculturally important technologies and information for the development and empowerment of the farmers or the villagers by successful utilization of benefits from group synergy and group dynamics. It aims to develop local skills and empower them to solve their own problems. Group led extension is essential to enhance the interaction between research cum extension system and farming community, to develop farmer to farmer extension and to provide more effective learning situation. Based on the existing situation, resources, demands and socio economic parameters variety of groups are forging under ATMA. There is no limitation for ATMA to make and strengthen all socially accepted groups by the villagers for rural development. These common interest groups include self help groups, farmer interest groups, and food security groups.

Growing importance for organic and chemical free food consumption made farmers to think over organic food production. Consumers are ready to pay more money to get a quality food. Innovative farmers hold this entrepreneurial opportunity to fasten economic empowerment. One of such efforts done by a farmers’ interest group was studied in this perspective. This farmers’ group suggested a proficient farming with non pesticide food production, which is a better farming practice for small holders and poor farmers because of its low cost of cultivation (around 4000.00 INR) in comparison to the paddy cultivation with synthetic chemicals (25000.00 INR) for production of same yield (30bags of 50Kg per Acre) and sold for more price (1000.00 INR more per bag). Since it is not included in the curriculum of the agricultural sciences; Agricultural professionals are unable to provide the best scientific information on natural farming and organic cultivation etc. Concurrently several nongovernmental organizations, social activists, hobbyists, several farmers, based on ITKs share such valuable information on organic cultivation. Padmasri Subhash Palekar, an Indian agriculturist who practised and wrote many books about Zero-Budget Spiritual Farming usually conducts workshops throughout the country to create awareness about natural farming and motivate farmers to adopt such natural farming practices. Motivated farmers are following such natural farming practices had observed great changes in their lives but these scattered information sources need to converge for the benefit of farmers. ATMA is trying to make it tangible and strengthening this group with demanded information, identified right market for the best price to the produce. ATMA yet financially helped them in the development process. ATMA helped farmers to economically empower, instil the spirit of group behaviour and leadership among themselves. ATMA converges the extension efforts of Department of Animal husbandry and NGO (Viswamanavata samsta) to strengthen this group. Department of animal husbandry helped the farmers to buy desicows (indigenous to India) by providing subsidies. Further ATMA has arranged training programs for better cattle rearing practices by engaging resource persons from Department of animal husbandry. Timely arrange training programs from NGO about non pesticide practices and preparation of several plant decoctions to use as pesticides. ATMA has provided three thousand rupees per farmer to build concrete platforms for cattle, finally ATMA act as a central coordinating agency to converge various efforts from different sources, timely supply of information demanded, empowerment through group led extension and providing direct financial benefits for farmers. Likewise ATMA led its support to strengthen this unique FIG by its convergence activity. Presently ATMA is the most vibrant public extension system of India which works through bottom up approach to empower farming community. The support provided by ATMA is excogitated in the group dynamics and empowerment of group members. Hence present study was established with the following objective: To measure the group dynamics of FIG - Natural farming and to identify the extent of empowerment as perceived by the respondents. An attempt was made through this paper to explore the cow based natural farming for small and poor farmer. It was described how a supporting agency is serving to strengthen a farmers’ interest group (FIG) with a unique output. Further, the challenging dimensions of empowerment and scope to improve the group dynamics were realised from the output of this paper.

2. Materials and Methods

Karshakananda rythumitra a Farmers’ interest group (FIG) found in the village Allipudi of East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh state. Group dynamics index (GDI) was prepared to measure its group dynamics of this group. After a thorough review of literature and the discussions with the experts ten dimensions were finalized for group dynamics index (GDI) viz. Participation in the group (D1), Team work (D2), Decision making procedure (D3), Group cohesiveness(D4), Group leadership style (D5), Group communication (D6), Interpersonal trust (D7), Role function (D8), Conformation to group norms (D9) and Goal achievement (D10). The pro forma containing dimensions of GDI was sent through e mail and handed over personally to more than eighty judges for ranking. Thirty three judges had returned the duly judged pro forma in a stipulated span of two months. After suitability check and careful examination of the responses thirty judgements were considered for item analysis. Normalised rank order method suggested by the Guilford (1954) [3] utilised to obtain C values for the ranks. Table 1 represents respective C values for the ranks and scale values for ten dimensions of GDI. By using these two criteria the indicators having relevancy weightage (RW)> 0.75 and Mean Relevancy Score (MRS)> 2.25; items were considered to include in GDI. Each dimension of the GDI consists of number of indicators and hence their range of total scores will be different. Therefore, the total score of each dimension was converted into unit score by using the following formula (1).

[picture] | (1)

Where,

= Unit score of the ith respondent on Jth dimension

= value of ith respondent on Jth dimension

= minimum score on the Jth dimension

= maximum score on the Jth dimension

Thus, the score of each dimension range from 0 to 1 i.e. when is minimum, the score is 0 and when the Yij is maximum the score is 1. Then the unit score of each respondent was multiplied by respective scale values of each dimension and summed up. Then the score obtained was divided by sum of scale values in order to get the index score values of each respondent. This scores of each respondent represented in Table 2. Group dynamics score of the group is 0.63.

[picture] | (2)

Where,

= Group dynamics index score of ith respondent.

= Unit score of ith respondent on Jth dimension

= Scale value of the Jth component.

The empowerment dimensions were identified with thorough consultation of related literature, researchers of related studies and ATMA professionals. Five dimensions were identified as improved social status, economic security, technical knowledge, extension service and upward communication. Data was collected in a two point rating scale with improved and unchanged options. The interview schedule was prepared keeping in view the objectives and dimensions of the study. Researcher’s critical observation on actual field conditions, preparation and usage of natural fertilizers, pesticides preparations and the standing crop performance has used to study this group. All the group members were interviewed for this study.

Table 1. The frequencies of ranks as given by 30 judges, proportions (p), C values and Rc values for ten dimensions of GDI using Normalised Rank Order Technique

Table 2. Group members along with their Group Dynamics Index (GDI) score

3. Result and Discussion

Among the respondents more than eighty percent of them are educated and only 19.23 % of them are illiterates. Group leader is a graduate and group members are very active in this group as they prefer mass media as a second most important extension contact method after the progressive farmers. They know the importance of being cosmopolite in getting information especially the group leader is very enthusiastic in gathering information from variety of sources. The details of educational qualification and their preference of extension contact have been presented in Figure 1 and Figure 2 in this paper. For all members primary occupation is Agriculture and fourteen members out of twenty six are maintaining desi cows. Only three farmers have 5 to 10 acres of land in this group. Remaining farmers hold land up to 5 acres only. Almost all members are marginal to small farmers. Those who are maintaining desi cows getting three to four litres of milk per day on average, after meeting their home needs they sell remaining milk and getting additional income. Majority of the farmers having low level of herd size necessitates coming together in the form of Producer Company (like to produce milk products, DIY pesticides, fertilizers made from cow urine and dung) which will ultimately increase in their economics of scale. From the analysis of the demographic profile it was observed that the farmers are small and most of they don’t have rich assets except the motivation to get informed the important information from multiple sources and to try innovative ideas for better income.

Figure 1. Educational qualification of the Group members

Figure 2. Respondents preference for Extension contact

According to the study, participation of members in the group has highest score (4.95) followed by their Teamwork (4.42) and Group cohesiveness (3.53). The obtained scores under each dimension of group dynamics index are represented in the Figure 3. The group dynamics score obtained by this FIG is 0.63 out of 1 on Group Dynamics Index (GDI-Composite index value). This value reveals the scope of improvement in the group dynamics of the FIG. Capacity building in the form of motivational trainings is essentially required from ATMA to inculcate the goal achievement behaviour, confrontation of group norms, better role functions; so that the group dynamics of the farmers can be improved. Extension professionals of ATMA were not trained as trainers or animators for group led extension might be one of the reasons in getting this score. Hence, it is advised from this study to provide trainers or training institute at close premises of ATMA organization and by conducting frequent training programs for the ATMA extension professionals can improve the group led extension service from ATMA.

Figure 3. Group score for each dimension

Data revealed that members got empowered in economic security dimension, followed by technical knowledge and in extension services etc. since this farming practice is especially to lower the cost of cultivation and to achieve high income from the chemical free produce farmers might have achieved the economic security. Further, ATMA has provided financial support in purchasing desi cows and to built concrete plat forms for collection of cow urine and dung with ease. ATMA tries to arrange various training programs from department of animal husbandry and NGOs to improve the technical knowledge of the farmers regarding non pesticide management and cow rearing practices. Timely ATMA extension professionals convey the important information regarding natural farming from different sources. The efforts of ATMA to support this group with effective information can be observed in the arrangement of fifteen days trying program by padmashree Subhash palekar, the inventor of spiritual farming (Cow based natural farming). Figure 4 represents the perception of FIG members about the empowerment due to ATMA intervention; which was collected in two point rating scale. It was observed the group members were not improved in the upward communication, an important feature of ATMA through which it usually get feedback from beneficiaries for many innovations and interventions of ATMA and Agriculture cum allied departments. Farmers or group members can avail this facility to communicate their problems, limitations, feasibilities, preferences, etc. to the ATMA authority. It was realised that these group members were not empowered in this unique grass root level feature of ATMA. Hence, it is advisable from this study to improve the communication among ATMA professionals, CIG members and within group members by improving the frequency of meetings with specific periodicity and can avail benefits of ICT tools like mobile phone text messages, watsapp, face book, etc to encourage the communication among the stake holders. If the farming practice of the members is concerned, it was proven method of farming especially for small and poor farmers since they have adopted it from eleven continuous years. Based on their adaptive trials, farmers are very much interested to share their method of farming to the rest of farming community. It is very much important to document the production practices and the natural pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides used by them. An attempt has made through this paper to document this natural farming practice as follows.

Figure 4. Perception of the natural farming FIG members about empowerment due to ATMA intervention

Figure 5. Group members while preparing a liquid fertiliser in the field itself using cow urin (desi cow tied on the concrete plat form can be seen at background)

Cow Based Natural Farming

These experienced farmers are strongly saying that one desi cow is sufficient to maintain land up-to sixty acres. Farmers are helping to co farmers who cannot maintain desi cows. As a team they share their inputs, labour; mutually helping each other to achieving the results. Combining all their produce, export to nearby metropolitan cities. Farmers who ever adopt such practices have to incur only four thousand rupees at most for cost of cultivation, it is comparatively very low cost (20,000 to 25,000 rupees per acre is the cost of cultivation with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in their locality).

This method of farming won’t differ with normal farming in farm mechanization, manual weed management, transplanting, harvesting etc. The fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and growth promoters what they are using is made by themselves with naturally available products like cow urine, cow dung and other natural inputs etc.

Fertilizers prepared and used by them: Two types of fertilizers they commonly used they are Ghanajeevamrutam (solid fertilizer) and Dravajeevamrutam (liquid fertilizer).

Ghana jeevamrutam(solid fertilizer)

Drava jeevamrutam (liquid Fertilizer)

Variety of pesticides prepared and used by them namely Neemastram (prepared with Neem extract, cow urine, cow dung and water), Agniastram (prepared with Ginger, garlic, green chilli, tobacco leaf extract, cow urine, cow dung), Brahmastram (prepared from the leaves of Azadirachta indica, Annona squamosa, Ricinus communis, Pongamia Pinnata, Datura stramonium, Psidium guajava, Momordica charantia and Parthenium hysterophorus). Decoctions prepared with Aegle marmelos, Asafoetida etc and fermented buttermilk used to spray for any type of diseases to control. The particulars of pesticides and fungicides and their usage are mentioned in Table 3. All major ingredients naturally available, sometimes free of cost, weeds forest tree species etc. Farmers who are follow such practices no need to spend more money for crop protection. Prevention is the better to cue is the formula of application of fungicides in this farming. Occurrence of the pests and diseases is not a point; according to the stage of the crop these products are applied to avoid infestation of the pests and diseases on paddy crop. Farmers are very confident about these products and their success only motivating co farmers to join with them. Really there is no Brown plant hopper (BPH) incident to their field and very healthy crop stand when the researcher had direct observation of the field. Researcher further experienced the healthy crop stand with good number of tillers even in the land which is newly brought under cultivation. Farmers’ care for the crop protection and crop improvement as well as their enthusiasm to share their experience was noticed by the researcher. The real success is identification of the right market for their product, farmers selling thousand rupees more per bag of rice cultivated through this natural farming. With the help of ATMA and few other sources group members have established a very good market channel and exporting their produce to nearby metropolitan cities. These farmers described this method of farming is fetching more income at low cost of cultivation; besides it provides healthy life to the consumers since zero chemicals for production.

Table 3. Natural pesticides & fungicides used by group members

4. Conclusion

It is feasible and important to replicate this practice of farming since it was proven for empowerment by the small and resource poor farmers through their adoptive trials. All these pesticides, fungicides, fertilisers are DIY products, can be prepare by ourselves and use these eco friendly products to produce chemical free food. Recently ATMA of this study area had arranged fifteen days training program about zero budget spiritual farming of Padmasri Shubhash palekar for the extension functionaries to upscale and scale out this farming. The group dynamics of the members of FIG can be improved with ATMA interventions for better performance of the FIGs under ATMA. Periodicity of the meetings should be there and improvement in communication among ATMA professionals, CIG members and within group members because the results revealed the need of improvement in the upward communication from the members. It is strongly advised to the policy makers from this study to make the job enrichment of ATMA professionals by considering their constraints and the requirements at the grass root level. Job enrichment is like provision of training facilities, travel cum communication allowances, providing teaching aids and financial power to arrange extension activities. From this paper it is appealed to the policy makers to include subjects like organic farming, zero budget natural farming, etc into the curriculum of the agricultural sciences. This Farmers Interest Group is a living example for the farmers’ grounded themselves with the support of extension agency like ATMA. Extension professionals have to identify such efforts by the farmers and encourage them by offering effective service. Farmers can try this cow based natural farming once after they visit such type of farms and get their firsthand experience. Hope this farming will flourish in this ever green revolution in India to make food security to the consumers along with that economic security to the marginal, small and poor farmers. Further, such kind of farming made future agriculture sustainable and provides healthy life to the consumers there after healthy planet.

Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the University Grant Commission (UGC), Government of India for financial support to carry out research work, ATMA East Godavari and Karshakananda rythu mitra group (Allipudi) for their cooperation and encouragement to conduct this research.

Abbreviations

ATMA: Agricultural Technology Management Agency

DAC: Department of Agriculture & Cooperation

DIY: Do it yourself

FIG: Farmers’ Interest Group

GDI: Group Dynamics index

IIM: Indian Institute of Management

ITK: Indigenous Traditional Knowledge

NGO: Non-Governmental Organization

References

[1]   | Chandra, N.H.S and Kadian, K.S. Dynamics of coordination among different agencies with ATMA in Andhra Pradesh. Unpublished manuscript, National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, India, 2016.

[2]  
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC). 10th Plan Scheme - Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, New Delhi, 2005. Available: http:// www.agricoop.nic.in/PolicyIncentives/ XPlanScheme.htm. [Accessed July 28, 2014].

[3]   | Guilford, J.P. Psychometric methods (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill, the University of Wisconsin – Madison, New York, 1954; 181-183.
[4]   | Indian Institute of Management. Impact Assessment Report on the Innovations in Technology Dissemination (ITD) Component of the National Agricultural Technology Project, Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, 2004.
[5]   | Reddy, M.N. and Swanson, B. Strategy for up-scaling the ATMA model in India, In: Proceedings of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, AIAEE 22nd Annual Conference, Clearwater Beach, Florida, USA, May 14-19, 2006, Ed: J.R. Vreyens, USA, 2006; 561-569.