Crafting the Dream Innovative Ecosystem for Improving Livelihoods: Bhoochetana – A Case Study Suhas P Wani and Team Resilient Dryland Systems

Our Challenges: Hunger, Poverty and Sustainable Development

337

24

596

384

Sub-Saharan Africa 384 M

East Asia and Pacific 334 M

South Asia 596 M

Central Asia

24 M

(28.7%) (25%)

(44.5%)

(1.8%)

1338 million hungry people, mainly in developing world

1 Billion in Rural areas

• Climate crisis • Water crisis • Desertification • Food crisis • Energy crisis • Population crisis • Biodiversity crisis

The Big Threat: A Looming Storm

Rainfed Agriculture – A Large Untapped Potential

Current farmers’ yields are lower by 2 to 5 folds than the achievable yields

Vast potential of rainfed agriculture needs to be harnessed

Observed Yield Gap between Farmers’ Yield and Achievable Yields

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Zam

bia

Tan

zani

a

Ken

ya

Uga

nda

Eth

iopi

a

Bur

kina

Fas

o

Nig

er

Bot

swan

a

Zim

babw

e

Vie

tnam

Tha

iland

Indi

a

Iran

Iraq

Jord

an

Mor

occo

Pak

ista

n

Syr

ia

Yem

en

Source: Derived from Rockstrom et al., 2007

Farmers yields are lower by 2 to 4 folds of achievable yields

Opportunities: Large Yield Gaps for Rainfed Crops in Karnataka

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Kharif

Sorghum

Pearl

millet

Groundnut Pigeonpea Chickpea Rice Cotton Ragi Sunflower Maize

Crop

Yie

ld (

kg

ha

-1)

Potential Farmers'

(179)

(325)(174)

(276)

(361)

(102)

(118)

(88)

(170)

(68)

* Figures in braces show % yield gaps from current levels

Unlocking the Potential of Rainfed Agriculture: How?

Good potential exists to double the productivity and contributions to world’s food basket from rainfed agriculture

What to do is known but how to do it?

In the rainfed areas even with primary scarcity of water, it’s potential is held back because of inappropriate crop and land management options adopted by farmers

GoK-ICRISAT Initiative to Bridge Yield Gaps: Bhoochetana

Goal Touch the lives of 3.6 million families by increasing productivity of crops in the state by 20% in four years

Objectives of Mission Mode Project

To identify and scale-up best management practices (soil, crop, nutrient and water management) to enhance productivity by 20% of crops in 30 districts

To train DoA staff in stratified soil sampling in villages, analysis of micronutrients, preparation of GIS-based soil maps. To guide DoA to establish high-quality Soil Analysis Laboratory in Bangalore. Training field staff of DoA for implementing the NRM technologies

To build the capacity of the stake holders (farmers and consortium partners) to implement practices in the sustainable management of natural resources and enhancing productivity in dryland areas

Farmers’ Centric Watershed as an Entry Point for Inclusive Market Oriented Development (IMOD)

for Improving Livelihoods

IGNRM, holistic livelihood approach

Science-based consortium approach

Sustainability, empowerment and KS

Social inclusion (equity & gender)

Bhoochetana: Consortium Approach

ICRISAT

UAS (B,D,R)

CBOs WDD

DOA

Strategy

Mission mode and adopt the principle of convergence to be implemented

Adopt IGNRM-holistic “Seed to Food” (plate) chain strategy

Consortium approach SAUs – Government line departments – NGOs – Farmers - ICRISAT

Identify one or two major rainfed crops in selected districts

Establish participatory action research cum demonstration trials

Ensure the availability of quality inputs in timely manner

Detailed planning and monitoring at different levels

Lead farmers as trainers and para-agricultural workers

Strategy (Contd..)

Assess soil health in all the districts

Identify high-yielding cultivars preferred by the farmers

Establish village seed and nutrient banks

Make available necessary machines where needed through custom hiring centers

Provide necessary and timely technical back-up

Share knowledge with farmers statewide through farmers days, videos, literature in local language and train farmers as master trainers (provide space and resource)

Ensure procurement by providing MSP

Interventions

• Innovative scaling-up model

• Science-led interventions

• Diagnostic science tools

• Systemic change by working with all actors

• New extension approach

• End to end solutions

• Enabling policies, institutions

• Input delivery systems

• Transparent monitoring and evaluation mechanisms

Empowered Farmers as Extension Agents

Farm Facilitators (FF) and Lead Farmers (LF)

Every 500 ha one FF and 2-3 LFs

Training and empowering FFs and LFs

To be certified and quality assurance

Training of Farm Facilitators

Master trainers to train FFs and LFs

Hands-on training with class rooms

Technician to be available for supporting FFs

and LFs

Regular training and availability of literature

Sharing Soil-test Results with Stakeholders

Soil Fertility Atlas Released

New Innovative Extension Systems

Knowledge Sharing: Field Days

Bhoochetana in the Limelight

Impacts

Outputs and Outcomes

Bhoochetana: Extent of Area Coverage

Component 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012 Kharif

Area (million ha) 0.2 1.2 2.85 3.73

No. of districts 06 16 30 30

No of Villages 1440 5030 14014 26293

No of farmers (millions)

0.2 0.8 2.2 4.39

No. of farmer facilitators for extension activities

517 2500 5688 9700

No. of lead farmers 1867 10500 45000

Crops Ragi, Maize, Groundnut &

Soybean

Ragi, Maize, Groundnnu,

Soyvbea, Cotton, Redgram, Bajra,

Blackgram, Jowar,

Greengram, Bengal Gram

Ragi, Groundnut, Tur, soybean, cowpea, Greengram, Maize, Bajra, Sunflower, Safflower, Jowar,

Avare, Cotton, Rainfed paddy

Increased Crop Yields by 23 to 66 per cent for Small Farmholders

Mean yields of ragi, maize and soybean from farmers’ fields in different districts of Karnataka during kharif season 2009

36

%

39

%

34

% 23

%

38

%

26

%

42

%

53

%

Increased oil seed crop yields with improved management practices under Bhoochetana over farmers’ practice in different districts, rainy

season 2011

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

2009 2010 2011 2012 Maize 4Years

2009 2010 2011 G.nut 3Years

Gra

in /

Pod

yie

ld (k

g ha

-1)

Farmers' practice

Improved practice

Haveri District Maize and Kolar District Groundnut crop yield data

31%

43%41%

33%

37%33%

33%

29%

44%

Haveri Maize Kolar Groundnut

Increased yields of maize in Haveri and groundnut in Kolar districts with improved management during 2009-2012

Increased Family Incomes and State’s Economic Growth

Crop

Production with FM

(Million t)

Production increase with IM

(Million t) Price

(Rs t-1)

Increase economic

value with IM (Rs in crores)

Total production (Million t)

Grand Total (Pulses)

0.22 0.02 33,000 73.34 0.24

Grand Total (Cereals)

4.05 0.48 9,700 463.56 4.53

Grand Total (Oilseeds)

0.35 0.05 23,967 109.81 0.40

Total 4.62 0.55 646.71 5.17

We have reached to 10 to 20% of recommended quantities of micro and secondary nutrients

Outcomes Increased adoption of improved cultivars, balanced nutrient

management, use of biological agents and machinery, enhanced economic profitability (B:C ratios 1.2 to 14.6:1)

Has become a flagship program of GoK and DoA is a motivated force and exampler not only for other line departments but for other states also

GoK-CGIAR initiative requested by the government

GoI has recommended Bhoochetana model to other states

ICAR has asked ICRISAT to help Government to demonstrate Bhoochetana in North India

ICAR has asked CG centres to develop a program for rainfed agriculture

Government of Andhra Pradesh has adopted Bhoochetana with ICRISAT’s technical backstopping

Government of Philippines has established PhiRARDEP and launching Bhochetana in three benchmark sites of 10,000 ha each

Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra are also discussing with ICRISAT for similar approach

Awards and Recognitions

Krishi Karman Award for the highest productivity of Coarse Cereals thru Bhoochetana. This award was instituted to recognize state’s contribution to increase the food production in the country.

Agriculture Leadership Award – 2011 as a best performing State by Agriculture Today

The Way Forward

Impacts of Climate Change: Increased Dryland Areas

Government of Karnataka-CGIAR Initiative

Need to Improve Meticulous Planning and Anticipatory Management

Strengthen and Build the Team to Help the Farmers and Ourselves

Together We Swim and Help the Farmers

Thank you!

ICRISAT is a member of the CGIAR Consortium