Doubling the Impact of Farmer Group Participation
The fact that Renuka and her husband both belong to farmer groups has doubled their ability to learn new techniques to diversify their farm, access loans from their farmer savings groups, and make a better living.
They’ve always been farmers, but prior to joining the farmer groups supported by local partner NEICORD, they followed traditional practices that were becoming less successful. Says Renuka, “We had limited knowledge of best practices.” Erosion, soil degradation, changes in climate, little access to inputs or money to pay for them meant they were seeing worse results despite working harder and harder.
“However,” she says, “the program has provided us with a range of valuable learning opportunities including livestock rearing, climate-conscious agriculture practices, vegetable gardening, and training on water, sanitation, hygiene and nutrition.”
For the first time, they started cultivating a diverse range of vegetables on their land. Using group loans, they invested in good quality seeds to grow eggplants, bottle gourds and pumpkins. They practiced mulching to retain moisture and control weeds, and began applying compost to enrich the soil and promote healthy plant growth. NEICORD staff regularly monitored their progress and helped them promptly address any signs of pests or diseases, ensuring a good harvest. And selling their excess produce increased their weekly income considerably.
After studying animal husbandry, including timely vaccinations, they invested in two piglets, raised them for six months, and sold them for three times their investment price. With the proceeds they bought more farm tools, and will buy more piglets for fattening and resale.
Renuka and her husband share their experiences and knowledge with their respective farmer group members, who return the favor by sharing what they’ve learned on their own farms. Renuka says, “With the experience we’ve gained by adopting these good practices, we can all orient other farmers in the community so they, too, can improve their agricultural productivity.”
India Dimoria Program
Led by World Renew and Local Partner North East India Committee on Relief and Development (NEICORD)