UN Division for Sustainable Development

Case Study Detail Record

Organization type:	Major Groups

Submitting organization:

Affiliation:	- Women - Non-governmental organization

Name of Focal Point:	Sofia Widforss

Initiative Title:	Agri-Business by poor women integrating livestock-crop systems and Vermi-composting for sustainable agriculture and empowerment

Internet links:	http://indiagovernance.gov.in/GKC/GKC_WebUI/Portal/TaxonomyShowcase/Download.aspx?trid=98&sort=0&tid=30. http://www.um.dk/Publikationer/Danida/English/Evaluations/FarmWomenInDevelopment/annex7.asp

Scope:	National: - India

Status:	Ongoing

Timeframe:	Start: Pre 1997 End:

Lead Institution:	Government of Gujarat, India and AgaKhan Rural Support Programme (India),

Stakeholders/Partners:	Women farmers from across State and Jambur women group, Farmers’ Training Centres (FTCs)

Relevent issues:	- Food security and sustainable agriculture - Enhancing agricultural productivity through adequate and sustainable inputs - Diversifying agricultural production systems - Gender equality

Objectives/Challenges:

To help improve livelihoods of women farmers
To promote organic farming
To wipe out myths that women cannot undertake any agri-business
Agakhan Rural Support programme (India) provided technical and financial support to women farmers to produce organic manure by integrating livestock and crop systems. This was undertaken in view of continuous marketing of low quality fertilizers by outside agencies, use of over doses of fertilizers, growing of water and fertilizer intensive crops resulting in degradation of soil, availability of raw materials, willingness of women to undertake composting as an entrepreneurial activity.
Capacity building including trainings, exposures, fairs, demonstrations of women farmers across Gujarat under TWA resulted in knowledge sharing by these women in and around villages. Many farmers thereof experimented with growing crops using compost produced by women groups, vegetables and flower wastes, vermi-compost, vermi wash, pesticides made from neem, ipomoea, butter milk and cow’s urine, green manure, use of herbs (Havana) for purifying the air around crops, slurry from biogas etc. and are gradually shifting to organic farming.

Lessons Learned:

1.The women learnt to earn income through composting and ways of handling business
2. The women learnt ways of diverting to other ventures for sustenance of livelihoods
3. The women are ‘change agents’ for promoting organic farming
4. The women are as capable as men are in business management
Amongst the impact in AKRSP (I) project areas, some women groups have generated profits. Starting modestly in 1999 with the production of 200 bags and a buy back guarantee from Hirbaiben, the leader of the women group at Jambur, production had reached nearly 750 tonnes by July, 2006 making a clean profit of US$ 42,501 or US$ 696 per member.
SWOT analysis shows that composting has strengths because of rising awareness of its benefits on soil fertility and in reducing pests attacks. Over the years, the women have learnt to provide options to the market in view of competition. They supply the compost as dry powder to get rid of the bad odor. The other new product is the addition of neem cake to a mix of dung and vermin-compost. Dry compost that requires no composting time has also been developed. They have diversified into marketing of Neem Oil as pesticide, of fishes, renting out hand carts for purchase and marketing of products etc. Diversification allows more employment opportunities as the production of organic compost run on an annual cycle lasting four months providing 60-70 working days to each member. Apart from this, the women are developing better and newer skills and enhanced decision-making capabilities
The women learnt and experimented with vermi composting, compost from vegetables and flower wastes, butter milk and cow’s urine, green manure, herbs for purifying air around crops and biogas slurry etc. This impacted on livelihood and confidence, soil fertility and productivity, wide spread acceptance of the techniques, increased understanding among farming community to weigh pros and cons of one method over the other, bottlenecks and potential in promoting organic farming.

Policy Options:

Efforts are being carried out by Government, NGOs and corporate sector to increased promotion of organic fertilizers.

Summary:

The bilateral project “Training of Women in Agriculture“ (TWA), funded by Dutch to Government of Gujarat, India focus on roles of women in agriculture and their increased access and control over improved agricultural knowledge and skills. And by doing so, promoting organic farming.