AGRICULTURE

Agriculture was given top priority in this agriculture-based economy as conclusively indicated in every on-going surveys.

The mainstay of the target group is agriculture as nutrition depends on availablility of adequate food grains even though this area has a high risk food insecurity (Swaminathan and WFF).

• NIRPHAD's efforts include technological innovations for soil testing & improvement.
• The other activities of NIRPHAD include assured irrigation through surface water (ponds and tanks). 
• Study of unmet needs produced results (through innovative solutions) which showed the output for even the smallest farmer was increased by three fold by organizing farmer’s groups and providing training in improved agriculture best practices.
• Through the Pant Nagar Agriculture University, which collaborates with University of Illinois and many other foreign Universities Lab to Land to schemes, provided foundation seeds (there is still a debate for the use of genetic seeds as it is feared that the original seed will disappear and will never be recovered). With assured irrigation (water harvesting schemes) the crop output has accrued a profit (per capita income) of 320% (minimum) to 900% from three crops per year.and the landless labourer had work for nine months instead of three.

Other activities were land leveling, bunding, building check dams, construction of tube wells and developing Pani Panchayat (water committees) committees.

Crop rotation and multiple/inter cropping and Capacity Building & organization of the target groups was categorized into farmers (male heads of families), their spouses, adolescents, youth and children for developing interventions to increase profits. 

Cooperation of the target group/community not only prioritized the felt needs but also identified resources.

Exposure visits:

• Khadi Village Kendra (KVK) Demonstration
• NADEP (Narayan Datt Pandey) method: for preparation of organic manure.
• Addition of the new fungus mixture (by Agriculture University Pant Nagar) for restoring nutrition level of soil
• Other interventions were - 112 tube wells and 408 pump sets/ borings were constructed for very small farmers. 22 treadle pump sets were installed on an experimental basis for irrigation of one acre (for growing vegetables and fodder) plots.

• Soil Testing
  • 34 samples were taken from 5 villages
  • NIRPHAD has conducted more than 205 soil tests using sophisticated portable equipment. While 4876 kilograms of fertilizer was used in previous years, now the thrust is on organic fertilizers (vermi-compost and NADEP). Farmers are encouraged to use the Govt. Soil Testing Lab at Raya - and the charges are Rs.1 per test.
  • Overnight cattle grazing by Rajasthan herdsman provided natural fertilizer and the land owner paid Rs. 400/night to the herdsman.
  • Normally the farmers have a mind-set that Government loans need not be repaid. The community was motivated to understand that wealth and security of funds in a democracy are through the banking system and repaying loans is an essential part of character building and development. When loans are repaid the Banks can loan subsequently to other farmers, thus a domino effect which enables Banks to develop and enlarge a viable mechanism of loans.
  • Vegetable Plantation - As of date 780 Kilograms of vegetable seeds have already been sown. Commercial vegetable and indigent fruit farming is gaining ground, especially near irrigation canals which have bunds and and extra land in and around sugar cane fields. 
  • The community indicated that there were no efforts to grow vegetables in kitchen gardens or on a commercial basis. To change this attitude was a Herculean task but gradually many families used their backyards to grow vegetables. By 2010 many farmers have commercialized vegetable farming with good profits.
  • From the inception, the farmers have been trained, motivated and encouraged to approach designated banks for loans and NIRPHAD only acted as a catalyst.
    
    
• Fodder Development
  Introduction of Elephant Grass, from Pant Nagar Agriculture University.

• Introduction and experiment with 'urea-molasses cocktail' as a partial substitute for normal fodder in dry months.
  
  
• Wasteland Development
  NIRPHAD has already been able to reclaim (as a demo) 50 acres of land under wasteland development.
  
  
• Introduction of High Yield variety of seeds (wheat & mustard). NIRPHAD Project area is today the second largest mustard-growing region (Haryana being the first). Between 1999 and 2005, NIRPHAD had introduced 30249 kgs of all types of high yielding seeds in addition to 46632 kgs. of wheat through 580 demonstrations. More than 2253 awareness sessions have also been held. 2002-2008 - (Unit I and Unit II) - Kisan Mela- 11; Awarness Camp= 50; Exposure visits = 20
  
  
• Social Forestry Program
  
  81,350 seedlings have been planted under this scheme and nursery seedlings were distributed to the farmers at cost price; (2002-2008: 5000 plants were distributed)
  
  
• Drinking Water
  
  NIRPHAD has given practical demonstration and installation of 14 hand pumps in the area.

Modern Agricultural Best Practices

NIRPHAD has demonstrated the use of thresher for 52 families and tractor-leveler for 15 families. The main emphasis is on sustainable agriculture.

The major innovation in irrigation will be to use solar panels which are being implemented with “Solar without Borders” a Belgium based NGO. When this scheme is implemented it will be the first of its kind in Uttar Pradesh, India. A feasibilty study compeleted.

Conclusion: Considerable improvement was evident with modern best practices in agriculture,; greater efforts are urgently required to develop sustainable agriculture & decrease in backwardness which is a slow process.