An evolving model of increasing food production in Rajasthan’s Karauli District

Voluntary organisation SRIJAN working in Rajasthan’s Karauli District has evolved a model that can be called the SRIJAN-Karauli model, for cultivation of abandoned or neglected land. It shows the way for cost-effective intervention with multi-pronged benefits. Bharat Dogra explains some features of the model, which he says has multifaceted benefits, while remaining cost-effective

Efforts to increase food production generally focus on already developed areas, while many areas with lower levels of food production are neglected as having low potential. However, some of these areas could contribute to increasing food production in the future. One reason is that several such areas have abandoned land which can be brought under cultivation with relatively lower-cost interventions.

The biggest reason for non-cultivation is likely to be the non-availability of water. If this problem is addressed, it would prove most beneficial to small farmers, including Dalits and Adivasis (tribal groups) who were given land pattas (legal document proving ownership of a house) in remote and outlying areas lacking irrigation facilities. This would be an important contribution to reducing poverty and hunger.

On another front, it would be much easier to convince these farmers to practise natural farming, as they are making a new beginning as cultivators, and it has the added advantage of helping them to keep down costs. Recently, voluntary organisation SRIJAN working in Rajasthan’s Karauli District, evolved a model which can be called the SRIJAN-Karauli model, for cultivation of abandoned or neglected land.

While travelling through the district accompanied by SRIJAN members, I saw vast stretches of uncultivable land which can be made cultivable. I also saw how, thanks to SRIJAN’s efforts over the past five years, a lot of previously uncultivated land is now under food crops. SRIJAN team leader Bahvani Singh says working in 34 panchayats, the organisation has been able to bring nearly 1250 acres of neglected or abandoned land under cultivation with help from community members and farmers. Here are some salient features of this evolving model:

• The most important intervention has been the creation of new water ponds or pokhars, and repairing and restoring existing ones. While SRIJAN created 96 new ponds during the past five years, 266 existing ones were repaired, improved or deepened.

• SRIJAN has contributed resources as well as technical expertise for creating bunds and for land levelling.
• Removal of accumulated fertile silt from ponds, thereby increasing their capacity to retain more water, and depositing it on farmland was a third contribution.
• Farmers mobilise a part of the costs while SRIJAN contributes a bigger share. In the case of silt removal, for example, SRIJAN generally pays for the actual removal while farmers arrange for carrying it to their lands. Problems arise when some farmers are too poor to pay, and in such cases, attempts are made at the community level to find solutions.

The whole project is an inclusive effort, providing adequate opportunities for farmers from weaker sections. Women have been accorded importance, too. A lot of attention is paid to the mobilisation of communities, as it is realised that such efforts can move forward only with the enthusiastic and trust-based participation of people. Efforts are also made to maintain close relationships with various concerned government departments, taking their help and in turn helping them to better implement their schemes (for example, aiding them in finding more suitable beneficiaries).

Last but not the least, in terms of overall impact, this work is in line with efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt to the process. The proposal to focus on planting and nurturing indigenous species of trees will further this end. SRIJAN’s work in Karauli, especially the creation of new ponds, is also proving beneficial for farm as well as wild animals and birds, including migrating birds. Thus, the evolving model in Karauli has multifaceted benefits, while remaining cost-effective.

(The writer is a senior freelance journalist and author who has been associated with several social movements and initiatives. He lives in New Delhi.)