Swabhiman

NCT is associated with NABARD since 19 years. NCT has implemented a pilot programme known as Village Farm Development programme for NABARD in 5 villages of farmers’ distressed Wardha district from 2006-09. While implementing the project with the help of its Agriculture consultant, Shri. Sunil Konde, NCT has developed a low cost-high yield package of practice for lead crops such as Cotton, Soyabean, Wheat, Gram etc. First NCT has developed model plots in all project villages and demonstrated to the farmers its effect. The yield obtained in model plots was almost double and the cost remained the same or less than the normal one. This method was disseminated to other farmers in coming years and the method was accepted by the project village farmers.

NCT tried this technique in the Tribal development project at Tamia in Chhindwara district corn cultivation. Corn is the major crop in Tamia. The normal yield was between 1-2 quintals per acre. The normal rainfall in this area is about 1800 mm. But because the farmers were not adopting the correct techniques of cultivation the yield was abysmally low. NCT had established model plots of corn and proved that tribals can produce up to 18 quintals on the same land by just changing farming methods and by use of improved agriculture implements. During the next kharif season in 2010 over 600 farmers came forward to adopt this method. NCT arranged KCCs for all farmers from local bankers BOM. The average yield now being obtained by the farmers is 15 quintals per acre. This has helped NCT-NABARD to arrest the migration of tribal farmers.

NCT wanted to disseminate this method to more and more farmers, along with building a farmers’ association or a producer company to manage input purchase and marketing of their farm produces. NABARD has sanctioned a project named “Swabhiman” under its Farmers Technology Transfer Fund. This project envisages to promote Farmers’ Clubs in 26 villages of Ashti Tehsil of Wardha district, promote the federation of farmers’ Clubs, develop model plots for low cost-high yield technology / method, inculcate habits of collective purchase and sale, introduce vegetable cultivation, support additional income activities such as dairy, vegetable cultivation etc and promote farmers’ Producer company over a period of 3 years.

During the project period, NCT had supported over 400 farmers for developing demonstrative plots for Cotton, Soya, wheat, Channa, vegetable and floriculture etc. Yield of all crops were up between 50 to 100%. The main objective of this demonstration was to show the farmers that with the same resources, they can achieve better yield. Farmers were convinced about the package of practice demonstrated and were come forward to adopt the same, on their own.
In all, this project has started showing the results. A cluster level committee has been promoted for overall implementation and monitoring of the project. A full fledged office cum technology transfer centre was established at Ashti for successful implementation of the project.