Adaptation of small scale farmers to climatic risks in India - Sustainet

wet season and less cracking afterwards. The soil is also able to retain the moisture longer during dry
spells, which I think is the reason for my good yields last year.”
Water management at individual level vs. collaboration in irrigation: To assure water supply in fields is
the responsibility of each individual farmer. Normally every farmer constructs his own bore well using
his own resources or through uptake of a loan. Many farmers cannot afford such a construction and
have to abstain from irrigating their crops. Some farmers however are collaborating with neighbors in
order to construct a well collectively. Such practices are not very common yet when encouraged could
provide relieve to many of the poorest members of the farming communities.
6.5 Recommendations
6.5.1 Financial support for the promotion of sustainable land use practices
Excessive use of fertilizer and pesticides and extensive mono-cropping is affecting the fertility of the
land in Wardha. Additionally, such practices are not made for small-scale farmers who cannot afford to
lose a production without falling into a vicious cycle of debt accumulation. Appropriate land
management techniques should be promoted to convince farmers of the benefits of more sustainable
agricultural practices. This could best be achieved through financial support to local NGO’s promoting
sustainable land use practices in the area.
6.5.2 Water management
In Wardha district, agriculture is for the major part dependent on rainfall. Strategies to increase
irrigation potential of the area are very much required. This should however be combined with
considerations about how to keep water utilization at a sustainable level. Given the wide spread poverty
of small-scale farmers in the area, large-scale investment in expensive facilities as drip and sprinkler
irrigation does not seem a viable option as farmers would not be able to make such investment even
with considerable financial support. Bore well and canal irrigation in combination with efficient water
management seem more appropriate for the region.
6.5.3 Improve access to marketing systems
Communities should get support in learning about market mechanisms and merchandising their
products. A possibility could be to support communities in forming large producer groups, able to
withhold parts of the production in order to wait for better prices. This would improve their bargaining
power vis-à-vis private traders, largely dictating market prices for agricultural products in the area.
6.5.4 Awareness and knowledge-sharing
Most of the communities are unaware of government schemes and programmes related to drought
mitigation, agriculture and rural development. Raising awareness is crucial in order to enable the
farming communities to take advantage from the various existing schemes. Such activities should first
target all key stakeholders from the different communities (e.g. village panchayats). These stakeholders
could later on disseminate the information and coordinate activities for their villages.
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