Case Study Report on Promoting Coconut Based Agro ... - APFED

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canopy) but also in lower soil temperatures which may be important for better seedling survival, soil water relations and possibly rate of litter breakdown and nitrogen mineralization. Also, air relative humidity will be higher and soil water availability for intercrops will be maintained at a higher level than in the open because of less evaporation from the soil and lower crop transpiration rates (Wilson and Ludlow, 1991; Wilson and Wild, 1991). Individual household are very much concerned about soil and water resources. Fig 4 depicts that maximum (86%) household adapted Agronomic practices like mulching, intercrop and mixed crop etc. where has only 14% household were seen practicing of Engineering method like farm ponds and rainwater harvesting and mulching etc. the higher percentage agronomic practiced adapted by individual household may be due to plenty of plant biomass produce from integrated multi species crops. Efficient utilization of coconut waste biomass mainly depends on availability of resources, technology and market demand for the prepared product. Coconut husk is one of the important by- products of coconut tree and 60% households in this region dependent on coir spinning activity Through the introduction of improved coir spinning wheels in place of the traditional ones, women have benefited 50% higher income than what they were earning earlier (from US 1.0 to US $ 2.5). Apart from this every month, around 105 tones of coir pith is being converted to compost fertilizer. The average monthly production coir pith compost was 5.6 tones and profit shows about US $ 826. Similarly coconut wood and shell are effectively converting in to value added products, like furniture, kitchen utensils, handicrafts etc. This shows that people are highly dependent on the coconut based activity and effectively using coconut waste for augmenting household income and environment conservation. This may be due to plenty of resources availability in the area, introducing improved technology like motorized spinning units and their may be high market demand for the product. Table 4. Describes that individual households aware about waste can be converting to economic or energy sources. Among two composting people shown higher interest in vermin compost than the mushroom and the production compost is 0.018 tones and 0.015 tone/ month respectively and the income generated from each component was about US $ 4.5 and 2.5. Presence of bio-gas unit and 60 mt 3 methane gas productions per month not only full fill the household energy crises. It also indicates people got knowledge on how to convert farm waste and kitchen waste in to energy. This may be
due to sufficient plant biomass from multi species intercropping and animal waste from livestock maintenance that really acts has a raw material for vermin compost and biogas unit. Added to this, the use of diverse plants and animals broadens possible sources of income generation. The generation of wastes and by-products from these entities are transferred between enterprises, thereby reducing the need for external inputs such as feeds and crop nutrients (Cavas, 1992; Little and Edwards, 2003). Promoting self-help groups, farm clubs, charitable society and rural training centre agriculture created a plat form for project sustainability. Capacity building program on Agriculture production, Animal raring, Processing and marketing, Waste management, Articles and decorative (also see Annexure 3) improved their knowledge and household income. Providing technical trainings especially on spinning, catering and mushroom production, embroidery, tailoring helps in women empowerment and their daily income some examples are: Training on coir fiber spinning and coir pith benefited to 370 households and their daily income raised from US $ 1 to 2.5 UDS/day/ person. Through Mushroom cultivation few value added products are preparing and profit is about US $ 1500/ 45 days. One catering unit doing food supply and service business and the monthly profit was US $ 445. Farmer club called “Haritha Samrudhi” involved in production and capcity building on seedlings production, supply of quality seeds, organic vegetable cultivation, marketing and competition. The intervention increased the interest, knowledge and technical skills in production, processing, packaging, labeling and market promotion of products among various communities in Pattanakkad block. By building capacity and collective action, the intervention also increased the household income and employment. Linkages were established with both government agencies and private enterprises (more than 10 partners in this particular project) in the production and marketing of coconut-based products. Raw materials were better utilized and converted into more valuable products. The intervention also increased local and national awareness on the importance of coconut as a multi-purpose crop (the “tree of life”) among farmers, governments and private sector. This may be due to effective participation of local community, higher interest created by PIA formation of groups, clubs, training centers and charitable society and presence of higher literacy rate in the study block
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Page 3 and 4: empower women. The essential requir
Page 5 and 6: Pattanakkad block Fig 2. St
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Page 15: marketing and competition. The grou
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Page 21 and 22: S E R. 2007, Kerala http://www.kere
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Case Study Report on Promoting Coconut Based Agro ... - APFED

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