GTZ Project Document No. 51 Report on Nahi Baseline Survey

Nahi Baseline Survey April- May 2001from their own farm, market, neighbours and other sources like RNR Extension centreand Commission Agent especially for some farm inputs.The household requirements like food items, draft animals, clothes, farm tools, seeds etc.are met from different sources (Figure 2.3) like own farm source, neighbours, villagelenders, markets and others.Figure 2.3 The Supply of food and other essential items for the farm householdNumber of farmers1009080706050403020100Own farm From neighbours Village lenders Markets OthersFoodgrainsCookingoilDraftanimalsSeeds Clothes FarmToolsSourcesAnimalFeedThe farm among many sources is the major supplier of all food crops for consumptionand most inputs required for production purposes, for example inputs like draft animals,seeds, animal feed, etc. The neighbours and relatives are also an important sourceespecially for labour but market provides most of the cooking oil, clothes and the farmingtools to the households while for some the Commission Agents, Extension Agent, AMCand R.N.R Research Centre at Bajo are also an important source for some households.The RNR-RC Bajo may have been reflected as a source of input especially by thosefarmers who have received some inputs (like seeds, fertilizer, etc.) for conducting someon farm trials or research activities by the Research center.2.3 The FarmThe farms in Nahi are characterized by being subsistence in nature, mostly producingcrops and raising livestock for the household purpose. The household, crops, livestockand forest activities are so well integrated that absence of one is likely to hinder thesuccess of the others. The farm is the main source of food and employment for thehousehold members. The crops are grown in the irrigated wetland, dry land and in thekitchen garden. The livestock, especially cattle are grazed in the forest and on cropresidues and other available fodder in the agricultural fields.13