Efforts to increase food production generally emphasize intensively developed areas which already have high levels of production. On the one hand many areas recording much lower levels of food production are neglected as areas of low potential.
However it is in some of the areas of present day low production that there may be more future potential of increasing food production. One reason of this is that in several such areas there is a lot of abandoned and neglected land which at present is not under cultivation but can be brought under cultivation with relatively lower-cost interventions. Some of this may be rocky land and land discarded after harm caused by mining work or in other ways. However the biggest reason for non-cultivation so far is likely to be the non-availability of water in relatively more remote locations.
If somehow such constraints can be removed to make this land cultivable, then the beneficiaries are most likely to be small farmers. Several of them may be dalits and adivasis who were given land pattas in remote and outer parts of the villages lacking irrigation and as they do not have the capacity to cultivate such land, they more or less let this remain uncultivated.
Hence if this land can be made cultivable, then the beneficiaries will mainly be the poorer and small and marginal farmers and hence this cultivation will make an important contribution to reducing poverty and hunger.
Secondly, it is much easier to convince these farmers to practice natural farming as they are making a new beginning on this land. Also being poorer they will like to keep down their costs by choosing in favor of natural farming.
Recently the work of a leading voluntary organization SRIJAN in Karauli district (Rajasthan) has helped in evolving a model, which can be called SRIJAN-Karauli model, for cultivation of abandoned or neglected land.
While travelling in this district, I could see vast stretches of uncultivable land which can be made cultivable. At the same time SRIJAN members accompanied me to villages where thanks to their efforts over the last five years a lot of uncultivated land is now giving good food production to farmers.
As SRIJAN team leader Bahvani Singh says, over the last 5 years while working in 34 panchayats (village-clusters) this organization with help from community members and farmers has been able to bring under cultivation nearly 1250 acres of neglected or abandoned land.
Let us examine some important features of this evolving model.
The most important means used for achieving this has been in the form of creating new water ponds or pokhars, or repairing and restoring already existing ones. While about 96 new ponds have been created by SRIJAN during the last 5 years, at the same time nearly 266 existing ponds have been repaired, improved or deepened.
Secondly, SRIJAN has contributed resources as well as technical expertise for creating bunds and for land levelling.
Thirdly, an important contribution has been made by the removal of accumulated fertile silt from ponds, thereby increasing their capacity to retain more water, and depositing it on farmland.
Fourthly, farmers mobilize a part of the economic expenses while SRIJAN contributes a bigger share. In the case of silt removal, for example, SRIJAN pays generally for the actual removal while farmers arrange for carrying it to their farmland. Problems arise when some farmers are too poor to pay, and in such cases attempts are made at community level to find workable solutions.
Women have been accorded an important role in the entire effort.
This is taken forward as an inclusive effort providing adequate opportunities for farmers from weaker sections.
Seventh, a lot of attention is given to the mobilization of communities as it is realized that such an effort can move forward only with the enthusiastic and trust-based participation of people.
Efforts are made to have close relationships with various concerned government departments, taking their help but also providing help in better implementation of their schemes ( for example in finding more suitable beneficiaries).
Natural farming practices are actively promoted when cultivation on this land is taken up.
Last but not the least, in terms of their overall impact this work is in the direction of being supportive towards climate change mitigation as well as adaptation. This will be increasing further with the planned increasing emphasis on planting and nurturing indigenous species of trees.
Hence what has emerged in Karauli in a relatively short period is a still evolving model of bringing under cultivation neglected and abandoned land in eco-friendly ways. This work including particularly the creation of new ponds is proving increasingly to be very useful additionally as shelters for farm as well as wild animals and birds, including migrating birds. With all its benefits, this work has also remained a cost-effective effort, achieving a lot with a relatively smaller budget.
Bharat Dogra is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Man over Machine, Navjeevan and India’s Quest for Sustainable Farming and Healthy Food.
