Project Detail

Up scaling Promotion and conservation of native species of paddy through sustainable agriculture practices

The objective of the project is to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Producer Co-operative Society for undertaking a robust business plan.
- Impart knowledge and skill to the producer members for yielding quality products.
- Study the uniqueness of the Boka Chaul with appropriate scientific backup.
- Create need based infrastructure to be used by producer members for better productivity.
- Undertake specific activity for replication of project in potential areas.

Through the project, a model seed plot is developed in one hectare of land and hence the farmers are l able to produce 3000 Kg of quality native seed organically in duration of five months by covering cover 600 farmers . A low cost paddy threshing floor of 1500 Sq ft area with a thresher is set-up for 300 farmers. Through this grant, LOTUS set-up seed banks with new rice varieties. Also Farmers Cooperative Society is strengthened through capacity building training. LOTUS has developed a scientific back up for submission of relevant information to the GI Authority in order to get GI Tag of BokaChaul( a traditional rice variety) .

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Lotus Progressive Centre

Country:

India

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

OP5 (Extended Period)

Grant Amount:

US$ 12,274.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 78.03

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 2,639.75

Project Number:

IND/SGP/OP5/Y5/FSP/STAR/BD/2017/109/ASM02

Start Date:

12/2017

End Date:

1/2018

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

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Project Characteristics and Results

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

Fifteen varieties documented on cultivating practices and phenotypic Characteristics. LOTUS developed toolkit on System of Rice Intensification(SR) and also printed brochure and leaflets on organic farming, and native varieties of rices.

Gender Focus

LOTUS promoted and strengthened Women Self Help Groups. 100 women Self Help Groups (SHGs) strengthened and they are leading the lead marketing initiatives.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Monthly meeting are organized for the Farmers Producer Cooperative Society.LOTUS developed toolkit on System of Rice Intensification(SR) and also printed brochure and leaflets on organic farming, and native varieties of rices.

Linkages gef projects

Planning gef grant

Policy Impact

The NGO linked to NABARD, Assam Agriculture University, ICAR, Gram Panchayat, NRLM etc. Boka Chaul" was shortlisted for India Biodiversity Award 2016 and juries visited project site for field verification and appreciated the works done by the implementing agency. Moreover Star of the Month Award has been given to the Project In charge from Earth Day Network, India. The project has been able to influence the Agriculture department to promote project activities .Sometimes Agriculture Department advertised about the importance of native paddy and traditional pest control system in newspaper and other media. Agriculture department is now advocating farmers to cultivate native paddy at least 25% of the cultivable land.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

The beneficiaries are not indigenous community. However the project covered rural farmers and developed educational materials i local Assamese language.

Planning non gef grant

The efforts are being coordinated by LOTUS.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

The main aim of the project is strengthening the institutional capacity of the Farmers Producer Co-operative Society for better production and marketing and promote BokaChaul( local rice variety) with appropriate scientific back up. A tempo van with the capacity to carry 500 Kg of agricultural produce like paddy seed, milled rice, packaged rice and other commodities will be purchased for the Producer Co-operative Society. This vehicle will also be used by producer members to carry their agricultural products for collection, storage, processing and marketing. A model seed producing plot in one hectare of land. This will able to produce 3000 Kg of quality native seed organically in duration of five months and will able to cover 600 farmers (considering 5 Kg native paddy seed for one farmer) in 80 hectare of land. A low cost paddy threshing floor of 1500 Sq ft area with a thresher that will help about 300 farmers.

Capacity - Building Component

The participating community is covered under intensive awareness program about the need of conservation of native paddy. The farmers are given training (both institutional and field training) on improved package of practices for paddy cultivation.

Project sustainability

The project has already developed a sustainability plan. Farmers started keeping native paddy seed on their own. Community seed exchange programme already started .A low cost seed bank developed by project implementing agency has got tremendous response from farmers .A farmers producer organization formed and registered under cop-operative act and started business. Infrastructure created under project like marketing shed, packaging machine, seed bank, paddy thresher, paddy threshing floor, water pumps already handed over to the producer groups.

Policy Influence

The project has been able to influence the Agriculture department to promote project activities .Sometimes Agriculture Department advertised about the importance of native paddy and traditional pest control system in newspaper and other media. Agriculture department is now advocating farmers to cultivate native paddy at least 25% of the cultivable land.

Replication of project activities

The project is very much suitable for replication in other communities. Since paddy is the prime agriculture in India, it would be not difficult to replicate the project in other areas of the country. In Assam also rice biodiversity varies from one agriculture zone to another agriculture zone. However the strategy and model developed by project implementing agency is replicable in all the agro climatic conditions.

Notable Community Participation

Young farmers and women SHG members are engaged in the overall implementation of the project.

Project Results

1.5 Hectare of land developed for production of seed of native as well as High Yield Variety(HYV). The seed plot has the capacity to produce 3000 Kg of native seed and 8000 Kg of HYV. It covers 500 -700 numbers of farmers.
One hectare of land has been kept ready for cultivation of HYV seed with SRI method.
The paddy thresher procured from project support benefited more than 400 farmers. Each farmer save valuable time and reduced their drudgery in conventional paddy threshing system using Bullock.
The paddy threshing floor benefited 200 farmers. This will help farmers to carry out their threshing activities in adverse climatic condition. Moreover it will help in getting quality grain without much mixing.

Packaging materials of five native varieties developed and printed.

The result of water absorption capacity, fiber content and moisture contents of 10 parboiled rice including ?Boka Chaul? obtained from Biotechnology Department, Guwahati University.

The project increased the demand of important native rice. For example 4 years ago, the price of ?Boka Dhaan? was Rs 500 -600 per Mound (40 Kg). Now at present farmers have been able to sell at Rs 900-1100 per mound (40 Kg) and their gross earnings increased by 80-85% from such demand driven native rice.

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Indicators

Biophysical

Hectares of globally significant biodiversity area protected or sustainably managed by project 400

Empowerment

Number of CBOs / NGOs participated / involved in SGP project 15

Livehood

Number of households who have benefited* from SGP project 600

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