Non violent & Cooperation: Sustainable Small Holder Organic Initiatives in India Sabyasachi Roy Kolkata, India
Presentation is part of: IFOAM-OLC Development Plan & PhD Research, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, India
Number of States: 29 Union Territories: 7 Population: 1.25 Billion (Rural = 66%) Geographical area: 328.7 mio Ha Net sown area: 139.9 mio Ha Gross cropped area: 194.4 mio Ha Cropping intensity: 138.9% Net irrigated area: 66.1 mio Ha Livestock population: 512 mio Cattle 200 mio, 166 mio indigenous Buffalo 109 mio Poultry 729 mio People engaged in Agri & allied activities: 54.6% Share of Agri & Allied Sector in Gross Value Added: 17.4% India - Overview Source: Annual Report 2015-16, Dept of Agri, GoI; Livestock Census 2012, GoI & Human Census 2011
Number of holdings & Operated Area Farmer Size Groups No. of Holdings (Mio) Operated Area (Mio Ha) No. of Holdings (Mio) Operated Area (Mio Ha) Land classification 1970-71 2010-11 Marginal (Below 1 Ha) 36.2 (51%) 14.6 (9%) 92.8 (67%) 35.9 (22%) Small (1-2 Ha) 13.4 (19%) 19.3 (12%) 24.8 (18%) 35.2 (22%) Semi-Medium (2-4 Ha) 10.7 (15%) 30.0 (18%) 13.9 (10%) 37.7 (24%) Medium (4-10 Ha) 7.9 (11%) 48.2 (30%) 5.9 (4%) 33.8 (21%) Large (Above 10 Ha) 2.8 (4%) 50.1 (31%) 1.0 (1%) 16.9 (11%) All Sizes 71.0 (100%) 162.3 (100%) 138.3 (100%) 159.6 (100%) Source: Agriculture Census 2010-11, GoI
Small & Marginal Farmers not Sustainable: Study Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/why-it-doesnt-pay-to-be-a-small-farmer/articleshow/46893469.cms; based on National Sample Survey Organization 2013
Violence in Farming @Land of the Gandhi Soil in green revolution champion states are almost dead. Synthetic chemical intensive agriculture and Genetic engineering are threatening public health and leading to nutrition decline. Average monthly expenses (INR) for crop production per agricultural households (NSSO, GoI 2014): Seeds = USD 3.7 (11% of total expenses) Fertilizers /manures = USD 7.9 (24% of total expenses) Plant protection chemicals = USD 2.5 (8% of total expenses) Human labour = USD 6.9 (21% of total expenses) Costs of production, which includes hybrid and genetically engineered seeds, chemicals and irrigation etc., are increasing with every season pushing farmers into the debt trap and also to suicides. Between 1995 and 2014, more than 3,00,000 farmers, cultivators and agricultural labourers have committed suicide in India, which is equivalent to one farmer suicide every 30 minutes (EPW, May 2016).
Increase in Food-Grain Yield vis-à-vis Fertilizer Per Gross Cropped Area in India 7.0% 6.0% 5.0% 4.0% 3.0% 2.0% 1.0% 0.0% Increase in Food-Grain Yield vis-à-vis Fertilizer per Gross Cropped Area in India* 3.3% 1.8% 1.9% *Source: Government of India 2012 4.0% 3.9% 4.7% 1.5% 1.7% 1.8% 5.1% 5.3% 6.1% 2.1% 2.2% 1995-96 2000-01 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 6.4% 1.7% Increase in FPHGCA over 1989-90 Increase in Yield over 1989-90 Gap between Yield and Intensity of Fertilizer use is Widening!!! Central Government Subsidy on Fertilizers = USD 10.9 Billion (2015-16) How long can this be Sustained?
Non violence & Sustainable: Organic is Way Forward!!! International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development IAASTD, 2008: the way the world grows its food will have to change radically to better serve the poor and the hungry if the world is to cope with a growing population and climate change while avoiding social breakdown and environmental collapse. FAO Save and Grow, 2011: the present paradigm of intensive crop production cannot meet the challenges of the new millennium. United Nation Conference on Trade and Development UNCTAD, 2013: the world needs a paradigm shift in agricultural development: from a green revolution to an ecological intensification approach Indian National Commission on Farmers, 2006: organic farming as one of the potential options to help solve the agrarian crisis.
Organic Satyagraha @Way of the Mahatma Present days exploitative and harmful agriculture would probably had prompted Mahatma Gandhi to initiate an Organic Satyagraha Mahatma Gandhi believed (www.mkgandhi.org): the agriculture being practised should be organic. Effort should be made to return at least as much as being taken from the soil. The things being used in agriculture should be labour intensive, appropriate and environment friendly. Hazardous experiences of Green Revolution only reinforces the fact that there is no better approach than non violent organic farming The civil society, the common people are joining hands and playing a catalytic role in promoting organic farming. The Government too is becoming active in promoting organic farming.
Government Initiatives in India 2000: National Programme on Organic Production (NPOP): provides information on standards for organic production, systems criteria & procedures for accreditation of inspection & certification bodies 2002: India Organic Logo launched 2004: Central sector scheme National Project on Organic Farming 2004-05: established National Centre of Organic Farming, Ghaziabad & 6 Regional Centres to implement NPOF 2005: Central Government of India came up with OF Policy Agriculture is a State subject in India Nine States have its own OF Policy guidelines based on GoI policy Karnataka State Policy on Organic Farming adopted in 2004 Sikkim was the front runner and declared fully organic state in Jan 2016 Organic is growing and significantly
Organic Sector in India CB Certified Organic Land Area in India, including wild collection (Mio Ha) 6.00 5.00 4.00 3.00 2.00 1.00 0.00 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2015-16 Total area under organic certification increasing exponentially: From 0.04 mio Ha in 2003 04 to 5.71mio Ha in 2015 16 Certified organic land area: 1.49 mio Ha, i.e. 1.1% of net sown area Certified organic forest & wild area: 4.22 mio Ha Certified organic products produced: 1.35 mio MT (2015 16) Total volume of export: 263,687 MT (2015 16) Organic food export realization: USD 298 mio (2015 16) Expected Growth of Export market: 60 70% per annum (APEDA) Increase in Demand for Organic Food: 20 22% per annum (Yes Bank, 2013)
Regions & Major Organic States in India (2015-16) Rank Region Certified Organic Cultivated Area (in 000 Ha) 1 West India 753.9 2 North India 297.5 3 South India 257.0 4 East India 154.8 5 North East India 120.0 Rank States Certified Organic Cultivated Area (in 000 Ha) 1 Madhya Pradesh 461.8 2 Mahrashtra 198.4 3 Rajashthan 155.0 4 Telangana 103.6 5 Odisha 95.9 6 Karnataka 94.0 7 Gujarat 76.8 8 Sikkim 75.9 9 Uttar Pradesh 61.1 10 Uttarakhand 37.2
Certified Organic Production: 2015-16 India Produced 1350 million Kgs of Certified Organic Products Rank States Quantity Production (Mio Kgs) 1 Sugarcane 532 2 Oil seeds 252 3 Cereals & millets 205 4 Cotton 163 5 Pulses 39 6 Medicinal plants 37 7 Plantation crops 34 8 Tea & coffee 33 9 Fruits & vegetables 32 10 Spices & condiments 24
Learning from Sustainable Case Studies of Organic Initiatives cooperation by the masses examples from Karnataka in South India
Case-1 Shivaganaga Organic Vegetable Growers Society Producer Coop, registered on 19 October 2013 under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act. Located in Nelamangala, Bangalore Rural district very near to the Bangalore City in Karnataka (in Southern part of India). Society of 80 plus farmer members. Procures more than 50 types of vegetables & fruits Supplying to 50 stores in Bangalore, including mobile App based store
Case-1 Hanumantharaju: Inspired Organic Movement brought fellow farmers together 1994 Hanumantharaju TG, Secretary of Producer Coop, started farming organically. 1998 Organic farming group of 30 farmers was formed, facilitated by an NGO. Started supplying vegetables to 2 outlets in Bangalore. Transported in public busses. 2006 CB Certification of Group. A 3-wheeler auto hired for vegetable supply to outlets. 2010 First godown building constructed with funding from State Government. Another 60 farmers joined the group. Started vegetable supply to 6 new outlets. 2012 Seed bank was started. 2013 Registration of Producer Coop with facilitation from an NGO. 2015 PGS - India Certification; 52 members given PGS Green status. 2016 2 nd & bigger godown. Hanumantharaju took USD 27K personal loan from Bank.
Case-1 Shivaganaga Coop: Small & Marginal Farmers Creating Change Members: Either small & marginal farmers with less than 2 Ha land Procurement: More than 50 types of seasonal vegetables & fruits are procured four days a week, viz. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday. Payment: to members is made on every Thursday.
Case-1 Shivaganaga Coop: Small & Marginal Farmers Creating Change Sale: All produce are PGS-India certified. In July 2016, the Coop supplied to 50 organic stores weekly two time in each store: Thus, 25 stores during Tuesday & Friday, Another 25 stores during Wednesday & Saturday. Transportation: 5 hired vehicles supplying vegetables from the society collection centre in Neelamangala to the stores in Bangalore 4 days in a week.
Case-1 Shivaganaga Organic Vegetable Growers Society Strengths: Regular supply of quality and fresh organic vegetables Service provided to the farmer members Cooperative nature of the members Proper systems created, records keeping & transparency in dealing with members Challenges: Collection of money for the vegetables supplied from the market (stores) Financial constraints or funding support
Case-2 Sahaja Samrudha Organic Producers Company Ltd. Creating Market Access to Small & Marginal Farmers Producer Company, promoted by NGO Sahaja Samrudha in Feb 2010 Covering around 2000 farmers in 28 villages and 1000 Ha Procuring organic products from farmers and supplying to bulk buyers (B2B) and also started selling to consumers (B2C) recently Brand name Sahaja Organics
Case-2 farmers interests from sowing to selling 2001 Sahaja Samrudha, NGO formed as people's movement to preserve India's traditional farming practices & conserve biodiversity of indigenous crop varieties 2010 Sahaja Samrudha Organic Producer Company Ltd. was founded by Sahaja Samrudha, essentially as its marketing arm for improving livelihood of farmers through marketing of organic produce to urban consumers 2011 Present CEO joined. Borrowed USD 7576 working capital from Bank at 13% pa interest 2013 Deshi Seed Producers Company Ltd. started by Sahaja Samrudha for producing organically grown, traditional, open pollinated vegetables and cereal crops seeds. 2016 New Office cum warehouse of 7200 square feet
Case-2 Sahaja Organics Producer Company: Small & Marginal Farmers Creating Change Products: Rice varieties, Green gram, Black gram, Soya bean, Chick pea, Pea nuts, Millets (Pearl, Foxtail, Proso, Kodo), Jaggery, Sulphurless sugar, vegetables, fruits Procurement: Farmer groups: 20; Groups are formed, one in 1-3 villages comprising of 60-100 farmers each. Individual farmer members 55 farmers, Non-member suppliers 50 farmers. However, they are part of ICS. Payment: Payment is made on weekly basis to the farmers in the Bank Accounts. Premium of 15-25% from the market to members. Withheld Price given to the farmers at the end of the year.
Case-2 Sahaja Organics Producer Company: Small & Marginal Farmers Creating Change Sale: Supplying USD 15 thousand worth of products per month. Bulk supply: Sahaja Organics is the largest wholesaler of organic grains in the whole of Karnataka. Products supplied to food manufacturing units, health centers & organic outlets Retail centres: being opened through franchisee mode Home delivery service: provided to consumers in select areas of Bangalore city. Certification: All produce are CB certified. Producer Company pays for CB certification @USD 3000 per annum. Transportation: 2 hired vehicles on regular basis - one for bringing produce from collection centres and the other supply to retail centres. Additional vehicles are hired based on requirement.
Case-2 Sahaja Organics Producer Company Strengths: Good and dedicated farmer base & good advisory board Sahaja Organics paying for organic certification, thus no burden to farmers Capacity building of farmer members New Office cum Warehouse was constructed from profit earned Challenges: No direct customer linkage; now trying to build customer base. No branding of Sahaja Organics, now need to initiate brand building Some farmers not certified but are genuinely doing organic. How to include them? Financial constraints mainly arranging for working capital
GoI recognizing the need for Organic Farming Two recent schemes are significant Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY): the first extensive scheme which has been initiated in the form of Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Implementation by State Governments based on cluster for every 20 Ha land, Clusters farmers are granted financial assistance for maximum one Ha land, GoI has earmarked USD 746.27 for every Ha land for 3 year transition period, 10,000 clusters to be formed covering area of 2 lakh Ha land. Mission Organic Value Chain Development (MOVCD): for 8 North-Eastern states, Duration: 2015-16 to 2017-18 Scheme aims at to develop authentic organic products in value added mode so that the consumers might be linked with consumers and from input, seed certification to unification, processing, marketing as well as grant formation initiative. Another major agreement between respective Ministries to promote the organic farming along the banks of river Ganga. Organic farming system will be developed under 1657 clusters through PKVY with Namami Gange project in 1657 villages from Uttarakhand to West Bengal
Perceptions are Changing for Good
Thank You for your kind attention