Community farming proves boon for tribal women

--Makes them self-reliant, checks distress migration

BHUBANESWAR: Community farming has shown a way of livelihood for women in the State in general and tribal districts in particular. The model in agriculture sector has made the women folk more confident and self-reliant than ever before.

Community farming is also called as group farming where farmers cultivate crops in groups. In this form of farming, a group of people gives a share for the expenditure and works unitedly. When the crops are ready, it is sold in markets and the money is distributed among each member. The model of agriculture has been experimented successfully and subsequently implemented in the tribal areas of the State which yielded a good result.

With a small land holding in hilly areas, women didn’t want to do farming by spending money and labour. When the Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD), an NGO, persuaded the women to do community farming in a group combining their small land holdings and workforce, the women folk took an initiative and succeeded in the field.

The organisation chose women for implementation of the model because women, according to the 2011 Census, constitute a major proportion of agricultural workforce in Odisha (37 per cent) out of total 62 per cent of State’s population is active in agriculture sector. As per the figures mentioned in the Agriculture Census of India, out of the total female agricultural workforce in the State, 74.7 per cent belong to the marginal category with a total of 41.2 per cent of land holdings.

Several women group from the tribal dominated districts got benefit from the farming. The living standard has gone up following the economic condition of the women enhanced after selling agricultural produce in the market.

The Pioneer team came across a few successful women farmers of different tribal dominated districts to know about their views on community farming. We met Laxmi Khila of Dadhipadar under Boipariguda block in Koraput district and asked her about her experience in the field. Khila said she along with a group of 15 women had started community farming in three acres of land of her village in 2002.

Before the farming, they were migrating from other States in search of work and some of them working as agricultural labourers, but now the group (Maa Tarini Self Help Group) is capable enough to generate income of around Rs 2 lakh per annum after meeting their family needs.

Now most of the women have started participating in several meetings, farmer workshops in and outside their district to learn new things about farming to increase their living standards. “The land, which was lying uncared for, has become our income source now and I thank my core group which undertook community farming in last 12 years, showed it to other women how rewarding it could be,” said enthusiastic Khila who was awarded with ‘Siddhasuddha’ award for her excellent contribution to women empowerment through agriculture. She said women of other villages have taken special interest to do something in their own after knowing about her group farming. From raising crop to selling the produce in the local market, the women show an extraordinary courage to face all odds, she informed.

As many as 42 groups in the blocks of Boipariguda, Kundura, Laxmipur and Dasamantapur in Koraput districts have started farming in group after converting low-lying land (patita) and other community lands to farming land with the help of the local administration. The womenfolk, who feared to come outside their village, now have bargaining power and competitiveness in the market. They have knowledge to use organic manure to protect the health of soil and environment from chemical fertilizers.

The womenfolk not only focus on farming, but also do some social service like advocacy for safe drinking water, good education for their village children and women empowerment programmes.

Similarly, women farmers of Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Kandhamal have continued their group farming to get good earning.

We also met Sabitri Bhue of Dhanras village and Lalita Bhue of Surulata village both belonging to Hemgiri block in Sundargarh district. Lalita, who was suffering from acute poverty, is a strong woman now with new hopes after getting benefit from group farming. After meeting treatment expenditure of her husband and funding higher education of her two children, she has built a new house. She is the sole bread earner of her family now. It became possible due to the farming. Lalita and her group have started group farming since 1996.

They especially raise mix crops to get more benefits. Another farmer Sabitri Bhue is not an exception. There are five groups in her village doing farming in two groups (total 30 persons). They raise crops like ginger, potato, onion and other vegetables which have demand in market. “Now we are saving more than Rs 10,000 per annum after meeting all expenses of our family,” said Bhue.

Similarly, Chanchala Majhi of Pujariput village under Kundura block in Koraput district, Manmodi Gadba of Dasmantpur block in Koraput district and Golapi Kanhar of Chakapada area of Kandhamal district have their own tale to tell about the success story of their empowerment through community farming.

According to the Economic Survey Report-2013, the State has 14, 92,000 acres of low-lying land. If the State Government gives the land to women for community farming, thousands of women farmers will be benefited. The State can promote and inspire community farming in the forest land as well.

The story will be published in The Pioneer English daily on July 14, 2014