Saline resilient diversified farming

Problems:

The consequent Cyclones since 2019 devastated lives and livelihoods of people in Sundarbans. Saline water inundated  in agriculture land by washout the river embankments and impacted farmers are not able to cultivate. 

Proposed Solutions:

• Land / Field bunding by excavation of small ponds as rain water harvesting in the proposed small lands (3.00 Acres) for incubation.
• Inputs support on Green manuring, Compost Manure and vermin compost.
• Seeds support for 02 to 03 salt tolerant indigenous paddy seeds for the cultivation of 70 acres of lands.
• Transplantation of paddy during rainy season.
• Inputs support on 4 type salt tolerant vegetables seeds on the bunds cultivation.
• Inputs support on fish fingerlings (IMC and Prawn) of Paddy cum Fish culture techniques
• Support and facilitate on development of marketing chains.
• Creation of community managed seeds banks for future farming.

It's enhance double income among farmers, increase biodiversity and save environment. 

Deulbari is an island village of Sundarban under Kultali Block of South 24 Parganas district. It is big village having 11 hamlets. The residents in Bangalipara, Naskarpara, Mondalpara and Chandpadapara hamlets are situated in nearer to river “Matla”. People are mainly belongs to marginal farmers and landless ultra-poor families. Apart from the seasonal cultivation, people are habituate to go inside the tiger reserve forest for catching crabs, collecting honey and woods.

 On 20th May, 2020 the super cyclone “Amphan” devastated the entire lives and livelihoods of the people. About 2,000 bigha (660 acres) of agriculture land have been saline water inundated by washout the river embankment of Matla and 900 farmers were not able to cultivate in this village.

 Again, on 26th May 2021 the same area has been inundated by another super cyclone named” YAAS” and area is full of saline water. 

 The affected farmers shared that is not possible to grow crops for next 4 to 5 years until integrated scientific management not to be taken care or climate resilient practices not been adopted. 

 In this situation, rampant distressed migration to cities including other states has been started among the effected people to search employment.

After collecting such information, authorities of DCBS along with few experts visited Deulbari village and recommended the following activities to be undertaken to revival of the land in productive purposes;

 Soil Samples testing to assess the salinity level

• Land / Field bunding by excavation of small ponds as rain water harvesting in the proposed small lands (3.00 Acres) for incubation.
• Inputs support on Green manuring with Dhanicha cultivation, Compost Manure and vermin compost.
• Seeds support for 02 to 03 salt tolerant indigenous paddy seeds for the cultivation of 70 acres of lands.
• Transplantation of paddy during rainy season.
• Inputs support on 4 type vegetables seeds (ladies finger, bitter gourd and tomato) on the bunds cultivation.
• Inputs support on fish fingerlings (IMC and Prawn) of Paddy cum Fish culture techniques
• Support and facilitate on development of marketing chains of produces.
• Creation of community managed seeds banks for future cultivation purposes.

100 numbers of marginalised farmers including women are the key persons in this solution. 

They all will be trained on climate resilient farming practices in the saline inundated areas including adaptation of diversified and integrated farming with salt tolerant crops cultivation, grow vegetables and paddy cum fish culture. 

By these all technologies, each farmers calculated to increase income more than doubles and lands are properly utilized. 

The farmers will be supported by the development of marketing chains to sell their produces in higher markets. They will also be trained on diversified cropping practices for eco-farming and self-sufficient on seeds by the establishment of community managed seeds banks and post harvest technologies. 

The identified 100 acres of saline water inundated agriculture lands are proposed to be treated by the cultivation of green manuring, application of organic manure like; vermin compost, FYM, other organic materials and natural way of washing in rainy seasons. 

After the preparation soil for agriculture, salt tolerant folk rice and vegetables are planned to cultivate and organize practical training to the farmers. 

A numbers of farm ponds are planned to excavated as rain water harvesting for irrigation and fish farming and putting field bunds by excavated soil to promote vegetables cultivation on the field bunds.

Deulbari is an island village of Sundarban under Kultali Block of South 24 Parganas district. It is big village having 11 hamlets. The residents in Bangalipara, Naskarpara, Mondalpara and Chandpadapara hamlets are situated in nearer to river “Matla”. People are mainly belongs to marginal farmers and landless ultra-poor families. Apart from the seasonal cultivation, people are habituate to go inside the tiger reserve forest for catching crabs, collecting honey and woods.

Initially, the pilot project is for 70 acres with 100 marginalized farmers and then, it will be scalling up in entire village and neighbouring areas within next three years.

The integrated and diversified saline resistant agriculture practices (paddy, vegetables and fish cultivation) will increase the productivity, income and food-security levels among marginalized farm families.

Initially, DCBS organized 100 farmers and will continue for the 1st year of intervention. Then, gradually the numbers of farmers will increase and it is planned to reach 1,800 plus farmers in next five years. 

i. Numbers of cyclone affected marginalized farmers enhanced income and livelihood by cultivation of climate resilient agri- practices.

ii. Area in acres of saline water inundated land brought under productive farming.

iii. All farmers have accessed marketing opportunities for selling agri- produces.

iv. Numbers of farmers enhanced doubling income from the solutions.

v. The community managed seeds banks operated for future cultivation

Project Manager - 01 Number- Full Time

Project Assistant - 02 Numbers -Full Time

Marketing Experts - 02 Numbers - Full Time

Agriculture Technologist & Fishery Expert - 02 Numbers - Part Time

Accounts Officer - 01 Number - Part Time

Documentation Expert-01 Number - Part Time

1. project Manager, MBA,  having more than 15 years of experience working in Sundarbans on DRR, Climate Smart Agriculture and Sustainable Livelihoods.

2. Both the Project Assistants are graduate based in Sundarbans and experiences in community mobilization, resource building and gender equality.

3. Both the Marketing Experts have completed MBA on marketing and having 03 years in experiences in social enterprises, e-marketing systems.

4. Agriculture Expert is a retired senior government employee and having vast experiences in promotion of climate resilient agri technologies.

5. Fishery Expert is a senior fellow who have vast experiences in fishery technologies both in sweet water and saline water fishes.

5. Accounts Officer -Master in Accounts and having more that 12 years of experience on maintaining accounts.  

The team consisting of Project Leaders, Community Mobilizers, Marketing Experts and Technologists on promotion of climate resilient farming practices and an accountant and documentation expert. The team is well diverse and  leverage the many differences of the program Solvers of DCBS in a larger communities.  

DCBS has designed many policies on HR, Gender Equality and Mainstreaming, Environmental Mainstreaming, Finance and Data Safety, etc. that helps to works on equality in strength.  

DCBS  believes and creates positive working environment both in all offices and fields including communities. As the organization is creation social entrepreneurs among rural women, youths and marginalized towards sustainable livelihoods by providing technologies and financial supports.  

As DHosa Chandaneswar Bratyajana Samity (DCBS) is a not-for-profit development organization, needed more grants to achieve the goals of the project. 

After searching the funding opportunities, we found that Solve- MIT-Solution- may help to raise funding for the development of Climate Change impacted vulnerable poorest people towards sustainable development. 

based on this expectation, we are applying for grant to Solve-MIT.

The following broad strategies to be adopted by DCBS;

 DCBS has already identified the salt tolerant varieties of paddy seeds for this project. The varieties are; Talmugur, Nona Bokra, Lunishree, Malabati.

• Field bunds to be build by the excavation of small pond for better integrated farming with paddy cum fish in land and vegetables on bunds.
• All the cultivation to be done organically.
• Seeds beds to be prepared in other areas where soils are better.
• The technologies will be implemented with close and continuous supervision, visits and training support by the technical experts.
• DCBS facilitate farmers on mobilization of resources from government departments & PRI on repairing and strengthening of river embankment and mangroves plantation.
• Another one relay crop (pulses) to be introduced after harvesting of paddy by residual soil moisture.
• Organize farmers training and exposures in the project area towards proper dissemination of information and adaptation of the practices by other neighboring affected farmers.
• Community managed seeds banks also be promoted towards revival of folk rice and salt tolerant rice seeds as climate resilient agriculture practices.
• DCBS already in the processes for the creation of marketing of such agri-products, the rice are good for making puffed rice and women folk can be engaged for alternative livelihood through rice processing ventures.  

i. Forest department of  Government 

ii. Government Agriculture department

iii. Government Fishery department

iv. Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI)as local self governance.

v. Existing social enterprises

vi. Exploring the existing marketing chains

Not Applicable - as this project is not for the refugee inclusion