A community initiative of tribal farmers in three districts of southern Rajasthan to revitalise soil health and restore its biodiversity has received recognition from an unexpected quarter. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has praised nutrition-sensitive farming system adopted in the region for its impact on soil health, agricultural output and environment protection.
The initiative launched in the tribal-dominated Pratapgarh, Dungarpur and Banswara districts has led to the revival of a large number of traditional farming practices. The sustainable approach adopted with a participatory learning action has improved the quality of farm produce and broadened the tribal community’s vision for indigenous food and agricultural management.
The FAO has appreciated the initiative and included it in one of its recent publications under the theme, “Soil biodiversity in action”. While the tribal farmers are upbeat about the outcome of their enterprise, a voluntary group from Banswara district participated virtually in a global symposium on soil biodiversity, organised by the FAO’s Global Soil Partnership and the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity, to showcase the initiative’s results.
The nutrition-sensitive farming involves mixed cropping with legumes as natural fertilisers, crop rotation, agro-forestery, mulching, plantation in homestead and growing hedgerows and grassy strips around agricultural fields. The cultivators in the region have found these practices useful in their farmland, most of which is rough, uneven and sloping on the foothills.
Man Singh Ninama, a farmer in Anandpuri block’s Sundrao village, told The Hindu that the mixed cropping adopted in his 12-bigha land had increased the production and rendered a better quality of crops. “After the harvesting of maize, sesame and pulses, I have sown grams and peas with the main crop of wheat in this rabi season. The density of crops with the rows of different varieties will also reduce soil erosion and soil flow in the sloping field,” Mr. Ninama said.
‘No chemicals’
Another tribal farmer, Kal Singh Damor, in Kushalgarh block’s Amli Para village, said he had stopped using chemical fertilisers in his field and was producing organic vermicompost which had improved soil health. “The impact is visible in the size, colour and taste of maize and rice which I have grown this year. I could save a good quantity for my family's consumption as well,” he said.
