This good practice note based on the experiences of BAIF Development Research Foundation (Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation - BAIF), shows the importance of restoring common property resources by involving the communities directly, as a way forward for impacting positively on their quality of life. “Protection of Commons” has led to...

Poor farmers in marginal areas have benefited little from high yielding, "green revolution" varieties that have transformed the productivity of more favourable areas. In the states of northeastern India, farmers who cultivate upland rice on low-fertility, sloping soils continue to grow low yielding landraces that are susceptible to diseases and...

The Agroecology Fund’s second global Agroecology Learning Exchange, held in February 2020 in Karnataka, India, was an extraordinary gathering of more than 70 farmers and agroecology advocates from frontline organizations, researchers, allies, and donors. The Agroecology Fund’s mission, at its core, is to support a growing global agroecology movement to...

Common Property Resources (CPRs) are important for the livelihoods of the rural communities, especially poor. Various INGOs, NGOs and government organisations have facilitated and successfully demonstrated the model for development of common lands. This has been done by developing village institution mechanisms to bring in a bottoms-up approach to development...

This note highlights the importance of engaging members of the community in documenting the wealth of traditional knowledge regarding feed and fodder systems across different agro-ecological regions. This process enhanced their self-respect and dignity in terms of their heritage and inspired them to revitalise and reintegrate some of these practices...

Increased availability of fodder biomass (e.g. grasses, shrub and tree leaves) is possible through protected commons. This increased availability of biomass has in turn directly resulted in improved livelihoods. This Good Practice reveals how management of village dynamics, building awareness, finding local solutions and building technical acumen can create ownership...

The Aseel is reared under backyard poultry management systems and is a vital source of meat and income. However, this bird is threatened due to high production losses, infectious diseases and policies promoting non-local breeds. This practice describes how disease prevention and biodiversity conservation strategies helped women farmers in preserving...

Due to saline conditions, drinking and pure water is a major problem in coastal areas. Most of the open wells and tube wells in the coastal areas contain salty water. Rainwater harvesting is a viable option for solving the issue of drinking water. Construction of rainwater overhead tanks is a...

A well organized pro-poor initiative from a private company, Yashwant Agritech Pvt Ltd (YAPL), has produced and sold a productive synthetic hybrid bird suitable for rearing in harsh agro-climatic rural environments. It has proved to be a valuable source of income for the poor households. This practice has promoted participatory,...

This practice demonstrates how simple cost effective interventions such as low cost protein rich feeding, de-worming, vaccination, low cost housing, egg-candling, use of bamboo for poultry feeders and waterers, have strengthened household poultry production systems of tribal farmers in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh in India. A key factor that...

This practice documents the work of the Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), a leading NGO in India, in regarding the organization and support for rural women to take up poultry rearing, and develop this into a successful market-linked enterprise. Women poultry rearers have been organised into a Poultry Producers’...

This good practice is aimed at addressing the growing degradation of common land in India. By controlling the use of communal lands through community participation, discussion and the creation of self-governing rules, many benefits have been noted.

This practice highlights the positive outcomes of the promotion of backyard poultry farming in West Bengal. In addition to improving the production and supply of eggs and poultry meat, interventions generated self-employment leading to a reduction in rural poverty and the empowerment of rural women. The practice documents one of...

Root starch production is a long-established industry that has seen little development in recent years. In developing countries it has been estimated that five million tonnes of starch are produced annually in developing countries, half of which is produced from cassava representing a major market for small-scale root crop growers....

Highest grades of cassava starch are processed from freshly extracted starch. In many cassava processing factories, extracted starch is stored in tanks under wet conditions during the peak harvesting period (two to five months). Long-term storage of cassava starch under wet conditions results in adverse quality changes which reduce the...

The Government of Andhra Pradesh introduced Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) in 2016 as an alternative to chemical-based and capital intensive agriculture through its implementing agency Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS). The main objective of the ZBNF is to make agriculture economically viable, agrarian livelihoods profitable, thereby reducing agrarian distress through cost reduction and...

Surendranagar, India – For many people, salt is an ingredient without which a meal is tasteless and incomplete. But have we ever given a thought to the effort which goes into preparing this salt? In India, farmers spend eight months in the harsh salt pans in the Little Rann of Kutch...

Natural calamities and disasters of various of varying magnitudes impact our lives. From April 26 to May 5, the cyclone Fani hit eastern Indian states, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, with winds as high as 215 km/h (three minutes sustained) and 250 km/h (one minute sustained). This caused severe distress to farmers in affected areas of...

Coating seed with good microbes and organic fertilizer protects crops from diseases and gives them a healthy start. You can also prepare your own organic solution with cow dung, cow urine, lime, cow milk or yoghurt and water.

Five groups engaged in organizing women in fishing from different parts of India recently got together to share their experiences