Climate Resilient Production and Expansion of Value chain for Integrated Farming Syatems through women lead producers’ platforms

Climate Resilient Production and Expansion of Value chain for Integrated Farming Syatems through women lead producers’ platforms

 Dr. B. R. Athani

B.V.Sc, PGDRDM (IRMA), PGD (Bioinformatics)

Executive Director

Future Greens Organization

Bagalkot- Karnataka

“Innovations and the appropriate technology for systemic intervention are based on conviction that changes in market system would lead to improved access to growth and hence poverty reduction”.

SUMMARY:

The primary objective of my intervention for the past 11 years has been to innovate the livestock farming systems to triple the income of small and marginal farmers over a time frame of 3 years. So far, 1683 rural farm families are covered with a range of activities like sustainable organic farming primarily on livestock integration models in northern parts of Karnataka through an award-winning NGO- Future Greens based at Bagalkot. The wholistic approach was to innovate the value chains so that the cost of production was reduced at farmers’ level, crop livestock integration is effectively achieved to enhance incomes for small and marginal farmers, inbuilt value addition systems for indigenous breeds of sheep, goats and backyard poultry, assured access to markets under the registered brands “Nomadic Bites” (for meat and poultry, www.nomadicbytes.com)  and “Simply Satwik” (for organic / natural food grains. www.simplysatwik.com). Already pilot models have been made successfully in both small ruminants and backyard poultry integrated with residue free vegetable cultivation units.

Our interventions have won awards and accolades as Jaivik India (GoI first prize for direct farmer linkages 2019), Kannada Rajyotsava Award 2022, Best Indian Social Enterprise (AFI) 2018, Featured as best achiever in News 1^st Kannada TV channel under Me and my achievements 2022.

Recently my company Nutriplus Foods Pvt Ltd has won Start-up challenge award from KSRLM Karnataka Govt. This has mandate to replicate the model to 16000 women entrepreneurs across 3 districts in Karnataka where in we act as Tech Support Agency and direct buyback arrangements for animals and birds from the target group beneficiaries for better prices and assured market access.

Also my initiatives on residue free hygienic meat supply chain has won Grants under Startup Karnataka assistance 2024. We are poised to scale up these pilots in a large scale with the assistance of NRLM / KSRLM and this will be the first of its kind in the country. This would act as precursor for pink revolution and provide Phillip for conservation and propagation of sustainable indigenous livestock and free range poultry breeds.

This involves the following comprehensive and inclusive interventions.

1. Conducting an analysis with involvement of farming communities using the specially designed tool (by WOTR)to understand how these communities in dry land terrain may be vulnerable to climate change, how and why.
2. To incorporate the appropriate mechanisms based on analysis to develop clusters of small/marginal farmers interested in adopting right livestock and crops farming that are appropriate to situations
3. To train target area farmers for such farming practices through technical training programs. FFS and visits to demo model farmers who are following best practices are a few means.
4. To facilitate access to fair and remunerative markets as collective efforts by linking organized producer groups through FPO partners to fair and appropriate marketing opportunities for getting higher returns for their produce both as raw and value added products. This can be achieved through several initiatives, in turn, including direct buy back from the farmers, the certified organic produce and the integrated livestock, ultimately to help increase their net income by 3 times the baseline- through the project interventions over a period of 3 years.

The background and the achievements so far

It is estimated that 72% of the rural poor depends on small ruminants like sheep and goats and the local backyard poultry keeping for their livelihoods. These animals constitute half their family income.  However, this sector was missing from the national policy to support and boost it, till recently where in several insurance and support schemes were announced.

Interesting aspect of this sector is markets are well developed in a few regions like Karnataka. Consumer prices for meat have never come down and so are the animal sales. Consumption of livestock products including dairy and meat is directly proportional to raise in earnings of the urban families. Although there exist anomalies across supply chain, by and large the producers are getting 61 to 65% of the consumer prices, as against 41% in crops.     (Dr B R Athani, et all in a study sponsored by RLN- Ford Foundation- 2014).

Looking to the potentials in enhancing rural livelihoods and the systemic problems across supply chain for live animals, Future Greens pioneered and promoted this cooperative society for sheep and goat producers during 2015. NABARD supported the initiative with establishment grant support under FPO scheme. It has membership of about 800 shepherds and women goat keepers, through their Activity Based Groups promoted by Future Greens. The objective was to introduce transparency in pricing mechanisms, enable direct market access for producers and to intervene in production support systems to minimise losses for the producers. Several innovative interventions were introduced and now it is acclaimed as model pilot for market linkages for small ruminants in the state. Some of the innovations are

1. Thrust for local breed: Future Greens, as part of its’ agro biodiversity initiative, has carefully chosen to promote local genetic material. Market plays an important role in promoting diverse genetic materials, if it has business sense. Yelaga sheep happens to originate from Badami block of Bagalkot district. There are archaeological inscriptions during Chalukyan Empire 4^thcentury AD. However, it was localised breed, came to popularity very recently. This is again as effect of shift in consumer demand for meat and sharp decline for wool. Shepherds, sensing the market moods, introduced males from Yelaga in their Deccani breed herds and now one can see the breed spreading fast everywhere in the region. It is now considered as fastest growing breed of the state. This is a classical example where in market dictated production trends.

We took the call and started documenting the breed and the practices around breeding with the help from RLN (Rainfed Livestock Network). With enough scientific and field evidences, we decided to promote breed in other part of the state. Karnataka state sheep and goat producers’ federation also helped us in doing the promotion. Now there are visible indications to prove that more communities are taking interest in shepherding. The population of sheep and goats is steadily increasing in the region. Existing bigger open markets for small ruminants in the district and also the breed popularity are the important factors for new entrants in the production space.

Similarly we characterized and documented local buffalo, the community decided to call it Badami Buffalow, and is due for submission for recognizing as a breed by NBAGR.

Looking at the efforts Future Greens was doing, we were invited by state government for pricing seminars. Later, Future Greens was one of the promoter for state level producer federation on the lines of AMUL. The author Dr Athani is an elected director to the federation representing Bagalkot district.

2. Introduction of lamb rearing as livelihood option for landless labourer women groups. This pilot we executed has now seen several innovations and the women have started their successful enterprises around lamb fattening using locally and naturally available feed resources. Started from 2 lambs each, now many have scaled up to 15-25 lambs housed under a tree with simple low cost protective fencing. The efficiency and the profit margins are considerably higher in such ventures. Each women micro entrepreneur can earn Rs 28-34000 per annum with 4-5 lambs in 2 cycles.
3. Introduction of specialized concentrate feed for lambs and Kids with booster nutrients as part of the assitance from NIVEDI-ICAR- RAFTAAR by our company and the commercial production is taking place.
4. Live weight based pricing systems. Both buying and selling happens using this transparent method. Now sex and age are included as pricing factors making it 3 dimensional mechanisms, first time in the state. This took us 3 years of engagements with communities and markets to make them accept the method. On an average, there have been marginal gains to the extent of 10-14% (Rs 400 to 650 per lamb) in terms of pricing for the producer members when compared to open markets. Each member will be selling not less than 90 lambs on an average in a year. Thus, the intervention has enabled each of them earn Rs 45000 additionally.

Right now, the society has been able to link 160 members under buy back arrangements whenever the buyers approach for lambs. We have seen the demand for Yelaga breed is growing in southern part of the state and through business development initiatives, we can ensure buyback from all the members of FPO. In other words, Rs 33.75 million can be infused every year in the local small ruminant economy yearly with the existing resources!!.

5. Virtual aggregation process, without centralised herding for market sales. This is done by regular communication with communities on availability of marketable lambs and kids above 3 months age. Whenever the buyer approaches the FPO, members are informed, cadres are activated to visit potential members selling animals, weigh the animals for pricing and then take them for sales on a single day, without having to hold them in a place inviting risks and resources.

Virtual aggregation at the level of producer

6. Value added products: Meat: The FPO ventured in to piloting slaughtering of the premium quality lambs for meat and started sales at Bangalore under the sub category as “free range meat” similar to organic. Licious Delightful Gourmet, a company selling meat to consumer doorsteps upon taking online orders, delivered our product under MoU at premium price.
7. Going further, we have made trials with samples for exports to countries like Quatar. We got a positive response from the buyers there regarding quality of lamb meat. They are keen to take up meat in containers. But the issue we are struggling to sort out is the requirement of modern abattoir and shipment facility involving cold chain.  Upon persuasions through state federation, the GOK has sanctioned a modern abattoir at Badami (Rs 7.5 Crores budgetary allocation) and 10 acres of government land is identified for the project.
8. Thus, tremendous scope exists for promoting microenterprises by rural women around lamb rearing and goat production, anchored by producer owned FPO.
9. This is one of the area where we have taken up promotional activities for women in rural areas with the help of nationalized banks for financial assistance for the needy.

Technical collaboration with CEAH Bangalore for scaling up BYP.

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