Helping farmers deal with failing monsoons
It is a known fact that farmers across India have been facing multiple issues with monsoon failures for years now. Vikasana, an NGO based out of Mandya has been helping farmers in the Somwarpet Taluk of Kodagu district.
NABARD along with Vikasana helps farmers by empowering them with knowledge on agriculture and irrigation and how they can do a lot more in the given circumstances uses different methods of water conservation and preventing soil erosion. They have taught them to build bunds, trenches and also regularly conduct training programs on horticulture (nursery and kitchen gardens), animal husbandry (poultry, piggery, dairy) and organic manure such as vermiculture. They not only train the farmers but also provide them with seeds and saplings, particularly silver oak. A lot of these farmers had dry land where they only grew maize, ragi and tobacco. After the intervention on NABARD, they have started growing a lot of different crops such as coffee, pepper, chickoo, orange, mango, pomegranate, jackfruit, avocado and many more. Almost every farmer has a few cows that help them with dairy when the crops are dry. Some of them also use the drip irrigation when they have trouble with water.
Building the bunds and trenches, and using organic manure helps the farmers as they collect water instead of letting it flow out, thus preventing soil erosion, making the land stronger and more nutritious.