AME Foundation promotes ecological agriculture

primarily focusing on small and

marginal farmers in the semi

arid areas of the Deccan Pla-

teau by generating farming

alternatives, enriching farmers

knowledge, linking develop-

ment agencies and sharing

experience.

being tried out under irrigated conditions, Desmanthus variegatus and Stylosanthus hamata are being planted on bunds and as an intercrop. Also, Azolla is being promoted as a fodder supplement. To increase the feed use efficiency, community fodder cutting machines have been provided to the farmer groups in 6 villages. In cluster of villages of Dharwad, farmers are practicing ecological methods to control weeds as well as pests. They planted Glylricidea cuttings all along the borders of SRI paddy and included sun hemp as an intercrop. These practices effectively controlled weed on one hand and improved soil fertility on the other. Farmers use of cono weeders and cycle weeders further helped in controlling weed infestation. The group members released predators (Trichogramma chelonis) in controlling pests in paddy crop.

Compiled by

Keshava Murthy

Edited by

T M Radha

Designed by

K. Archana Murthy

AME Info is quarterly newsletter of AME Foundation for sharing news and views.

Contents…..

Field Activities

Working with partners

Participation in Workshops

Visitors

info July - September 2010

Delay in the monsoons in majority of the villages in Tiruchi affected paddy sowing. Paddy sowing in Tiruchi, Pudukkottai and Perambalur locations were delayed by more than 70 days. But farmers found an opportunity to learn even from this distress situation. Farmers felt that SRI is a better option in such situations where they were able to forego the nurseries which they could not transplant, without incurring much loss and quickly shift to other crops. Also they found that growing Sesbania grandiflora on the bunds was effective in reducing water loss from the field, by being a barrier to winds. This is being seen as an important strategy to adopt, particularly in the summer rice season. Tiruchi Unit is promoting new varieties of fodder for different climatic conditions among 150 farmers. While varieties like COFS29, CO4 and Sudan Sorghum are

Field Activities

With yet another year of variations in monsoons, farmers are learning to cope with such aberrations by modifying their farming practices. Ecological ways of improving soil fertility by way of green manuring is gaining a lot of acceptance among farmers. A number of farmers are raising green manuring crops making optimum use of available land and soil moisture by growing them as catch crops as well as raising them on bunds. AMEF’s efforts in promoting sustainable agriculture is increasingly being appreciated by a wide range of people like farmers, department agencies, students as well as donors. This is reflected in the number of people visiting AMEF work areas for learning about sustainable agriculture.

Farmer groups of Kallapur, Ramapur, Veerapur, Amblikoppa, Haletegur and Madikoppa villages were converted to farmer clubs under the BLOTP programme. With the support of NABARD, the groups were provided an orientation training. In association with KVK, Dharwad and UAS Dharwad, AMEF Dharwad Unit on 23 August 2010 conducted a training on Integrated Nutrient Management for AMEF cluster village farmers. A training on low carbon practices was organized in Magadi for 20 school children along with the members of the Guddhalli farmer’s group. The school children planted saplings of Pongamia around the temple premises. Tiruchi Unit is experimenting with a simple tool like a wall hanging format to help farmers record field data. The format which is being tried out by around 500 farmers in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts is aimed at helping farmers make decisions based on data recorded.

Green manuring for enhancing soil fertility

This innovative activity has been initiated in villages of Krishnagiri. The farmers of villages bestowed by Krishnagiri Reservoir Project Dam are dedicated to rice to the extent that rice is cultivated in all the three seasons of the year perpetually. Thus, growing green manure crops for generating organic matter to rejuvenate soil fertility was conveniently neglected by the farmers. Quiet understandably, now, the soil is immensely reluctant to reward the farmers with potential yields that can be anticipated. Boosting the soil nutrients, through green manures - without disturbing rice cultivation - is a gigantic task to accomplish. The challenge has been accepted by Tiruchi Unit and initiated a PTD trial. Availing short period available between two consecutive seasons combined with staggering of sowing time is the gist of the trial. The green manures like Sesbania species and Crotolaria juncea was sown 5 and 2 days before harvest respectively. Again immediately after the harvest also the greens were sown. The trials were taken up by 30 farmers and encouraging results are expected. In Magadi taluk in Karnataka, five farmers in Guddahalli and Ukkada villages raised dhaincha and incorporated the crop in the soil to improve soil fertility.

Farmers in Chintamani, Gudibande and Bangarpet taluks are trying out innovative methods to cope with the variability in rainfall. Rising redgram seedlings in polythene covers, raising staggered nurseries in ragi, growing ragi and groundnut in strips and combining short duration and long duration crops are some among them. Members of the Eco farming groups in Balamande, Boyilur, Gullahalli, DP halli and Bodapatti villages in Bangarpet taluk have taken up seed production activity. They are producing seeds of redgram, groundnut, ragi, samae and amaranths grains (Rajalu) and are planning to establish seed banks.

Working with partners AME Foundation, Dharwad along with NABARD organized training to SHGs on 09 August, 2010 in cluster villages. The SHG members were trained on the accounting and book-keeping aspects. Participatory and experiential learning methods were used in training the rural youth as SRI promoters and facilitators. Around 30 volunteers participated in the three-day training which was organized at Chintamani from 08 July, 2010 Farmers in Chintamani were trained on practices like nursery raising, transplanting, water and weed management in SRI Paddy and Ragi. Tiruchi Unit by involving 16 volunteers and 3 SA promoters evolved seasonal plans during a two-day workshop in August 2010. The plan included: identifying field practices; training and monitoring and documentation. The Agricultural Officers of SKDRDP, an NGO in Dharmasthala, was trained by AMEF staff on data collection and management. The training workshop was organized in Belthangadi in Chintamani.

Trainees are guided in collecting field data

SRI - a new hope for cultivating paddy under less water conditions

Seenappa is a progressive farmer in Balamande village of Kolar district. He has been cultivating paddy since many years under open well irrigation. Last year, owing to low water availability in his open well, he had to reduce the area under paddy. This season, he completely dropped the idea of growing paddy. After participating in the SRI awareness program conducted by AMEF, he decided to try direct seed dibbling method and cultivate paddy in half an acre. By following this method, Seenappa has successfully raised a paddy crop providing irrigation only thrice in the last three months. Having followed wider spacing and weed management practices, Seenappa is excited to see 65 tillers per hill on an average. He hopes to get a good paddy harvest this time.

Participation in workshops Ms. Sangeeta Patil and Mr. Joshi participated in a SRI Workshop organized in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. Participants from Madagascar WWF Xavier Management Institute, WASSAN, SDDT and from other parts of India shared their SRI experience. The Workshop was organsied by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. Mr. B.V.Joshi and Ms. Sangeeta Patil attended a National Seminar on SRI at Coimbatore during 11 to 13 August 2010. SRI experiences across the country were shared by the participants. The workshop was organized by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. AMEF exhibited its activities in the Magadi Taluk Krishi Utsav. The stall featured LEISA activities along with the conservation of traditional seeds. The Krishi Utsav was organized by the Department of Agriculture on 10

th July 2010. Nearly 2000 farmers

of Magadi Taluk visited Krishi Utsav. Dr.Dwarakinath, Chairman, AME Foundation addressed the gathering by highlighting on the dry land problems and the ways of addressing them by SA promotion activities. Mr. Ranganatha Babu attended the training programme on Bio digester unit at Kanyakumari on 25 September 2010.The event was organized by Vivekananda Kendra. Nearly 30 members participated in the programme. AME Foundation has planned to install one bio digester unit which runs on kitchen wastes, in Ukkada village in Magadi.

Mr. Ranganatha Babu attended the training pro-gramme on Low carbon Practices at Bangalore on 9th Aug 2010. The training was organized by GEF-

CEE. Tool kits to train school children were pro-vided during the training.

State Chief Minister, Shri Yediyurappa listening keenly to the SA promotion activities of AME during his visit

Chief Minister’s Visit

AMEF had an opportunity to share its

work with the State Chief Minister

Shri. Yediyurappa during his visit to

Deshpande Foundation in Hubli to

felicitate Dr. Gururaj Deshpande.

AMEF exhibited the work done in the

sandbox area on promoting SRI and

LEISA practices. Also, around 1000

visitors who participated in the event

visited AMEF stall and appreciated

the work.

To,

From:

AME Foundation

No. 204, 100 Feet Ring Road,3rd Phase, Banashankari

2nd Block, 3rd Stage, Bangalore - 560 085, India.

Tel: +91-080- 2669 9512, +91-080- 2669 9522

Fax: +91-080- 2669 9410

E-mail: amebang@giasbg01.vsnl.net.in .

……… , amefbang@yahoo.co.in

AME Foundation acknowledges donor partners for their support: DGIS and SIDA through ILEIA, Netherlands, DST, New Delhi, Deshpande Foundation, WWF, GEF and NABARD for supporting Collaborative projects.

We deeply acknowledge the committed collaborative activities with several Civil Society Organizations.

AMEF - AREA UNITS

TIRUCHI

No. 37 (old No. 10A)

and Plot No. 661

E.V.R. Road, K.K. Nagar

Tiruchi 620 021

E-mail: ametrichy@hotmail.com

DHARWAD

No.39, 1st

Main, 2nd

Cross

Behind Shri Ramakrishna Ashram,

Channabasaveswar Nagar (C.B.Nagar)

Dharwad 580 007

E-mail: ame_foundation@yahoo.com

Dr. T.M. Thiyagarajan from WWF along with for-mer Dean of TNAU visited SRI fields of DP halli, Yerrragolu, Boyilur and Balamande villages of Chintamani. and interacted with the farmers. He appreciated the interventions by AMEF and sug-gested to take up square planting. Senior staff of NABARD visited DP halli, Boyilur and Balamande villages of Chintamani and inter-acted with the farmers. They were impressed by the performance of AMEF staff in those villages. DF Hubli champions visited Gangigatti village on 8 August 2010 and learnt about SRI cultivation. Dr. T.M Thiyagarajan WWF consultant interacted with the farmers in Ganjigatti, Malakinakoppa, Biruvalli, Hulakoppa, Kallapur and Ramapur vil-lages during his visit to Dharwad Unit. As part of their village stay programme, 6 RAWE students from Agricultural college and Research institute, Tiruchi, visited SRI promoted villages in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts. The stu-dents were convinced of SRI as an approach to manage production issues in rice. Students of Home Science College, Dharwad visited SRI fields at Kallapur village on 16 Sep-tember, 2010.

Visitors…...

LEISA India English edition - “Livestock for sustainable live-lihoods” was brought out dur-ing this period.

LEISA India

The third issue of LEISA India translated editions in Kannada, Hindi and Tamil were brought out during this period. New translated editions in Telugu and Oriya were produced. The Telugu edition was brought out in collaboration with CDAC, Hyderabad and the Oriya edition was brought out by ORRISSA, an NGO partner based in Bhubaneshwar.