Participatory Action Research on

Facilitating
Agricultural
Regeneration
Measures (FARM)
as an intervention to agrarian crisis
and farmers suicides in Wayanad.

Kerala Social Service Forum

 MALABAR SERIES
Wynad: ITS PEOPLES AND TRADITIONS

Panoramic view from the top of Tamarasseri ghat towards

the Arabian Sea, a distance of thirty-nine miles.

FG

“High mountains rise to the left with water glistering

on bare black rocks like tears of gladness in the eyes of
sorrow; forests stretch away here with gentle slope and
easy undulation, there down precipice and steep
declivity; far below lie swamps choked with thorny
thicket and rank coarse grasses, breed-ing fevers and
miasma, but yet in whose bosoms are stored the streams
which water those long stretches of rice fields, here sere
and yellow after the sickle of the reaper, there whitening
unto harvest or again a vivid green where the second
crop natures. Hills everywhere some arid, red and
unfruitful, more covered in the feathery foliage of the
Eastern orchards.

Here and there smoke curls up in the still noon-tide air;

or the glint of some mosque or temple or rirverpool
catches the eye. As the distance groves farther, hill and
field all merge into one green plain, and beyond gleams
the sea, hard to be discerned from the heaven that bends
down and meets it. As you gaze, the thought rise from
the heart that in such fair and well-ordered beauty, the
affairs of this world may perchance appear from the
Thorne of Heaven with all their inequality, so strange,
so little comprehendable by us the dwellers amid its hills
and valleys.”
—MADRAS TIMES.

RAO BAHADUR C. GOPALAN NAIR

Deputy Collector, Malabar

FG
 Participatory
Action research on Facilitating Agricultural Regeneration
Measures as an intervention to agrarian crisis and farmers suicides
in Wayanad
FARM Index
Wayanad
Participatory Action Research

Executive Summary
Key Findings

Chapter 1. Introduction
1.1. Backdrop
1.2. Agrarian Crisis of Wayanad
1.3. Transect of FARM Wayanad
1.4. SFC Network
1.5. Activities implemented- A flash back

Chapter 2. Participatory Action Research

2.1. Pedagogy
2.2. Scope and Relevance
2.3. Synopsis of the PAR
2.4. Profile of the Action Research Universe

Chapter 3. Analysis of the Secondary Data

3.1. Review of Literature
3.2. Sustainable Agriculture Measures of Kerala
3.3. Interpretations

Chapter 4. Participatory Action Research on Sustainable Agriculture

4.1. Backdrop
4.2. Homestead Nutrition Gardens
4.3. Action Research on Nutrition Gardening
4.4. Case Study Analysis of Nutrition Gardens
4.5. Action Research on System of Rice Intensification
4.6. Case Study Analysis of System of Rice Intensification
4.7. Promotion of Farmers Rights
4.8. Interpretations

Chapter 5. Participatory Rural Appraisal

5.1. Appraisal of Farmer’s Groups
5.2. Interpretations

Chapter 6. Analysis of Programmes in Other Sectors

6.1. Cost Benefit Analysis of the IGP
6.2. Case Study Analysis of IGP
6.3. Interpretations
6.4. Analysis of Befriending Programmes
6.5. Case Study Analysis of Befriending
6.6. Interpretations
6.7. FGD on interventions of FARM
6.8. Interpretations

Chapter 7. Analysis of the Convergence Programmes

7.1. Analysis of Consultation Workshops
7.2. Analysis of Technology Transfer Programmes
7.3. Analysis of Research Output Dissemination
7.4. Interpretations

Chapter 8. Recommendations and Suggestions

Bibliography

4
List of Tables and Charts FARM
Wayanad

Save Farmers Campaign

Table 1 Details of the Target Panchayaths 24
Table 2 Distribution of units of the Nutrition Gardening based on tribal hamlets 41
Table 3 Distribution of units of based on the cultivation selected 41
Table 4 Distribution of units based on the tribes 42
Table 5 Distribution of the Nutrition Garden covered under the research 42
Table 6 Cost Benefit Analysis of the Nutrition Gardening and Chemical Farming 43
Table 7 Distribution of the units of System of Rice Intensification 49
Table 8 Comparison of SRI against conventional practices 50
Table 9 Cost Benefit Analysis of System of Rice Intensification 51
Table 10 Relative quantity of Participation in the Participatory Rural Appraisal 58
Table 11 Historical timeline of the agriculture 60
Table 12 Seasonal Calendar of Vegetable Farming 62
Table 13 Daily Routine of the farmers 63
Table 14 Distribution of IGP beneficiaries based on age 69
Table 15 Distribution of the beneficiaries on the basis of IGP selected 69
Table 16 Details of the beneficiary’s contribution to IGPs 70
Table 17 Details of the input cost required for IGPs 70
Table 18 Distribution of Income based on monthly basis from IGPs 70
Table 19 Distribution of IGP beneficiaries based on monthly expenses 71
Table 20 Cross tabling of Income and Expenditure 71
Table 21 Distribution of the beneficiaries based on savings 72
Table 22 Data on the suicides in Wayanad from 2000 to 2010 81
Table 23 Data on the interview among the befriending clients 81
Table 24 Details of the befriending services offered in the reference Panchayaths 83
Table 25 Relative quantity of the participation in Focus Group Discussion 89
Chart 1 Income sources of farmers 61
Chart 2 Expenditure of the farmers 61

5
FARM Message
Wayanad
Participatory Action Research

I would like to appreciate the commendable work done by Kerala Social Service Forum (KSSF) and along with
the NGO network in Wayanad to address the hard core pressing issue of agrarian crisis together with Caritas.
With the agrarian crisis looming in the frontline, the concerns of the farmers are to be addressed more sensitively.
The numbers of deaths resulting out of the crisis are vast and causes for this were many. A major cause for the
crisis resulted from crop failure and economic conditions. Through the active participation of KSSF and other
Nongovernmental organizations to conduct Participatory Action Research on Facilitating Agricultural Regeneration
Measures as an intervention to agrarian crisis and farmers’ suicides in Wayanad, it has brought about a distinct
perspective to the whole cause. It helped the farmers to change the outlook of farming by taking sustainable
agricultural measures.

The strategies taken up for sustainable farming will definitely benefit a large number of people who are in despair.
Organic farming taken up under this initiative will greatly benefit the community at large and the environment.
Nutrition gardening will improve the nutrition status and ensure food security for the family. The two major
programmes implemented for the promotion of Nutrition Gardening - Homestead Farming and System of Rice
Intensification will also improve the life style of the people with increased self sufficiency and reduced risk to
income from climatic, biological or market impacts on particular crops/products. Participatory Action Research
will now enlighten the farmers on the use of techniques for socioeconomic development.

Caritas strongly believes in improving the lifestyle of the needy by combating poverty. It supports the promotion
of growth and development of local and regional structures thereby bringing in equality among all. Empowering
the local communities to initiate and sustain their own humanization process is one of the major roles played by
Caritas India. Facilitating the activities that is bound to improve the social and environmental standards is of high
concer for Caritas India and it continually strives to promot such interests and issues.

Caritas is of the belief that we have to promote these types of pilot novel initiatives and models which can be
replicated by Government or Non-Governmental Organization/Civil societies to address the issues of the poor
and needy.

Fr. Varghese Mattamana

Executive Director
Caritas India

6
Foreword FARM
Wayanad

Save Farmers Campaign

I am happy to present the FARM as an intervention to agrarian crisis and farmers suicide in Wayanad with the
ardent hope that the findings of this study will contribute in some manner to the evolution of a comprehensive
plan to salvage the agrarian sector of Wayanad from its crisis. Both the national and the regional media has
written at length about the debacle of Wayanad with the Central and State Governments coming out with
packages aimed at providing relief to farmers. Scores of Studies have been conducted on the distress of Wayanad
and the scenario has been well articulated, encompassing the agrarian, tribal and environmental arena. Unlike
the studies undertaken by arm chair writers, this study is parented by the men and women who toil in the soil
and are exposed to an uncertain future. People are the masters and the scholars very often try to misguide them
with their nauseating theories.

In a liberalised economy where the masters elsewhere try to control our agriculture and industry, the knowledge
of the farmers and those who till the soil go often unheeded. The focus group discussions undertaken as part of
this study bring out both the frustrations of the farm community as well as their answers to the vexing problems
studied by the scholars. Kerala Social Service Forum made an attempt to document the multi-stakeholder
responses to the agrarian crisis in Wayanad in 2009. Study was conducted at Edavaka and Ambalavayal Grama
Panchayaths and the report was well accepted by the NGO sector and the social scientists. We are now
presenting this Participatory Action Research report which had a much bigger coverage area than the 2009
study. Intervention is any distress situation must go beyond relief and consolation. Unfortunately no serious
efforts have been made to analyse the malaise and put in place contingency plans for possible mitigation. The
farmer and the farming community must be ready for a resilience operation beginning with an introspection and
readiness to accept their share in aggravating the crisis followed up with appropriate corrective measures. The
temptation to amass wealth in a short duration forces one to reroute farming practices with little concern for
environmental values. The rare combination of natural conditions with economic variations which determine the
status of agriculture. Retaining the soil conditions is part of the creed of farmers which of course is now the key
deteriorating factor with over use of fertilisers. Overuse of land is a cardinal sin as regards farm sector is
concerned. The participatory action research herein dwells with the human interference with nature’s unwritten
laws and should help us to think critically.

The study offers pertinent suggestions and recommendations which are supposed to be taken up by the various
stakeholders as catalyzing agent in the agricultural regeneration measures of Wayanad. Revival of Homestead
Gardens and possibility of Biodynamic Farming are two recommendations that need to be explored further.
Traditional organic input preparations are proposed as an answer to the havoc of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
Return to paddy cultivation is a must for the revival of Wayanad. System of Rice Intensification alone has the
potential to turn the Wayanad into the granary of Kerala. As for allied income
generating ventures linkage of farm to milch cows and goat is proposed. And
the ultimate answer is an all out exploration of organic farming.

Man stepped into farming for food and unless food crops prevail over cash
crops the crisis in food security will only escalate. Policy formulations must be
made to earmark area for food crops and commercial crops with stipulations
that may not be overstepped. Wayanad can turn out to be a model in planned
revival of agriculture if only the farmers and the government plan together
strategies and action plans. Kerala Social Service Forum and FARM Wayanad
are proud to be part of the larger national network to rejuvenate agriculture. I
am sure this multi stake holder analysis of issues related to ecological and
livelihood crisis will usher in serious deliberations leading to lasting solutions.

Fr. Romance Antony

Executive Director-KSSF

7
FARM Message
Wayanad
Participatory Action Research

A n effort has been made by Caritas Asia to support the action research on Improved productivity, protection
of environment and health of farmers and their families in different parts of Asia. The Facilitating Agriculture
Regeneration Programme (FARM) supported by Caritas India has been selected as one for doing action research.
With an objective to analyze the actions towards the contribution on agriculture regeneration and the issues of
farmers’ suicides, the participatory action research has been initiated.

The Agrarian crisis due to many factors including impacts of globalized trade regimes and liberalized economic
policies has caused suicides by farmers in Wayanad. In order to help the farmers and the suicide victim
families, Caritas India initiated an intervention in Wayanad with a programme called “Facilitating Agricultural
Regeneration Measures (FARM)” in which 7 NGOs are partners under the coordination of Kerala Social Service
Forum (KSSF). The programme includes capacity building of various aspects of sustainable agriculture, befriending
of the victim families, networking and linkage with Government departments, supporting the victim families with
livelihood options. The programme has been successfully implemented by a team of Staff and volunteers. Many
families were supported through the initiatives as many have ventilated thier feelings through befriending, increased
income through livelihood options, group farming, improved helath through nutrition gardening, improved confidence
in organic farming etc. This programme has also proved the effectiveness of collaborative effort.

The intervention initiated in the year 2007 and a Participatory Action Research was carried out in selected areas
of to highlight the impact of the programme on the life of the people in District. The action reaserch helped in
bringing out the changes occured due to the implementation of FARM programme. From the interpretations of
the data collected through research it can be noted that FARM project has emerged as a tool for the Sustainable
Agriculture Regeneration as well and arrested the suicide rate in Wayanad. The programme is still continuing
with more participation and actions.

Dr. Haridas V.R

Manager (NRM)
Caritas India, New Delhi

8
Acknowledgement FARM
Wayanad

Save Farmers Campaign

F acilitating Agricultural Regeneration Measures (FARM) Programme implemented by Save Farmers Campaign
(SFC) Network, comprising 7 leading Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) under the coordination of
Kerala Social Service Forum (KSSF), during the last 3 years have gained remarkable positive changes in the
burning issues of agrarian crisis and high level suicide rate in the small district of Wayanad, Kerala. This
intervention with the solid support of Caritas India has been assessed in a systematic manner in selected
villages under participatory process. Similarly, considering the prime need of adoption of Organic system of
agriculture as the only lasting solution to the damages caused to the region over the years due to the farming
practices with the excessive use of chemicals, organic system has been familiarized and trials conducted in the
target areas. The entire process has been covered under the Participatory Action Research (PAR) conducted
with the support of Caritas Asia.

The SFC Network Partner NGOs - Shreyas, Wayanad Social Service Society (WSSS), Women’s’ Welfare
Association (WWA), Jeevana, Voluntary Organization for Innovative and Collective Education (VOICE), Malabar
Social Service Society (MASSS) and A Society for Total Advancement and rehabilitation Centre (STARS) -
remains as the corner stones in the FARM Project. I wish to thank all the clientele especially the farmers who
took the risk to conduct the trials and build up the model farms under organic system. I place on record the
unchallengeable spirit and enthusiasm showed by Mr. Jaimon C Uthup, Research & Documentation Consultant
who closely accompanied the entire Participatory Action Research process and documented this report. I would
also like to thank Fr. Antonyto Paul for his initial guidance and supports in designing the PAR. The Project Team
of SFC provided unraveled support in the PAR and their spirits needs to be quoted as the guiding light.

I express sincere thanks to Dr. V.R. Haridas, NRM Asia Coordinator who accompanied us in the entire process
sharing knowledge, providing course corrections and guiding the entire implementation of the research project.
I would like to express gratitude to Rev. Fr. Varghese Mattamana, Executive Director Caritas India and Rev. Fr.
Romance Antony, Executive Director Kerala Social Service Forum for the trust they have shown in me to
coordinate the project in Wayanad. The continued support from Caritas Asia,
Caritas India and the farmers of Wayanad reflects our commitment to combat
the agrarian crisis in Wayanad to redeem the pristine ecology thereby
regenerating the lost paradise in Kerala. The results, outcomes and impacts
projected in this document will surely result in replication of such farming
practices not only in Kerala but also in other parts of India. I am optimistic that,
the much awaited change for sustaining agriculture is on the anvil. I believe
that in near future, the agrarian crisis of Wayanad will turn into pages in the
history and we will move on to a prosperous era with the Sustainable Agricultural
Practices.

E J Jose
Programme Manager
Kerala Social Service Forum
Wayanad Regional Office
Kalpetta North (PO)
673122(PIN)
Tel: 9446841910
Email: sfcwayanad@gmail.com

9
Executive Summary
FARM Agriculture in Wayanad is at the crossroads…..
Wayanad
Participatory Action Research
W ayanad has a glorious history of farming dating
back to several centuries which was founded
on sustainable practices. The Neolithic inscriptions in
the Edakkal caves dates back to Stone Age from 5000
BC to 1000 BC and are having possible connections
with the Indus Valley Civilization which was also
founded on Sustainable Farming Practices. The tribal
culture and ethos of Wayanad are the reflections of
the agricultural practices as harvest is always
connected to festivals. Farmers have considered earth
as “Mother God” and worshipped her before the
cultivations. Sustainability has been a hallmark of our
farming system from the time immemorial, growing the
time tested, weather suited, traditional crops with or
with out additional organic inputs, but deeply interwoven
with the ecological systems and climatic conditions.
How ever these century old practices disappeared in
the wake of post independent era where the Green
Revolution made thrust on Grow more Food. But this
unmindful development has reverted the ecological
balances which was been practiced for centuries and
has led seemingly irrevocable ecological and
environmental catastrophes in the district.
Green revolution has replaced the traditional varieties
with the high yielding ones making the farmers depend
on tones of fertilizers to get the high yields. These
crop varieties were alien to the soil and suffered new
pest attacks and disease outbreaks making the farmer
to pour huge quantities of pesticides. Input cost
skyrocketed several folds due to these exotic elements
adopted in the farming and has resulted in multiple
issues in the ecologically fragile land of Wayanad.
Microorganism declined and the soil lost its fertility
and vitality resulting in the extinction of tested traditional
varieties. Biodiversity of agricultural fields is now a
fairly tale and the farmland has become silent, devoid
12
of croak of frogs, chattering of warblers etc…which
were an important parts of the chain of food cycle acting
as host organisms. Water scarcity has emerged as a
big problem even in Wayanad district which has a
plethora of natural water resources. Eternal relationship
with farmer and farmland was lost and the sustainable
agriculture system collapsed, cost of the cultivation
soared, income of farmers stagnated and food security
became a daunting challenge. And thus came Agrarian
Suicides numbering 1981 in Wayanad district the
“Heaven of Kerala”.
Facilitating Agricultural Regeneration Measures is an
attempt of the catholic church of Kerala to address
the Kerala’s biggest agrarian disaster. Project had a
glorified aim of empowering the farming communities
in the Wayanad to address the issue in agriculture
and to combat suicides. It is now three years of
rejuvenation therapy offered for the crisis affected
farmers and they are convinced that the only way is to
return to the traditional ways of sustainable agriculture.
The demand for organic products at the markets
promoted by FARM project is high and the supply falls
short. Thus organic farming assumed very much
importance and the broad principle of “Live and let live”
attracted the people of Wayanad. There have been
demurs and doubts on the practicality of organic
farming on the ground that the production would
plummet and there will be another food crisis. This led
the Save Farmers Campaign to have a Farmers
Participatory Action Research on the Sustainable
Agricultural Measure propagated through the FARM
project along with the validation of the various
programmes offered to the community.
FG
Key Findings
T he main objective of the Participatory Action
Research was to analyze whether the Sustainable
Agriculture Measures propagated through the
Facilitating Agricultural Regeneration Measures
(FARM) Project has contributed to agriculture
regeneration and has addressed the issues of farmers’
suicides. From the interpretations of the data collected
through research it can be said that FARM project has
emerged as a tool for the Sustainable Agriculture
Regeneration as well and arrested the Suicide rate in
Wayanad. The main findings of the study are presented
hereunder.
1. The agricultural crisis that prevailed in this decade
has made the farmers of Wayanad to understand
the need to take up the Sustainable Farming.
Farmers of Wayanad are now very much aware of
the difference between the conventional chemical
farming and the traditional organic farming as the
former is high input cost involved high risk farming
producing inorganic products which ensures
medium price harming the ecology and wellbeing
of man, where as the later is low input cost involved
low risk farming producing organic produces which
will ensure premium prices and will not do anything
harm to the man and ecology.
2. Nutrition Gardening has improved the soil texture,
soil fertility and water usage became minimal.
There was 30% increase of productivity and mixed
cropping helped the farmer to ensure food security
and nutritional security of the family.
3. Experimentation of the Nutrition Gardening and
Conventional Chemical farming shows a great
difference in the cost benefits. In Nutrition induced
Tapioca cultivation the cost benefit was 4.35 as
against the cost benefit of 3.88 in the chemical
farming. In Nutrition induced Cow pea cultivation
the cost benefit was 2.67 as against the cost
benefit of 1.73 in the chemical farming. In Nutrition
induced Ginger cultivation the cost benefit was
2.11 as against the cost benefit of 1.80 in the
chemical farming. In Nutrition induced yam
cultivation the benefit against the cost is 4.13 as
FARM
Wayanad
Save Farmers Campaign
against the cost benefit of 2.61 in the chemical
farming. Hence it is clear that the Organic Nutrition
programme is a grand success in the cost benefit
terms.
4. In SRI the input cost is very low as compared to
the conventional farming. Seed cost is reduced
to 90%. Productivity in the SRI is one fold higher
than the conventional farming and is less prone
to pest attacks. Net Income from SRI method in
an acre is Rs 24,860 as against the Rs 9,550 in
the conventional chemical farming.
5. Farmers became aware of their rights and are now
actively engaged in dialogues with the Government
for ensuring their right to live.
6. Even though the effort and time required in the
organic farming is high, farmers are slowly shifting
to the traditional farming methods. This is only
because they are aware that the agrarian crisis
that hit the district in this decade is only because
of the modern farming and the impact of the crisis
can be recovered only if they get retrieved to the
organic farming methods.
7. Marketing ensured under the FARM Project has
resulted in farmers getting gaining prices. But it
has found that the demand of organic products is
high whereas the supply falls short.
8. A total of 1527 farmers are now practicing organic
farming under the FARM Project and it is expected
that they will become organic certified in another
two years time.
9. Seasonality of the farming has undergone drastic
changes and in order to cope up with this issue
the farmers have to adapt to the climate change
by changing the old agricultural calendar with the
new practical agricultural calendar.
10. Cow rearing provided an income on a monthly
basis. Women opted cow rearing as the most
suitable one as they could generate income at
13
FARM
Wayanad
Participatory Action Research
the homestead and could link with the Organic
Farming as they got enough raw materials for the
organic input preparations.
11. IGPs have helped the women to become
economically independent in a situation when
other opportunities are limited. All the beneficiaries
indicated that the IGPs have helped them to tide
over the difficulties they had experienced due the
onset of the agrarian crisis. 57% of the
beneficiaries of the IGP support could save an
amount worth Rs 1500 and above on a monthly
basis after meeting their household requirements.
12. Befriending deems to be quoted as the most
sought out psycho social service by the suicide
victim families as well as the distress families and
has helped hundreds from the bridge of life to death.
13. The suicide rate of Wayanad has now fallen down
to 25.02 from 45.01 per Lakh in the severe crisis
period, which was well above the national rates. It
can be noted that in the year 2010 the suicide
number is 38 as against the highest number of
229 suicides in 2007.
14. As an output of the lobbying with the
Panchayaths, these Local Self Government
Institutions (LSG’s) have taken up the matter of
issues behind chemical farming and has initiated
certain steps in the regeneration of the chemical
farms through organic farming.
15. Ecological protection has gained importance
among the recipient community and the notable
interventions are the youth and children taking up
the campaign in the schools where the FARM
project has offered awareness.
16. Awareness programmes in the health sector has
14
resulted in people understanding the reasons
behind the increasing rate of killer diseases as
well as lifestyle diseases and thus the concept of
Organic Farming has got wide acceptance.
17. As an outcome of the Advocacy, Networking and
Lobbying carried out in the FARM project the
partners were able to source out convergence
programmes from Government departments which
has resulted in the value addition of the
Sustainable Agriculture Measures promoted by
the project.
18. Dissemination of knowledge on the preparation of
organic inputs has helped thousand of farmers to
adopt the nutrition induced organic farming.
Documentation of these Bio- fertilizers, Bio-
pesticides etc… has helped in conservation of the
traditional farmer’s knowledge regarding the eco
friendly farming.
19. As an outcome of the research works, SFC
network was invited by Subject Committee of the
Legislative Assembly, Government of Kerala
preparing Organic Farming Policy to present
findings and suggestion towards framing the policy.
20. Dissemination of the research outputs of the
project has further resulted in solicitation of the
partnership of the SFC network in various
Government programmes aiming at the
Sustainable Agriculture Development of Wayanad
District.
It can be said that on the road map to Sustainable
Agriculture Development, the tools applied by the
FARM project has resulted in behaviour change among
the farmers of Wayanad resulting in more and more
taking up Organic Farming.
FG
 FARM
Wayanad

Save Farmers Campaign

1
Introduction

15
FARM
Wayanad
Participatory Action Research
1.1. Backdrop
Wayanad district in Kerala lies on the edge of the
Deccan plateau and is unique because of its elevation
(700-2100 metres above mean sea level) compared to
the rest of the plains in the state. This district has a
purely agriculture-dependent economy and is among
the most underdeveloped regions. The social fabric of
the district is distinctly different from the rest of Kerala,
with the highest proportion of aboriginal tribes, a low
sex ratio, and an environmentally fragile ecosystem.
The district covers an area of 212,560 hectares and is
home to 780,619 inhabitants (2001 census). Aboriginal
tribes form 17.4% of the total district population.
Wayanad district is famous for its pepper and coffee
in the international market and almost 80- 90% of the
farmers are small and marginal with an average land
holding size of 0.5 acres. Wayanad is also famous for
its paddy lands. The name Wayanad comes from ‘Vayal
nadu’ which means land of paddy and these are the
water reservoirs of the region. The farmers here were
dependent on paddy for their sustenance and their main
income was from pepper, coffee and other spices. Rural
economy of Wayanad is totally dependent on
agriculture unlike other districts in the state. The major
16 Paddy ready for harvest
plantation crops (tea, coffee, pepper and arecanut)
together constitute 38% of cropped area. Since
Wayanad is a largely montane area that receives high
annual rainfall within a short span of three to four
months, land performs important hydrological and
watershed functions. Wayanad is now announced as
crisis hit district by the Government of India and is
placed in the category of Backward District by the
Ministry of Panchayath Raj. Despite some advances
in social indicators, poverty remains a major problem
in Wayanad. The district is one of the most backward
regions in the State with fourteen districts. A
comparative data with rest of the State shows that the
district is ranked 14th in terms of urban population,
13th in sex ratio, 12th in condition of houses, 14th in
telephone facility, 12th in literacy etc
1.2. Agrarian Crisis of Wayanad
Decline in crop yield, coupled with sharp fall in their
prices, created severe distress in all sections of
agricultural population from the year 2000 onwards.
This crisis has manifested itself in increasing poverty,
falling prices of primary products, mounting debts and
also in suicide of farmers. Though the cause of the
crisis is apparently found in the changing trade scenario
worldwide, its features and the
reasons for its escalation has been
related with a variety of factors,
some inherent in the functioning
of the country and the others as
influences from outside. For years,
this region has been a major
producer and exporter of spices
and other major cash crops
produced in India, thus contributing
substantially to the GDP of the
state. In the recent years, however,
Wayanad has come to be more
known for the suicide of farmers
rather than for the coffee, pepper
and wildlife it was once famous for.
This crisis has been characterized
by the low productivity, high
incidence of crop diseases and
pest attacks, natural calamities
 FARM
Wayanad

Save Farmers Campaign

(Climate Change) like flood,
drought and landslides, rising
unemployment, increase in cost of
cultivation, outmigration of farmers
and labourers.

Agrarian distress and farmers

suicide is a subject of widespread
discussion in recent years. Going
by indicators like agricultural
investment, output, prices and
incomes, the emerging picture is
not at all satisfactory. Public
investment in agriculture has been
on the decline, output has been
growing only at a rate of 1.5 to 2%
per annum, the prices of Black
Pepper, Coffee and Paddy which
Inauguration of Save Farmers Campaign Network
home the major producer of the
area have witnessed steep fall in prices from INR 2600
to 650 for pepper, INR 6000 to 2300 for Coffee. Trade
liberalization has resulted in imports of several
agricultural commodities to the domestic market
thereby adversely affecting prices. Indebtedness of
small and medium farmers and low production has
caused further deterioration of the situation.
Many households failing to cope up with the distress
committed suicide and there emerged a pandemic
situation in the agrarian terrain of Wayanad. Mitigation
of agrarian distress required not only debt relief but a
long term regeneration strategy containing activities
to rejuvenate agriculture, promote organic farming,
continuous psycho social support, promotion of price
stability, support systems and creation of alternative
livelihoods to the distress families. This gave birth to
the Save Farmers Campaign Network in Wayanad to
sculpt agricultural regeneration programme in the
history of Kerala.
1.3. Transect of FARM Wayanad
Agrarian sector of Wayanad became stained with
suicides in the years 2005, 2006 and the situation
aggravated in 2007. Suicides, something as morbid
as people taking their own lives due to despair and
helplessness has translated into mere statistics now.
When nightmares become a pleasant and preferable
preoccupation for an entire community, and death an
opportunity for a better life its time to jam the brakes
and take a check. The mounting rate of ‘farmer suicides’
because of the loss of livelihood resource base; - and
many more in the fray - caused the concerns of the
civil society. Individuals and social development
organizations have the vital responsibility to collectively
involve to mitigate the causative factors behind the
issue; especially when the state responsible,
maintained a rather ‘blind eye’ and did little or nothing
to save the victims. Kerala Social Service Forum
climbed up the Tamarasherry Ghats in 2007 along with
Caritas India to forge an alliance of NGOs to address
the agrarian crisis. Thus the consortium of likeminded
NGOs; Shreyas, WSSS, Jeevana, VOICE, MASSS,
WWA and STARS was formed. The FARM project was
launched on the 8th of August 2007 at Sulthan Bathery
by Rev. Fr. Varghese Mattamana, Executive Director
Caritas India in the presence of Shri P Krishna Prasad
MLA and Mr. Sathyian Mokeri, Member of the State
Agriculture Debt Relief Commission.
1.4. SFC Network
Save Farmers Campaign network consists of seven
17
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grass root organizations, one network organization and
Caritas India as the facilitating organization. Caritas
India, the social work organ of the Catholic Bishops
Council of India having expertise of 49 years in
addressing the problems of the poor in India facilitated
the project by providing funds, scientific know how,
technical expertise and monitoring of the project.
Kerala Social Service Forum the implementing
coordinator of the FARM project (Justice Peace
Development Commission of the Kerala Catholic
Bishops Council) has a track record of engaging in
social work from 1981 onwards. KSSF is a pioneering
agency of Kerala in capacity development as well as
social research and was the agency behind diocesan
social works institutions paradigm shift from charity to
sustainable development.
Calicut Diocesan Social Service Society (Jeevana) is
another pioneering agency in the economical
development of the poor and marginalized in the district.
Malabar Social Service Society (MASSS) is the social
service wing of the Arch Diocese of Kottayam for its
rural development initiatives in Malabar region. Shreyas
Social Service Centre (Shreyas) is the social work
concern of the Malankara Catholic Diocese of Bathery
and is a leading organization in the agriculture
especially organic farming. Society for Total
Advancement and Rehabilitation Services (STARS) is
the social work organization of the Calicut CMI province
in Wayanad and are a pioneering agency in inclusion
of vulnerable such as mentally and physically disabled
in all programmes. Voluntary Organization for Innovative
Collective Action (VOICE) is a non governmental
organization engaged in local resource mobilization to
resource management. Wayanad Social Service
Society (WSSS) is the official social work arm of the
Catholic Diocese of Mananthavady and is specially
noted for its pioneering roles and the multi dimensional
activities and undertakings thereto dealing with
agricultural developments through organic farming.
Women’s Welfare Association (WWA) is a voluntary
non governmental organization working with rural people
of Wayanad and is noted for its integrated and people
centered rural development activities for improving the
quality of life of the villagers.
18
1.5 Activities implemented - A flash
back
The duration of the first phase of FARM Wayanad was
for 16 months. (July 2007 – October 2008). The second
phase of FARM Wayanad project began in November
2008 after the successful completion of the first Phase.
Second phase of the project proposed for two years is
completing by the October 2010. The implementation
of the 1st phase and 2nd phase of the project was done
very well and the visibility of the project has reached
not only in the district of Wayanad but also grabbed
the state and national wide attention. This intense
campaign to seek a lasting solution to heart rending
tragedies has yielded positive results. The unique
experience of the network of NGOs in Wayanad to
address the burning issues of agrarian crisis and
suicides by farmers is being appreciated by the social
web of Wayanad. In the second phase the programmes
of the partner network were characterized into social,
ecological, psychological, economic, tribal and health.
Similarly the coordination level activities are
characterized under Community based Human Right
Befriending, Massive awareness building and
Capacitation, IEC, Sustainable Livelihood Supports to
850 suicide victim families, Workshops and Research
studies, collaborative efforts with local self governments
(Panchayath Raj Institutions) etc…
Impacts and Achievements of the
FARM Ist & IInd Phase
z Consortium of seven partner NGOs in the district
under the coordination of Kerala Social Service
Forum named as Save Farmers Network Campaign
emerged.
z An army of fifty social workers with adequate
training and capacitation are working for the
regeneration measures.
z All the Panchayath Raj Institutions have become
more concerned and vibrant in addressing the
survival problems and issues faced by the farmers
after the mobilizations at the PRI level.
z An accurate data base on the statistics related to
the various aspects of the agrarian crisis with the
suicide data was prepared.
z A total of 865 families out of the 1981 suicide

Flowering of coffee plants
victims’ family were supported with income
generation programme through the first and second
phase.
z Befriending the most sought out form of psycho
social support was obtained by 6831 persons in
the three years time. This has resulted in arresting
the suicide to the lowest one in the last ten year
time.
z The feasibility and sustainability of organic farming
& sustainable agriculture could be facilitated and
promoted as alternative in the present crisis.
z 38,000 farmers and general community participated
in various awareness sessions and familiarized the
concepts and intervention strategies of the project.
z 494 farmers were brought in to the process of
organic cultivation and certification.
z Alternative bio-inputs were widely propagated. Food
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crops such as tubers, paddy, vegetables and
plantain were promoted among the farmers
especially among the tribals.
z Networked with the government service providers
such as NABARD, State Horticulture Mission for
up scaling the organic farming concept.
z Recognition from the government by inviting for the
policy level discussions of the Kerala State Organic
Policy was yet another achievement.
The consortium was invited as member in various
platforms of government as the network emerged as
the single consortium in the district addressing the
root causes of the agrarian crisis.
FG
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Participatory Action Research

Wayanad
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2
Participatory Action
Research

21
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Participatory Action Research
2.1. Pedagogy
Participatory Research can be defined by different
levels and types of local involvement of local
stakeholders in and control over the research process.
It also encompasses different methods, tools and
approaches. The rationale for using Participatory
Research is to encourage community participation in
order to improve the usefulness of research to local
people (McAllister, Karen, 1999). Another reason may
be for empowerment or social transformation to
strengthen the local people’s capacity in decision
making in research, and in management of local
resources, in order to improve their ability to act on
their own behalf.
Given the fact that different social groups have different
knowledge about agricultural management and different
issues relate to that, it is imperative to speak about
these social groups in the community (women, men,
poor, marginal, different ethnic and social status group)
with the objective of understanding the different social
perspectives because there are a myriad of social
issues in the agriculture regeneration. Daniel Selener
in his treatise, ‘Participatory Action Research and
Social Change’ clearly explicates the raison de’etre of
conducting the participatory action research to induce
the change. Participatory Research is thought to
catalyze social change by increasing local awareness
of problems and issues, encouraging them to collect,
organize and analyze information relevant to their
situation, mobilizing them to develop their own options
and plans for dealing with problems, and strengthening
local capacity and options to act on those plans. The
short term goal of mobilizing local people to solve
immediate practical problem is intended to lead to long
term shifts in power relations in favor of community
and governments.
Action research builds on a cyclical process in four
stages: planning, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation and finally reflection to adjust planning (Zuber
Skerrit, 2002). Participatory observation was also and
important research method for recording the necessary
qualitative information on individual or group
dominations in the discussions, role of farmers
22
participation in the discussions, process of decision
making, conflict resolution and other relevant group
dynamics.
2.2. Scope and Relevance of the
Study
Facilitating Agricultural Regeneration Project was
launched in the year 2007 and is now in the third year
of being with the farming community of Wayanad.
Plethora of programmes categorized under several
sectors was offered to ensure the regeneration of the
pristine ecology of Wayanad and to address the
agrarian crisis issues. Starting a model organic farm
in which selected farmers, trained in organic farming,
do farming in the traditional ways and other interested
farmers visiting the farm to learn organic farming can
help developing sustainable agriculture livelihood. In
order to make the tribes aware of the necessity of
nutrition gardening to ensure food security, it needs to
promote Nutrition Gardening among them.
There have been demurs and doubts on the practicality
of organic farming on the ground that the production
would plummet and there will be another food crisis.
This led the Save Farmers Campaign to have a
Farmers Participatory Action Research on the
Sustainable Agricultural Measure propagated through
the FARM project along with the validation of the various
programmes offered to the community. FARM project
has propagated the idea of Sustainable Agriculture.
The methods experimented are Nutrition Gardening to
ensure household food security, Group Farming using
organic inputs for establishing the successfulness of
the productivity and to intensify the paddy cultivation
in the region though System of Rice Intensification. It
was also decided to analyze the behaviour changes of
the farmers towards the concept of sustainable
agriculture in the light of socially relevant programmes
offered through the Facilitating Agricultural
Regeneration Measures Project.
Befriending programme is found to be successful in
mitigating the stress, shock, and hopelessness of
many victim persons and families. Therefore, it was
suggested to be beneficial if the whole processes

involved in befriending could be documented. For the
suicide victim families IGPs were provided and this
PAR attempts to evaluate how far these Income Support
has helped them to take Sustainable Agriculture in
their homes. How far the IGPs have helped them to
rebuild the livelihoods; whether they break even giving
those engaged a normal profit; and is sustainable etc.
are to be examined. It would also be interesting to
look into the linkages between befriending and
livelihood rehabilitation. An analysis of the factors that
have contributed to the success or failure of the
rehabilitation activities could provide insights regarding
their replicability.
The process involved and the changes in their socio-
economic situation need to be documented through
collecting information on the process. This includes
the information on the situation before implementation
and the changes happened due to the process of
building awareness on Sustainable agriculture,
supporting small farmers in sustainable agriculture
promotion, helping the victim families through
befriending, linking Community Based Organizations
with the Panchayath Raj Institutions. The overall aim
of the study is to analyze how far the concept of
sustainable agriculture has been actualized by the
recipient community. Hence a Participatory Action
Research to analyze and document the FARM project
was proposed.
2.3. Synopsis of the Participatory
Action Research
Title of the Research: Participatory Action Research
on Facilitating Agricultural Regeneration Measures as
an intervention to agrarian crisis and farmers suicides
in Wayanad.
Objectives of the Research
z To document the entire process with active
participation of all stake-holders – community,
project participants, government, civil society etc.
z To promote nutrition gardening among 200 farmers
and to validate its effectiveness towards Sustainable
Agriculture.
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z To make case studies of successful as well as
failed cases of rehabilitation under FARM.
z To analyze the cost benefit of IGPs and examine
whether they are sustainable or not.
z To evaluate the peoples owning up of the concepts
of Sustainable Agriculture Measures delivered
through the project as a tool for overcoming the
Agrarian Crisis
z To facilitate technology transfer from lab to field
through workshops and live demonstrations and to
document its impacts.
z To disseminate the outcomes & learning’s of the
researches and impacts among all the stakeholders
especially among the farming community for owning
up and replications
Design of the Study
Participatory Action Research incorporating
predesigned and unstructured tools were been planned
for the Study.
Sources of Data Collection
z Primary data collection through questionnaires,
interview schedules, focus group discussions,
participatory rural appraisals, preparation of case
studies and field visits. (Researcher visited around
30 institutions in Wayanad and Trivandrum as a
part of the PAR in 2010 and collected significant
data regarding sustainable agriculture promotion.
z Secondary Data Collection through literature review,
library visits, other published and unpublished
research reports about Wayanad and internet
surfing
z Transect visits in the PAR area
z Process Documentation
z Reports about the project available at the Project
Coordination Office
Universe of the study
Reference area of the Project consists of Vellamunda,
Meenangadi, Muttil, Tribal clusters of Noolpuzha,
Pozhuthana and Padinjarathara.
Unit of the Study
Farmers who are beneficiaries of the Facilitating
23
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Participatory Action Research

Agricultural Regeneration Measures Project of Meenangadi, Muttil, Noolpuzha, Pozhuthana and

Wayanad were selected as the unit of the study.
Sampling Strategy
Random Sampling is been followed in the research
programme
Limitation
Few units of Nutrition Gardens were attacked by wild
animal as they were so close to the forests.
Unprecedented rain affected the vegetable cultivation
which was a component of the Nutrition Garden.
Transfer of IGP beneficiaries of the FARM project also
resulted in selecting alternative samples. Availability
of respective officers of government institutions for
interview also posed to be a time consuming activity.
2.4 Profile of the Participatory Action
Research Area
Areas selected for the participatory Action Research
were six Gram Panchayaths viz., Vellamunda,
Padinjarathara. These are basically agricultural villages
with the major crops such as Pepper, Coffee, Coconut,
Arecanut, Vanilla, Ginger, Rubber, Paddy, Yam, Cocoa,
Turmeric, Banana Cardamom, Cashew, Tapioca,
Mango, Pineapple. The main agriculture based issues
of the these Panchayaths are crop diseases, price
fall, poor fertility, less water and soil conservation
measures, shift from food crops to cash crops, attack
of wild animals, sudden climate change issues,
extensive use of pesticides and chemicals.
Vellamunda Gram Panchayath is a typical
agricultural village coming under Mananthavady Taluk
of Wayanad District. Agriculture is the main source of
income for the people and the GP has taken keen
interest in the revival of paddy cultivation. Chemical
farming method of banana cultivation is on increase in
the GP and this has necessitated the authorities to
promote Organic farming. Vegetable cultivation is also
an important step taken by the Panchayath but GP

Table 1: Details of the Target Panchayaths

Index \ GP Vellamunda Meenangadi Muttil Noolpuzha Pozhuthana Padinjarathara Total
Area in 65.5 59.25 46.71 196.64 68.7 55.76 492.56
Sq km
Density of 556 541 669 133 253 445 2597
Population
No of Wards 21 19 19 17 13 16 105
No of 7037 7220 8407 5604 3770 4917 36955
Households
Total 36415 32067 31227 26184 17458 24823 168174
Population
Male 18359 16176 15535 13265 8810 12318 84463
Female 18056 15891 15692 12919 8648 12505 83711
Scheduled 5720 7094 4562 10288 3266 2647 33577
Tribes
Male 2821 3513 2281 5179 1594 1324 16712
Female 2899 3581 2281 5109 1672 1323 16865
Schedule 683 1039 1069 662 1199 1718 6370
Castes
Male 341 513 532 341 590 838 3155
Female 342 526 537 321 609 880 3215
Source: District level Database, Local Self Government Department
24

Vellamunda Gram Panchayath is a typical
agricultural village coming under Mananthavady Taluk
of Wayanad District. Agriculture is the main source of
income for the people and the GP has taken keen
interest in the revival of paddy cultivation. Chemical
farming method of banana cultivation is on increase in
the GP and this has necessitated the authorities to
promote Organic farming. Vegetable cultivation is also
an important step taken by the Panchayath but GP
shares boundaries with Thavinjal GP in the north,
Edavaka GP in the east, Padinjarathara GP in the South
and Kozhikodu District in the west. As per the statistics
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of the government a total of 12,727 workers are there
in this GP. Of this 1964 are main cultivators, 2724 are
main agricultural labourers, 493 are marginal
cultivators, 2034 are marginal agricultural labourers and
the rest engaged in other non agricultural sectors.
Meenangadi Gram Panchayath is an agrarian village
coming under the revenue village of Purkkadi and
Krishnagiri. Panchayath shares boundary with Poothadi
GP in the north, Sulthan Bathery GP in the east,
Ambalavayal GP in the South and Muttil GP in the
west. Majority of the people in the Panchayath depends
25
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Participatory Action Research
on the agriculture for livelihood. Panchayath has around
12 watersheds to conserve natural resources such as
soil and water and to promote eco restoration. Animal
Husbandry is another source of income in the GP. In
this Panchayath there are around 13,317 workers. Of
this 1746 are main cultivators, 1921 are main agricultural
labourers, 409 marginal cultivators, 2091 marginal
agricultural labourers and the rest engaged in non
agricultural sectors.
Muttil Gram Panchayath is another agrarian village
consisting of the revenue villages of Muttil North and
Muttil South. Panchayath has taken steps in promotion
of organic farming by promoting the organic cultivation
practices. Further the GP has also implemented steps
in reducing the pesticide usage to ensure the quality
of the drinking water. Panchayath shares boundary with
Kaniyambetta GP in the north, Ambalavayal GP in the
east, Thrikkaripatta GP in the South and Kalpetta
Municipality in the west. In this Panchayath there are
around 11,503 agricultural workers. Of this 1291 are
main cultivators, 1659 are main agricultural labourers,
263 marginal cultivators, 1438 marginal agricultural
labourers and the rest engaged in non agricultural
sectors.
Noolpuzha Gram Panchayath is a Panchayath
having most of the area protected as reserved forest.
Muthanaga forest comes under the GP and shares
the boundary with the two states. In the north GP
shares boundary with Karnataka, Karnataka and Tamil
Nadu in the east, Tamil Nadu and Nenmeni GP and
Tamil Nadu in the south and Sulthan Bathery and
Nenmeni GPs in the West. The tribal hamlets of the
GP were selected for the participatory action research.
Gram Panchayath also has taken keen interest in the
agriculture promotion and one of the notable steps
26
taken is the survey of biodiversity. A total of 11220
workers are there in this forest clad Panchayath. Of
this 1935 are main cultivators, 2684 are main agricultural
labourers, 539 marginal cultivators, 2101 marginal
agricultural labourers and the rest engaged in non
agricultural sectors.
Pozhuthana Gram Panchayath is a special grade
Gram Panchayath sharing boundary with Thariode GP
in the north, Kalpetta Municipality and Vengapally GP
in the east, Vythiri GP in the South and Puthupady
GP in the East. Tribal clusters of this GP were selected
for the PAR. Kuruvanthode, Kurichiyarmala and
Suganthagiri are rich in biodiversity and most of the
areas of this GP are tea and coffee estates. Watershed
programmes to ensure the irrigation to agricultural plots
of the small farmer is been envisaged in the
development plan of the Panchayath. This GP holds
the lowest number workers which come around 6813.
Of this 211 are main cultivators, 334 are main
agricultural labourers, 207 marginal cultivators, 517
marginal agricultural labourers and the rest engaged
in non agricultural sectors.
Padinjarathara Gram Panchayath is an agrarian
village coming under the revenue villages of
Padinjarathara and Kuppadithara. GP shares boundary
with Vellamunda and Panamaram GP in the North,
Kottathara and Thariode GP in the east, Vellamunda
GP in the West and Kozhikodu district in the South. A
total of 8930 workers are there in this gram Panchayath.
Of this 1189 are main cultivators, 1346 are main
agricultural labourers, 315 marginal cultivators, 2211
marginal agricultural labourers and the rest engaged
in non agricultural sectors.
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3
Analysis of the
Secondary Data

27
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Participatory Action Research

3.1 Review of Literature

The experience of Kerala during the past decade shows
how and to what extent a traditional export-oriented
agricultural sector in a small local economy can suffer
due to trade liberalisation. With a decline in exports,
rise in imports and a consequent drop in prices,
coupled with frequent droughts, stagnant production
and productivity, farm income declined drastically and
increased the indebtedness of farmers. A sad
manifestation of the severity of the situation was the
widespread suicides by farmers in the state (P D Jeromi
2005)

Uniqueness of Kerala Agriculture

Kerala’s agriculture sector is unique in several ways.
Some of its special features are (1) a highly fragmented
and small size of holdings, (2) homestead farming with
mixed crops yielding high income, (3) a larger area
under commercial crops, especially capital intensive
perennial tree crops, (4) export orientation of crops,
such as spices, cashew, rubber, coffee, tea, etc, (5)
credit2 and hired labour-intensive cultivation, and (6)
higher indebtedness of farmers. Some of these features
are now found to be the handicaps of the sector in the
open trade environment that has emerged after the
formation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
[Joseph and Joseph 2005]

Impacts of Trade Liberalizations

Unlike other states in the country, trade liberalisation
adversely affected the agricultural sector in Kerala
because more than 80 per cent of the agricultural
commodities/products produced in the state are
dependent on domestic and/or international market
situation [GoK 2003]. Export intensity of production of
some of the crops like pepper, cardamom, cashew,
etc, is high. As Kerala’s economy was relatively closed
until the mid-1990s, cultivation of commercial crops
such as coconut, rubber, tea, coffee, spices, etc, was
fairly profitable even without much improvement in
productivity and value addition because of a protected
internal market and prospects for exports. However,
with the removal of quantitative restrictions (QRs) on
imports and lowering of tariff levels, farmers cultivating
commercial crops have been affected by higher imports
28 Spices of Wayanad

and stiff competition for exports in the international
market.
In the recent period, there was a significant rise in
imports of commodities like pepper, cardamom, tea,
etc, which seems to have affected domestic prices of
these crops in the state and, in turn, the financial
position of the cultivators. The imports further increased
following the free trade agreement (FTA), which
produces and exports many of the commodities which
are produced and exported from the state. In the
liberalized trade environment, small and marginal
farmers, in particular, are not able to compete with
other commodity producing countries due to continued
lower yields and high cost of cultivation as no
restructuring programme has been undertaken to
improve export competitiveness in the new trade
environment. During the last few years, the problem
worsened due to a deficiency in rainfall, a sharp decline
in prices, lower production and the consequent
increase in debt burden of farmers. As a result, close
to 2,000 farmers committed suicide in the state [GoK
2006a]. Though around four years have been passed
by now, after the aggravation of the problem, there is
no abatement of the situation as measures taken so
far have not been effective.
Agricultural Suicides & Reasons
The study conducted by KSSF shows that 30.7% of
the farmer’s suicides was mainly due to economic
reasons. According to the study conducted by Jeromi
P D, Agricultural crisis was the reason for suicide in
case of 38.9 per cent farmers who committed suicide.
What it shows is that the agricultural crisis undoubtedly
is the major reason, but it is not the sole reason for
taking this drastic step. Perhaps, loss from farming
could be a trigger point for already depressed persons
due to other sociological and psychological reasons.
Mohanakumar and Sharma (2006) reported that
accumulation of debt beyond the repayment capacity
during a few years was the immediate provocation for
resorting to the extreme step of suicide. As indicated
earlier, the general suicide rate in Wayanad was higher
than the state average and the HDI was one of the
lowest.
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In general, farmers’ suicide was more in Wayanad
which is concentrating more on cultivation of export-
oriented commercial crops. Most farmers who
committed suicide had landholdings below one acre
and average loan liability was Rs 72,000. Besides this,
many farmers had private borrowings from friends and
relatives. Their inability to repay these loans (liquidity)
is considered as the proximate reason (trigger point)
for committing suicide. A study conducted by Shreyas
show that nearly 58 per cent of the families of the
deceased farmers did not receive any assistance from
government. Reasons for the lack of effectiveness of
the schemes could be (i) lack of critical minimum effort
in redressing the problem, (ii) money spent for ad hoc
schemes and subsidies went down the drain, (iii)
schemes of banks only postponed and increased the
debt burden, (iv) some of the measures like watershed
development programme may need years to fructify,
and (v) some of the relief measures were announced
very late and implemented very slowly (hence people
are calling the packages as “paper package”). In short,
the measures could not address the issue of debt
burden of the farmers in its totality.
Loan waiver schemes fail to address the agrarian
crisis of poor farmers
The debt waiver schemes have left behind inequities.
Despite quick decisions on relief and waiver schemes,
there has been considerable delay in releasing
assistance to the cooperative societies and banks for
a variety of reasons. The small and poor farmers who
took loan from private money lenders and micro
financing programmes were not considered for any relief
schemes and thus the extreme poor never benefitted
from any of such schemes. Under the Vidarbha
package implemented in Kasaragod, Wayanad and
Palakkad districts, the State government released
Rs.112.15 Crore to cooperative societies and banks,
including its share of Rs.68.65 Crore. Official records
show that 63,391 farm loans totaling Rs.81.93Crore
were rescheduled under the Vidarbha package.
However, the implementation of the package was
uneven because many farmers refused to reschedule
their loans at the original rate of interest. Loans totaling
29
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Participatory Action Research
Rs. 32.36 Crore that were not rescheduled became
ineligible for debt waiver or relief, sources said. The
State government has now demanded that these loans
also be considered for relief under the package. Under
the Special Package for Wayanad District, the
government took over the entire commitment of loan
waiver worth Rs.14.11 Crore related to cooperative
loans to the extent of Rs.25,000 each taken up to June
30, 2006 by farmers with up to one acre of farm land. A
sum of Rs.7 Crore was allocated as production cost
relief (5 per cent on all loans of Rs.25,000 paid without
defaulting during the period 2006-2009).
Green Revolution and Agricultural
Crisis
The Indian government’s decision to embrace the
‘Green Revolution’ was an emergency response to a
perceived crisis in food production caused by
agricultural sector failures. Beginning in the early
1970’s research on the Green Revolution began to
uncover significant ecological problems related to the
technological ‘package’ of inputs required to maximize
the yield of the new varieties. These include the higher
requirement for energy inputs to manufacture fertilizer
and power tube wells, increasing poorer farmers’
vulnerability to increased oil prices. Another problem
has developed with the use of pesticides, promoted
by the Indian government as part of the technological
package to compensate for the HYV’s lack of in-bred
resistance to native insects, weeds, and fungus. Over
time, however, pesticide use has lead to resistance in
the target species, necessitating larger, and more
costly, applications of these chemicals, reducing
farmers’ profits and increasing damage to wildlife, the
water, and the soil. More importantly, they present a
substantial risk to the health of farmers who were (and
are) often illiterate, provided little or no training in their
use, and unable to afford adequate safety equipment,
resulting in hundreds of deaths in and thousands of
disabilities in India In the Indian state’s haste to
implement the Green Revolution, placed these invisible
problems were in the background, resulting in these
very serious consequences. These problems, however,
are common to all forms of ‘industrial’ agriculture got
exacerbated by the India low levels of environmental
30
regulation.
Realization of the need for Organic
Farming
Hundreds of farmers who had learnt the bitter lessons
of ‘chemical farming’ and mono cropping practiced
hitherto in the name of ‘scientific agriculture’ are making
a come back to organic, multiple-crop farming. The
farmers of Kerala as well as Wayanad are now
convinced that the only way to overcome the crisis is
to return to the traditional sustainable ways of cultivation
without harming the ecosystem. The total dependence
of farmers for agriculture inputs started affecting their
economies leading to desperation among the farming
communities and ultimately to agrarian crisis. As an
alternative to make farming sustainable, low input
agriculture thus gained momentum. Thus the organic
farming system, a system with the broad principle of
live and let live came up which was recognized globally.
Organic agriculture production is not limited to crop
production alone but encompass animal husbandry,
dairy, fisheries, poultry, piggery, forestry, herbal plant
cultivation, bee keeping etc…
Definition of Organic Farming
A wide quoted definition on Organic Farming as defined
by Codex Alimentarius Commission, a joint body of
FAO/WHO is “a holistic food production management
system. It emphasizes the use of management
practices in preference to the use of off-farm inputs,
taking into account that region conditions require
adapted systems. This is accomplished by using,
where possible, agronomic, biological and mechanical
methods, as opposed to using synthetic materials, to
fulfill any specific function within the system”.
The Kerala State Organic Farming
Policy
The state government of Kerala has also seized of the
importance of Organic Farming and realized the health
hazards and un-sustainability of chemical farming as
it clearly states its Biodiversity Action Plan that the
State has to have organic farming policy to protect it
rich biodiversity and thus sustain various livelihoods
dependent on the precious resource. Objectives of the

policy are 1) Make farming sustainable, remunerative
and respectable, 2) Enhance natural soil fertility and
productivity, 3) Ensure soil and water productivity, 4)
Ensure agricultural bio-security and food nutritional
security, 5) Create and ensure domestic market for
organic products controlled by the farmers, 6) Prevent
the use of agrochemicals and other hazardous material
and ensure chemical free water, soil and food, 7)
Ensure seed and food sovereignty, 8) Promote
biodiversity based ecological farming, 9) Ensure quality
control in organic inputs and agricultural produces, 10)
Enable human health promotion by providing safe
agricultural products and commodities. The mission
is to convert Kerala into an organic state focusing on
potential crops and areas in a phased and compact
manner with the aim of converting a minimum 20% of
the cultivable land into entirely organic every year and
thus achieving the target in five years (Organic Farming
Policy of Kerala State).
Organic Farming and Rural
Development
Another well researched out by product of organic
Jackfruits collected for sale in organic shops
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farming is rural development. Researches carried out
in Hungary regarding linking organic farming and
territorial development found that Organic farming is
supposed to contribute to rural development more than
other forms of farming, in particular due to the close
ties between producers and consumers. The concept,
building on the theory of neoendogenous development
(Ray 1998), provides benefits for organic farmers as
well as for the region. For the organic sector the
concept provides a possibility to reconnect production
to a given territory and to focus on regional value chains
as counterstrategy to the “conventionalization trap”
(Kratochvil & Leitner 2005) which is progressing with
the increasing demand for organic products by
consumers and the globalisation of trade relations. For
rural development the concept provides the possibility
to sharpen the notion of sustainability by providing a
concrete example (Schermer, 2006).
Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable Agriculture can be defined as an integrated
farming system (with crops, trees, livestock etc.) which
is based on locally adapted agro-diverse cropping
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patterns and use of local resources (natural resources
and natural processes), based on local knowledge,
skills and innovations. The capacity of a farming system
to adapt to changing climate and weather conditions
is based on its natural resource endowment and
associated economic, social, cultural and conditions.
The viability of these elements also constitutes the
basis for sustainable agriculture, understood as
agricultural production that: ensures adequacy of food
production; does not harm the resource base; is
economically viable; and enhances quality of life. Many
climate and weather risk management strategies fit
squarely into sustainable agriculture practices and can,
therefore, be promoted with several of the programs
and policies targeting environmentally responsible
production.
Strategies of Sustainable Farming
a. Changes cropping patterns and cropping systems
to suit the local resource and weather conditions.
Multiple/mixed cropping, intercropping systems with
legume components, Crop rotation, strip cropping
etc.
b. Ecological farming practices which can maximize
the local resource use. Many of these practices
are based on indigenous knowledge and focus on
building soil biological productivity. Non Pesticidal
Management, Organic Soil Management,
Community Seed Banks, System of Rice
Intensification, soil moisture management etc have
already proven to be useful.
c. Locally adopted crop varieties especially in flood
prone areas, drought prone areas, making suitable
selections adopting Participatory Plant Breeding
and Participatory Varietal Selection.
d. Developing suitable farming systems integrating
agriculture, horticulture and livestock.
Questions raised by Opponents of
Organic Farming
Food security: A question that is often posed with
regard to sustainable agriculture or organic farming is
whether it will be able to feed the growing population.
It can be said that sustainable agriculture does not
imply lowered yields, as experience of successful
32
farmer’s bears out on the ground. This is reinforced by
an FAO report (2007) which says that “conversion of
global agriculture to organic management, without
converting wild lands to agriculture and without using
N-fertilizers would result in a global agricultural supply
of 2640 to 4380 Kcal/person/day”. Sustainable
intensification in developing countries through organic
practices would increase production by 56 per cent. A
meta-analysis of 133 scientific papers concluded that
organic agriculture was particularly competitive under
lower yield environments, a feature that is common in
developing countries. Organic yields on average are
comparable to conventional yields although yields do
decline initially when converting from high-input
systems and almost double when converting from low-
input systems.
Improvement in rural livelihoods: While macro-level
food production and availability levels are likely to
increase through sustainable agriculture, at the
individual and community level too, there are bound to
be improvements. As FAO notes again, access to food
will increase by livelihood improvement both for farmers
and agricultural workers through organic farming.
Organic agriculture improves food access by increasing
productivity, diversity and conservation of natural
resources, by raising incomes, improving employment
and by reducing risks. It has been recorded that shift
to sustainable agriculture practices can reduce the
outward migration from rural areas.
Reduction in GHG emissions: Changes in farming
models and practices towards sustainable agriculture
offer a significant opportunity at reducing GHG
emissions. Organic farms use on an average 33 to 56
per cent less energy per hectare, as per FAO (2007).
Organic farming reduces its fossil fuel dependence in
many ways. For instance, for soil productivity
management, internal inputs and practices are used
rather than chemical fertilizers – for instance, creating
the micro-climate required for increased soil (beneficial)
microbial activity. This is done by returning bio-mass
to the soil. Legume production, crop rotation, mixed
cropping etc., are other ways of achieving this. Pest
management also does not depend on chemical
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pesticides but a variety of local resources and
practices.

Creation of resilient systems leading to better

adaptation: Extreme and unpredictable weather
conditions are part of the reality of climate change even
as temperature rise and changes in rainfall, changes
in pest and disease incidence etc., will also be the
stark reality for farmers. What the situation then
requires are resilient and adaptive farming systems
with the least amount of loss to the productive
resources, production and the farmer. To address
extreme weather conditions, organic farms will be
better suited. The better drainage and Water Holding
Capacity (WHC) of organic soils reduces the risk of
drought and soil erosion, for instance. Organic farming
practices are in a good position to maintain productivity
in the event of drought, irregular rainfall events and rising
temperatures, notes a recent technical paper from
International Trade Center (WTO). This paper notes
that soils under organic management retain
significantly more rainwater thanks to the “sponge
properties” of organic matter.
Traditional food practices

Future of Organic Farming from the common earthworm to bacteria and

The environmental problems facing the agricultural
industry cannot be solved by pesticide free zones in
periphery areas or by improved spraying equipment. If
environmental degradation is to be avoided pollution
must be stopped. In the industrial world the transition
to organic farming can solve the problem of surpluses
and most of agriculture’s environmental problems. In
the developing countries new research indicates the
organic farming methods can help peasant farmers
produce considerably more food. Organic agriculture
has matured sufficiently to be taken seriously by world
leaders as an agricultural type capable of solving
agriculture’s environmental problems without the risk
of compromising food supply. The organic idea
comprises two key concepts: living soil and biodiversity.
microscopic fungi. Top soil is an ecosystem much like
a forest. It is the earth’s ecosystem that literally
speaking forms the basis of organic agriculture. If the
ecosystem is left intact with broad biodiversity it has
the possibility of carrying out the mission designed for
it by nature, namely, to supply plant life with necessary
nourishment. It is well documented, for instance, that
plants cultivated on compost fertilized soil are less
exposed to fungal infections than plants cultivated on
artificially fertilized land. Diversity also plays a role in
helping to maintain plants in a healthy condition. If
due regard is taken of the soil’s ecosystem and
biodiversity it is possible to cultivate healthy plants -
or to put it another way, plants that do not require
“protection” from the chemical industry.

The basis of Organic Farming: Living 3.2. Sustainable Agriculture

soil & Healthy Plants initiatives in Kerala
Describing soil as “living” is probably foreign to most A series of parallel efforts are in place in Wayanad for
people. However, top soil swarms with living organisms the Sustainable Agriculture Development and FARM
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project is expecting more convergence with these
programmes. The major players are the Agriculture
Department, SHM, NABARD etc… (Details of these
interventions are presented in the chapter 7.1). Coffee
Board also has taken some focused and well directed
development of organic agriculture in the country. The
Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. Of India
launched the National Programme on Organic
Production (NPOP) under the Foreign Trade &
Development Act (FTDA). The aims of the NPOP
include the following: a) To provide the means of
evaluation of certification programmes for organic
agriculture and products as per approved criteria, b)
To accredit certification programmes, c) To facilitate
certification of organic products in conformity to the
National Standards for organic production and d) To
encourage the development of organic farming and
organic processing
The District Tourism Promotion Council and Kerala
Tourism have a vision on Responsible Tourism and have
adopted Agri-Tourism as an emerging area in the district
of Wayanad. Agri-Tourism has a great scope in
Wayanad due to certain reasons such as ; an
inexpensive gateway for tourists, curiosity about farming
sector and lifestyle, strong demand for wholesome
family oriented recreational activities, health
consciousness of the urban population and finding
solace with nature friendly means, desire for peace
and tranquility, interest in natural environment,
disillusionment with overcrowded places, nostalgia for
the roots, rural recreation and educational value of agri-
tourism. Hence it is expected that the Agri-Tourism, is
expected to emerge as a trend setter in Wayanad.
Spice Board of India has taken a major initiative in
promoting the production and export of organic spices
in a big way. Spices Board India has prepared a
document on production of organic spices. It features
the organic concepts, principles, basic standards,
production guidelines, documentation, inspection and
certification. Research programmes on organic
cultivation of important spices have commenced.
Besides organizing demonstrations to educate and
motivate prospective organic spice growers, the Board
34
is simultaneously involved in training programmes to
existing spice growers on organic principles and
practices. The Board encourages non-governmental
organisations and farmers’ groups to promote and adopt
organic farming techniques.
Media personnel’s are aware of the need for sustainable
agriculture development in Wayanad and they are now
actively participating in the likeminded efforts. All the
mainstream Medias are projecting the need for Organic
farming and this has led to policy level discussions.
Community Radio Mattoli has also linked with the
FARM Project and is offering documentaries on the
Sustainable Agriculture propagated through the FARM
Project. The District Mental Health Programme under
the aegis of National Rural Health Mission has
allocated funds for free psychiatric care including drugs
with technical support from Institute of Mental Health
and Neurosciences (IMHANS) Kozhikode.
Interpretations
1. Agrarian crisis in Wayanad was a result of multiple
reasons ranging from stagnant production, decline
of farm income, droughts, increase in exports due
to liberalization, drop in prices etc…
2. Wayanad had widespread homestead farming
integrating trees, food crops, cash crops, livestock,
poultry and fisheries which maintained high level of
productivity, stability, sustainability.
3. The impact of trade liberalization had adverse effect
on the farm economy of Wayanad as the produces
of the Wayanad couldn’t compete with the imports
at a time when they were going through lower yields
and increasing cost of cultivation.
4. As per the study of KSSF reasons behind the
suicide was several. Economic reasons mounted
to 30.72% and another study conducted by P D
Jeromi states that agricultural crisis alone
contributed to the death of 38.9%.
5. It can be noted that the root causes for the
agricultural crisis started governments decision to
Grow More Food through the Green Revolution
promoting High Yielding Varieties (HYV) and
Chemical farming
6. The agricultural crisis that prevailed in this decade

Farm tourism – Learning the heart beats of agriculture of Wayanad
has made the farmers of Wayanad to understand
the need to take up the Sustainable Farming.
Farmers of Wayanad are now very much aware of
the difference between the conventional chemical
farming and the traditional organic farmer as the
former is high input cost involved high risk farming
producing inorganic products which will ensure
medium price harming the ecology and wellbeing
of man, where as the later is low input cost involved
low risk farming producing organic produces which
will ensure premium prices and will not do anything
harm to the ecology
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7. There are proven researches that show the great
relation between organic farming and rural
development. Organic Farming is found on the
principle of live and let live and the basic pillars are
living soil and health plants.
8. Kerala State Organic Farming Policy is a welcome
movement from the Kerala Government as it aims
to convert the entire farmers into organic in a period
of five years.
FG
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4
Participatory
Action Research on
Sustainable
Agriculture

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4.1. Backdrop
Intensive chemical agriculture that has been followed
after green revolution success is causing heavy
pollution to food, drinking water, air, the life expectancy
has improved, but the quality of life has substantially
deteriorated. The rural economy is in ruins because of
over-dependence of outside inputs in agriculture such
as seed, fertilizers, pesticides, growth-promoting
chemicals etc. It is even said that the chemical
agriculture has destroyed our ability to think about the
right way to go forward. Fortunately, alternatives to
chemical agriculture are available in Organic farming
making use of Nutrition Gardening and Biodynamic
farming. Though a small percentage of farmers have
taken up organic farming, consumer demand for
organically produced food and fiber products provide
new market opportunities for farmers and farm-
business.
FARM Project is on the march towards regeneration
of the agriculture sector of Wayanad through up scaling
Sustainable Agricultural Practices. SFC Network is
promoting organic farming as a major tool in the
regeneration measures and has created three kinds of
models. Promotion of the farmer’s rights was also
adopted by the network as yet another tool for
promotion of Sustainable Agriculture.
1. Nutrition Gardens,
2. Group Farms
3. System of Rice Intensification.
4. Promotion of the Farmers Rights
The first model creation is to ensure food safety and
security of the households. Second one is the creation
of Group Farming Models where the joint labours of
the farmers have resulted in emergence of model farms
practicing organic farming. Third model is the creation
of the paddy fields which practices the System of Rice
Intensification is to promote an alternative method of
paddy cultivation focusing on organic farming ensuring
high yields and low input costs. All the beneficiaries of
the Income Generation Progamme started the Nutrition
Gardening as it was a mandate criterion in selection
of the beneficiaries.
38
4.2. Homestead Nutrition Gardens – A
tool for Sustainable Agriculture
Nutrition Gardening is fast becoming important in the
agriculture sector of Kerala, especially in Wayanad
largely through the efforts of small groups of farmers.
It has come out of the exploitative agriculture that has
been followed by all these years, resulting into damaging
impacts on environment, human and animal health. It
is now well known that the increased use of chemical
pesticides (rather abuse) and fertilizers have created
a chain of problems. Farmers make use of organic
practices for accumulation of soil nutrients, nematode
control, nitrogen fixation etc… Green manure now
receives special attention from farmers. Microbes
facilitate decomposition of these green manures breaks
down and humus buildup Crop rotation, the sequential
planting of the crops is honed to a fine level of Nutrition
Gardening. A fundamental concept of crop rotation is
the effect of different crops on the land. “Humus-
depleting” and “humus-restoring” crops; “soil-
exhausting” and “soil-restoring” crops; and “organic
matter exhausting” and “organic matter restoring” crops
should be planted in alternate seasons. Companion
planting, a specialized form of crop rotation commonly
used in nutrition gardening, entails the planned
association of two or more plant species in close
proximity so that some cultural benefit (pest control,
higher yield) is derived. In addition to beneficial
associations, companion planting increases
biodiversity on the farm which leads to a more stable
agro ecosystem.
The district of Wayanad is characterized by homestead
farming at the subsistence level and smallholder
plantations. Paddy, the staple food of the region, is
cultivated on 11,331 hectares. Paddy-based cropping
systems involve paddy, vegetables and banana. The
uplands adjoining the wetlands are characterized by
homestead farming with tubers, coffee and pepper.
Coffee-based cropping systems involving coffee, pepper
and ginger, along with many trees, are the most
prevalent land use patterns. The traditional agro-forestry
systems composed mainly of home gardens, the native
tree composition of farmlands was largely left intact;
only the under-storey plants were replaced by crops.

Homesteads are hallmark of staggered settlement
pattern in tribal hamlets and are the most valuable
heritage that influences the unique living standards,
cultural identity and other socio-economic features.
Within the homesteads, the farmers have their hut,
grow a variety of crops with dominance of perennials
(corresponding to the valleys, slopes and hill tops),
raise a combination of animals, birds and fish and run
their agribusiness enterprises (mostly managed by
women), all in marginal to small holdings.
Why do we need Nutrition Gardening?
Due to over cultivation and the use of synthetic
fertilizers, the nutrition in the soil has gone down
tremendously. This has resulted in weak and sick plants
having poor nutrition value. It results in diseased plants/
crops that constantly require pesticides and antibiotics
to survive. End result is these harmful pesticides and
chemicals are consumed by the man kind and we gets
the pay back as Cancer, Hypertension, Osteoporosis,
Diabetes, Heart Disease, Obesity and a plethora of
chronic ailments. All these are the results of the
synthetic pesticides and chemicals that we intake on
a daily basis. The problem can be corrected by inducing
the soil conditions by changing over to Nutrition
Gardening with out use of synthetic fertilizers and
pesticides. How can we replenish the nutrition
contents? It is simple and the most cost effective
technology of using the organic nutrients. It is a kind
of Aromatherapy in which the deficiencies of the
depleted soil is corrected which in turn will result in
good nutrient rich products capable of warding of pest
attacks and disease ensuring high productivity.
Steps in Nutrition Gardening
1. Seeds and planting materials are collected from
organic sources.
2. Bio-inputs are applied instead of chemical fertilizers
and pesticides from seed treatment onwards.
3. The farmer’s are trained in preparation of bio-inputs
and its systematic application systems in various
crops.
4. Indigenous farming practitioners adopted in land
preparation for the pest repellent measures.
5. Conservation of soil moisture is ensured through
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matching in vegetable cultivation.
6. Pulses, bitter guards, pumpkins, colocasia, leafy
vegetables are cultivated in the house premises and
in the homestead gardens as intercrops.
7. Tapioca, Colocasia, Diaspora, Yam is also cultivated
organically.
Motivations for the Nutrition
Gardening
Within the food industry, defining the benefits of organic
food is largely left to word of mouth, media coverage,
and the promotional efforts of organic advocates. Major
food and beverage corporations such as Reliance, More
etc… have rapidly moved to acquire significant stake
in both fresh and processed organic products. Still,
the specific sales points of “organics” go largely
unmentioned on product packaging and in mainstream
media advertising. Claims of improved food quality are
regularly used in conventional food marketing, with “low
fat”, “low sodium”, “whole grain”, “high fiber”, “vitamin
enriched”, “no trans-fat” and other commonly advertised
benefits. By contrast, “certified organic” is generally
left to stand on its own as self-explanatory, assisted
only by general terms like “natural”. Consumer surveys
have consistently identified food quality as the main
reason for purchasing organic food. Higher nutrition
value, no toxic residues from pesticides, and better
taste are often cited, as is the positive impact of organic
production on the environment.
Home gardens constitute a dominant and promising
land use system, maintaining high levels of productivity,
stability, sustainability and equitability. Home gardens
play an important role in the food security of the region
as they supply varied products throughout the seasons.
Tubers, vegetables, fruits and spices from home
gardens make up a significant part of the nutritional
requirements of the household. Crop diversity in
homesteads results in a range of output from a given
area, increasing self-sufficiency and reducing the
economic risks associated with adverse climatic,
biological and market impacts on particular crops. In
densely populated or heavily degraded areas without
sufficient staple crop fields, as in Wayanad, home
gardens also provide large portions of staple foods.
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Another important function of home gardens is the
generation of a cash income. Most of the income from
a home garden is from marketable surplus derived from
perennials such as fruit trees. Income from a home
garden could account for more than 50% of the total
income of a household.
The biodiversity of a home garden is the result of
generations of conscious selection by farmers, and
bears the imprint of their choices. Moreover, these
components are, in most cases, the last refuge for
species that are useful but not commercially viable for
cultivation. Home gardens also meet a significant
portion of the household’s energy requirements. Most
cooking fuel requirements are met through twigs and
other forms of litter collected from the home garden.
Oils extracted from varied sources, like coconut and
sesame, used to serve as the source of lighting fuel in
traditional homesteads before the advent of electricity.
The green leaves and cow dung from home gardens
used to be a major source of chemical energy in the
household, and the fodder from home gardens fed to
the cows would serve as the major mechanical energy
source used in farming.
The exchange of home garden products and planting
material is common in many traditional societies. Some
plant species in home gardens are necessary for
religious ceremonies; not being commercially viable,
they are not cultivated. Most traditional medicinal plants
are encountered in home gardens. Home gardens also
fulfill ecological functions, particularly in landscapes
where large, monotonous and mono-functional
agricultural fields dominate. The multi-layered
vegetation structure of home gardens, which resemble
natural forests, offers a habitat to a diverse community
of wild plants and animals. This structure appears to
contribute substantially to the sustainability of home
garden systems.
Home gardens save agricultural lands from the
degradation resulting from intensive agriculture, and
maintain or increase site productivity through nutrient
recycling and soil protection. Farmers derive a variety
of services and products from home gardens; they
40
increase the value of output per unit of land through
spatial or inter-temporal intercropping of trees and other
species. Home gardens also help farmers by supplying
raw materials (such as leaf compost) for agriculture.
And they spread the need for labour inputs more evenly
seasonally, thus reducing the effects of sharp peaks
and troughs characteristic of tropical agriculture.
Farmers are able to utilize family labour as a part-time
activity without requiring a change in occupation for
the landholder.
Some of the points projected by the Farmers and Organic
food advocates for the promotion of the Organic Nutrition
Gardening.
z Organic food proponents express concern over the
potential negative effects of various chemical
cultivation methods and genetic modification
techniques used in modern conventional agriculture.
z One of the major differences in the production of
organically produced food from traditional techniques
is its reliance on so-called natural methods of providing
soil nutrients. While both methods rely on nitrates to
provide nitrogen to the soil, organic agriculture gets the
majority of its nitrates from manure and composting
sources. These sources of nitrogen have a slower
transfer of nitrogen to the soil spreading out the
release of nitrogen over the growing season and
helping to reduce the leeching of nitrates into water
sources where they can cause health problems.
z Organic animal manure, typically that of cattle, is
manure from animals that eat mainly hay and other
organic, primarily non-grain materials. This is seen as a
way to reduce the amount of E. Coli bacteria present,
and the feces of organically-raised cattle have only 1%
of the E. Coli present in non-organic manure
z Organic proponents cite evidence that some chemicals
used in conventional farming, including pesticides and
herbicides, mimic hormones - usually estrogen - when
inside a person
z Some organic advocates claim that organic food is
more nutritious. Increased soil quality, greater attention
to quality, and selection of crop varieties for nutrition
and taste instead of size, appearance, and shipping
characteristics are claimed to be reasons for higher
nutrient density of organic foods.
z Many claim that organic food tastes better. This is
primarily referred to regarding fresh food. organic foods
might also have more flavor because organic farmers
often breed with taste instead of marketability as the
primary factor
z Every food purchase supports the system that delivers
it, and if large-scale chemical production methods are
damaging to the environment, then purchasing these
foods supports this damage. A main goal of organic
farming is minimizing impact to the environment.
z Proponents of organic farming say that “conventional”
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farming is unsustainable, because it relies on artificial Table 2:
inputs (synthetic fertilizers and other chemicals, Distribution of Nutrition Gardening
machinery, etc.) that ultimately require energy in the
form of fossil fuels, and because the land is degraded based on of tribal hamlets (n =200)
through soil erosion, salinization, and other processes
that eventually render the soil infertile. Many claim that
Category Frequency %
without cheap fossil fuels and government subsidies, Sugandhagiri 22 11
conventional agriculture would not be possible, and that
despite technological advancements, there will
Eddiyam vayal 20 10
eventually be an agricultural crisis as a result of Palakkara 15 7.5
depleted soil. The cultivation of monocultures, many Ellakolly 25 12.5
acres planted with the same crop year after year,
increases susceptibility to pests and diseases and Ponkuzhy 18 9
depletes the soil, while eliminating most native flora Koloor 16 8
and fauna. Mundakolli 24 12
z In contrast, organic farming often utilizes intercropping,
mixed cropping, strip cropping, crop rotation, fallow Kayalkunnu 19 9.5
periods, and integrated pest management to promote Arikkalam 22 11
biodiversity and preserve the health of the soil while Cheerapoyil 19 9.5
minimizing the risk of diseases. The main goal of
organic farming is sustainability, so organic farms seek
to minimize dependence on outside resources and be
self-sufficient.
of seeds. Further the capacitated community
facilitators walked with them in every point of the
z Modern agricultural practices often result in large research and assisted with knowledge, morale, and
amounts of nitrogen runoff from the heavy use of
fertilizer, which pollutes watersheds. In addition to
handholding support. Two types of plots were used,
posing a threat to human health and disrupting aquatic one being the trial plot in which the organic inputs were
ecosystems, this sometimes results in algal blooms applied and the second was control plot where the
which deplete the water of oxygen resulting in fish kills.
Pesticide runoff also causes many problems chemical inputs were applied. This enabled us to
assess the variance in the farming process from each
4.2. Action Research on Nutrition stage.
Gardening
For the Facilitating Agricultural Regeneration Measures
The two main objectives of this Participatory Action (FARM) ten tribal clusters were identified for the
Research were the promotion and validation of Nutrition Nutrition Gardening. They were Sugandhagiri and
Gardening and System of Rice Intensification as tools Eddiyamvayal colony from Pozhuthana Gram
for agricultural regeneration. Two hundred tribal farmers Panchayath, Palakkara colony from Panamaram Gram
were selected for the Participatory Action Research. Panchayath, Ellakolly colony from Poothadi
In the Participatory Action Research the stake holders Panchayath, Ponkuzhy and Koloor colony from
especially the farmers were channeled for the Noolpuzha Panchayath, Mundakolli and Kayalkunnu
experimentation in the systematic manner. Outcomes colony from Nenmeni Panchayath, Arikkalam and
of the research findings of the FARM project were Cheerapoyil Panchayath from Padinjarathara GP. The
delivered at first to make them understand the need of highest number of nutrition farm developed was in the
the Nutrition Gardening. Then they were given trainings Table 3:
on the practice in the NG and provided exposure visits Distribution of the beneficiaries of
to the farmers practicing the same. Farmer’s the Nutrition Garden on the basis of
psychology is simple that they believe in the models Cultivation (n =200)
rather than the routine awareness programmes and
Category Frequency %
lectures. Seeing is believing for farmers and these
exposures framed the mindset to experiment their plots Homestead Farm 190 95
with NG. Initial grants were given for the procurement SRI 10 5
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Table 4: For this Participatory Action Research the universe of

Distribution of the Nutrition Gardens the study was Sugandhagiri, Koloor and Cheerapoyil
allotted to tribes (n =200) colonies. A total of sixty nutrition units belonged to the
Category Frequency % reference area of the PAR. Tribal folk from the
Sugandhagiri region had the most fertile land which
Paniya 84 42
was given by the government of Kerala as a part of
Kurichiya 32 16
their resettlement plan. Most of them had some sort
Kurumar 7 3.5
of cultivation in their plots. Koloor and Arikkalam also
Oorali 30 15
were agrarian villages and the tribal folk had prior
Naika 47 23.5
experience in the agriculture. A large proportion of the
tribal folk from the tribal clusters of Noolpuzha,
Mundakolli Colony and the least number was developed Pozhuthana, and Padinjarathara depends on
in the Palakkara Colony (Table 2). ecosystem services from forests and agricultural lands
for their survival. They inhabit marginal, less
The two major programmes implemented for the agriculturally productive land where harvests are more
Promotion of Nutrition Gardening were the Homestead vulnerable to deterioration of soil and water quality.
Farming and System of Rice Intensification. 200 units Though the nature and mode of extractive dependence
were implemented in the entire project spread over 10 have changed over time, people’s dependence on
tribal clusters. Tribal farmers who implemented forests continues.
homestead farming units making use of organic
nutrition inputs was 190. 10 tribal farmers experimented Criteria of the unit selection in the
the System of Rice Intensification in their plots (Table). Research
Most tribal farmers in Wayanad are small, marginal,
Paniya, Kurichiya, Kurumar, Oorali and Naika tribal and tend to grow multiple sets of crop on their farmlands
were the reference population selected for the Nutrition mostly granted by the government giving title deeds.
Gardening Progamme. Paniya tribe formed the majority Farmers maintain a spectacular variety of plants in
as they were traditional agrarian labours. 84 their home gardens to meet their varied needs. A typical
beneficiaries of he Nutrition Gardening were Paniya, home garden represents an operational farm unit that
32 were from Kurichiya, 7 from Kurumar, 30 from Oorali integrates trees with field crops, livestock, poultry and/
and 47 from Naika. The other tribes were not actively or fish, with the basic objective of ensuring sustained
present in the reference area and they showed least availability of multiple products such as food,
interest in the promotion of the Nutrition Gardening. vegetables, fruits, fodder, fuel, timber, medicines and/
The tribes selected on the basis of random sampling or ornamentals, besides generating employment and
for the Participatory Action Research consisted of the cash income.
following. Twenty four farmers were selected from
Paniya tribe, sixteen from Kurichiya, four from Kurumar Those who had atleast five cents of land participated
and sixteen from Naika. in the promotion of Nutrition Gardening and cultivated
Table 5: basic items required for the household food security in
Distribution of the Nutrition Garden their premises. For the Participatory Action Research
covered under the PAR (n = 60) sixty units were visited and careful examination of thirty
units is been carried out to analyse the results and
Category Frequency %
outcomes of the Homestead Nutrition Gardening
Sugandhagiri 22 37 Programme.
Koloor 16 26
Arikkalam 22 37 Criteria behind selection of the thirty famers were mainly
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those who had more than one acre of land cultivating
multiple crops and interested in developing trial and
control plots of 25 cents each for a single crop. They
were persuaded to create one trial plot and another
control plot to validate the effectiveness of the Nutrition
inputs. In the trial plot the farmers practiced Nutrition
gardening and in the control plots they carried out the
conventional chemical farming. The FARM team
oriented the selected beneficiaries in the first phase
itself about the relevance of the research being carried
out. Hence all the families took part in the research
actively. Research team provided concurrent monitoring
in the farm and the FARM project team offered
continuous accompaniment.
The cost benefit study projected hereafter is the output
of the close examination and field visits the PAR team
made to the sites in the one year of the research.
Farmers were trained to keep the note of the activities
with support of the Community Facilitators as none of
them had literacy. Community Facilitators visited on a
weekly basis and recorded the events happening in
the Nutrition garden. Species of cultivation varied in
different plots and the table hereafter referred as the
Cost Benefit Analysis was tabulated by calculating the
records kept by the farmers as well as in-depth field
study conducted by the researcher. Five each farmers
developed both trial and control plots on tapioca,
banana, cow pea and Elephant yam. Ten farmers
developed both trial and control plot on Ginger. The
following is the depiction of the results of the PAR
carried out.
Cost Benefit Analysis gives us the clear picture of the
success of the Nutrition Gardening carried out in the
selected tribal clusters of Wayanad. Tapioca showed
a cost benefit of 4.35 in the Nutrition Gardening as
against the 3.88 in conventional farming. In all the
cases the farmers got increased yield in Nutrition
Gardening which earned them produces worth 2 quintal

Cost Effectiveness and the comparison of the Nutrition Gardening (NG) and
Chemical Farming (CF) in 25 cents
Table 6: Cost Benefit Analysis of the Nutrition Gardening and Chemical farming based on the study in he PRA (n 5
Tapioca farmers + 5 banana farmers + 5 cow pea farmers + 5 ginger farmers + 10 yam farmers = 30 )

NF CF NG CF NG CF NG CF NG CF
Crop Tapioca Banana Cow pea Ginger Elephant Yam
Seed Cost 200 200 800 800 300 300 10000 10000 6000 6000
Labour 4000 4000 15,000 15,000 1800 1800 6500 7000 1000 1000
Fertilizers Cost 400 500 400 2500 400 1100 1930 2330 250 600
Pesticides Cost 0 200 100 400 100 500 100 400 0 0
Input Cost 4,600 4,900 16,300 18,700 2,400 3,300 18,530 19,730 7250 7650
Productivity/kg 2000 1900 1950 1900 400 380 2300 2100 1875 1250
Price /Kg Rs 12 Rs 10 Rs 25 Rs 22 Rs 16 Rs 15 Rs 17 Rs 17 Rs 16 Rs 16
Income 20,000 19,000 48,750 41,800 6,400 5,700 39,100 35,700 30,000 20000
Net Benefit 15,400 14,100 32,450 23,100 4,000 2,400 20,570 15970 22350 12,750
CBA 4.35 3.88 2.99 2.24 2.67 1.73 2.11 1.80 4.13 2.61
Additional 1,000 9,350 1,600 4,600 10,000
Savings in N F
Note: This table was prepared after consultations with the thirty tribal farmers who practiced Nutrition Gardening in the
trial plot and chemical farming in the control plots
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sourcing Rs 20,000 against the chemical farming having
production worth 1.9 quintal sourcing Rs 19,000. Hence
there is an additional income of Rs 1,000 in Nutrition
Gardening. Banana showed a cost benefit of 2.29 in
the Nutrition Gardening as against the 2.24 in
conventional farming. In all the cases the farmers got
increased yield in Nutrition Gardening which earned
them produces worth 1.95 quintal sourcing Rs 48,750
against the chemical farming having production worth
1.9 quintal sourcing Rs 41,800. Hence there is an
additional income of Rs 9,350 in Nutrition Gardening
as the organic plantain got average price of Rs 25 per
kilogram.
Cow pea cultivation showed a cost benefit of 2.67 in
the Nutrition Gardening as against the1.73 in
conventional farming. In all the cases the farmers got
increased yield in Nutrition Gardening which earned
them produces worth .4 quintal sourcing Rs 6,400
against the conventional farming having production
worth .38 quintal sourcing Rs 5,700. Hence there is
an additional income of Rs 1,600 in Nutrition Gardening.
Demand of the organic cow pea was high in the markets
where as the production was short against the demand.
Ginger fields showed a cost benefit of 2.11 in the
Nutrition Gardening as against the 1.80 in conventional
farming. In all the cases the farmers got increased
yield in Nutrition Gardening which
earned them produces worth 2.3
quintal sourcing Rs 39,100 against
the chemical farming having
production worth 2.1 quintal
sourcing Rs 35,700. Hence there
is an additional income of Rs 4,600
in Nutrition Gardening.
chemical farming having production worth 1.25 quintal
sourcing Rs 20,000. Hence there is an additional
income of Rs 10,000 in Nutrition Gardening. While
analyzing the table it can be said that the productivity
in the Nutrition Gardening is considerably high and
differs in the crops. In Elephant yam and Ginger the
production was the highest as against the conventional
form. It was also noticed that the production cost also
was very much less as against the chemical farming
since the input cost in the form of fertilizers, pesticides
and in some cases even the labour also fall short
against the other. Considering all these aspects it can
be coined very well that the productivity in the Nutrition
Gardening is higher due to lower pest attacks,
diseases as well as the nutrients provides good growth.
Prices also were fair for the products in the Nutrition
Gardening as there was demand in the marketing
outlets of SFC Network. Input cost also decreased
considerably in the Nutrition Gardening.
Results of the Nutrition induced
Homestead Farming
1. Food consumed from the Nutrition Home Garden
improves the Nutrition status and ensures the food
security of the family.
2. It can partially be a income generation activity for

Elephant yam production showed

a cost benefit of 4.13 in the
Nutrition Gardening as against the
2.61 in conventional farming. In all
the cases the farmers got
increased yield in Nutrition
Gardening which earned them
produces worth 1.87 quintal
sourcing Rs 30,000 against the
44 Inauguration of Organic Produces Selling Shop

the tribals with small holdings
3. There are potential environmental benefits from
Homestead farming
4. Nutrition induced Homestead farming is one
strategy for addressing malnutrition and
micronutrient deficiencies among tribal.
5. Even where women play a primary role in
homestead farming's, it can be important to involve
the entire family in projects to promote homestead
farming, especially in tribal cultures where women
have little contact with outsiders and may hesitate
to become involved in projects without the approval
of their husbands
6. Another potential impact of homestead farming is
land conservation.
7. Quite apart from providing cash income and
subsistence products to the growers, homestead
farming have a tremendous potential for rural
employment generation among tribal
8. Most homestead farming's support a variety of
animals - cows, buffaloes, bullocks, goats, sheep,
and birds such as chicken and ducks.
9. Low capital requirements and labor costs - suitable
for resource poor and small-holder farming
situation.
10. Nutrition homestead gardening results in better
utilization of resources, greater efficiency of labor,
even distribution of labor inputs and more efficient
management
11. Increased self sufficiency and reduced risk to
income from climatic, biological or market impacts
on particular crops/products
12. Higher income with increased stability, greater
equity and improved standards of living
13. Better use of underutilized land, labor or capital,
besides creating capital stocks to meet
intermittent costs or unforeseen contingencies
14. Enhanced food/Nutrition security and ability to
meet the food, fuel, fodder, and timber requirements
of the society.
15. Increased fulfillment of social and cultural needs
through sharing or exchange of produces and
recreational opportunities
16. Cost benefit analysis of the Chemical Farming and
Nutrition Gardening shows that there are atleast
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one third increases in the production and two third
decreases in the input cost such as seed and
labour.
17. Production from Homestead Nutrition Gardening
sourced out higher value in the SFC Network
organic markets as the demands for the organic
production were high from the public.
4.4. Case Study Analysis of Nutrition
Farms
Case 1
Krishnankutty aged fifty is a tribal farmer from
Pozhuthana Gram Panchayath in Wayanad District
and he is in the farming sector for the last 27 years.
He was using chemical fertilizers and pesticides in
his farm from the beginning of agriculture. He witnessed
wide pest attacks and low productivity for the last five
years and was really worried about continuing the
agriculture. He failed to repay a bank loan which was
taken for promoting plantain cultivation in his farm. He
suffered a great loss due to pest attacks in the banana
cultivation and was in great turmoil in 2009. By this
time he happened to be a recipient of the organic
farmers training programme facilitated by Jeevana under
the FARM project. He was also given an opportunity
to visit model organic farm under the patronage of Save
Farmers Campaign and it inspired him to turn into
organic farming.
He was selected for the Promotion of Nutrition
Gardening on experimental basis and he was willing
to turn his one acre plot into an integrated organic
farm making use of the organic bio-inputs. He initiated
the process in the last months of 2009 and in one year
time he could develop a model integrated farm. He
attended the organic bio input preparation class
organized by the community facilitator of the FARM
project and replicated the application in his one acre
plot. He went for an integrated farm inside the coffee
plantation which was specially designed for this
purpose. He cultivated Ginger, Turmeric, Elephant Yam,
French Beans, Bitter Gourd, Cluster Beans, Lady's
Finger, Green Amaranths, Pumpkin, Ash Gourd, Bottle
Gourd, Ridged Luffa etc… He prepared the bio-inputs
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such as Amrithapani, Fish Tonic, Tonal Tonic, Organic
NPK solution etc… and planted Marigold inside the
plot as a biological fencing to the farmland. He
recollected the effects of the organic inputs he has
applied; Amrithapani has helped in the remarkable
growth of plants, Fish Tonic has dual effect of herbal
fertilizer and pesticide etc… He has recorded the
remarkable differences that have been visible in the
farm for the last one year. They are;
Krishnan in his integrated farm
Green organic vegetables harvested
46
z Earlier there were presence of pests and insects in
the farm and now there is complete absence of
such intruders and hence the attacks are negligible.
z Thick growth of plants is another important matter
to be noticed in the farm. The greenery is always
enchanting.
z He could start the harvest with in two month of
planting and there is steady supply of vegetables
and legumes from the plot.
z Attack of pests and insects at
the time of flowering has
compromised the productivity
earlier in farm and such a
situation is absent in the
Nutrition Gardening method.
z Demand from the locality itself
is high and the supply falls
short to demand.
He has the determination that he
will produce vegetables, spices
and tubers worth Rs 10,000 in the
coming season as he is very
much confident about the
rejuvenation created by
Amrithapani and the pest control
by aromatic flower Mari Gold. The
following photographical
representations of the Nutrition
farm of Krishnan will give more
validations for Organic Nutrition
Gardening
He has already initiated steps to
launch organic farming in paddy
cultivation and banana cultivation
in large scale. Krishnan was
selected as a model famer in the
year 2010 by the Agricultural
Office and was awarded Rs 5000.
He gets visitors from nearby
Panchayaths as his nutrition farm
has acclaimed wide news coverage
in the nearing Panchayaths. He

adds that now there is an aroma of agriculture in the
farm and it has a magical touch of keeping rejuvenated
while at work.
Case 2
Santosh a young farmer from Padinjarathara Gram
Panchayath had a model homestead farming in his
Santhosh showing the growth of the Ginger cultivation
practicing Nutrition Gardening
house premise. He practiced conventional farming for
years and shifted over to organic farming in the year
2008. But the production reduced against the chemical
farming and he was about to get back to conventional
farming. At this time he attended the training on Nutrition
Gardening provided by FARM project and decided to
experiment the same in his field. He cultivated Ginger,
Colocasia, Tapioca and Rice. He experimented crop
rotation prior to the nutrition farm experimentation and
this turned to be successful. In order to validate the
impacts of him Nutrition Gardening he developed two
plots. In one plot he cultivated ginger by providing
Organic nutrition and another plot by Chemical farming.
He provided chemical fertilizers such as 18:18,
Complex and NPK to the chemical farming plot and
provided organic nutrients such as Amrithapani, Fish
tonic, Bone powder, Organic NPK, Organic Pest
repellents etc… to the organic plot. The result was
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Save Farmers Campaign
conducive for the organic farm. While the chemical
plot suffered several diseases from time to time, he
had to invest a lot of money for the control and has to
abandon some portion of the yields. Disease such as
yellowing and decaying affected the chemical farming
plot.
In the organic plot there were low
pest attacks and the sapling had
thick growth. He cultivated ginger
in five cent of land of which both
plots were of 2.5 cents. It was
noticed that the production was
higher in the organic plot and the
input cost for the organic plot was
considerably less than the
chemical plot. He got 92.07 kg of
organic ginger from the trial plot
and from the chemical plot he got
only 67.06 kg of ginger. In the
homestead farming he also
experimented the cultivation of
vegetables such as leafy
vegetables, Ladies Finger, Tubers,
Cow pea etc… He had proved that
the pest attacks and diseases in
the Nutrition Gardening was very low and the input
cost in the form of fertilizers, pesticides, labour and
seeds were also very low in the organic farming
process. He had decided to convert his entire farming
into Nutrition induced organic farming and has emerged
as a model farmer in the entire Padinjarathara
Panchayath. He is getting visitors on a daily basis
and he has emerged as trainer on the input
preparations.
Case 3
Santhosh Kudukkattu, a Kurichiya farmer from Muttil
Gram Panchayath was practicing Conventional Organic
farming till he attended the Organic Input preparation
training offered by the FARM project. He was practicing
organic farming for three years but never adopted any
additional nutrition other than cow dung. Being
attracted to the Nutrition Gardening he decided to
convert his one and a half acre of land into nutrition
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induced organic farming. His land was a fertile land
nearing river bed having sufficient irrigation facility. He
was cultivating tubers, Elephant Yam, tapioca, cow
pea, ginger etc… through conventional farming method.
He converted the entire plot into organic farming. He
cultivated the same products but applied the first step
of Nutrition Gardening the crop rotation. He raised one
control plot and another trial plot of Elephant Yam in
Santhosh with Elephant Yam weighing 7.5 kg raised through
Organic Farming using Amrithapani & Fish Tonic
Elephant Yam weighing 2.5 Kg raised through onventional farming
48
twenty five cents of land to validate the effectiveness
of the Nutrition Gardening as suggested by the FARM
project.
He cultivated around 750 units of Elephant Yam in fifty
cents of land. He spent around Rs 6000 for the seeds.
He plotted 25 cents into conventional organic and the
remaining 25 cents as trial plot for Nutrition Gardening.
In the Nutrition Gardening he spent
around Rs 1600 as labour and
preparation of organic inputs.
Where as in the conventional plot
he applied cow dung only and the
input cost was very low. As there
were low pest attacks in both the
plots he didn't have to apply any
kind of pesticides. In six months
time both the plots were ready for
harvesting. He got around 1900
kilogram of produce from the
Nutrition induced farming model
where as in the conventional plot
the productivity was only two third
of the production in the Nutrition
Gardening.
He could also produce 100
kilogram of cow pea from his
nutrition induced homestead
farming which was sold at a price
of Rs 2,000. He got around 150 kg
of Colocasia which fetched a price
of Rs 3600, 300 Kilogram of
Tapioca fetched Rs 3000, 600
kilogram of Ginger fetching around
Rs 8000. This was a record earning
for him and he is planning to take
land for lease and to increase his
cultivation in Nutrition induced
organic farming in the next
season.
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Save Farmers Campaign

4.5. Action Research on System of
Rice Intensification
Wayanad once had nearly 40,000 hectares of paddy
cultivation. Today, rice is cultivated only in 17,000
hectares. The remaining area is occupied by banana
(12,000 hectares) and areca nut and other non-farm
activities. The conversion of paddy fields to banana
fields has resulted in many ecological and social
problems. Women used to get substantial labour
opportunities in rice (27 person-days per acre per
season). Due to the conversion to banana, it could be
estimated that women lost nearly 150,000 labor-days
per season. Farmers gave up rice cultivation because
of its low profitability due to high labour costs as well
as low level of productivity. While the profit from one
acre of rice per season is Rs. 5000 to 7000, banana
from the same area will give a profit of Rs. 50,000.
When the banana price hits its peak, like Rs.30 per
kg, the profit multiplies to 1, 00,000. But these huge
profits are earned by destroying the natural ecosystem,
at the cost of depleting ground water and loss of local
biodiversity due to the intensive application of toxic
pesticides like carbofuran (forate), thimate etc.
selected for the PAR. Three plots were developed by
the Paniya tribal family, three by Kurichiya, two by
Kurumar and two plots by Naika. System of Rice
Intensification was selected by few farmers only as
they need models to get convinced. However ten
industrious farmers took the risk and developed model
plots for System of Rice Intensification.
System of Rice Intensification as tool
for Sustainable Agriculture
Regeneration
The System of Rice Intensification, method was
developed in Madagascar Island by the farmers and
NGOs under the leadership French Jesuit Father Henri
de Laulanie in Madagascar. However the full testing of
the system did not occur until some years later. The
concept of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) focuses
on managing the soil, water, plants and nutrients in a
balanced relationship, enabling maximum growth of
rice plants. The SRI method can increase the

Technological intervention, innovations and support

services are prerequisite to bring back our rice
cultivation. This should focus on increasing productivity,
reducing labour costs, and developing eco friendly pest
and disease management practices. The System of
Rice Intensification as mentioned above has proved to
be a technical intervention with the potential to revive
the rice cultivation in Wayanad. We have experimented
SRI in ten plots in the three Gram Panchayaths

Table 7:
Distribution of the units of System of
Rice Intensification in the PAR
(n = 10)
Category Frequency %
Paniya 3 30
Kurichiya 3 30
Kurumar 2 20
Naika 2 20
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production of paddy per hectare by using only 5% the fed (un-irrigated) conditions and with transplanting being
usual seeds, 50% of usual water, 50% of manuring, superseded by direct-seeding sometimes.
and 80% of labour. It is currently being adopted in 25
countries in the world including India, Cambodia, SRI Methodology
Vietnam, Sri Lanka and China The SRI method transplants double plants in hills at a
distance of 25x25 or 30 x 30 cm. The uniqueness of
Assembly of the practices that culminated in SRI began this method is that the transplanting is being done
in the 1960s based on Fr. de Laulanie's observation of between 7th and 9th day after sprouting of the seeds.
'positive-deviant' farmer practices, starting with planting The current practice is to transplant after 4 to 8 weeks,
single seedlings instead of multiple seedlings in a and often 5 to 10 plants in one clump (hill). This causes
clump, and not keeping irrigated paddy fields flooded trauma to the young plant as its roots take 12 to 14
during the rice plants' vegetative
growth stage. Planting with wider
spacing in a square pattern, rather
than randomly or in rows, followed,
as did controlling weed growth by
use of a soil-aerating push-weeder
(rotating hoe). In 1983, the
beneficial effect of transplanting
very young seedlings, less than 15
days old, was discovered
serendipitously. Subsequently,
when fertilizer prices increased,
compost made from any
decomposed biomass turned out
to give even better results than
chemical fertilizer. SRI concepts
and practices continue to evolve
as they are being adapted to rain-
FARM Volunteers demonstrating the cultivation of SRI
Table 8:
Comparison of SRI against Conventional Practices (acre)
Conventional Method SRI Method
Seed Input 25 kg/acre 2 kg/acre
Transplanting of seedlings after 25-35 days after 8 – 12 days
Number of hills/ m2 about 30 – 40 hills about 16 hills
(with a spacing of 25 cm between the hills)
Number of seedlings/hill 4 or more two
Fertilization application of chemical application of organic fertilization,
fertilizers, pesticides, non chemical weed management
herbicides and insecticides
Water Management Continuous irrigation moist conditions, no submergence
Productivity 2t/acre 3t/acre
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days to reestablish themselves after transplanting. In that in conventional plot varies from Rs. 20,000 to Rs.
the conventional way of dense planting (50 to 60 clumps 25,000 per acre. On the other hand, total expenses
in a square meter), roots of the plant cannot grow widely with SRI show decreases (5 to 13%) compared to
and deeply, resulting in lower nutrient uptake from conventional methods. But the weeding cost is higher
different zones. as additional weeding is required in SRI. This could be
reduced in the coming years with effective water
Steps in practicing SRI management as well as adopting small weeding
1. Preparing the Nursery machines. This analysis shows that SRI can be very
2. Selection of the seeds well propagated in the district, and rice farming could
3. Growing seedlings in a miniature plot also be rejuvenated. Thirty farmers participated in the
4. Field Preparations experiments and conducted a total of trials using
5. Taking seedlings from Nursery various seeds. The major varieties cultivated through
6. Transplanting the seedlings this experiment were Uma, Kanchana, Adukkan, Sabari
7. Water controlling and IR 8. The following table gives the differences
8. Weeding between the conventional and the SRI.
9. Pest and Disease Control Measures
10. Management after flowering Results of the SRI done by the Tribal
11. Harvest Farmers
1. Productivity per acre in crops increased from 20
Income and Expenditure Analysis quintals to 30 quintals in the Nutrition Gardening.
Yield has increased up to 55 % to 70% in the SRI 2. Input cost decreased from 14,450 to 11,150 per
plots. Tiller production showed up to 256 % increase acre.
in different varieties. The profit with SRI methods 3. Needs 50% more man days for transplanting and
increased from 50 % to 75% in different plots compared weeding.
to the conventional plots. The total income per acre 4. It offers an alternative to resource poor, which puts
from SRI plots varies from Rs.30, 000 to 36,000, while in their family labour.

Table 9:
Cost Benefit Analysis of SRI (Productivity in one Acre)
Particulars Conventional SRI
Input Cost
Ploughing 4000 4000
Seed 900 240
Transplanting 3750 1800
Weeding 1500 2000
Fertilizers 1500 300
Harvesting & Thrashing 2800 2800
Total 14450 11,140
Yield and Income
Yield 20 q 30 q
Gross Income @ Rs 1200 per q 24,000 36,000
Net Income 9,550 24,860
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5. Large root volume, Profuse and strong tillers , non
lodging, big panicle
6. More and well filled spikelet's and higher grain
weight
7. Resists insects because it allows rice to grow
naturally
8. 30 tillers per plant are fairly easy to achieve and
50 tillers pen plant are quite attainable.
9. SRI requires only about half as much water as
normally applied in irrigated rice.
10. Higher yields - Both grain and straw
11. Reduced duration (by 10 days)
12. More resistance to pest and diseases has been
found in SRI method.
13. Less water requirement, Less chaffy grain
14. Grain weight increased without change in grain
size, Higher head rice recovery, Cold tolerance,
Higher weed management costs
15. Soil health improves through biological activity,
Less expenditure giving more yields
16. Less vulnerable to heavy rainfall and strong wind.
17. Through the deeper root systems, SRI plants were
found to be better prepared to survive short periods
View of tillers in SRI plot when water was provided ———
52
of water stress associated with water shortages.
4.6. Case Studies of the SRI Farmers
Case 1
Kattunayka Colony of Noolpuzha becomes self sufficient in
rice production
Velukkan from Kattunayka Colony was a small scale
rice farmer belonging to the Noolpuzha Gram
Panchayath. He was practicing conventional rice
farming from mid nineties. Rice cultivation was a part
of their lifestyle as well as their livelihood. They
considered rice cultivation as a divine activity and the
rice farming was an inherited high valued ritual for the
Kattunayka tribes. They practiced rice cultivation not
with an intention of making huge profit but for the food
security of the colony. But in the early years of this
decade things had undergone drastic changes. Input
cost increased significantly and cost of production
became unbearable for them. Chemical Fertilizers,
weed management etc… became too costly and the
entire colony lost the interest in farming. Gradually
they moved on to other sectors leaving the paddy field
uncultivated.
SRI field ready for harvest
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Save Farmers Campaign

In 2009, Community Facilitator from Shreyas, the NGO of land and they practiced mixed cropping. They had
working in the Panchayath identified the Kattunayka paddy fields around one hectare and they practiced
Colony of Keloor and provided capacitation to retrieve conventional farming till 2009.
the paddy cultivation experimenting System of Rice
Intensification. A ten member team under the leadership Being one of the traditional farming families in Wayanad
of Velukkan joined this endeavor and prepared the field this family was selected for the experimentation of
for cultivation of rice. Together they arranged two and System of Rice Intensification. Project Manager and
a half acre of land and planted the traditional variety Community Facilitator visited the hamlet and provided
named Adukkan. They raised the seedlings in the elaborate training on SRI. The tribal family became
conventional nurseries and cultivated the traditional interested to shift to SRI and they prepared one acre
variety through SRI. They provided
organic nutrients and fertilizers
such as Amrithapani, Fish Tonic
etc… in those fields. They noticed
it that they could manage most of
the pest through the water
management. It required more
intensive weed management in the
System of Rice Intensification
method as the fields were not kept
flooded. The group members and
their family members worked hard
in the paddy fields.

Case 2
Arikkalam colony emerges as a
model SRI plot in entire Wayanad

Chandu the Karanavar (Head) of System of Rice Intensification Nursery

Arikkalam Colony in
Padinjarathara Panchayath has
emerged as a model farmer in
Wayanad regarding the System of
Rice Intensification. They belong
to Kurichiya clang of the tribes and
their family is the biggest joint
family among the tribals of
Wayanad with a total membership
of seventy. They practiced
traditional agriculture from time
since they started inhabitation in
Arikkalam hamlet. Being a joint
family, they practiced agriculture
for their requirement and they used
to sell the surplus production in the
market. They had around five acres
Team behind the SRI experimentation in Arikkalam Colony 53
FARM
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Participatory Action Research
of land. In order to maintain the required moisture level
uniformly they carefully leveled and raked the land.
Drainage also was corrected as per the specifications.
They sowed the seeds into nursery beds as in the
conventional rice cultivation. They prepared the nursery
bed close to the main field to reduce the time and cost
in replanting. At the 15th day of sowing they
transplanted the seedlings with two leafs as against
the conventional method where they kept in the nursery
for 25 days. The seedling was transplanted singly with
their roots intact, while the seed sac was still attached.
They planted it at a distance of 25 centimeter each.
They applied the organic inputs such as Amritapani,
Fish tonic, Jeevamridham, Neem Pesticide, Organic
NPK, Coconut Tonic etc…
They kept the roots moist but not submerged. Water
application was intermittent leaving plant roots with
sufficiency of water not surfeit of water. This
encouraged more extensive, health root systems which
supported water and nutrient uptake and avoided
degeneration of roots. They cleared the weeds
manually in intervals of 12 days. The rice was ready
for harvest in 125 days time. They had kept farm book
regarding the expenses incurred in the cultivation and
the comprehensive analysis of the data on yields and
inputs indicates that shifting to SRI raised profitability
and income from production. The production from the
54 SRI in the 45th day of planting
1 acre of land was 1200 kilogram as against the 850
kilogram they produced through the conventional
farming method. Profitably being a key factor in
attracting the farmers towards the new experiments
has resulted in decision from the almost all farmers in
the Arikkalam Colony to shift to the SRI method from
the next cultivation onwards. Through out the
experimentation more than hundred tribal and general
farmers has visited the Arikkalam colony to know more
about the SRI method and the tribal head himself has
emerged as a local trainer for the farmers. Now the
name itself signifies the tradition of the hamlet as
Arikkalam in Malayalam means treasure of rice.
Case 3
Sasi's scientific vigor makes fellow farmers to practice SRI
Sasi belonging to Sugandhagiri Colony of Pozhuthana
Gram Panchayath was a tribal farmer with two acre of
land of which 20 cent was paddy fields. He belonged
to Paniya tribe and is an ardent lover of agriculture. He
practiced conventional farming till 2009. In 2010 he
attended a capacitation programme provided by FARM
project on System of Rice Intensification and decided
to shift into the same. He divided his land into two
portions and cultivated paddy in conventional method
in 10 cents and practiced System of Rice
Intensification in the other 10 cent of land. He used
Jaya variety of rice for cultivation in the two fields. He
SRI in the 60th day of planting
 FARM
Wayanad

Save Farmers Campaign

practiced all the practices under the SRI method With paddy in his field. On an average there were 40 tillers
regard to pest incidence; it was relatively less in his with more grains per panicle. According to Sasi the
SRI Field. The spacing between plants provided enough benefits of SRI can said as simple technology, less
space for monitoring, which helped in the management water requirement, good aeration, lesser cost in inputs
of leaf folders. Pseudomonas, an effective bio control and remarkable production.
agent, was used while seed treatment, nursery, and in
the field also. Because of this, fungal and bacterial 4.7. Promotion of Farmers Rights
diseases were controlled. Application of Pseudomonas Save Farmer's Network has networked with several
was practically easier to adopt, as SRI required less campaigns to protect the farmer's rights. The network
seeds, less nursery area and enough spacing between was an active participant of the Anti GM Campaign
plants for the spraying. . carried out in Kerala. A series of awareness campaigns
and protest marches were organized in the district.
SRI Fields gave yields of 115 Kg from 10 cent, which Further the partner's organized similar campaigns in
is almost double than the conventional system. their operational areas attracted the attention of the
Aluminum tray, which was used for rubber latex setting, various government agencies. SFC network was an
was used to carry seedlings from the nursery to the active facilitator of the Kisan Swaraj Yathra (Farmers
main field. As rubber is grown in most of Kerala, the Freedom Travel) a nation wide protest march organized
use of Aluminum trays is found ideal for transporting to bring attention of the government and the general
seedlings. Reduction in the required seeds to the tune public towards the right of the farmers.
of 1/10th of the quantity. Similarly, 1/10th of the area
earlier required for nursery is only required. Planting of 4.8. Interpretations of the Nutrition
young seedlings in wider spacing did reduce the Gardening experimentation in Tribal
drudgery involved in uplifting the seedlings, transporting Clusters
and planting. Some of the results of the Nutrition Gardening
experimentation as a part of the Participatory Action
Weeding was done manually and this helped in turning Research can be put in general as
up of the soil and reduced the time taken for weeding.
There was reduction in pest and disease incidence in 1. Soil texture and quality is improved and life is
SRI Field. With SRI, the yield was
doubled in the same piece of his
land by reducing the inputs used.
The decision to shift to SRI
cultivation created lot of uproar
among other paddy farmers of his
area. After the planting, every one
termed it as a foolish decision to
do this suicidal act of planting
young seedlings so early.
Constant support and supervision
from the staff of FARM Project
helped him to overcome the
criticisms faced in the beginning.
After 1-2 months, the same
people who had criticized started
closely observing the growth of
Organic tubers and vegetable selling units 55
FARM
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Participatory Action Research
brought back to the soil. Continuous enhancement
of soil fertility is carried out in Nutrition Homestead
Gardening.
2. Farmers are educated to utilize neighborhood
resources effectively and it was found that this was
found to be an agribusiness venture run by women.
3. Water usage is minimized to more than 20% when
compared to normal consumption.
4. Per capita yield increased by 20 to 30 per cent
within a short span of time. Diversified farming helps
the farmer receive continuous farm income around
the year.
5. The indebtedness of farming community is
drastically reduced, as the natural farming helps
the farmer to get relieved from the clutches of
chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
6. In this mixed farming, the farmer's families are able
to consume diversified food and thus malnutrition
problem is also addressed thus resulting in farmers
embracing the Nutrition Gardening. Pesticide
residue free food products are produced through
this method. Food quality and productivity shows
that the crops are best than the crops produced
through chemical farming.
7. Nutrition Gardening increases the earning of the
farmer against the chemical farming in which a
considerable portion is spending on chemical
pesticides and fertilizers.
8. Nutrition Gardening has a lot of potential and most
of the practices remain un unexplored.
9. Experimentation of the Nutrition Gardening and
Conventional Chemical farming shows a great
difference in the cost benefits. In Nutrition induced
Tapioca cultivation the benefit against the cost is
4.35 as against the cost benefit of 3.88 in the
chemical farming. In Nutrition induced Banana
cultivation the benefit against the cost is 2.99 as
against the cost benefit of 2.24 in the chemical
farming. In Nutrition induced Cow pea cultivation
56
the benefit against the cost is 2.67 as against the
cost benefit of 1.73 in the chemical farming. In
Nutrition induced Ginger cultivation the benefit
against the cost is 2.11 as against the cost benefit
of 1.80 in the chemical farming. In Nutrition induced
yam cultivation the benefit against the cost is 4.13
as against the cost benefit of 2.61 in the chemical
farming. Hence it is clear that the Organic Nutrition
programme is a grand success in the cost benefit
terms.
10. In SRI the input cost is very low as compared to
the conventional farming. Seed cost is reduced to
90%. Productivity in the SRI is one fold higher than
the conventional farming.
11. Net Income from SRI method in an acre is Rs
24,860 as against the Rs 9,550 in the conventional
chemical farming.
12. SRI method has more resistance to the climatic
conditions such as wind, cold, rain etc...
13. Low pest attacks in the SRI method resulting in
low dependence of bio-pesticides. This was
achieved only because of the health saplings.
14. As the labour cost, seed rate and input cost are
considerably reduced by techniques like SRI
method of cultivation, the farmers are relieved from
higher cultivation cost.
15. Tribal farmers became very much interested in the
SRI method and this has resulted in the several
replications.
16. PRIs also is now aware of the increase in
production of the SRI and this has resulted in PRI
offering promotional grants to Women Self Help
Groups for cultivating paddy in land as well as
paddy fields.
17. Farmers are now aware about their rights and
hence they are actively engaged in dialogues with
the government for ensuring their right to live.
FG
 FARM
Wayanad

Save Farmers Campaign

5
Participatory
Rural Appraisal

57
FARM
Wayanad
Participatory Action Research

5.1. Appraisal of Farmers Groups Owning up of the Sustainable Agriculture initiatives

Participatory Rural Appraisal's of the Farmers' Group
formed under the Save Farmers Campaign Network
was conducted to analyze the trends and situations
before the implementation of the project and the
impacts and outcomes towards achieving sustainable
agricultural measures after the implementation of the
project. A total of six PRAs were carried out in the six
reference areas. Participatory Rural Appraisals focused
on the collection of process and outcome of the FARM
intervention and validated that, how far the concept of
Sustainable Agriculture has been taken up by the
recipient community. Three PRAs were conducted
among the general community and another three in
the tribal clusters. Six NGOs responding to the
reference areas supported the PRAs.
Profile of the Participants and PRA
Methodology
They are mainly depending on agriculture for their
livelihood together. All of them are having small or
marginal landholdings and practiced leased farming
for cultivating perennial crop cultivation. Half of the
participants of the PRA were the beneficiaries of the
Nutrition Gardening programme and the rest were
members of the Organic Farmers Group formed under
the patronship of SFC. The tools used to analyze the
were Historical Timeline, Income and Expenditure
Pattern, Seasonal Calendar and Daily Routine
Analysis.
Tools used for the assessment
Historical timeline attempted to map the changes in
the agricultural practices in the two decades and
validated how far it has affected or contributed to the
agricultural crisis. Further the exercise also made an
attempt to document on the present scenario about
Sustainable Agricultural practices being taken up by
the farmers. Economic situation analysis was offered
to analyze the differences the farming community had
in the due course and how this has contributed to the
agrarian crisis. Seasonal calendar attempted to grab
information from the farmers regarding the changes in
Organic Farming
Historical Time Seasonal
Line calendar
Daily routine Economic situation
analysis analysis

Table 10 :
Relative quantity of Participation in the PAR study activities in the FARM
Project
Sl No Types of PRA – PAR Place Participation by Gender
No of No of Total
Males Females
1 PRA of the Organic Farmers Group Padinjarathara 13 3 16
2 PRA of the Organic Women Meenangadi 0 17 17
Farmers Group
3 PRA of the Farmers group Muttil 12 6 18
4 PRA of the Nutrition Pozhuthana 14 0 14
Gardening Farmers
5 PRA of the Nutrition Group Farmers Noolpuzha 12 6 18
6 PRA of the Organic Farmers Vellamunda 11 2 13
Total Participants 62 (64.5%) 34 (35.4%) 96 (100%)
58

the agriculture and the ways to adapt to the climate
change. Daily routine analysis was to study a gender
division of work among the farming community.
Changes in the agriculture practices
(Historical Timeline)
Team applied tools for mapping the changes by
Historical Time Line and the respondents tried their
best to gather information related to the changes in
agriculture practices over a period of time. The process
of participatory learning exercise at the field reveled
the changes happened over a period of time with related
to the farming practices. The team assessed the
changes occurred during 1990-2000 and 2000-2010. It
revealed that over a period of 20 years there are
considerable changes had been taken place in the
farming practices in the particular area and following
are the major finding:
Women in mapping of Seasonal Calendar
FARM
Wayanad
Save Farmers Campaign
1. During the period 1990-2000 paddy cultivation is
predominant in the areas whereas it has reduced
drastically during the period 2000-2010. Similarly
food crops are replaced by cash crops which
threatened the food safety and security of the poor.
2. There was a good system of homestead farming
that included rearing of livestock and using bio
materials for cultivation during the 1990-2000
periods whereas it has changed and very few
farmers having livestock practicing organic
cultivation. It is because of the high cost for rearing
livestock comparing with previous years. It caused
to exorbitant use of chemical fertilizers which
adversely affected the human as well as the soil.
It also increased the cost of production
considerably which ultimately lead farming as a
non profitable venture for the small and marginal
farmers.
59
FARM
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Participatory Action Research
3. It is also noticed that in the year 1990-2000 farmers
were able to collect and preserve seeds for the
next season whereas 2000-2010 period farmers
are fully depending on market for seed availability.
The seeds from the market do not ensure quality
that caused farming practices failure together with
non availability of the seeds in time.
4. The farmers observed that pest attacks specially
to vegetables are less or even nothing and the
number of host pest repellents are more during
Table11 :
Historical timeline of the agriculture
1990 - 2000
z Majority of the area was under paddy cultivation
z Animal husbandry was practiced as subsidiary
income source
z Food crops were largely cultivated
z Favorable climatic conditions
z Less pest attacks and diseases
z Bio fertilizers were widely used
z Seeds were preserved and used for next cultivation
z Quantity of bio repellents were more
z Depending on manual labor for farming rather than
machines
z Existed a farming culture
z Presence of tribal people in farming practices were
high
z Collective farming and sharing of manual labor was
existed
z Indigenous knowledge and skills of farmers
z Soil fertility was high
z More interest in farming practices
60
the period 1990-2000 but in the period 2000-2010
it is high and farmers are using different chemicals
for controlling the pest attack which deteriorated
the quality of vegetables and the volume of poisons
are high in the products which is causing health
problems.
5. During the period 1990-2000 the number of tribal
people involved in the farming was more comparing
to the present day. It is mainly related to paddy
cultivation and the tribal people were more skilled
2001 - 2010
z Agriculture is not profitable
z Shifting cultivation from food crops to cash crops
z Changes in climate with related to rain pattern
z Lack of good quality seeds (more resisting
seeds)
z Mechanization in farming practices
z Lack of interest of youth in farming practices
z High usage of chemical fertilizers
z Conversion of paddy fields into areca and plantain
z Increased cost of animal husbandry practices
z Depending on daily labor for livelihood
z Low productivity
z Increased pest attacks and diseases
z Conversion of wet land into dry land
z Agrarian Crisis and Suicides
z Migration of tribal farmers to other states
z Mighty interventions from voluntary organizations
z Programmes through SFC to promote sustainable
agriculture
z Slow progress regarding the organic farming
z Farmers are now convinced about the relevance
of Organic Farming
z Nutrition Gardening has resulted in the attitudinal
change
z More and more replications are happening
regarding the Organic farming.
z Increasing need of organic food from the
consumers
z Fair prices are being ensured through the organic
markets set up by the FARM Project.

than others in paddy cultivation practices. Similarly
collective farming and exchange of manual laborers
between farmers prevailed during the period 1990-
2000. But presently it is difficult to find laborers in
time for farming activities.
6. A different kind of farming culture existed in the
earlier period where all the family members are
part of it but presently the younger generation has
less interest in farming practices and they feel
farming is not a viable or profitable enterprise for
them.
7. The participants observed that a reverse application
is in the limelight where the farmers are after the
traditional sustainable agricultural practices which
existed here from the time since their forefathers
and views that it is a slow and gradual process. It
will take another five to seven years of time to get
back to the original position.
8. Participants pointed that not only farmers but also
the consumers are now aware of the menace of
the chemical farming and hence the demand for
organic food is growing.
9. Farmers are getting fair prices for the organic
products through the organic markets constituted
under the SFC project.
Income and Expenditure Pattern
The team also assessed the income and expenditure
pattern of the faming community. It revealed that there
are four main sources of income for the members and
Chart 1: Income Sources of Farmers
INCOME SOURCES
FARM
Wayanad
Save Farmers Campaign
45% of the total income comes from their agriculture
and 25% income comes from labour and 5% income
from animal husbandry activities followed by 25%
income comes in the form of loans either from formal
financial institutions or from the SHG and a negligible
portion from the money lenders.
Regarding the expenditure pattern group members have
identified six major heads of expenditure occurring on
annual basis. The group members calculated the
expenditure pattern and revealed that there are 25% of
the expenditure goes to meeting the food expenditure
and 25% expenditure goes to agriculture and 17% goes
to repaying the existing loans and 15% goes for the
education of children and 10% for medical care and
8% for festivals. The income and expenditure pattern
of the particular group is a cross section of the rural
people in general and observed the following facts:
1. The learning process revealed that income from
agriculture is primary source of the rural poor for
their livelihood. It is evident that men and women
are working long hours for ensuring their livelihood
and keeping their living standards.
2. It is noticed that 50% of the income comes from
agriculture and animal husbandry and they are
spending 25% for agriculture and 25% for meeting
food requirements. Whereas in the earlier periods
they had to spend only 10% for the food and 15%
for the agriculture. Agriculture input cost has
Chart 2: Expenditure of the Farmers
EXPENDITURE PATTERN
61
FARM
Wayanad
Participatory Action Research

increased and hence the cost of cultivation
increased and the production of cash crops
increased where as the food crops decreased
letting the marginal and small farmers to depend
on the markets for meeting their food requirements.
This considerable change in income expenditure
affected the family budget.
3. Integrated farming practices are less familiar with
the farmers. The number of livestock is less due
to high cost for maintaining livestock which
increased spending for chemical agriculture inputs.
4. It is also understood that the farmers are in the
clutches of loans and 25% of the calculated income
comes in the form of loans. These loans are taken
for different purposes for meeting the needs of the
family instead of investing directly for the farming
practices. Hence the loan, loan repayment chain
is like a spiral and set aside considerable portion
of their saving for repaying the loans.
5. People are spending 10% amount for the medical
needs. Presently they are aware of the medical
insurance schemes launched by the government
for the welfare of the vulnerable families in the state.
Besides the safe and secure food production at
the family level which reduce the dependency to
market and reduce health problems.
6. Farmers noticed that the possible way to overcome
their familial financial crisis is to decrease the
family budget by producing more food crops and
reducing the input cost by shifting to sustainable
agricultural practices. Self sufficiency of the farmers
is the first step in overcoming the financial crisis.
Seasonal calendar on vegetable
cultivation
Discussions were facilitated to prepare seasonal
calendar on organic vegetable cultivation through. It
was noted that from the conventional chemical farming
agricultural calendar, the nutrition gardening requires
drastic changes to adapt to the climate changes and
similar factors. The process of discussions and
seasonal calendar prepared by the Nutrition Farmers
reveals that farming is a continuous activity needs more
attention to bring out better results and returns. It also
understood that the farmers have skills and indigenous
knowledge on farming systems and practices. They
were also educated to organic preparations for better
farming practices and the SHG is practicing the same

Table 12:
Seasonal Calendar followed in the Organic Farming of Vegetables
Month Activity
January Land preparation
February Land preparation and collection of seeds
March Germination of seeds, cultivation, preparation of bio manure
April Planting the seedlings, weeding, fixing of supporting stumps, applying bio manure
May Applying bio pesticides, applying bio manure, harvesting of beans, tomato,
ladies finger etc
June Harvesting of yam, colocasia, beans, cheera
July Applying of bio pesticides and bio manure for plantain, tapioca, weeding and mulching
August Applying of bio pesticides and bio manure for plantain, harvesting of banana,
collection of seedlings, preparation of land
September Harvesting of plantain and planting of seedlings
October Preparation of land and planting of seedlings
November Applying of bio pesticides and bio manure for plantain, fixing of supporting stumps,
December Harvesting of beans, Applying of bio pesticides and bio manure for plantain

62
 FARM
Wayanad

Save Farmers Campaign

Table 13:
Daily routine of farmers
Time Women Men
5.00 Wake up
05.00 - 05.15 Morning ablutions
05.15 - 05.20 Prayer
05.20 - 05.45 Milking the cow Wake up Morning ablutions
05.45 - 07.00 Preparation of food Selling the milk at milk society
07.00 - 07.30 Animal husbandry activities Going for agricultural works
07.30 - 08.00 Breakfast, preparations for going to work
Agricultural Works
08.00 - 08.30 Bringing breakfast to farm, Coolie works Breakfast
08.30 - 12.30 Work in the farm/Coolie labour Working in the farm
12.30 - 01.30 Lunch and rest Lunch and rest
01.30 - 03.00 Work in the farm/ Coolie works Work in the farm
03.00 - 03.30 Return to home and Animal Husbandry Work in the farm
03.30 - 04.00 Milking the cow and fetching fodder Work in the farm
04.00 - 05.00 Fetching firewood, household activities Irrigation and similar activities
05.00 - 05.30 Cleaning of house and surroundings Work in the farm
05.30 - 06.00 Tea, bathing and cleaning Returning to house
06.00 - 07.30 Preparation of food Going for the town and market
07.30 - 08.00 Prayer Return to house and rest
08.00 - 10.00 Supper, entertainments Supper
10.00 Sleep Sleep

Documentation of Participatory Rural Appraisal in Charts 63

FARM
Wayanad
Participatory Action Research
on vegetable cultivation. The discussions on vegetable
cultivation noticed the following points:
1. Continuous efforts are made by the farmers for
getting better results and returns from the farming
practices.
2. Skills and knowledge were improved for organic
preparation and applications
3. Pest attacks are increased and number of
repellents are reduced
4. Farmers strictly follow organic farming even then
the production is low or stable comparing with
applying chemical fertilizers
5. Non availability of seeds and quality seeds in time
is major concern of the farmers
6. Germination rate is less with the seeds purchased
from the market
7. They could not market the organic vegetables with
an added price
8. Shortage of cow dung and manure due to less
livestock
9. Climate change and changes in rain pattern
affecting the vegetable production
10. Increasing price for leased lands is making
problems to continuous cultivation
Hence it is concluded that the farmers have very much
adapted to the traditional farming practice but with
remarkable change in the cultivation practices to adapt
to the climate changes occurred.
Daily routine of women
The team also looked into the daily routine of men and
women in the group. It is understood from the focus
group discussions that the major chunk of the time is
spend on the agricultural practices. In order to
understand the laborious daily routine of the farmers a
daily routine mapping was applied to analyze the
working pattern of men and women in the Organic
Farming. It revealed that women are working long hours
as agriculture labor, practicing farmer as well as the
caring mother. All these roles made her restless
working hours on daily basis for winning bread for the
family. It reveals that 34% of time being spent for
farming and 21% time being spent for works at home
64
and 29% time for sleeping and the remaining 16% time
is using for entertainment and personal hygiene etc. It
clearly states the long working hours of women for
sustaining the family. Men have to work around ten to
twelve hours in the agricultural sector as against the
eight hours required in the chemical farming. Even
though chemical farming is time reducing, the
participants of the PRA are interested to work more to
live long. This gives us the impression on their
acceptance of the Sustainable Agricultural Measures
of the FARM project. The daily routine chart prepared
hereafter is as per the new lifestyle in the Organic
Farming.
5.2. Interpretations of the
Participatory Rural Appraisal
It can be said that the farmers of Wayanad are now
convinced about the efficiency of the Sustainable
Agricultural Practices. Contribution of the FARM project
towards the farmers taking up and promoting the
traditional practices can be said to be an important
achievement of the project.
1. Even though the effort and time required in the
organic farming is high, farmers are slowly shifting
to the traditional farming methods. This is only
because they are now aware that the agrarian
crisis that hit the district in this decade is only
because of the modern farming and the impact of
the crisis can be recovered only if they get retrieved
to the organic farming methods.
2. Not only farmers, the consumers of food also are
now very much aware about the need to consume
organic food as the recent lifestyle disease
menace has made the general people at its
heights.
3. Sustainable Farming has thus emerged as the hope
for the Wayanad district.
4. It can be said that Wayanad in the period between
1990 and 2000 is predominant with paddy cultivation
and this drastically reduced in he period 2000-2010.
5. Homestead farming also was prevalent in the last
decade and this was a major source of the food
crops of the farmers and this has reduced
drastically resulting in the farmers dependent on

the market. This is a result of the over greed of the
farmers as they dropped the cultivation of food
crops and shifted to cash crops.
6. Promotion of indigenous seed was practiced in the
past where as the farmers have shifted to High
Yielding Varieties thus results in the high input
cost and dependence on the chemical farming.
7. The income from the farming practices varies year
by year depending on different factors such as
seasonal availability of rainfall and favorable
climate, quality planting materials, market price,
crop diseases etc.
8. Migration of tribals to other states in search of job
and those trafficking deaths also has links to the
agrarian failure as the agrarian failure only made
them migrate.
9. Pest attacks and diseases in this decade are high
as compared to past and this is only because of
the shift to High Yielding Varieties which has low
resistance to such attacks.
10. Younger generation has avoided farming as a
profession and this has resulted in lands remaining
un-cultivated as there is no one to go on with the
profession. In this context the awareness
generation of the children in the schools and
colleges will result in a positive attitude building.
11. People are now very much aware of the need of
reversal of chemical farms to organic farms to live
and let live. Consumers also are very much aware
of the need of the organic foods.
12. Marketing ensured under the FARM project has
resulted in the farmers getting premium prices. But
it has found that the demand is high whereas the
supply falls short.
13. Input cost in the farming as well as the cost of
food also has increased drastically resulting in the
over expenditure of farmers family budget. High
input cost in the farming is because of the chemical
FARM
Wayanad
Save Farmers Campaign
farming and the high food cost is because of the
dropping of the cultivation of food crops letting them
to depend on the market for each and everything.
This can be reversed only by switching over to
organic farming and homestead farming giving
more importance for food crops.
14. Loans are taken mainly for agrarian purpose as
there is easy availability of loan for those with land
title deeds. Always the farmer fails to repay the
loan in time and this is only because of the over
expenditures and the low returns from the farms.
15. Seasonality of the farming has gone drastic
changes and in order to cope up with this issue
the farmers have to adapt to the climate change
by changing the old agricultural calendar with the
new practical agricultural calendar.
16. High Yielding Seeds are found to have a lot of
issues; high pest attacks, low health of saplings,
long germinating time, low germinating rate etc…
and this makes the farmers go after chemicals
where as the traditional indigenous varieties doesn't
have any such problems.
17. Rain fall pattern also has changed drastically due
to climate change and often farm failure is due to
he unexpected rain. Rain at the time of harvesting
is a disaster to the farmers and there is no possible
alternative to this issue.
18. Women are found to work more in the farm having
multiple responsibilities of looking after home as
well as supporting the husband in the farm land.
19. Farmers views that the support price structure
should be made available for the organic products
also.
20. Even though organic farming is time consuming,
farmers are ready to depend on organic farming
as they are interested to live longer.
FG
65
66
Participatory Action Research

Wayanad
FARM
 FARM
Wayanad

Save Farmers Campaign

6
Analysis of
Programmes in
Other Sectors

67
FARM
Wayanad
Participatory Action Research
6.1. Cost Benefit Analysis of Income
Generation Program
The inhumanity of agrarian crisis created great havoc
on the survival of the families in Wayanad and
becoming aware of the pervasiveness FARM project
through the good will programme of income generation
made an attempt to fight the economic crisis. What
causes the distress in the agricultural crisis affected
families? It is nothing but poverty. One of the novel
initiatives of the project, the Income generation
programme was as step to address poverty and thereby
reduce the vulnerability or the susceptibility of the family
towards suicides. Giving charity to a person in need
reduces her or his pain of poverty in the short run, but
trains the same person to be more dependants upon
that charity. FARM project has taken pain to identify
the causes of the poverty in the distress families and
tried to counteract those powerful negative forces. The
programme has taken sincere effort to devise IGPs to
create genuine wealth through a sustainable manner.
IGPs of FARM project has tried to provide an alternative
means to make the living of the beneficiaries in a
dignified way. It has created opportunities by providing
resources with an objective of making fewer
dependants, more self-reliant and able to care for the
family.
Save Farmers Campaign defines "Income Generation
Programmes" as small scale projects that create an
income source to the crisis hit/distress agrarian families
whilst promoting; a) the principal right to self-
determination and b) the objectives of integration,
repatriation and reintegration. In simple words it is
creation of income. How ever the IGPs have attempted
to make positive effects in terms of empowerment, self
reliance and community development. FARM
programme has explored the possibilities of reducing
the boundary between food security and income
security of households. The reverberations of the
agrarian crisis have been felt at all levels of community
and thousands have been reported to be crossing over
to neighboring states in search of wage labor and
thousands of children have dropped out from school
as their parents cant afford the expenses. In most of
68
the families, women bore the brunt of the crisis and
hence most of the beneficiaries selected for the IGP
support were women.
Process & Abstract of study
Data for the analysis of the cost benefit was collected
through using a pretested interview schedule
incorporating special tool. While analyzing the IGPs,
it can be noted that around 95% of the beneficiaries
hails from agricultural families of which 50% only have
skills in farming. Nearly 95% of the samples selected
from the universe villages consist of females and this
picture is same when we take the entire district also.
It was noticed that all of the beneficiaries lived in
makeshift houses which needs immediate repairs. It
can be noticed that 95% of the beneficiaries opted for
animal husbandry as their plan was to use animal
husbandry as a direct/alternate income along with the
farming. A total of 40 beneficiaries were interviewed to
analyze the cost benefits. Of which ten interviews were
failed IGPs.
Practices followed up in the IGP
Programme
Assessment & Planning
z Appropriate timing and through assessment was
carried out to determine the appropriate action plan
z A thorough socio-economic assessment and profile
of each family was taken.
z Analyzed the existing skills and raw materials/
inputs available with the family.
z Proper market analysis/business plan was
prepared.
Implementation
z Skill development training was provided on the
respective trades
z Cash grant was provided to the beneficiaries in
official functions
z Support on selection and procurement of the units
also was provided
z Day bay day accounting formats were provided to
the beneficiaries
z Linkages with SHGs for micro credit savings were
promoted
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z Linkages with Local banks for savings was promoted Table 14:
z Linkages with Life Insurance Corporation was also Distribution of the beneficiaries
obtained for insuring the IGPs based on age (n = 40)
Monitoring and Evaluation Category Frequency %
z A robust monitoring and evaluation system was put Below 25 5 12.5
in place.
25 to 35 12 30
z Field visits were carried out atleast twice a month.
z Support/Advices for the marketing of the products 35 to 45 20 50
were provided 45above 3 7.5
z Lobbying and advocacy for ensuring the best prices
also was given.
IGP as a minor component to the primary occupation.
The living conditions of the beneficiaries were poor and
Basic criteria used for the it is believed that this has a direct relation to the
selection of the beneficiaries education, health and attitude of children. The mean
z Year of suicide of the breadwinner of the family age of the respondents was between 35 and 45
(Since January 2005) (Table1). It can be interpreted that most of them
z Volume of indebtedness became widows/widower at a mean age stated above.
z Area of landholdings possessed Further it was noticed that there is a tendency for
z Surviving members with chronic diseases younger women to engage in animal husbandry and
z Dependency Status allied activities.
z Family Situations
z Skills and employment opportunities
Table 15:
z Monthly income of the family Distribution of the beneficiaries
based on type of IGP selected (n = 40)
Forty samples of IGPs were selected as units in the Category Frequency %
Participatory Action Research for the Cost Benefit Cow rearing 18 60
Analysis. Cost benefit analysis has analyzed the data Goat rearing 6 20
in two methods. Successful IGPs are analyzed to Petty Shops 3 10
validate the cost benefit at first. Hence the number of
Other 3 10
samples for this analysis is 30 and the respective failed
IGPs are 10. The purpose of the Cost Benefit analysis
is to assess the financial viability of the IGPs from the
view point of the donor and implementer. It was planned It was noticed that most of the beneficiaries opted for
to find and quantify the positive effects of the IGP as cow rearing as it is a most trusted source of income
well as the failures. In this context the CBA is to having easy market. Further it was noticed that those
evaluate whether the cost incurred has provided the who are genuinely interested in having monthly income
expected returns. and ready to hard work will be interested to have the
animal husbandry income generation programmes
General Profile of the Units especially the cow rearing. 60% of the respondents of
Analysis of the data reveals that there are three types this study are earning from the cow rearing followed
of beneficiaries for the Income Generation Programme by goat rearing 20%, Petty Shops 10% and other
viz; those who considers IGP as primary source of innovative ideas constitutes 10%. (Table 2) Beneficiaries
income, those who considers IGP and agriculture as who doesn't have enough raw materials for animal
equal sources of income and finally those who perceives husbandry and having additional skills have opted for
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Table 16: Table 18:

Details of the beneficiaries Distribution of the income on monthly
contribution on type of IGP selected basis form IGPs (n = 30)
(n = 30) Category Average Amount
Category Frequency Cow rearing 5125
Cow rearing 5000 Goat rearing Nil
Goat rearing Nil Petty Shops 6000
Petty Shops 2500 Other Varies
Other 4000 - 10000
Input cost for the maintenance of the IGP on a monthly
basis is as follows. Cow rearing needs an average input
other IGPs such as Tailoring, Mess House etc… Goat cost of Rs 1415 per month to purchase cattle feeds. In
rearing has been identified as an additional income almost all the IGPs the beneficiaries have abundant
generation to the family and the main source of income raw materials available at their homesteads. But goat
will be other sectors. In case of petty shops, mess rearing requires very less expenses per month as it is
house, tailoring shops etc… the beneficiary selected the most cost effective IGP. Goat's food menu mainly
the same as it is direct source of income and they consists of the raw grass and hence handy food is
lacked skills/health for pursuing agriculture related less required. For petty shops the average input cost
IGPs. per month is Rs 3000. In case of other IGPs it varies
according to the IGP selected. In hotels/mess house
Table 17: the input cost is high while in Tailoring shops it is very
Details of the input cost required for low. In some instances there requires additional inputs
IGPs (n = 30) as in the case of the medical attention for cows,
Category Frequency repairing of machineries in other IGPs.
Cow rearing 1415
Goat rearing 350 Analysis of the data reveals earnings per month also
are different according to IGPs selected. Cow rearing
Petty Shops 3000
provides a steady income for not less than ten months.
Other 5000 It was noted that in the two to three months time where
there is no much production the beneficiaries sold the
cow dung and met the family expenses. Hence it can
Cost benefit Analysis of the be said that the cow rearing IGP provide income round
Successful IGPs the year. On an average a beneficiary earns around
As a first step in the cost benefit analysis 30 Rs. 5125 with cow rearing units. In almost all the cases
successful IGPs are analyzed. It was noted that in the analyzed the beneficiary had two units of cow. This
first phase of the IGP distribution the grant amount was achieved through investing the savings of the first
was 10,000 and in the subsequent year it was 9000. year for purchasing the second unit of cow. But for the
In almost all the cases the beneficiary contributed to goat rearing IGP there will be no monthly income as
the IGP as cash itself. For cow rearing the average the milk from goat in all cases are sufficient for the
beneficiary contribution was Rs 5000. But for the Goat household use only. In some exceptional cases only
rearing there required no beneficiary contribution as the beneficiary earned around Rs 500 to Rs 1000 by
the grant was sufficient to initiate the IGP. For the petty selling the milk and that to for few months time. It was
shops the contribution was Rs 2500 and for the other further noticed that the beneficiaries with goat rearing
innovative IGPs it ranged between 4000 and 10000. units could sell atleast two lamps/billys in a year
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earning around Rs 3000 per unit. But these never fall Monthly expenditure of the families was also analyzed
in the monthly income criteria. In petty shops also as a part of the CBA. It was noticed that the main
there is a stable income of Rs 6,000 per month and components of the expenses are provisions for food,
this income is available in all the months. In other IGPs medicines and education. For an average family of four
the income varies according to the IGP selected. In it requires a minimum amount of Rs 2000 (56.7%) to
case of mess house the monthly earning has even meet their basic requirements. Almost all the
reached Rs 13,000 where as for the tailoring units the respondents articulated it that they have cut short their
minimum earning per month is Rs 3,000. Cow rearing family budget as per the training given on the family
is found to be the most suitable IGP for the beneficiaries budgeting and this has helped them to have savings
as it gives a stable income and the cost of maintenance for the future. 26.6% of the beneficiaries requires around
also is less. Further the marketing of milk is an easy 3000 and 3.3% requires around 4000 to meet their
task in Wayanad as there is atleast one collection family expenses. In case of the families having
centre in a town. expenses above 2000 it was noticed that the large
share of the expenses is meant for the medicines. It
In the cow units itself we can note the industriousness
Table 19:
of the beneficiary by analyzing the number of cows Distribution of the beneficiaries
kept as against the cow purchased through the grant. based on monthly expenses (n = 30)
In almost all cases there are atleast two cows and a Category Frequency %
calf in two and a half year time. This is ensuring a
Below 1000 4 13.4
stable income for the family. Another factor for
beneficiaries taking up the cow rearing is that they will > 2000 17 56.7
get organic manure for their homestead farming which > 3000 8 26.6
will ensure their household food security. Further it is > 4000 1 3.3
identified as suitable venture for women as it provides
Above 4000 Nil 0
both income as well as employment on the homestead.

Table 20:
Cross tabling of Income and Expenditure (n=30)

Loss: Family expenses are higher than the income from IGP
Equal: Family expenses equals to the income from IGP
Savings: Family expenses are lower than the income and hence savings is initiated
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Table 21: beneficiaries who have undergone the bitter most in

Distribution of beneficiaries based on the past due to lack of saving habits.
Savings (n-30)
Table 8 Frequency Percent In general the IGPs have emerged as a tool for savings
0 5 16.7 to the beneficiaries and the continuous accompaniment
of the FARM project team has ensured them to divert
500 5 16.7
this savings into banks, SHGs and LIC. This table gives
1000 3 10.0 us the inference on the savings initiated by the
1500 3 10.0
Saving Amount

beneficiary families and that too from a past where

2000 5 16.7
2500 3 10.0
3000 3 10.0
3500 2 6.7
5000 1 3.3
Total 30 100.0
was noticed that atleast one member of the family in
these category has some sort of illness which required
medical attention on a regular basis.
Analysis of the expenses of the family and its cross
tabling with the income earned from the IGP gives us
the inference about the percentage of the expenses
met through IGP. When we compare the expenditure
of the family with the income earned we get the
inference that most of our IGPs can be categorized as
direct income providers. The following table gives us
the cross tabulation of the Income and Expenditure.
It can be noted that 90% of the beneficiaries have
income sufficiently and they labels the IGP as the
primary income generation source. Only 10% of the
beneficiaries mostly the goat rearing IGP owners only
consider the unit as an additional income source and
they fetches their daily bread by working in other areas.
13% of the beneficiaries earn the amount required for
their monthly expenses and 76.7% of the beneficiaries
are successful in having savings for the future. It can
be noted that regardless of the savings all the 30
beneficiaries studied in this CBA has joined in either
SHG micro credit savings, RD Deposit in Postal Savings
or have insured the family by joining the Life Insurance
Corporation policies. This can be considered as a
meritorious achievement as in the case of the
72
they don't even have hope for future. It can be noted
that 57% of the beneficiaries are saving more than Rs
1500 in a month and this will surely help them to meet
their expenses in contingencies as well as to increase
the unit of IGPs in future. It can be noted that 16.7% of
the beneficiaries doesn't have monthly income and
savings and mostly belonged the Goat rearing units.
This again poses questions on the suitability of Goat
rearing as monthly income generation programme.
Outcomes of the IGP
In simple the IGP Cost Evaluation can be projected in
two ways. One is what the outcome of the IGP is and
the other is what would have happened without IGP
Intervention. As per the inferences of the respondents
the outcome of the IGP are the following;
1. Stable income sources for the family was provided
through the IGP
2. Could rebuild the torn away life into normalcy.
3. Animal husbandry units especially the Cow rearing
turned to be a monthly income generating unit for
the crisis affected families.
4. Competition was not there in the Animal husbandry
IGP as marketing of milks was an easy task
through the milk societies ensuring good prices.
5. Engagement in the productive sector alleviates/has
erased their painful past
6. Monthly expenses of 76.7% of the families were
met through the IGP support.
7. Could provide good food for the family as against
poverty they had at the distress time.
8. Could improve the life status considerably as they
could provide medical attention, education and
housing thereby improving the quality of life.
9. Could save atleast Rs 2000 per month which can

be used for contingencies in past
10.Innovative IGPs such as pottery making, Mess
House, Petty Shops etc… also is found to be a
viable income generating activity but having the risk
of good completion.
11. Sustainability of the family is ensured as the IGP
has ensured economic security and self sufficiency
for almost families.
12.Saving habit has come up in most families and
around 57% of them had started savings for future
in Banks, SHGs, Postal Deposits and Life
Insurance Corporation.
When we take the inference on the second question
of what would have happened with the intervention, the
answer given by most of them are simple. They would
have walked in the way of their family members who
have committed suicide. Hence it is very much evident
that the Income Generation Progamme has resulted
in building back better life. So it can be put into words
that the IGP programme has resulted in all the
beneficiaries to come back to normal life like a phoenix
bird rising from ashes.
6.2 Case Study Analysis of IGP's
Case 1
Sajida weaving dreams from the
cattle shed
Sajida in her cattle shed
FARM
Wayanad
Save Farmers Campaign
Sajida was only 18 when she got married to Ahammed
from Pozhuthana and she became a widow at the
tender age of 20. Ahammad committed suicide due to
financial crisis owing from the failure of the agriculture
for which he had taken debts from the local money
lenders. Sajida suffered from mental illness on the
shock of the sudden departure of her husband and
remained desperate for months. Her mother in law also
showed symptoms of mental breakdown. By this time
the befriender of this region came to know about the
family and initiated the befriending process. It took six
months time for them to reintegrate her to the normal
life. Befriender visited her house atleast once in a week
and provided the room for ventilation. She was isolated
in her family as they feared that she will be a burden
for them. But Sajida recovered from the mental shock
gradually and emerged as successful women through
the befriending support and Income Generation Support
offered later. She is now the breadwinner of the family
consisting of Grand Father, Grand Mother and Son.
Jeevana, the Non Profit Organization working in the
area provided her grant support under the FARM project
to purchase a Cow. In 2008 she started the Income
Generation Programme with one cow and in 2010 she
has emerged as a small diary owner. She is rearing
six Cows, two Oxen and a Buffalo. In the initial stages
she earned Rs 4500 from the IGP and saved Rs 2000
per month. She joined the local
milk society and then applied for
soft loans for purchasing cows and
then she could add more cows to
the diary farm in the five cent of
land. Further she received an
assistance to purchase another
cow and buffalo through the
government scheme of debt relief
under the Vidarbha Package.
Sajida is now earning around Rs
15,000 per month. She is planning
to sell two cows and buy a hybrid
cow so that the expenses are lower
and the yield is high. She added
that she will not sell Jicku, the cow
from which she rebuild the family
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Mary with the Cow IGP unit
in two years time. She was successful in finishing the
preliminary works of the house and is waiting anxiously
to finish the plastering and flooring soon which was
left not completed due the financial problems. She
dreams of finishing the works of the house and to
provide good schooling to her only son from the cattle
shed where she began her second life.
Case 2
Bond of Mary and her mother in law
reach new definitions in retrieving
crisis hit family
Mary Mathai aged 39 and her mother in law remains
an exceptional case of bond in building up crisis hit
family. Mary's family was an agrarian family in
Padinjarathara G P mainly engaged in the cultivation
of tubers and plantains. From 2005 onwards there were
challenges in the production and gradually the family
fell in prey to debts from co-operative bank. Owing to
recovery issues and severe failure of the crops in 2007,
Mathai committed suicide. Family consisting of Mary,
mother in law and two children were taken aback. Mary
also showed suicidal tendency at this period. Wayanad
Social Service Society identified this family at a crucial
moment and the community facilitator walked with them
to reintegrate into normal life. Befriender from the FARM
project approached the family and provided psycho
74
social support. End result was an
exceptional story of fighting back
to normal life by a middle aged
house wife and mother in law who
is in her eighties. Chinnamma, the
mother in law of Mary provided her
enormous support and she
regained her normalcy gradually.
Even though Chinnamma was
suffering from various ailments,
she showed the courage to give
emotional support to the entire
family as encouraged by the
befriender.
Mary's family was provided an
Income Generation Support of Cow
rearing in the year 2008. In order
to support the family Mary started to work as a coolie
labour prior to the provision of IGP. But she soon fell ill
as she was not accustomed with that sort of hard
labour. This again created havoc in the family. At this
time the Community Facilitator recommended for the
IGP support and the same was provided. She with the
constant support of the mother in law stitched their life
back to normal. They could start the earnings with in
four months time. Chinnamma also helps her daughter
in law in the cow rearing with what all she can do in
her age. They could sell an average of ten liter milk a
day and could very well fetch the requirements of the
family. Their elder son who is now studying in tenth
standard goes for selling the milk and now the cow
rearing programme is a familial matter. They earned
around Rs 6,300 per month. She has three cows ready
for milking and expects more income in the coming
months.
She could settle some personal loans in between and
is waiting for the writing off of farm loans by the bank.
Mary is now bold enough to face the reality of life and
is now very much accustomed to the new life. Mary
whom once showed suicidal tendency has now
recovered very well and has become a model for
distress women in the region. She is spending around
eight hours for the cow rearing programme and this

engagement makes her forget all the past. She also
realized the need for cultivation in their farm land after
the organic farming trainings provided by the WSSS.
She has now provided the land for leased farming for a
banana cultivator and is exploring alternative sources
other than IGP.
Mary also became convinced on the family budgeting
and has emerged successful in saving for the future.
She has joined in the LIC, RD progamme of Postal
Department and micro credit savings in SHGs. Mary
recollects the support of her mother in law in rebuilding
their life and says it aloud that without befriending and
handholding support of mother in law, she would have
gone in the foot prints of her husband.
Case 3
Ammini reincarnates her family by
returning to traditional occupation of
pottery making
Ammini and husband in pottery making
FARM
Wayanad
Save Farmers Campaign
Ammini Chenankollil of Muttil Panchayath belongs to
Kumbaran caste who is traditional pottery makers. She
along with her husband Gopalan used to earn from
pottery making and their younger son left the traditional
occupation and became a leased farmer. He was
successful in the early years and took more land on
lease in 2007. Ammini and family slowly left their
traditional occupation as their son brought enough
money from the farm sector. But he miserably failed
and debt engulfed him. He became nervous and
became missing for few weeks. After a while they
identified him, convinced to return back to family. But
he committed suicide soon after he returned.
It was a blow for the family as the younger son was
the bread winner of the family. Ammini and Gopalan
became disheartened as they lost him forever. Ammini
also became attracted to suicidal thoughts due to the
gap made by his son. VOICE the partner NGO of the
FARM project working in the Muttil Gram Panchayath
identified this family and provided befriending
services to the entire family. The befriender
provided effective ventilation to Ammini who was
possessed with suicidal thoughts. It was a period
where the family required diversion from these
thoughts by engaging in some productive
programmes. Realizing the need, community
facilitator recommended them for the Income
Generation Support programme. Ammini and
family opted for reestablishing Pottery Making
were not familiar with other occupations.
Ammini and Gopalan with the support of the FARM
project returned to the traditional occupation by
purchasing necessary raw materials and rebuilt
the smoke choolas and other pottery making
infrastructures. Gopalan and family are earning
around Rs 8,000 per month and they could save
around 2,500 from this after meeting the input
costs and household requirements. They are
making earthen pots for cookery items, gardening
pots, thandoori choolas and their products have
high demand in the market. Both of them begin
their routine early in the morning and works till
sun set as per their cultural practices. In order to
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meet the demand they have now engaged one labourer
in the pottery making unit. At times their elder daughter
who was married in nearby village also comes home
and joins the pottery making. They are now leading a
busy life and never get time to think about the past
experiences. Ammini and family whispered about the
six months in which they literally were on the verge of
suicide. She added that, if you haven't come across
our life we would have surely ended up. She believes
that the service of befrienders is exactly the blessing
of angels whom really brought them back to life.
Case 4
Rebuilding the hope of the tribal
trafficking survivors
Ammini and Sasi of Chundappally colony in Noolpuzha
Gram Panchayath were farm labours for the past three
decades. They used to engage in the paddy cultivation
of the Noolpuzha Gram Panchayath till 2005. From
2006 onwards there was a steep decline in the paddy
cultivation in the area and this resulted in the livelihood
crisis of the tribals in the Chundappally colony. As an
alternative they fell in prey to the tribal traffickers who
took them to the Ginger cultivation farms in the
Karnataka State. Extensive use of pesticides in these
fields made the labours sick and the health condition
of Sasi deteriorated very much and finally in order to
escape from the pain he committed suicide.
76 Ammini with her IGP unit
The traffickers tried to dispose his body in Karnataka
itself but due to protest from other tribals labours took
initiative to arrange conveyance for the deceased.
Ammini also came back to the colony with the dead
body and became depressed with the sudden dismissal
of her husband. She remained in her hut without food
for a week and became pale and finally she was taken
to the nearest government hospital. Shreyas, the
voluntary organization working in the Noolpuzha
Panchayath came to know about this incident and
started providing befriending support to Ammini. She
was given the opportunity to ventilate and the continuous
accompaniment of the befriender resulted in brining
her back to normal life.
At this time she was contacted again by the traffickers
to return to work in the ginger fields by giving luring
promises. But she decided not to end up her life in
ginger fields and wanted to earn for the two children.
Her family also was supportive and she was
recommended for the IGP assistance. She was
provided grants to purchase goats and she bought two.
She could earn around Rs 1500 per month by selling
milk and in two years time her IGP increased up to six
units. She sold two Billy's and earned around 6,000
from that. Her parents who are staying nearby also
help her in the Income Generation Programme. She
also joined the micro credit saving
programme of the NGO and is
having a deposit of 3500 in the
scheme. For the primary income
generation, she goes for the works
of NREGA when ever she gets
opportunity in nearing villages.
Case 5
Stitching back life: An
young farmers
anecdote
Kurian K M was a student when
he lost his father in 2007. His
father was a famous farmer in the
Vellamunda Gram Panchayath
because of his integrated farming
style coupled with food crops and

cash crops. His father was selected as model farmer
in 2000 as his integrated farm model in two acre of
land became a success. He was successful till 2006
and the steep fall of the prices of crops in 2007 ruined
his entire wealth. In 2006 itself, he sent his daughter
in marriage and this aggravated his doubts. He was of
the expectation of getting fair prices from his production
in the years to come and to repay the loans taken for
both agriculture and marriage purpose. But he had
recurring loss in 2006 and 2007 which made the debt
doubled. In a compromising situation he committed
suicide and left the burden to the shoulder of his elder
son.
Kurian at the age of 26 was not prepared to take up
the responsibilities of the family. Kurian and his mother
became depressed as they didn't have any idea on
how to repay the loans and to move forward. His mother
became mentally depressed and at this time the
community facilitator of Malabar Social Service Society
identified the family and brought under the befriending.
Befriender could help his mother to ventilate her feelings
and in four months time she was brought back to normal
life. Kurian who became confused of sudden departure
of father also benefitted from the psycho social support
and took the decision to enter into agriculture to rebuild
their life. He had the determination to overcome the
financial crisis and to lead the
family. He sold one acre of land
and repaid the loans.
Realizing the problems, MASSS
provided him grant to initiate IGP.
He bought a cow and started cow
rearing. It was a beginning and he
never had to look back. At present
he has two cows and a calf. He
earns around Rs.5000 from the
IGP and has initiated organic
farming in his remaining land. He
is a hard worker and is now
emerging as a full time farmer. He
has taken land in lease as he has
only one acre of land. He practices
integrated farming in his land and
Bindhu grazing the cattle’s
FARM
Wayanad
Save Farmers Campaign
has ensured the household food security. Both Kurian
and mother are actively engaged in the homestead
faming and forget the past sorrows. Kurian also
completed his degree which he dropped earlier due to
familial constraints.
Kurian's father practiced chemical farming but he
practices organic farming only. This has ensured
productivity as well as disease resistance. He gets
fair prices for his products. He has shown a model of
linking the IGP with agriculture and never sells the cow
dung outside as he prepares organic inputs with the
dung. He also has innovative ideas and experiments
the same in his agricultural plots. He has started small
nursery in house premises after constructing a
polythene glass house. His experiment in budding and
grafting has given him fame in selling the pepper vines.
Both Kurian and mother have recovered well from the
shock of the death of his father and now never get time
to think of the past days. Kurian now possess a dream
of becoming model farmer in the Panchayath which
once his father was titled.
Case 6
Fighting against the fate
Bindhu Chalil aged 35, hailing from the Meenangadi
Gram Panchayath is an exceptional case of brave
women who fought back life from the extreme situation
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of life. She belonged to a small agricultural family in
Choodupara and fell in love with a marginal farmer near
by her house. It was an inter caste marriage and it
resulted in the isolation of the both the families. But
they stood up against all those problems and started
a new life. They had two sons who are now studying in
upper primary schools. He continued his agriculture
and was successful in earning for the family from the
small hut made of mud. The happiness lasted only five
years.
Her husband met with a fatal accident in 2007 when
he fell from a tree while cutting the branch. He was in
coma for months and after three months he recovered
from coma but was being paralyzed. She invested all
her savings in the hospital and after six months of
hospitalization he was discharged from the hospital.
At home things became difficult as she found difficult
in meeting the expenses of the medicine as well as
the household requirement. In a vulnerable moment
entire family thought of committing suicide and at this
moment the community facilitator from Women's
Welfare Association identified the family. She started
to provide befriending services at first and learning the
extreme situation of survival she was recommended
for the medical assistance. This helped the family a
lot and this was the turning point in their life where
they learned that somebody is there for the family and
it is foolishness to put an abrupt end to the life which
is the gift of the god.
The entire family was given befriending support and
the children's started back going to school. She was
further given assistance to initiate an IGP as she was
identified as a crisis family. She opted for cow rearing
and bought the same. She could get income from the
fourth month onwards. At present she is earning around
Rs 7500 per month. Befriender introduced the family
to the pain and palliative care facility and they are
offering the entire medicines free of cost. At first she
made use of a temporary shelter for the cows. In one
year time she could construct a basement in the nearby
land and thus got assistance for house construction
from the Panchayath and nearby parish. With this
support and the earnings from the IGP she finished
78
the construction of the house with Asbestos roofing.
The family moved to the new house and the mud house
which they used earlier is now being used as cattle
shed.
She has two cows and a calf now. She gets around 13
liters of milk a day and both the children helps her in
this endeavor. For the last two years she has never left
the house as she spends her entire time for the care
of the husband and the income generation programme.
He is still in bed but the condition has improved. She
could buy a water bed for her husband as he was
suffering from bed sore. She has the hope that one
day her husband will recover entirely and this hope let
her live. She dreams to provide enough education to
the children as both of them are good in studies. She
has emerged as an Iron Lady in the village as she
fought back from the extreme depth of pains and
sorrows. She sighs about the day when both of them
decided to commit suicide as they thought there is no
hope for life and acclaims it that with out the support
of the FARM project they would have been no more.
Case Study Analysis of failed IGPs
In order to analyze the reasons for the failure of the
IGP's the researcher visited the failed units and carried
out a study of the failed projects. Ten failed cases are
presented here.
Case 1 - Thressiamma, from Vellamunda was selected
for the Income Generation Programme after her
husband committed suicide due to agricultural debts
in 2007. Thressiamma was aged and she depended
on only son who was suffering from some health
complications making him unable to practice hard
labour. So he opted for a Three Wheeler Auto as an
income generation programme and raised 60,000 as
his contribution against the contribution of 10,000 from
the project. He bought a second hand Auto Rickshaw
which seemed to be in good condition. He drove it
successfully for five months and earned around Rs 7500
per month. Bu in the sixth month there was an engine
trouble to the Auto Rickshaw and he came to know
that he was cheated by the intermediaries by selling
Auto Rickshaw of bad engine condition. He had to

spend around 25,000 for the works and he again fell in
big debt. In order to overcome the crisis he sold the
IGP with no other options. Here the inexperience,
ignorance and lack of clear cut business plan resulted
in the failure.
Case 2 - Pushpa Sivan from the Meenangadi
Panchayath was selected for the Income Generation
Programme as her husband committed suicide due to
agricultural debts. She opted for petty shop and was
given an assistance of Rs 10,000. In the initial months
she earned enough for the survival of the family. It was
the season of agricultural labour and after that she
couldn't earn even fifty rupees a day. As she failed to
meet the household expenses, she had to shut down
the shop and migrate for agricultural labour.
Case 3 - Bindu Chukkalikuni from Noolpuzha Gram
Panchayath was selected for the IGP support as her
husband committed suicide due to the failure in the
leased farming. She was given an assistance of Rs
9000 and she bought two goats with the grant support.
She reared the goats for four months. In the fourth
month her daughter became infected with Pneumonia
and the condition deteriorated day by day. In order to
meet the medical expense she sold the goat. She could
save her daughter but had to compromise with the IGP
support.
Case 4 - Sunitha Prakash hails from Padinjarathara
Gram Panchayath and was selected for the Income
Generation Programme as her husband committed
suicide in 2007. She got assistance to initiate goat
rearing IGP. She bought two goats and constructed a
temporary shelter for the goat with the assistance. Her
son fell ill due to Chicken Pox and was hospitalized.
She sold the two goats in the fourth month to meet the
medical expenses.
Case 5 - Jameela P K, from poovathumkandi was
selected as a beneficiary of the IGP as she was
selected as distress farmer and was provided
assistance of Rs 10,000 in 2008. She launched a goat
rearing IGP and reared it for six months. Her mother in
law fell ill and in order to meet the hospital expenses
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she sold the entire unit. She invested all the money for
the health of mother in law and hence she could not
go on with the IGP.
Case 6 - Sarojini from Muttil GP was selected for the
IGP programme as the father committed suicide in
2007. Sarojini and members of the family had sickle
cell disease and hence she selected Goat rearing as
IGP due to her health constraints. But after three month
all the goats were infected with disease and became
dead. She got insurance amount of Rs 4,000 and she
diverted that amount for the treatment of the family.
Analysis of the failed Cases
Failure of the Income Generation Programme was not
because of the failure in the marketing but due to
unprecedented happenings in life. Having no other way
to survive they sold the IGP units and met the
contingencies. In few cases diseases resulted in the
failure of the IGP and it was noticed that the impact of
the failure could have been avoided if the same was
insured. Unfortunately in some cases the beneficiaries
avoided the Insurance Programme and this increased
the impact of the loss of the IGP. In some cases the in
experience, ignorance and the lack of clear cut
business plans resulted in the failure. Unforeseen
competition to the units has also resulted in winding
up of the IGPs in some cases. It is evident from the
case study analysis of the failed cases that none has
stopped the IGP intentionally. Hence it can be said
that those failure are behind the control of the
beneficiaries.
6.3. Interpretations of the Cost
Benefit Analysis
1. Income Generation Programme for the victims of
the suicide has helped to address the inhumanity
of the agrarian crisis by offering sustainable income
to beneficiaries at their home itself and has
reintegrated all the families to take up the Organic
Farming.
2. It was noted that most of the beneficiaries of the
IGP support were women in the mean age of 35 to
45. They found Animal Husbandry as the most
trusted income generation method in the Wayanad.
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Cow rearing was found to be the most successful a handholding support to them and this has helped
as well as the most opted out IGP (60%). Cow them to move on. It can be also said that the house
rearing provided an income on a monthly basis and visits offered in the befriending is a monitoring
those who lacked skills and resources for animal mechanism.
husbandry went for other programmes. Women 9. It is noted that the average monthly expenses of
opted cow rearing as the most opted one as they the IGP beneficiaries was below Rs 2000 (56.7%).
could generate income at the homestead and could In other cases the high monthly expense was due
link with the Organic Farming as the got enough to heath issues as they spend more money for
raw materials for the organic input preparations. medication.
3. IGPs have helped the women to become 10.57% of the beneficiaries of the IGP support could
economically independent in a situation when other save an amount Rs 1500 and above on a monthly
opportunities are limited. All the beneficiaries basis after meeting their household requirements.
indicated that the IGPs have helped them to tide 11. Failure in the IGPs was found due to unprecedented
over the difficulties they had experienced due the happening such as diseases, emergence of new
onset of the crisis. competition and immediate need of money tempting
4. 86% of the women responded that the life has the beneficiary to sell of the units to meet their
become sustained due the IGP support. All of the requirement.
beneficiaries studied were interested to take up 12. It was noticed that goat rearing even though a
animal husbandry on a large scale in a more relatively low cost -high return enterprise having no
systematic manner. difficulty in marketing was found to be a failure as
5. Beneficiary contribution for the cow rearing was an enterprise providing monthly returns. The
around Rs 5,000 and in the case of the Goat rearing
there were no beneficiary contributions. Also the
returns from the cow rearing shows that the IGP
support can be offered as loans thereby creating a
revolving fund through loan repayment helping more
and more distress families.
6. Input cost of the Goat rearing was the lowest as it
required handy food only and the cow rearing
required around Rs 1415 apart from the raw grass
and rice soup. Cow rearing offered around Rs 3,500
(One Cow) per month in the first year and in the
second year Rs 5,125 per month (Two Cow). Goat
rearing cannot be considered as a monthly income
option as it doesn't provide income on monthly
basis. In case of mess houses the average income
was Rs 10000 per month and other IGP provided a
minimum of Rs 6000. But it was noticed that there
were daring competition in innovative IGPs from
similar firms.
7. In cow rearing IGP it was noticed that all the
beneficiaries increased the units to two and three
in the second year and this shows their
industriousness as well as the emotional buildups.
8. Befriending offered to the beneficiaries turned to be
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Table22 : large numbers of people over a prolonged period of
Data on the suicide from 2000 time can only be explained by a combination of
onwards economic, social, psychological and other factors.
Year No of Suicides Further in case of the farm distressed district of
2000 148 Wayanad, the Human Development Index (HDI) was
2001 181 relatively lower, as compared to the other districts. For
instance, among the 14 districts, Wayanad ranked 13th
2002 188
in the HDI. The state has attributed these deaths
2003 210
largely on the crop failures. Often statements have been
2004 177 made suggesting that the victims needed cash
2005 211 assistance immediately and the state responded to
2006 213 the crisis through financial packages ignoring the
psychological aspects of the distress farmers and the
2007 229
family members of victims of the suicide. Suicide being
2008 220 a multifaceted and complex phenomenon, the risks is
2009 166 identified either in the neurobiological and socio-
2010 38 economic conditions domain. The former are
Total 1981 predisposing in nature and are internal to the individual
whereas the latter are the precipitating ones and are
Source: District crime Records
external to the individual.

chances of selling goats for money to meet A total of 1981 agricultural suicides have occurred till
contingency are found high and hence such IGPs 2010 August. In 2007 August Kerala Social Service
are less recommended. Forum with support from Caritas India formed the
network of seven voluntary organizations of Wayanad
6.4. Analysis of the Befriending to address the growing incidences of agrarian suicides.
Programme Befriending was adopted as the major tool of the
network programmes to relieve the sorrows and pains
The man who, in a fit of melancholy, kills himself today,
would have wished to live had he waited a week. of the victim families and suicidal. The year wise data
- Voltaire of the suicide shows that 2007 with 229 suicides was
the highest, followed by 220 in 2008. In 2009 it reduced
The first thought that comes to the mind when we hear
about the agrarian crisis of Wayanad is the suicides. Table 23:
Poor returns to the cultivation and absence of non farm Data on the interview among the
opportunities are indicative of the larger socio-economic befriending clients (the suicide
malaise of the Wayanad. This is accentuated by the attempted) (n = 30)
multiple risks that farmers faces such as yield, price,
Panchayath Frequency %
input, technology and credit. The increased incidence
Vellamunda 5 16.6
of farmer's suicide till 2009 was symptomatic of a larger
crisis, which was widespread. Risk mitigation Meenangady 5 16.6
strategies were limited only to the credit issues in the Muttil 5 16.6
earlier stages and there was a requirement of psycho Noolpuzha 5 16.6
social support for the farmers at this phase.
Pozhuthana 5 16.6
An act of extreme desperation committed by such a Padinjarathara 13 21.6
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Befriending at house of the client
to 166 and as per the records available till October
2010, there were 38 suicides in the district of Wayanad.
Analysis of the Befriending offered
Befriending service can be considered as the single
largest tool that has provided wide acclaim to the
project in the entire Wayanad especially the reference
areas of the research. FARM Project befriending team
consisted of four befriending staff at coordination office
level and 21 community facilitators attached to the Non
Governmental Organization having good expertise in
offering befriending and hundreds of village level
volunteers capable of identifying, referring and providing
the preliminary psycho social support to the suicidal.
In almost all case, the befriending coordinator from
the FARM project reached the home of the distressed/
victim and provided befriending. This was widely
accepted by the clients as they feel secure at the home
to open up. Befrienders never attempted to solve the
problems but helped them to solve the problem by their
own, by alleviating the depression which has the
potential of suicide. Depression is there in some point
of life of every human and those depressions which
lasts longer and are intense has the potential of being
suicidal. Depressions pointed out by the clients and
volunteers are projected in the Annexure 3 - Part 3.
82
In the first stage of the Befriending
impact assessment through
Participatory Action Research, we
identified ten each clients from the
six reference Panchayaths and
studied their case history. Case
studies from the year 2007 till
2010 were analyzed. Clients
belonged to the lowest economic
strata and belonged to the family
of suicide victims. In the initial
phases of the FARM project
special attention was made on the
clients of the agrarian crisis and
in the year 2009 and 2010 the
befriending services were provided
to other people also who were in
the suicidal thoughts. Distress
families having different kinds of problems sought the
help of the befrienders and it was noticed that by 2009
those needed the service of the befriender, came in
search of them. Case study analysis provides the
impacts of the befriending to the victim families and
distress.
In-depth study of suicide attempted was carried out in
the second stage. Suicide attempted clients were
visited and had interaction with them. There were no
structured interviews and the interviewer elicited the
information by casual discussion covering the different
aspects that made them attempt for suicide. Notes
were taken down and there was no hesitation from the
interviewees as they all were reintegrated into the life
in a good manner. Hence a total of thirty cases were
carefully analyzed and the following remarks are based
on the elaborate studies carried out among the clients.
The following remarks are based on the unstructured
interviews with the clients about the befriending
process. Five each clients were selected from each
gram Panchayaths stated as the universe in the
Participatory Action Research. The idea behind the
selection of the suicide attempted clients was to gather
the impact of the befriending programme and the various
stages the client had to undergo in the distress
moments.
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Table24 :
Details of befriending service provided in the PAR area from the beginning of
the FARM project
Gram Suicide Attempted Prone Distress Total Grand
Panchayath victims Total
M F M F M F M F M F
Pozhuthana 01 06 01 09 01 07 13 38 16 60 76
Meenangadi 04 18 02 10 01 07 26 46 33 81 114
Vellamunda 11 27 01 02 14 21 25 51 76
Padinjarathara 14 34 01 05 14 18 28 58 86
Noolpuzha 01 03 01 03 06 01 08 07 15
Muttil 13 52 02 01 03 35 18 88 106
Total 44 140 5 22 3 24 76 159 128 345 473

Earlier it was noticed that the people from the nearby
areas of the client looked at the befriender with a
suspicion and now it can be said that these peoples
are warmly welcoming the befrienders as they
themselves became aware of the recovery made by
the clients. Most of those vulnerable clients were
provided income generation programmes and they have
now emerged as true models of phoenix bird. It was
noted that prior to the intervention of the befriending
support the distressed folk of Wayanad had nowhere
to go for emotional and psychological support. The
majority of the distressed wanted someone to talk to
who would give them time and space and to whom
they could express their deepest, most anguished
thoughts, some one who would be prepared to listen,
in confidence with acceptance and compassion.
Unfortunately the psychological support systems from
the government failed to provide such a kind of support
and this aggravated the suicide scenario of Wayanad.
But in the befriending programme it was noticed that
all the requirements were even met by the volunteers
who were not necessarily professionally qualified but
had the human attributes of care and compassion and
are willing to listen constructively, non-judgmentally,
and with acceptance.
and their suicidal feelings. Thus the clients were
encouraged to ventilate their anger and to talk about
their distress and frustration. In this way the befrienders
offered the emotional support to those for whom life
may be getting too much to bear and who may be in
the danger of suicide. In the conventional form of
counseling the care given to the individual clients is
very much lower and the hospice setting is not at all
conducive for the distressed to open up. Now the service
of befriending has emerged as immediate response
for emotional crisis. An important aspect of the service
noted is that those who use it are in control - the
decision to make contact is theirs, as is the freedom
to end it.
Statistics on the befriending offered
in the universe of the research
From the very beginning of the project, befriending
services were provided to the victims of suicide, distress
persons and vulnerable people. Unlike the counseling
session, befriending service cannot be stopped in few
settings. Even in the form of house visits befriending
supports can be provided and it was noted that the
sessions were higher in the context of Wayanad. The
table given under is from the reference area of the PAR.

Befrienders steered towards the client's pain. While A total of 473 people have benefitted from the
they listen to the clients stories, the prime concern is befriending services in the PAR area. The highest
to listen to the client's talk about their sense of despair numbers of clients were from the Meenangadi
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Panchayath where 114 were provided befriending. The
lowest number of clients was from Noolpuzha
Panchayath where only 15 clients were provided with
the service. It can be noted that, women tend to commit
suicide more than men as the suicide victims were
mostly women (76%). Attempted cases also were
mostly women and the prone families otherwise those
with suicidal tendency were also women. Distress
clients also were mostly women and in all the sectors
the chances of women being in compromising situation
of suicides was two third. A total of 128 males and 345
females were provided the befriending service.
Perspectives of the Befrienders about
the service
Although in every day life there may be all sorts of
things, befrienders would like to help the people in need,
but has to recognize the boundaries and operating
procedures of the organization. It is therefore important
to understand the type of help one can provide.
Primarily, befrienders have to provide a service to help
people in crisis and those who may be suicidal. The
help they provide is, for the most part, offering support,
befriending and providing a listening ear. Further they
have to make sure that they don't do anything that
would upset the service. Decisions are to be taken by
the clients and hence in any circumstance befriender
will not provide advices. Similarly the befriender are
forbidden to impose their convictions and hence not to
be pressed into giving opinions. Volunteers also never
talks about themselves, letting the client wasting time
to disclose himself. It is also to bear in mind that we
cannot end the service to the clients in an abrupt
manner as it will erode the entire efforts taken in a
single moment of melancholy.
6.5 Case Study Analysis of
Befriending
Names of the clients in the case study and place have
changed to respect the confidentiality in the service
provided. One each case study from PAR reference
area is presented here.
Case Study 1
Name : Sivan
84
Age : 43 years
Financial status : low income
Type of case : Suicide attempt
Panchayath : Meenangadi
Sivan is a hardworking farmer and has two acres of
land. He and his wife Radha have a son and a daughter.
He had failures in the agriculture for twice and this
made heavy debts for the marginal farmer. He began
to get engaged in the timber work two years ago as he
could not meet the needs of the family with the limited
income from his farm alone. He earned a good income
from his work and supported his family and the
education of his children. But he couldn't repay the
loan in time and this made the money lenders to
manhandle him. He got violent tremor on his neck and
fell unconscious. He had continuous yawning and it
suffocated him unable to breathe and it lasted for two
weeks until he got treatment for it. But Sivan lost his
sleep completely with that. He struggled for two more
weeks with lack of sleep and being unable to go for
work. He was depressed and restless that he attempted
to commit suicide consuming the pesticide he bought
for banana cultivation. He was found on time and was
rescued. He was medicated for his mental disturbance.
Meanwhile, Sivan began to get the violent attacks of
tremors on his neck and the consequent black outs.
Again the treatment continued. Neurological tests and
scan reports revealed normalcy. He had been admitted
in the famous hospitals and had a bit of improvement
in his condition. He gets the tremor once he begin to
converse with people for some time. Hence he found it
hard to go out alone or to socialize with people.
Sivan used to be a helper everywhere in his
neighbourhood if there were any celebrations or deaths,
sharing their joys and sorrow. Presently he finds it hard
to face emotional situations and confines to his home.
The irresponsible behavior of his son is hurting him
too. Besides, due to the medication he is acquiring
weight and feels weak with wheezing though the intake
of food is less. Hence he was unable to work.Sivan
ventilated his feelings of anxiety, tension and fears about
his health and the situation in the family. He expressed
his concern whether he would be cured totally to work

and support the family. He said, "If I don't improve my
health and become a burden to the family by losing all
the assets on my treatment, I would again attempt
suicide and end my life…" The befriender listened to
his distress and concerns with great understanding
and empathy. She extended the emotional support by
being with him as he got an attack of tremor during the
befriending. He was referred to District Mental Health
Programme (DMHP) as he expressed his concern on
financial constrain to buy the costly medicines for him.
He was persuaded to attend the organic farming training
sessions and he became convinced about the organic
farming. He adopted organic cultivation in a portion of
the land which was left uncultivated due to heavy loss.
He could produce the food crops for household
requirements and became convinced about the success
of the organic farming. Now he is cultivating the entire
land practicing sustainable agriculture measures as
promoted by the FARM Project. The befriender found
greater improvement in Sivan during the follow up
session and he continues the medication from DMHP.
Sivan and family were deeply grateful for the improved
health condition of Sivan and the reduced financial
burden through the timely intervention of befriending
and referral.
Case Study 2
Name : Roni
Age : 40 years
Financial status : Middle income
Type of case : Distress case
Panchayath : Pozhuthana
Roni was the youngest son of his parents' 9 children.
His father was an alcoholic and used to torture his
wife very badly. All the brothers of Roni also turned to
be alcoholics. He was an exception until his marriage
10 years ago. He cared for his elderly parents and he
expected a supporting hand when he married Simi but
shattering his dreams, as Roni had to sell his farm
land to meet the consumerist attitudes of the wife.
She also was suicide prone like her mother. She was
short tempered and had constant conflicts with the
mother in law. Meanwhile his agricultural land had
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infection of wasp disease and this ruined his entire
wealth. Due to the over expenditure of his wife he was
bankrupt already. He gradually got into the habit of
drinking alcohol and the disharmony at home provoked
him to be dependent on it.
Once Simi attempted suicide (setting fire on herself)
at a slight provocation, in front of Roni. He managed to
save her and spent a lot of money on her treatment
(both physical and Psychiatric) and sold his property
for it. She survived the ordeal. His parents had expired
by then. Roni mobilized some finance through land
brokerage and bought some land again and constructed
a good house. Simi began to work as an anganwadi
helper. Roni reduced the regularity of his drinking but
he becomes devilish when he is drunk (he consumes
excessively as he loses control on himself once he
tastes the liquor) and gets into fights with every one,
especially with those whom he has some grudge. He
abuses them verbally and ends in physical fight.
Simi whose medication was discontinued with out the
doctor's advice (due to fatigue and the huge expense
of medicine) gets tensed, fearful, insecure and wild
when Roni comes home drunk. She uses abusive
language and irritates him in response to his attacks
on her. The befriender was contacted for befriending
intervention by the FARM Project volunteer when Roni
was drinking continuously for four days(until the
befriender's visit) and picked up fights as he got more
and more irritated with Simi's response and also due
to the hang over of the previous day. Simi became very
upset and showed suicide tendency.
The befriender listened with empathy and understanding
to Roni and Simi individually as they ventilated their
feelings of anger, hurt, frustration and regrets as they
expressed their concerns about each other's behavior
pattern. Roni was enabled to reflect on the impact of
alcohol on him who is at high risk of addiction due to
his family background and its consequences on his
family. Roni expressed his desire to drop his habit.
Simi was enabled to reflect on the impact of her
reactions on such occasions. The befriender discussed
with Roni about the behavior pattern and suicidal
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tendency of Simi and referred her to resume her
treatment with District Mental Health Programme.
Roni started to work again as an agricultural labour.
He was also persuaded to attend the awareness
programmes on sustainable agricultural measures.
Having found as an option to overcome the agrarian
crisis, he decided to have a Homestead Nutrition Garden
and could develop the same in six months time. He
was given grants to procure seeds and seedlings. He
could produce the food crop to ensure the household
food security and could have a check on the family
budget. He after working as an agricultural labour finds
time with the family to work in the homestead garden.
He has now emerged as a resource person in
homestead nutrition farming and is engaged in
promoting the same to his friends and neighbors.
Case: 03
Name : Viji
Age : 37
Type of client : Suicide victim
Panchayath : Muttil
Viji's husband Thomas committed suicide on 15th May
2008. The families of her husband were migrants from
Kottayam District about 50 years back. Thomas' father
was a very good farmer and he bought 18 acres of land
when came to Wayanad. The deceased had 3 brothers
and 3 sisters. After some years they had sold some
land and Thomas got only one acre land as his father's
property. At present the family is having only 43 cents
of land as he had sold the rest of the land before the
death.
The family consists of Viji and her two children. The
elder son is studying in 10th standard and the younger
son in 7th standard. Thomas was practicing ginger
cultivation in Coorg for so many years. He also had
the habit consuming alcohol for many years. Thomas
had taken loan from banks and money lenders and he
was not able to pay back the money fully. The family
was having more than 50000 Rupees during the time
of suicide took place. At present they are living out of
the money they get by rearing a cow. The relatives of
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Thomas do not care about the family. The family is
living in a pathetic condition now as Viji is not physically
fit now. She is now suffering from Asthma and Arthritis
so that she cannot do tough work. She also had spent
a lot of money for her own treatment.
The relatives of Thomas used to blame her for the
incident. They used to say that it was due to Viji's
fault that her husband committed suicide. She
becomes very sad on hearing such comments from
the relatives. She is really struggling hard to look after
the family. Some of the neighbors were really helpful
to the family after the incident. The befriending service
was really useful her to share her sorrows. She said
"I was really longing for some one to listen to my
problems. I feel relaxed when I shared with you".
Case- 4
Name : Shanmughan
Age : 56
Type of client : Suicide victim
Panchayath : Padinjarathara
56 years old Shanmughan is a middle class farmer
having 1.5 acres of land. He was migrated from
Kottayam 35 years back. He had one son and a
daughter. His daughter got married and staying with
her husband. Shanmughan was staying with his wife,
son and family. He was an active volunteer of SNDP
and a very good farmer. His son was doing milk
business and the family was leading a harmonious life
till a tragedy struck over the family. In August 2008 his
son Madhu committed suicide due to some debt
issues. He had the habit of taking lottery tickets in
abundance. He too had developed the habit of drinking
after the marriage. He had spent lot money for these
and it put him in indebtedness. Sometimes
Shanmughan used to quarrel with the son and used to
scold him for this. On 8th August 2008 Madhu found
missing from the house for many days. Shanmughan
gave a man missing complaint at the Police Station.
The family members, relatives and neighbors searched
him for many days and after 5 days, the Police found
his decayed dead body in a quarry near by Kalpetta.
The post- mortem report revealed that he had taken

poison to commit suicide
Shanmughan was really sad after the death of the son.
But he was really shocked when the neighbors started
to spread rumors about the cause of the suicide. Many
rumors were spread about the relationship between
Shanmughan and the wife of his son. Some people
gossiped that he had illegal relationship with Madhus's
wife and that made Madhu to commit suicide.
Shanmughan was an active volunteer of SNDP and
due to the rumors he stopped going to SNDP Meetings.
He was very much ashamed and sad about the rumors
spread around him. He stopped talking to others
including the family members. He did not wish to go
outside and tried to be always at home.
It was during this situation the befriender visited this
family. He was not ready to talk at the time of the first
visit. But during the second and third visit he became
open up. He had stopped going out of the house after
the death of the son. During the first two visits the
befriender paid special attention to listen him as he
was not able to share his feelings in front of anyone.
He shared that he was thinking of committing suicide.
He said that he does not find any meaning in living any
more.
The befriending visits made him to ventilate the feelings.
He was happy that some one could listen to his
feelings. The befriending interventions strengthened him
psychologically and helped him to come out of the
suicidal thoughts. After the third visit he has started
to go outside and also has begun to attend the SNDP
meetings. Now he seems to be happy and expects
more befriending visits.
He was given promotional grants to cultivate his farm
land through organic farming and after attending the
series of sessions of sustainable agriculture he became
convinced. He started back to cultivate the land which
was left barren due to the crisis and family problems.
He could emerge as an organic cultivator in six months
time and could find comparative changes in the
conventional method and sustainable agriculture
method. It resulted in profit as well as the engagement
FARM
Wayanad
Save Farmers Campaign
of the farmer into the field made him forget his painful
past. He also is now an active campaigner for the
organic farming in the region.
Case - 5
Name : Liza
Age : 42
Type of client : Suicide Victim
Panchayath : Vellamunda
Liza's husband Abraham committed suicide on 29th
October 2006. The Parents of Thomas was migrated
from Kottayam District to Kannur District 35 years
back. In 1990, they again migrated to Wayanad.
Thomas has 5 siblings and all of them are staying in
Kannur District. He was a farmer having 2 acres of
land, but later he sold 1.5 acre to repay the bank loan
which was taken for housing. Thomas was an alcoholic
and he used to spend lot of money for this purpose.
When drunken he used to become violent and scold
and beat Liza. Her mother-in-law is also staying with
them now. Liza said "I suffered a lot when he was alive,
he used to beat me and stamp me and I was really
frightened of him. But he was very calm and loving
when not drunken." "He also had the habit of playing
cards and spent a lot of money for it and it was the
major reason for indebtedness. He also had borrowed
money from private money lenders at a higher interest.
Indebtedness along with alcoholism contributed a lot
to the suicide of Abraham. After the death of the
husband, the wife was struggling a lot to meet their
daily expenses. Beside she is suffering respiratory
deceases. The elder daughter is studying in 12th
standard and the younger son is in 10th standard.
Though they have 50 cents of land they do not get any
income out of it. Liza is going for manual labor for daily
wages and it is the only income source of the family. If
she could not go for work for one day, they had to
starve. She got Rs.10000/- from the District Collectors
fund for suicide victims. The Family was not included
in the State Government's compensation package.
Many of the neighbors are of the opinion that he should
not have committed suicide as it was possible for him
to recover from the indebtedness. Some neighbors said
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that the indebtedness was caused by the miss
management of money that he had taken from the bank
and money lenders. The community facilitator and
the befriending coordinator of SFC made befriending
visits to the family several times and listened to her
grief. The family was selected as a beneficiary of
alternative livelihood support programme under SFC
and they were provided Rs. 10000/- For starting an
income generation programme. The ventilation of
feelings of the family members especially of the wife
of the deceased was possible through the befriending
visits. They have started an income generation
programme with the support from the FARM project.
They bought a cow by making some contribution by
their own along with the SFC support. She also initiated
a nutrition home garden in the premises of the house
and is producing food crops. This has helped her to
reduce the family budget to a considerable level.
Case - 6 their happiness about the visits.
Name : Sidharthan
Age : 55
Type of Client : Suicide Prone
Panchayath : Noolpuzha
Sidharthan was a farmer having 3 acres of land. He fell
down from a tree while plucking the pepper 9 years
back and his spinal code was broken. He was paralyzed
and now he is bed ridden for the last 9 years. He has
two children and wife. His wife is cardiac patient. His
elder daughter is married and the only son is looking
after him. The family had spent a lot of money for the
treatment of Sidharthan. They tried all types of
treatment including Ayurveda. He was bedridden in
different hospitals for so many months. But all the
attempts of the family were in vein. They had to spend
a huge amount for his treatment and it also resulted in
indebtedness. They also had taken loan over the
security of their land. He was also helped by the
volunteers of Pain and Palliative Care. Sidharthan was
very much depressed about his condition and started
showing no interest for treatment.
It was in this situation the volunteers of Pain and
Palliative care informed us about his condition and we
88
could visit him. We made many visits, talked to him
and listened to him patiently. Since he was bedridden
he was feeling loneliness and boredom. He shared his
feelings during the befriending visits. He had lost the
hope of coming back to the normal life. Many times he
had asked the doctors and also to the volunteers about
the possibilities of mercy killing. He shared his
tendency to commit suicide during our visit. He said
"If I were able to move from this bed, I would have
killed my self". "Why should I live, I am a burden for
my family and no use for my family". He said that
because of his pathetic condition his son had to stop
his education after graduation, though he was very good
in studies.
The befriending visits helped Sidharthan to share his
feelings to the befriender. It also helped him to come
out of his suicide tendencies and encouraged him to
think positively. The family members also expressed
Analysis of the Outcome of the
Befriending
In the national level still a sense of gloom persists in
the farming community regarding suicide, but in Kerala
the rate is declining. In Wayanad, the predominant
agriculture district of Kerala suicide rates have been
arrested. In 2007 the suicide rate was 45 per Lakh and
now it has fallen down to 25.02 per Lakh. This figure is
been prepared by the District Mental Health Authority.
The fall in the suicide rates can be cross read with the
FARM project which is addressing the awry of the
farmers in the Wayanad. Befriending programme has
been successful in arresting the suicides among the
farmers. Befriending to the distressed farmers and
routine house visits had made an impact. Now people
with any kind of mental agonies are approaching the
Befrienders. Hence the major outcome of the
befriending is the decline in the suicide ratio which
was the primary objective of the formation of the Save
Farmers Network Campaign.
6.6 Interpretations of the Analysis of
Befriending
1. Befriending deems to be quoted as the most sought
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Save Farmers Campaign

out psycho social service by the suicide victim
families as well as the distress families and has
helped hundreds from the bridge of life to death.
Befriending gave wide publicity for the FARM project.
2. The primary aim of the service is to give emotional
support to the clients when they are suicidal.
Befriending alleviates misery, loneliness, despair
and depression by listening to anyone who feels
they have nowhere else to turn.
3. Rendered emotional support through befriending
service to 473 suicide victim families, persons
attempted suicide, persons with suicide tendency
and in distress due to family conflict, marital
problems, health related issues, alcoholism & drug
abuse, financial crisis and allied reasons, and to
patients and family members of psychiatric illness
4. Created space for persons in distress to ventilate
their feelings of anxieties, grief, guilt, fear, trauma,
tension, anguish and mental stress and they got
relieved
5. Identified 27 suicide attempted and prone persons
including tribals and enabled them to overcome
suicidal thoughts and to regain self confidence, self
esteem and dignity and were empowered to face
reality.
6. From the remarks of the clients it is clear that they
are sure that the agricultural crisis is as a result of
the chemical farming practices.
7. There is a remarkable increase in the number of
clients availing befriending service recognizing its
relevance
8. Better recognition to SFC intervention among PRIs,
Media, Govt agencies, Voluntary initiatives like Pain
& Palliative Care Centres and Senior Citizens
Forum.
9. The suicide rate of Wayanad has fall down to 25.02
per Lakh from 45 per Lakh. It can be noted that in
the year 2010 the suicide number is 38. Even though
two month is reaming in 2010 the number is very
much lower as against the highest number of 229
suicides in 2007.
10.Befriending has helped the clients to get
reintegrated to agriculture adopting sustainable
agricultural practices such as Organic Farming and
this has ensured household food security.
6.7 Focus Group Discussions on the
Impacts of the FARM Project
This report is a part of the primary data collection of
the Participatory Action Research designed to collect

Table: 25
Relative quantity of Participation in the PAR study activities in the FARM
Project
Types of FGD – PAR Place Participation by Gender
No of No of Total
Males Females
FGD of farmers and stakeholders Padinjarathara 17 22 39
FGD of farmers Soojipara 14 0 14
FGD of PRI members, Government Meppadi 19 23 42
Officials and other stakeholders
Focus Group Discussion of Suganthagiri 11 6 17
Organic Farmers Group
Focus Group Discussion of Pozhuthana 11 16 27
Farmers and volunteers
Focus Group Discussion of Kalpetta 7 16 23
Staff of the FARM Project
Total Participants 79 (48.8%) 83 (51.2%) 162 (100%)
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feedback from the stakeholders of the Facilitating
Agricultural Regeneration Measures in Wayanad
District of Kerala. Focus Group Discussion was to
collect the responses on the beneficiaries on the
Sustainable Agriculture Measures taken up by the
project through the programmes in the economic,
ecological, psycho social etc… The following table
gives a gist on the sector wise programmes
implemented and its relevance envisaged. Six Focus
Group discussions were carried out in the reference
area of the PAR to get first hand response from the
stake holders. FGDs were one day programmes taking
a minimum time of four hours and maximum time of
seven hours. Special tools for guiding the discussion.
Details of the FGD carried out are project in the
following table.
The general view of the stakeholders about the FARM
project was very much promising. All of them agreed
on the fact that they could improvise their own
leadership qualities and could make fame as a social
activist engaged in the noble cause of protection of
"Mother Nature". Facilitators of the project pointed out
the extreme difference in the attitude of the PRI when
they were isolated in the first months of the project
and now being invited for almost all programmes in the
Panchayath. A good and warmth relationship between
the Panchayath Raj Institutions is the achievement of
the project. Further there were misleading perceptions
from the various platforms that this programme but the
SFC network could tide over such issues through
successful implementation of the project.
Discussions about the Social Sector
Programmes
FARM project was not widely welcomed by the
politicians in the initial stages and the acceptance now
witnessing started from the orientation seminar on PRI
to the community. This seminar resulted in the
increased participation (30% ) of the public in the Gram
Sabha as well as the quality of the programmes planned
in the Gram Sabha meeting also improvised
considerably. In these awareness programmes the
participation of PRI members were solicited and this
helped them to know more about the project and they
90
became active promoters of the project.
One of the important convergences FARM programme
had was the association with Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Awareness
sessions for improvising the coverage under the
reference area was taken up by the project and this
has resulted in welfare of the people in the reference
area in various forms. Major focus of the programmes
under the NREGA is on the agrarian sector and the
capacitation programmes has resulted in authorities
and beneficiaries to elect the most productive
opportunities under the scheme. Coverage of the
programme was ensured by the facilitators by
communicating the benefits of the scheme to the
neediest and soliciting the job card to these categories.
Other convergences in this regard were the linkages
with the excise department for awareness programmes
on de-addiction, forest department for awareness
generation on rights of tribal on collection of forest minor
produces. The active participation of the people in the
Gram Sabha resulted in lobbying for organic promotion
and eco restoration programmes through the
development plans of the PRIs. Inferences given by
the participants are projected below.
Discussions on the FARM Practices
According to the inferences of the various stake
holders, Agricultural Regeneration, one of the integral
concepts of the FARM project is on the right track and
this can be noticed by increase in the number of model
organic farms. Regeneration of the agriculture has been
induced in the minds of the farmers and the process is
a slow and time consuming one. Farmers are now
aware of the loss in the fertility of the soil due to
inorganic farming and have taken steps to rejuvenate
the soil fertility through organic methods. In order to
regenerate the cultivations farmers have been
increasingly using the schemes of the spices board,
coffee board etc…. Regeneration of agriculture through
the organic farming has begun and the progress is
high in the homestead farms. But the
commercialization of the organic farming is still a dream
and in order to attain sustainability in terms of the
organic farming, commercialization is a must. Sense

of group ownership in the form of Group Farming and
Farmers Club has got wide acceptance among the
farmers.
Protection and promotion of the indigenous variety of
seeds was another elegant achievement of the FARM
project. Farmers are now aware of the difference
between the indigenous varieties and hybrid varieties.
They also became aware of the decrease in productivity
of hybrid seeds when they are used again and again.
Also farmers have tested it that the indigenous seeds
ensuring consistent production. Hence almost all who
had undergone the awareness session are now
completely shifted to the cultivation of the indigenous
seed variety. Exchange of seeds between farmers is
now widely accepted as it improves the productivity
and pest resistance. System of Rice Intensification
was widely promoted among the farmers and nutrition
farming also got wide acceptance among them.
Facilitators themselves have identified that there is
measurable difference in the health indicators of the
farmers who are practicing organic nutrition farming. It
was noticed that the resistance capacity of the farmers
regarding health was higher as they suffered infections
lower than that they had in previous times.
A total of 1527 farmers were facilitated to practice
organic farming. It is expected that almost 80% of
these farmers can be channeled for the organic
certification in another two years time. Concept of seed
bank among the voluntary organization also got high
importance and few of them established the same.
Development of the model farms has resulted in more
farmers replicating the nutrition practices in their
agriculture fields. Nutrition farms have ensured the food
security of the households. Even visitors from other
districts are attracted to these model farms. Organic
farming is now well rooted in the hearts of farmers. It is
cost effective and the most applicable in the situation
of agricultural regeneration. Even though there is a high
demand and price for the products, the market strategy
is yet a matter of concern. Organic farming is something
that has to be accepted in the heart of the farmers and
there needs a vigorous behaviour change
communication to achieve this. Internal Control System
FARM
Wayanad
Save Farmers Campaign
is the best applicable monitoring system in the context
of organic farming.
Organic farming has to be seen in a movement context
rather than a project context which always gets stuck
up by the end of the project. Marketing facility has to
be launched for the sustainability of organic farming.
Fertility of the soil has been degraded and this can be
regenerated only through the nutrition farming. People
who have applied organic inputs without the scientific
knowledge have resulted in defaming the process as
there was total failure. Strength of the organic inputs
is high and if not applied in the correct manner, it will
result in the total drying up of the plants. It was noticed
that awareness generation and demonstration of the
production of the inputs and application are needed to
make the farmers aware of the nutrition farming
process.
Discussions on the Economic Sector
Programmes on the Economic sector invited heated
discussion in an all the FGDs as the visibility and output
had provided fame for the project. Income generation
programme has ensured the rehabilitation of the suicide
affected families. It can be perceived as an occupational
therapy as it reduces the mental stress of the distress
persons. It has been noted that befriending with the
income generation supports results in the client to
emerge as the breadwinner of the family and keeps
the mind an angel's workshop apart from the idle mind
which is the devils workshop. Crisis families also have
to be given the support as the chance of the distress
person attempting suicide can be reduced to a
considerable level. It can be noticed that the
participation of the entire family members in the income
generation programme makes it the most successful.
Cow rearing is seen as the most benefited ones. It
was noted that there were failures in few cases due to
unprecedented health issues resulting the beneficiary
to sell and seek medical help. Skill training, business
plan, marketing appraisal etc… has helped the
beneficiaries to select the viable trades. 40% of the
beneficiaries have doubled the income by increasing
the units by constant savings and controlling family
expenditure.
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Discussions in the Psychological
Sector - Befriending
Befriending was referred as one of the pillars in the
FARM project. Facilitators could intervene in the
psycho-social problems of a number of clients. A quality
of self control was achieved by the befrienders. Social
sensitivity of the community facilitators had improved
a lot. It was noted that the effort of providing befriending
in the house premises of the client is hectic than the
counseling offered at the counseling centers.
Befriending has advantage in building good rapport with
the client other than counseling. Listening capacity of
the befrienders have improved consistently over the
period of three years.
The basic and advanced trainings in befriending have
sharpened the skills of the facilitators and the
volunteers. It was noticed that the community
befriending is a time consuming process as the
befriender has to visit the client's houses and has to
be cautious about the external interventions. Another
inference was that while at the client's premises the
understanding of the psychological situation is better
than the other form. At an average a facilitator could
provide befriending and could achieve positive results
to a minimum of 75 distressed and to a maximum of
125 clients. Those who have sourced out the benefits
of the befriending referred more cases in the locality
and this could improve the services in the community
Befriending has helped the client to improve their life
status. Now the clients are coming forward for the
utilization of the service and this is a clear cut evidence
of the acceptance of the befriending service. Further
through this tool facilitators could identify the real
beneficiaries for the income generation programmes.
Political parties also have come forward to appreciate
the services of the befrienders. Some of the qualitative
outcomes pointed out by the facilitators were as follows.
Befriending has increased the social interaction of the
distressed persons. From an isolated mental stage
the client is reintegrated to a more socialized situation
and this remains as the remarkable output. Self
confidence of the clients increased consistently and
this has resulted in the women mostly emerging as
92
the breadwinner of the family. Family relationship
among the distress families could be improved
considerably. In quantitative terms there is an arrest in
the suicide rate among the farmers in the district and
this is an output of the befriending service. It was a
silent revolution and as per the records the suicide
rate is normal as compared to other districts. It was
projected by the facilitators that they could avoid
suicidal thoughts and tendencies of 33 persons in the
year 2010 itself in the PAR area.
Discussion on the programmes in the
tribal sector
Apart from the first phase, the second phase had
special programmes for the generation of the interest
of the tribals. Promotional grants to purchase seeds
and seedlings to the group farms have yielded positive
results. It has contributed to the food security of the
tribal hamlets. Preparations of organic manure have
envisaged the traditional know how of the tribals who
had a glorious past as agriculturists. Injection of the
concept of organic farming has resulted in the attitudinal
changes among the tribals and there are instances of
abandoning of chemical agriculture.
Discussion on the activities for Ecological Protection
Ecological protection through agricultural regeneration
was the central part of the discussion among the
organic farmers. As a result of the awareness
programmes provided through FARM partner
organizations there are commendable steps taken
scale up the ecological protection. Awareness
programmes on protection and promotion of Indigenous
varieties of crops has been now widely accepted among
the farmers. Another important achievement of the
FARM Project had been the generation of the school
children's interest in homestead farming in the school
premises. In few schools the project could facilitate
the formation of Eco clubs.
Discussions on Health Sector
Workshops on Food Safety, Food Security, Climate
Change and Organic Farming were remarked as a
curtain raiser for building up the attitude of the farmers
towards sustainable agriculture. A feeling of necessity

of organic farming rather than compulsion is been
evoked among the farmers. Apart from providing
awareness through theoretical sessions and leaving
the farmer into the farm, Save Farmers Campaign has
walked with the farmer and has facilitated the organic
farming practice. Organic Farming alone could not
survive and this was overcome by the trainings on
nutrition inputs. Trainings on preparation of Bio inputs
have helped the facilitators to address almost all
concerns raised by the organic farmers. Almost all the
participants of the workshop have conceived the idea
of promoting nutrition gardening as a part of their
homestead farming to ensure house hold food security.
Homestead farming of tubers, vegetables etc… which
once was bunged by farmers has been regenerated
by the influence of the FARM Project. Model plots on
the nutrition farming promoted through the project have
attracted several in the locality to the plots and on
returning they have decided to replicate the same.
Awareness programmes on de-addiction has helped
some clients to undergo treatment in de-addiction
centers. De-addicts took interest for the formation of
Alcoholic Anonymous groups also. Awareness
seminars on the harmful effects of the tobacco and
allied products were also widely welcomed among the
school going children. Demands for similar awareness
sessions were higher after the pilot programmes.
Awareness generated on the killer diseases also has
had an impact among the community and further there
was a linkage with the pain and palliative care
programme in the District. Facilitators could refer
several persons to the Pain and Palliative Care unit as
a follow up. Small grants in the form of medical
assistance to the tribal and other famers has also
attributed well as the most needy and deserving people
benefitted from the cash assistance.
Discussions on Advocacy, Lobbying
workshops, Facilitation Programmes,
Media coverage
Project launching programme, Workshops and the
convergence programmes with various state and
central government agencies has given wide publicity
to the project. It has resulted in fruitful linkages with
FARM
Wayanad
Save Farmers Campaign
the NABARD, State Horticulture Mission, Kerala
Agricultural University etc…Solicitation of the
participation of Panchayath representatives in similar
programmes has resulted in the acceptance of the PRIs
in future course. More over the members of the PRIs
has now turned into the spokes person of the FARM
programme. Media coverage was another important
pillar to the success of the programme. FARM
programme is now well-known to the majority of the
farmers in the Wayanad District. Day by day clipping
of the new was there in the vernacular dailies.
Launching programme ensured the state level visibility
of the project. Documentation of the news clippings in
the PCU office and the partner's office is the clear cut
indicator for the achievement.
Discussions on the Challenges Faced
Few numbers of programmes and higher demand from
the community tend to be a challenge. In a Panchayath
the awareness programmes could be provided to
hundred persons where as the actual interested
persons was five times higher than that. For some
programmes there was no follow up and this has
resulted in derailing the achievement. For example there
was no follow up for the awareness session on PRI
and now the participation of the people in the gram
Sabha has decreased.
Concluding Discussion
In order to analyze the overall impact of the FARM
project a simple tool of ranking was carried out at the
end of the each FGDs. Participants of the PAR was
asked to rate the Facilitating Agricultural Regeneration
Project on a Five Point Scale with 0 as the poor
performance and 5 as the best performance the mean
average of the raking by the six FGD's is 4. It was
unanimously acknowledged the fact that FARM
programme has been accepted by the farming
community of Wayanad. Non political, Non Partisan
and Non religious nature of the project was identified
as the advantage that has resulted in the victory of the
programme. Participants concluded that in the history
of Wayanad FARM programme is the only programme
that has got such a wide coverage and inclusive nature
in the welfare of the agriculture community.
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6.8 Interpretations of the Focus Group
Discussion
1. Beneficiaries both direct and indirect, of the FARM
project stated that the project has resulted in the
people returning to traditional sustainable
agricultural practices and has become Green
Volunteers.
2. A good and warmth relationship between the
Panchayath Raj Institutions was developed and
this resulted in framing supporting programmes on
Organic farming from several GPs.
3. Awareness programmes on the PRI's increased
the participation of the public in the Gram Sabha
level decision making process. 30% increase in
the Gram Sabha participation was found in the
Padinjarathara Gram Panchayath. The figure is
more or less same in other GPs also.
4. As an output of the lobbying with the Panchayaths,
these Local Self Government Institutions have
taken up the matter of issues behind chemical
farming and has initiated certain steps in the
regeneration of the chemical farms through organic
farming.
5. Protection and Promotion of the Indigenous variety
of seed turned to be one of the elegant
achievements of the Project. Exchange of the
seeds is now widely accepted between farmers
as this increases the disease resistance and
production.
6. A total of 1527 farmers are now practicing organic
farming under the FARM Project and it is expected
that they will become organic certified farmers in
another two years time.
7. Organic FARM Models developed in each GP are
attracting several farmers and thus it results in the
large scale replications.
8. Income generation programmes offered to the
suicide victims/distressed has not only resulted
in the self sufficiency but also has resulted in those
families taking up sustainable agricultural measures
by practicing Nutrition Farming.
94
9. Befriending deems to be quoted as the magnificent
intervention of the FARM project as each facilitator
provided support to 100 distressed on an average.
Clear cut evidence is there with the facilitators in
the reference area of the PAR regarding the saving
of 33 distressed from suicide.
10. Tribal sector programmes is another glorious
intervention of the FARM project in the second
phase as it has helped hundreds of tribal farmers
to ensure food security and practice sustainable
farming. It has to be noted that the official records
of the government provides vague figure on the
tribal suicides in the agricultural crisis.
11. Ecological protection has gained importance
among the recipient community and the notable
achievements are the youth and children taking
up the campaign in the schools.
12. Awareness programmes in the health sector has
resulted in people understanding the reasons
behind the increasing rate of killer diseases as
well as lifestyle diseases and thus the concept of
Organic Farming has got wide acceptance.
13. Awareness offered on the issues behind addiction
has helped around 50 farmers to go for de-addiction
programmes and they have emerged as the
volunteers of the Alcohol Anonymous Groups and
are now actively participating in the similar
initiatives.
14. Advocacy, Lobbying and Networking offered in the
programme has resulted in the value added
services to the farming community as all the partner
NGOs of the FARM project could source out
convergence projects from various Government
organizations.
15. FARM Project has created an impact among the
various folks of Wayanad and the recipient
stakeholder's rates the entire progamme as 4 in a
five point scale.
FG
 FARM
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7
Analysis of the
Convergence
Programmes

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Participatory Action Research
7.1. Analysis of the Consultation
Workshops
The project has created networking with various
government and non government agencies as a part of
the advocacy and lobbying programmes to upscale
the activities in the field of Sustainable Agriculture. As
an outcome the consortium NGOs sourced out various
schemes and projects from these institutions adding
value to the existing sustainable agriculture
interventions of the FARM project. Another unique
intervention of the FARM project was transferring the
technology of preparation and application of the bio-
inputs.
State Horticulture Mission - Kerala
(SHMK)
One of the magnificent networking the FARM project
was the linkage with the State Horticulture Mission of
Kerala government. Horticulture Mission in as central
sponsored scheme envisaged for an end to end
development of the horticulture sector covering
production, post harvesting management and
marketing. A two day workshop familiarizing the
schemes and projects of the SHMK was jointly
convened as a part of the FARM project. This workshop
gave the NGO partners about the schemes of the
government in the horticulture sector such as creation
of model nurseries for production and distribution of
planting materials, creation of water resources,
96 Workshop introducing the schemes of Horticulture Mission
promotion of organic farming, creation of green houses,
post harvest management and training to farmers on
the scientific production of planting materials and
various management issues regarding value addition.
Apart from familiarization of the schemes a special
session on the scientific preparation of the projects as
per the SHM guidelines was also offered to the
participants.
National Bank for Agriculture and
Rural Development (NABARD)
Save Farmers Campaign Network initiated discussion
with the district level authorities of the NABARD as
this agency was an important player in the agricultural
regeneration scenario of the Wayanad District. As a
result six NGO partners of the network submitted
proposals for creating Watershed Projects and sourced
funds worth Fifty Lakhs each for watersheds. Project
involves conservation, regeneration and judicious
utilization of natural resources. It aims at the optimum
balance of the demand and use of natural resources
so that they remain sustainable overtime.
Small Farmers Agri-Business
Consortium
Farming is the single largest private sector activity in
the district of Wayanad as more than 70% of the
inhabitants depends primarily in the agriculture. A
workshop on familiarizing the schemes and projects
of the Small Farmers Agri-
Business Consortium whom works
to assist the agripreneurs to make
investments in setting up
agribusiness projects through
equity participation. SFABC
provides financial support for
bankable detailed project reports.
Partners have submitted proposals
with the agency and the projects
are on the anvil.
Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural
Employment Guarantee
Act (MGNREGA)

MGNREGA deems to be quoted as yet another
intervention from the government that has resulted in
the suicide rates as it has resulted in the employability
of the distressed agricultural labours in Wayanad. This
scheme aims at enhancing the livelihood security of
the people in rural areas by guaranteeing hundred days
of wage-employment in a financial year to a rural
household whose adult members volunteer to do
unskilled manual work. A two days workshop on
MNREGA and Social Auditing was offered to the
community facilitators of the FARM project. Lobbying
done by the farming community as well as the
Networks of NGOs working in Wayanad has resulted
in channeling the scheme as an appropriate strategy
to conserve the biodiversity of Wayanad by channeling
the poverty reduction programme for creation of
employability in the agricultural sector. Further the
social audit training has helped the community
facilitators to help the people to chalk out relevant
projects in the Gram Sabha. A new perspective of the
Act was introduced in the context of the whole issue
of "Justice" - 'the right to live'. Hence the assurance of
employment doesn't just stop with the job alone, rather
it is a challenge to recapture all that - the fertile soil,
safe water, forest, the culture, the privileges like good
health, employment opportunities - has been made to
lose on the process of wrong development decisions
and implementations.
Agricultural Technology
Management - ATMA
ATMA, a government run district
level society of Key stakeholders
involved in activities for sustainable
agricultural development also
accepted the FARM project as one
of the superb project being run in
the district for the regeneration of
the sustainable agriculture. The
department has solicited our
participation in several policy level
consultation workshops and
awareness programmes. ATMA
invited the participation of the
selected volunteers and farmers of
Ms. Revathy offering inputs on organic pesticides and fertilizers
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the SFC Network to participate in the exposure visit
programme at the South India level. The exposure
helped the farmers and volunteers to study about the
sustainable models of vegetables and fruits cultivation
and the services extended to the farming community
by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research.
Farmers could get familiarized with the new varieties
of seeds, could familiarize propagation techniques of
rare, endangered, threatened herbal species and
internalized alternative appropriate health care system.
SFC Network also actively participated in the ATMA
fest organized for exhibiting the agricultural products
and providing inputs on the topics regarding animal
husbandry.
District Mental Health Programme -
DMHP
Being an approach to decentralize the mental heath
care of the community using public health
infrastructure, the District Mental Health Programme
is fast emerging as a very much desired service by the
public. SFC network has established a good rapport
with this institution which has been launched very
recently and is referring the clients who require medical
attention along with psycho social support.
7.2. Analysis of the Technology
Transfer Programmes
Traditional farmers made use of various kinds of organic
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inputs as a part of the cultivation and in the advent of
the green revolution, all these knowledge repositories
were ignored by the chemical farmers. In order to
revitalize such information's, FARM project has taken
interest in offering workshops and demonstration
programmes on preparation of organic inputs to the
farmers. As the chemical agriculture has created a
great havoc to the ecology and human beings, more
and more farmers became interested in switching on
to the organic farming by utilizing organic inputs. But
the knowledge about the preparation of organic inputs
can be said to be in a stage of extinction. FARM
Programme tried to reincarnate the knowledge by
soliciting the expertise of the resource persons from
various parts of the country and provided the training
sessions to the farmers. SFC network has created a
group of master trainers and they are providing the
field level training by live demonstration. An attempt to
document this knowledge also has been undertaken
by the project. Knowledge on Organic Input
Preparation, Organic Pesticides, Bacterial Fertilizers,
and Practices in organic farming, Indigenous Micro
Organism and Sustainable Agricultural Practices were
imparted as a part of the technology transfer
programme.
Some of the advantages of the
technology transfer programmes
z Soil fertility enhancement
z Seed selection and seed treatment
z Cost effective bio inputs preparation
z Integrated plant protection techniques
z Weed management
z Minimizing the water requirement
z Animal-Tree-Crop integration
Organic Inputs disseminated through
the FARM Project and its impacts
Starter Solution (Amrithapani): It's a microbial solution
which gradually enriches the soil fertility by converting
the dead soil into living one. Starter solution is the
organic solution, which supports the soil to get back
its biological properties at a faster rate. It serves as a
pest repellent and increases the microbial activity of
the soil.
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Jeevajalam: It is another organically prepared input
using Cow dung, Cow urine, Jaggery, water and rich
fertile top soil from forest. Application of the Jeevajalam
through irrigation ensures the microbial increase in the
soil resulting in the growth promotion of the plants.
Panchgavyam: It is an organic preparation having
wider application potential in the plants. It is prepared
from inputs such as milk, curd, ghee, cow dung and
urine of cow and is having a relation to the five elements
such as earth, water, air, fire and sky. It enhances the
soil fertility and induces the taste, flavor, colour, weight
and size of the products.
R K Solution: It is yet another plant growth promoter.
It is prepared from Cow dung, Jaggery, Haritaki
(Kadukka), Licorice (Eratti Madhuram) and water.
Farmers Cytosome (Coconut Tonic): It is a bio
solution made of butter milk and coconut milk which
encourages the plant reproductive growth of the plants.
It prevents early falling of the flowers and promotes
flowering. It increases the size and quality of flowers
as well as promotes uniform flowering.
Horn Solution: It's powerful organic manure made by
packing fresh cow dung inside horn and burying in
inverted position. It develops both aerobic and anaerobic
microorganisms. Horn manure improves the soil fertility
at a faster rate.
Effective Micro Nutrient Solution/Fruit Tonic: It is
an effective microbial solution rich in anaerobic
microbes that brings back the physio-chemical and
biological properties of the soil, within a shorter duration.
When applied as foliar spray it increases the vegetative
growth and yield of the crop. It helps the plant to
strengthen the immune system.
Composting & Vermi wash: It's the natural method
of decomposition of available organic matters in a
stipulated time period. When earth worms are
introduced to the partially decomposed matter the
compost is converted into high quality organic manure.
This results in the richness of Carbon, Nitrogen and

other micronutrients. Vermin wash also can be collected
as it is a highly nutritious solution that carries the
enzymes secreted by earth worms. It is the most cost
effective way of preparing organic matter.
Fish Tonic: It is a proteinaceous solution that fastens
the vegetative growth of the plants and also acts as an
effective pest repellent. It is an effective way of
converting waste fish into amino acids and
proteinaceous.
Organic Pest Repellents preparation
and Impacts
Tobacco Natural Remedy (Pukayila Kashayam): It was
used as an effective organic pest repellent in ancient
times and now its importance has increased several
folds. It counters the yellowness of leaves and protects
the plant from insects and other diseases.
Garlic Natural Remedy (Veluthulli Kashayam): It
is also an effective pest repellent made of Garlic,
Ginger, Kerosene and Chilli powder. This natural
remedy controls the pest infection on the leaves and
diseases.
Neem Seed Extract (Veppinkuru Sathu): It is an
organic pest repellent made of the powder of the Need
seed along with Cow urine and water. It controls around
11 insects.
Neem Oil Emulsion: This emulsion is prepared with
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Neem oil, Bar Soap and water. This contols the attack
of Aphids, Squahs bugs and Tarnished plant bug in
the vegetables such as Cow pea, Bitter gourd etc...
Chiretha Plant Mixture (Kiriyath Mishritham): The
Chiretha Plant extract along with Bar Soap and Garlic
is used for the pest control. This solution controls the
insects and moths that sucks the sapplings of the
plants.
Herbal Tee: It is a pest repellant of biological
formulation that can be sprayed in order to control the
pest and insects. Select plants having milky latex,
bitter taste, bad or strong smell and not eaten by the
cattle. Based on those categories, select any five
plants. The collected plants are crushed or chopped /
mixed well and placed in a mud pot or plastic container.
Adathoda, Neem, Lantana, Eruku, Leucas, Datura is
some of the examples that can be effectively used in
herbal pest repellant preparation. It controls almost all
types of bugs, moths and insects.
Yellow Sticky Trap: It is a pest repellent used to
attract the adult insects to the yellow colour thereby
killing the adult results in reduction in the pest
population. Using small tins coated with yellow paint
over which sticky castor oil is smeared. To the yellow
colour the adult insects are attracted. The attracted
insects get stick to the castor oil and dies.
Neem Seed Bag (Veppinkuru Sathu): Neem seed
kernel are crushed coarsely and tied loosely into the
gunny bags and placed on the field. So as the irrigation
water flows through these gunny bags the neem seed,
extract is dissolved and spread to the entire field which
repelles the insect from the field.
Trichogramma: The wasps of genus Trichogramma
is commonly known as "stingless wasps.
Trichogramma wasps are tiny Hymenopteran insects,
which parasitize the eggs of many types of agricultural
pest insects. They are easy to rear and release in
fields suffering from pest outbreaks. Female wasps
inject their own eggs into the egg of the pest, and her
larvae consume the embryo and other contents of the
egg.
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A farmer showing the organic inputs
Poochi Viratti: The plant-based concoction called
`Poochi viratti', is made by soaking equal quantities of
leaves of Vitex negundo (Karinochi), Calotropis
gigantea (Erukku), Nerium (Arali), Aloe vera (Shathveri)
and Pongamia pinnata (Pongam) in cow's urine for
seven days in shade. The fermented liquid is diluted
ten times in water and sprayed over the crop to repel
sucking and chewing pests
Preparation of Micro Organism Fertilizers and
Impacts Pseudomonas: It is is an non-pathogenic
saprophytes that colonize soil, water and plant surface
environments. Pseudomonas fluorescens suppress
plant diseases by production of number of secondary
metabolites including antibiotics, siderophores and
hydrogen cyanide. This microbe has the unique ability
to enter the plant vascular system, reach the various
parts of the plant system and act as a systemic bio-
control agent against various fungal and bacterial
diseases. Competitive exclusion of pathogens as the
100
result of rapid colonization of the rhizosphere by
pseudomonas fluorescens may also be an important
factor in disease control.
Trichoderma: It is an eco friendly biological fungicide
containing spores and conidia of mycoparasitic fungi
Trichoderma virid. Trichoderma when introduced along
with seeds or at root zone protect the seedlings from
attack by soil borne pathogens that cause root / collar
/ stem rots, wilts, damping offs, leaf blights spots etc.
and promote healthy growth in early stages of crop.
Vigorous growth of biological trichoderma viride fungicide
overshadows the pathogenic fungi, who are
overpowered and prevented from infecting the plants.
Michorisa: It is an effective microorganism that
suppresses the harmful ones while promoting the
neutral micro-organisms to act as beneficial ones
through genetic manipulation. Photosynthetic bacteria
have the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen so that
plants can use the same. It promotes the growth and
proliferation of fungi Vesicular arbacus (Michorisa)
which lives symbiotically on crop roots. It is used in
making compost (natural fertiliser). Complex
substances in plant parts and animal wastes are
converted into organic acids, nucleic acids, hormones,
enzymes vitamins etc.
Practices in Organic Farming and
Impacts
Mulching (Puthayidal): Mulching is a practice of
covering the topsoil surface by any fresh/dry organic
matter so as to reduce the direct evaporation by more
than 50%. There are four different methods of mulching
practices are commonly practiced depending on the
available neighbourhood resources. Dry mulching is
done by covering the field with dry organic matter. For
example, Sugarcane thrush, Paddy straw, dried leaves
etc… Green mulching is practiced by using the nearby
green plants and spread like a blanket on the field.
Live mulching is growing the leguminous plants along
with the crop which enhances the nitrogen fixation too..
Stone mulching is followed in the absence of all the
three methods. Pebbles/stones nearby are collected
and arranged to cover the land, around the plant. Soil
fertility is maintained as the mulch adds organic value

to the soil. Enhances the soil microbial population, as
mulching material is the feeding material for them.
Creates microclimate that favors the microbial growth
Integrated Cropping: Instead of cultivating single crop
in the field, if we select multiple crops then we can
control very well the pest attack and spread of
diseases. Moreover, mono cropping affects the farmer
in many ways. Sudden outburst of diseases, pest
attack and frequent market fluctuations are the curse
of mono cropping. To avoid all the major issues of
farming, poly culture or diversified planting with many
varieties is very much appreciable and helps to improve
the overall farm economy. Because of the diversity of
standing crops, farm eco balance is well maintained.
Crop Rotation: Crop rotation is the practice of growing
a series of dissimilar types of crops in the same area
in sequential seasons for various benefits such as to
avoid the build up of pathogens and pests that often
occurs when one species is continuously cropped. Crop
rotation also seeks to balance the fertility demands of
various crops to avoid excessive depletion of soil
nutrients. A traditional element of crop rotation is the
replenishment of nitrogen through the use of green
manure in sequence with cereals and other crops. It is
one component of poly-culture. Crop rotation can also
improve soil structure and fertility by alternating deep-
rooted and shallow-rooted plants.
Animal Husbandry: It helps the farmers to avail the
organic fertilizer in immense quantity. It helps the
composting of grasses which are not easily degradable
through these animals and ensures the decrease of
the nitrogen and carbon in these grasses.
Preparation of Indigenous Micro
Organisms and impacts
Indigenous microorganism is a powerful input that
improves soil condition and crop health. It is collected
from nearby forest or fields using a simple wooden
lunch box with steamed rice. By utilizing
microorganisms that survived and adapted to that local
place for numerous generations, we can have safe,
cheap yet powerful microorganism input. When
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complex organic materials such as plants, animals,
excrements, and organic fertilizers enter the soil, IMO
break these down into simpler compounds or elements
that can undergo ionic interactions. Even the diverse
inorganic matters decomposed by IMO increase in their
effectiveness, and are converted to a form readily
absorbable by plants.
Practices in Sustainable Agriculture
and impacts
Multiple Weed Sowing: It's a method to enhancing the
soil fertility through ensuring soil texture, microbial
population and necessary soil nutrients through out
enabling the quick growth of the plant. This enriches
the top soil with all macro and micronutrients as well
as the water holding capacity.
Selection of Quality seeds and Seed treatment:
Simple salt solution method help to identify the quality
paddy seeds, this method is commonly followed.
Selection of good quality paddy seeds is most
important for getting the better quantity harvest. By
this method farmers can easily eliminate the seeds
with low seed content. Hence the farmers can get the
100 per cent quality seeds for sowing.
Seed treatment: Seed treatment refers to treating of
seeds with plant growth promoting or anti fungal or
antibacterial substances to impart vigour and to develop
pest and disease resistance of the seed. Seed
treatment with cow urine and Seed treatment with
Amirthapani (Starter solution) are the two important
methods of nourishing the seeds
Integrated Crop Management: The integrated plant
protection is aimed to bring back the natural ecological
balance and sustaining the prey-predator relationship.
It helps to prevent the pests in a natural way that
involves no chemicals. Bio-Fencing: It is a method of
growing some plants as a fence around the main crop
that will prevent the entry of pests and insects as they
emit bitter smell. Plants having milky latex, bitter taste,
and bitter smell generally keep the insects away. For
example, Plants like Adathoda, Neem, Lantana, Eruku,
Leucas, Datura have best pest repelling characters.
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Releasing the research reports
When these plants are grown around the field, they
act as a bio fence, controlling the entry of insects into
the field. Companion Planting: It is a method of growing
some special along with the main crop plant which
secretes bitter secretions. These secretions support
the main plant and save it from insects. Plants having
yellow colour flower such as Chrysanthemum have
natural insect repelling property. It maintains the natural
balance between the predator and the prey.
Animal-tree-crop integration: To sustain the farming
activities, an approach of animal tree crop integration
is very much essential. Connections and relations
between various elements of the farm, helps the farmer
to receive diversified products and diversified income.
Farm animals, fodder crops, green manure trees and
crops should be part of the farm system. The mixed
farming is known as Animal-tree-crop integration. Fruit
trees, vegetables, fodder trees, herbal plants, farm
animals are grown all together so each will help the
other in many ways.
Farm must have animals like goat, cow, poultry, rabbit,
buffaloes, fish and other. Then each one's waste will
be the food at the next level. Farming becomes
economically profitable even for the small and marginal
farmers. Integrated farming retains and enhances the
102
soil fertility and makes farming
easier.
7.3. Analysis of the
Research Output
Dissemination
On the march to ensure
sustainable agricultural
development in the region, SFC
network has facilitated three
research works and two
documentaries. They were 1)
"Agrarian crisis in Wayanad", 2)
Wayanad Suicides - A psycho
social autopsy 3) Food Safety and
Health issues and its correlation
with farming practices using
chemicals, 4) Sorrows of
Wayanad - Documentary and 5) Fire in the belly -
Documentary. In order to disseminate the findings of
these researches, special meetings were facilitated in
each Gram Panchayaths soliciting the participation of
the various stakeholders of the FARM project. Gram
Panchayaths have taken up these research findings
seriously and it is found that incorporating steps in
their plan funds. Farmers also are convinced about
the findings of the research and several farmers
organizations have taken up these findings seriously.
SFC network has submitted the reports with the district
administration and other governmental organizations
such as Horticulture Mission, Agricultural Department,
and Planning Board.
The research report of Agrarian crisis in Wayanad came
forth with factual information's behind the factors that
led to the crisis in farming sector. Some of the obvious
factors that turned agriculture into a negative economy
projected by the research are: (i) crop failure, (ii) rising
costs of cultivation, (iii) plummeting prices of farm
commodities, (iv) climatic change, (v) lack of credit
availability for small farmers (vi) absence of adequate
social support infrastructure at the level of the village
and district (vii) absence of policies.
Research study on the suicides of Wayanad was an

eye opener for the government as
the findings projected the death of
around 1690 people. Some of the
recurring reasons suggested by
the suicide victims are
indebtedness, depression,
addiction to alcohol, chronic
ailments, family conflicts, marital
disharmony, economic crisis and
stress prevailing within the
families. Indebtedness was
identified by 27.73% of the
surveyed as the principal causative
factor for suicide. In contravention
to the conventional perceptions
that there are no suicides among Field level research output dissemination meetings
the indigenous/tribal communities,
the study revealed high incidence of suicides among
the tribal population particularly among Paniyas.
The Research on the Food Safety and Health Issues
projects that, cropping pattern of Wayanad has
undergone a major change. The use of fertilizers has
been gone up leaps and bounds over the years with
the change in cropping pattern. There is prevalence of
chronic diseases like cancer, heart ailments, asthma
etc in the Panchayath and there is a coincidence in
the period from which such diseases started to spread
and the intensity of the agrochemical usage gone up
by the introduction of crops such as banana and
vegetables such as bitter guard.
7.4 Interpretations
1. As an outcome of the networking with the State
Horticulture Mission seven network organizations
of the FARM project submitted proposals to the
Horticulture Mission and sourced out One Lakh to
Ten lakhs from the government organization
2. Networking and association with the MGNREGA
programmes has resulted in policy level changes
in the act as agriculture activities and eco
restoration activities are included in the rural
employment programme.
3. Association with ATMA helped the farmers to have
exposure visits to other states and learn from
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organic farms. This association also helped the
representatives of the SFC network to be selected
for various decision making bodies of the
government.
4. Dissemination of knowledge on the preparation of
organic inputs has helped thousand of farmers to
adopt the nutrition induced organic farming.
Documentation of these Bio- fertilizers, Bio-
pesticides etc… has helped in conservation of the
traditional farmer's knowledge regarding the eco
friendly farming.
5. As an outcome of the research works, SFC network
was invited by SUBJECT COMMITTEE of the
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, GOVERNMENT OF
KERALA preparing ORGANIC FARMING POLICY
to present our findings and suggestion towards
framing the policy.
6. Dissemination of these research outputs have
further resulted in solicitation of the partnership of
the SFC network in various government
programmes aiming at the Sustainable Agriculture
Development of Wayanad District.
7. It can be said that on the road map to sustainable
agricultural development of Wayanad, the research
findings has had tremendous influence in framing
policies and programmes of Government.
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8
Recommendations
and Suggestions

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T he present study proposes some suggestions and
recommendations which are supposed to be taken
up by the various stakeholders as catalyzing agent in
the agricultural regeneration measures of Wayanad.
The main suggestion is to the government to take up
the findings of the research towards drafting the policies
and packages for the Agricultural Sustainability and
Farmers Rights Protection in Kerala especially
Wayanad.
1. Special Packages for Homestead Nutrition
Gardens: Participatory Action Research conducted
in the Six Panchayaths gives us the inference that
revival of Homestead Gardens which were a
hallmark of Wayanad is required. For this
government should plan and implement special
programmes and packages. This can be considered
as a first step towards the Sustainable Agriculture
Development.
2. Bio-Dynamic Farming: It was found that Bio-
Dynamic Farming also has a great potential to be
explored. In Wayanad only few are practicing this
method and it is recommended having a Farmers
Participatory Action Research and Information
Dissemination on the possibility of Biodynamic
Farming.
3. It is proposed to initiate research on the traditional
organic input preparations. It was learned through
the study that the traditional farmers practiced a
lot of Organic Inputs made from the raw materials
available in the homesteads. This indigenous
knowledge is supposed to become vanished with
the passage of the old farmers and hence in order
to regenerate those practices there requires a
documentation and scientific study on the
Preparation and usefulness of the Organic Inputs.
4. Scientific research on the SRI is required: System
of Rice Intensification alone has the potential to
turn the Wayanad into the granary of Kerala and it
is recommended that the government as well as
the other stakeholders should initiate a scientific
106
research. The Agriculture Department should take
effective steps in regenerating the depleted paddy
fields cultivated through inorganic farming through
promoting organic System of Rice Intensification.
5. Anti GM Campaign: Even though Indian
Government has said No to GM, there are chances
of reemergence of those multinationals promoting
GM seeds. Hence the awareness has to be
promoted widely to make the people understand
the situation.
6. State Organic Policy has a wide scope and this
welcome sign for the regeneration of the agriculture
which is yet going through the crisis. The effective
implementation of the State Organic Policy is what
the farmers are looking for. Future of the Organic
Farming in Kerala entirely depends on the
government's will power to implement the plans
made in the policy in an effective and time bound
manner.
7. As a policy level suggestion the research is putting
forth that Goat Rearing IGP should not be
considered as sustainable one as the study has
found several impediments in promoting the same.
It doesn't provide any month income and hence the
integral concept of income generation for a poverty
affected is always compromised. Further the
sustainability of the IGP is also very low as in several
cases the beneficiaries sold the units frequently
and met their personal expenses. Hence the
viability of the Goat Rearing IGP is not promising.
8. It can be noted that Animal Husbandry, especially
the cow rearing is found to be the most successful
IGP in the geography of Wayanad as there are
abundance of raw materials available as well as
the marketing mechanism is fool proof . There is
no competition in the field as the demand for milk
is higher than the supply. Hence it is recommended
that Cow Rearing IGPs should only be focused if
there are any more similar efforts.
FG
Annexure 1 -
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FARM Abbreviations
Wayanad
Participatory Action Research

CBA - Cost Benefit Analysis

CBO - Community Based Organization
DMHP - District Mental Health Programme
FARM - Facilitating Agricultural Regeneration Measures
FGD - Focus Group Discussion
FTA - Free Trade Agreement
GHG - Green House Gas
GoK - Government of Kerala
GP - Gram Panchayath
HYV - High Yielding Varieties
IGP - Income Generation Programme
KSSF - Kerala Social Service Forum
LIC - Life Insurance Corporation
NG - Nutrition Gardening
MASSS - Malabar Social Service Society
MGNREGA - Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
PAR - Participatory Action Research
PRA - Participatory Rural Appraisal
PRI - Panchayath Raj Institutions
QR - Quantitative Restrictions
SA - Sustainable Agriculture
SFABC - Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium
SFC - Save Farmer’s Campaign
SHMK - State Horticulture Mission Kerala
SRI - System of Rice Intensification
STARS - Society for Total Advancement and Rehabilitation Services
VOICE - Voluntary Organization for Innovative Collective Action
WHC - Water Holding Capacity
WSSS - Wayanad Social Service Society
WTO - World Trade Organization
WWA - Women’s Welfare Association

108
 FARM
Wayanad

Save Farmers Campaign

Wayanad Research
Series IV:
Participatory Action Research on FARM
as an intervention to Agrarian Crisis and
Farmers Suicide in Wayanad
October 2010

Published by
Fr. Romance Antony
Director, Kerala Social Service Forum

Contributing Team
Dr. V.R Haridas
Manager NRM
Caritas Asia

SFC Network Partners &

FARM Wayanad Project Team

Mr. E J Jose
Programme Manger
Kerala Social Service Forum

Fr. Dr. Antonytopaul

External Consultant

Study done by
Mr. Jaimon C Uthup
Consultant - Research & Documentation Save Farmers Campaign Network Project Team
109
 A Study Report Published by
Kerala Social Service Forum FARM Programme Coordination Office:
AMOS Centre, Adichira, Thellakom PO, KSSF Regional Office
Kottayam,Kerala, India Kalpetta North,
Pin - 686016, Tel: +91-481-2594802, Wayanad, Kerala, India, PIN - 673122
Fax: + 91-481-2591795 Tel: 04936206473
kssforum@yahoo.com Email: sfcwayanad@gmail.com
www.kssf.org