Bring farmers back from the brink

An organisation in Vidarbha is working to bring economic and social stability in the lives of farmers

Not long ago, a bullock belonging to Sachin Dhoke Surdi of Beed district in central Maharashtra fell into a well and died. The death of the animal was such a shock to the farmer that he decided to end his life. If this seems like a minor reason for such an extreme step, consider this: a 2008 study conducted on 3,000 households where farmers had committed suicide found that 900 had killed themselves over unpaid loans ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000.

"Farmers in this area are acutely vulnerable as they are mostly dependent on BT cotton, a crop that is neither drought- nor pest-resistant," says Madhukar Dhas, who founded Dilasa Sanstha, the NGO that had carried out the survey. Since its inception in 1995 in Yavatmal district of Vidarbha, Dilasa has worked to improve agrarian practices and build farmers' communities. It was through one of these communities that Dilasa workers learnt about Surdi's state of mind. They ensured that he received Rs 25,000 to buy a new bullock - and get a new lease of life.

Today, much of Dilasa's work is focused on reducing the farmer's dependence on rain in this region. "We're reviving traditional technologies such as phad and bodi phad that develop water reserves to tide over the drought that central Maharashtra is prone to," says Dhas. In all 252 phad systems - low-cost small irrigation systems in which river water is diverted to nearby fields using the force of gravity - have so far been constructed in five districts of Vidarbha, benefiting nearly 4,000 farmer families. Harvesting rainwater and storing it in 315 ponds (locally called bodis) has enabled villagers to reduce their dependence on rain-fed irrigation.

"We're also spreading awareness about the importance of the age-old rata farming, or inter-cropping," says Dhas. "My mother always practised pata farming and planted a variety of food crops throughout the year. It helps enhance food security among farmers." Dilasa provides seeds of vegetables and legumes to over two lakh farmers across six districts of the state, using an extensive network of field partners.

Through its watershed management methods and revival of traditional agricultural styles, Dilasa has managed to bring about 30,000 acres of rain-fed agriculture land across nine of Maharashtra's most drought-prone districts under irrigation. Consequently, bore wells and ground water tables have been recharged. "In most of these areas water is now available throughout the year," says Dhas. "In fact, we're encouraging farmers to set up fishery units to reduce their economic dependency on agriculture." Another important result of using phad irrigation is that it has enabled many practitioners to grow a second crop during the dry summer by ensuring year-round supply of water.

Dhas and his colleagues have also focused on the psycho-social aspect of farmer suicides in Maharashtra. The Dilasa study of farmer suicides found that 72 per cent of the suicide victims were from the Maratha Samaj. They are, he says, a deeply proud community that finds it hard to take insults. "Also, they like to spend a lot of money on weddings and think nothing of taking big loans for them," says Dhas. So when monsoon fails, they fall into debt and are unable to accept their situation.

"Over the years, we've found that the pervading sense of isolation among farmers has also contributed to the high suicide statistics in the state," he says.

To address this issue, Dilasa has worked to organise farmers, especially women, into 7,000 self-help groups that provide financial and social support. "The groups become very close knit and ensure that their members not only save some money by depositing small sums every month, but also provide loans to needy members," says Dhas.

Today, Dilasa has a staff of 169 people, including fieldworkers and technical support staff. Its network of 26 field partners and NGOs has also kept its operations sustainable and scalable. Among those supporting the organisation are Axis Bank Foundation, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Nabard. Its network of individual donors includes the Mumbai-based philanthropic group Caring Friends, which channelises individual contributions to deserving NGOs.

Dilasa aims to work in as many more parched villages as possible, funds permitting. "We estimate," says Dhas, "that it takes an outlay of merely Rs 10 lakh to employ traditional water conservation and watershed management techniques to make water available the year round for a village of 100 families."

Dilasa's work is important not only because it is empowering farmers with indigenous farming and irrigation techniques, but also because it is giving them the one thing the state has shamefully failed to provide - a security net.

To learn more, visit www.dilasa.org
Next fortnight, the story of an organisation that is facilitating grassroots level change through its unique fellowship programme for social activists