Mukti Organized TOT on Farming under Project ACV

Mukti in Association with “DRCSC” (Development Research Communication and Services Centre) organized a three-day TOT (Train the Trainers) program under project ACV (Amplifying Community Voices) for the SAM (Sustainable Agricultural Movement) trainers at Nagendrapur GP. The training was scheduled from 27^th to 29^th January 2022.

The training program has been participated by Mr. Panchami Shit, Mr. Anup Jana, Mr. Apurba Karan, Mr. Pinaki Naiya, Mr. Goutam Das, Mr. Pintu Purkait and Ms. Nandita Jayraman.

The topic of the training program is how climate change is impacting poverty augmentation and livelihood.

Day 1 Agenda-

• Climate change, global warming and its impact on migration, gender and poverty-

1. Migration – Climate change is a threat multiplier – it can exacerbate economic insecurity or political instability, which in turn may lead to migration. In recent years, climate change has made extreme weather events stronger and more frequent, which may contribute to migration decisions.
2. Gender inequality – Climate change affects women and men differently. Women and girls face particular vulnerabilities resulting from cultural norms and their lower socioeconomic status in society. Women’s domestic roles often make them disproportionate users of natural resources such as water, firewood and forest products.
3. Poverty- Climate change threatens the cleanliness of our air, depletes our water sources and limits food supply. It disrupts livelihoods, forces families from their homes and pushes people into poverty. These damages can be nearly impossible for families living in poverty to overcome.

2)   Ecological footprint and Carbon Footprint – Basic introduction of Ecological footprint and carbon footprint have been provided to the trainers. The carbon footprint measures the emission of gases that contribute to global warming while the ecological footprint focuses on measuring the use of bio-productive space.

3)   Properties of soil – They have been explained the various properties of soil. As soils contain mineral particles, organic matter, water and air, the combinations of these determine the soil’s properties – its texture, structure, porosity, chemistry and color.

4)   Electrical conductivity and pH- It is often useful to characterize an environment, such as a body of water, by measuring its pH and electrical conductivity (EC). pH is a measure of the acidity of the water or soil based on its hydrogen ion concentration and is mathematically defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration. Electrical conductivity (EC) is a measurement of the dissolved material in an aqueous solution, which relates to the ability of the material to conduct electrical current through it.

5)   Manure Processing and Mixed Farming Model- Practical classes were conducted on manure processing and mixed farming models. Manure is a decomposed organic matter which supplies small quantities of nutrients to the soil. It is prepared by the decomposition of animal excreta and plant waste. Mixed farming is a type of farming that involves both the growing of crops and the raising of livestock. The cultivation of crops alongside the rearing of animals for meat or eggs or milk defines mixed farming.

Day 2 Agenda-

The second day started with the recapitulation of the previous day’s discussion.

• Ecological plant pests and diseases control– Organic pesticides are added to soil or other environmental compartments deliberately to control pests and disease in agriculture.

1. Biodegradation process – Biodegradation is the breakdown of organic matter by microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi. For example, a banana peel can be reduced from cellulose to water, carbon dioxide gas, and humus in a compost pile.
2. Biomagnifications – Biomagnifications is the method of accruing toxic elements by different organisms within a food chain. A prominent example of it is the presence of mercury within predatory fish. This level is so high that consuming these can cause cancer.
3. Different types of plant pests – The participants are provided knowledge on different types of plant pests. How to identify and the methods for effective control and management of the diseases are described to them.
4. Types of plant diseases – A symptom of plant disease is a visible effect of disease on the plant is it fungal, viral or bacterial. Symptoms may include a detectable change in color, shape or function of the plant as it responds to the pathogen.
5. Ecological pest control measures – Ecologically based management relies on a comprehensive knowledge of the ecosystem, including the natural biological interactions that suppress pest populations. It is based on the recognition that many conventional agricultural practices disrupt natural processes that suppress pests.

At the end of the discussion, the participants visit some of the model farmers’ fields.

3^rd Day Agenda-

• Diversified integrated nutrition garden-

1. Nutrition garden and poverty alleviation – Kitchen gardens not only empower women but also address poverty alleviation and bring socio-economic returns through reduced health costs.
2. Different components of nutrition garden – Nutrition gardens are a micro-solution and an affordable way of ensuring healthy food and balanced nutrition. It is an effective and sustainable means of improving the nutritional standards of low-income rural families through integrated household food production.
3. Different steps to establish a model nutrition garden – Outline a vegetable gardening plan, find a place with plenty of sunlight, check your soil inclination and water sources, seeds and tools, assess and prepare the soil, time of planting seeds, watering the vegetable garden, start harvesting.

• Climate adaptive indigenous seed preservation–

1. Different types of seeds – A seed is primarily of two types. The two types are : monocotyledonous seed and dicotyledonous seed. Participants are provided knowledge on different types of seeds, their structure, time of germination etc.
2. Seed selection – The selection of seeds is used to improve the quality of yields. There are several diseases that are transmitted via the seeds. If the selected seeds are from the infected fields then the seed-borne diseases will cause severe problems in the agricultural process. Thus, always obtain seeds from healthy plants.
3. Seed preservation – Seeds hold the power to regenerate species, promote biodiversity and enable ecosystems to adapt to an ever-changing world. These are primary reasons why it’s necessary to preserve the seed, and it is this need through which the concept of ‘seed bank’ emerged. Freezing the seeds at the correct temperature can store the seeds for a long time.
4. Seed treatment – Seed treatment refers to the application of fungicide, insecticide, or a combination of both, to seeds so as to disinfect and disinfect them from seed-borne or soil-borne pathogenic organisms and storage insects.

• Farm Designing – A farm layout refers to the compiling of physical structures such as homesteads, outbuildings, waterways, contours, water supply roads and the layout of orchards, vineyards etc.