Medium-term Cooperation Programme with the Farmers’ Organizations in Asia and the Pacific Region: South Asia Sub-

programme

Presented bySelf Employed Women’s Association

(SEWA), India

MTCP-South Asia Partners

• India: Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA)

• Nepal: All Nepal Peasants’ Federation (ANPFa)

• Sri Lanka: Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR)

Snapshot

NIA Regions targeted FOs linked Estimated members linked

SEWA Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Assam and Meghalaya

2997 51160

MONLAR Uva, Central, North Central, and Eastern 450 22250

ANPFa Dhangadi, Itahari, Pokhra 8540 13360

INDIA

States Lead organizationAssam Kokila Vikas Ashram (KVA), WARRD

Gujarat SEWA

Rajasthan SEWA

Uttarakhand Uttarakhand Krushak Mahila Association

Meghalaya NEICORD

States Total Groups Total membersGujarat 2585 46313Assam (KVA) 170 1836Assam (WAARD) 120 1380Meghalaya 38 635Rajasthan 75 834Uttarakhand 9 162Total 2997 51160

Coverage and Partners in India

Brief Summary Report

Year Members Villages Trainings Input (Rs.) Loan (Rs.) Market Linkage (Rs.)

Turn over (Rs.)

Income (Rs.)

2010 15000 200 127 4,063,795 24,300,000 21,435,677 66,033,972 1,119,274

2011 7946 90 94 948,540 31,781,000 50,198,283 82,927,823 1,356,267

2012 6792 300 174 6,290,294 34,689,000 113,294,355 150,971,028 3,608,684

Total 29738 590 395 11,302,629 90,770,000 1,84,928,315 2,99,932,823 6,084,225

Impact

• A strong and vibrant network of small and marginal farmers has been formulated. National Programme Oversight Board has been formed.

• SEWA has built a web-based database to maintain details of member organizations of the forum.

• Studies commissioned to understand various aspects of marginal farmers and women farmers in particular– Current status of farming and the role of women in the same– Ownership of land and demortgaging of land– Mitigating measures taken by farmers to address climate change and its

adverse effects– Market integration of small and marginal farmers

• Developed learning modules on two topics– land acquisition issues aiming at making small and marginal farmers

aware of the importance of their land holdings, advised them on valuations, and provided hand holding support in the necessary paperwork in the transactions.

– handbook on relevant government schemes that listed in exhaustive details the aspects of schemes farmers could benefit from, thus improving the poor farmer’s accessibility to government schemes.

• Network actively working with government bodies and policy makers and has brought about change in policies and administration for the betterment of small and marginal farmers.

• Network has been able to understand the needs and challenges faced by marginal farmers and has acted as a platform for knowledge-sharing among diverse farmer groups across geographies.

• Network has also been able to catalyze skill building among women farmers in various areas resulting in improved livelihoods.

• Over 11,684 grassroot women have been trained in various aspects of Agriculture, Nursery raising, Food processing and Salt production.

• 44 master trainers have been identified from various districts in Gujarat and Rajasthan, and trained in various skills, thereby creating a cadre of local resources.

• In North East member of one farmer group has donated her land, approx 6 Vighas of land for sowing of mustard seeds.

• The group has planned to make mustard oil and sell the refined oil. • They also plan to sell the cake. • The group members are contributing by putting in their labour in the farm. • Inspired by the farmer, one more farmer has willingly donated 25 vighas of his

land and their group is also going to sow mustard seeds.• The office of the farmer organization in Assam has very big open space.

Farmer groups have started vegetable cultivation on that land.• Farmer groups from Bihar were invited in one of the network meetings and

they have shown interest in getting associated with the forum.

• Through concerted efforts, Farmer organizations have been able to get their demands recognized under the National Rural Livelihood Mission(NRLM).

• SEWA’s pilots in warehouse receipt system, future prices information and weather insurance in Gujarat now stand a better chance of being scaled up at the national level through support from the NRLM programme.

• Relentless efforts have also brought in a Mahila Kisan Sashakti Karan Yojana for the woman farmer.

• With the FDI bill being discussed, farmer organizations are discussing on how the small and marginal farmers’ interests can be safeguarded and also how the market integration for them can be provided.

•Network has helped strengthen market linkages for the small and marginal farmers.

•Through managerial and institution building trainings now farmer organisations are capable of preparing their own business plans.

•Knowledge sharing platform in the form of workshops and round tables has helped strengthen the network and has enabled building strong linkages.

• In India, 3000 farmer organisations have joined the network with over 50000 farmers part of the network.

• Currently, the network is continuing to provide technical and marketing support to the farmer organisations.

• Two new Farmer field schools have been inaugurated in Assam and Meghalaya.

• We have more farmers from Bihar joining our network.

NEPAL

• National Programme Oversight Board formed and 25 meetings held• Active in policy advocacy through its NOB and has developed an operational

manual for effective functioning of the NOB• demanded an increase in budget for the agricultural sector• submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister on the right to safe,

nutritious and healthy food at a fair price. • lobbied for minimum support prices for sugarcane, rice and maize.

Government’s response has been positive and has already fixed a minimum support price for sugarcane

• demanded compensation for farmers whose crops have failed, which was accepted by the government

• The forum has also been lobbying for minimum support prices for sugarcane, rice and maize. Minimum support prices for sugarcane has been subsequently fixed by the government.

• Capacity Building of farmers as well as NOB members

Progress

SRI LANKA

• Linking Farmer Organizations (FOs) and establishment of Oversight Board.

• Capacity building – Module on Ecological Agriculture.

• Policy advocacy– The Divineguma Campaign– Demand for higher prices for paddy – Demand for chemical free agriculture– Demand for land for poor plantation workers

Project Costs and Financing

S.No. Country Grant disbursed (US$) Total expense (US$)

1 India 175,500 175,526

2 Nepal 88,500 88,502

3 Sri Lanka 28,500 31,956

Total 292,500 295,984

Total Budgeted Grant (US$) 337,000

Actual Grant received (US$) 292,500

Undisbursed Grant (US$) 44,500

Challenges faced

• As Sub-Regional Coordinator, coordination funds not allocated to SEWA.

• In the absence of sufficient funds, SEWA has faced great difficulty in coordinating, monitoring and getting the reports from the partner countries.

• SEWA feels the need for more investment in the field of capacity building of the farmer organizations.

• There is a need to frequently meet and interact with members and Farmer Organizations scattered across geographies.

REPLICATION, SCALING UP AND SUSTAINABILITY: FOCUS AREAS FOR MTCP-II

• Expand to cover more states and regions. • Greater focus on capacity building and market linkages.• Better cross-country coordination.• Greater synergies with IFAD country programs.• Building visibility for the Forums.• Separate identity to Fos and Sustainability of FOs.• Skills development to prepare FOs to maximize opportunities in growing

market integration (production and post harvest technologies, on-farm processing, etc.), with attention to modern technologies that will attract young people.

• Engaging the private sector.• Building the FAFO identity at state and national levels.

SEWA as Technical Partner

• Proposal for Technical Partner for capacity Building of Farmer Organisations in South Asia

– Strengthening organizing and working in integrated manner– Build up agro business supply chain and provide market

integration– Skill Building and Capacity Building of Farmers and farmer

organizations

Methodology

• Learning is mostly demonstrative and emulative • Master trainers selected from among the grassroots members.• These master trainers trained in imparting technical skills, life skills

and management skills to members of SHGs, producer collectives, federations, and for profit company shareholders.

• This cadre of master trainers then train grassroots women in the Community Learning Business Resource Centres (CLBRC) established by SEWA at the cluster level.

• The training is designed to be hands on, demonstrative and need based.

•  

Our Proposal• Organize exposure visits for knowledge sharing, training needs

assessment and practical on the job training.

• Identify potential master trainers from each region and facilitate in creation of cadre of master trainers.

• These master trainers then be provided trainings through peer to peer learnings.

• Thereafter, SEWA team would provide handholding support for a period of two years.

Area and Duration

• Two Years

• India and South Asia