Supporting farmers to move to become more organic

Photographs

This is the first year that households in this hamlet of 30 families have taken up organic cotton farming. After receiving training from the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) on organic farming methods for cotton and sowing the organic cotton seeds, they have been using natural fertilizers and pesticides they have learnt how to make using locally available natural products such as leaves, herbs, cow urine and molasses.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
In April 2015 the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) started an organic cotton project in the Nimar region of Madhya Pradesh with the support of the C&A Foundation. Nimar, in the south west of the state, is a dry and hilly traditional cotton-growing area with a significant tribal population. The project aims to improve the livelihoods and incomes of 7,000 tribal farmers living there through the promotion of organic cotton cultivation.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
Farmers have also been taught how to compost to make farm yard manure combining cow dung, crop and vegetable residue and a microbe inoculant. This is covered for 40 days and then ready to use - significantly improving the soil quality and saving farmers money. On average farmers are applying 2-3 MT of organic manure per farm acre.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
Alongside the cotton plants, the community have been able to grow vegetables such as tomatoes, okra, bitter gourd, aubergine/eggplant, pigeon pea and different kinds of lentils. Many of the women in the hamlet help with cotton cultivation and because the quality of the soil has improved since they have adopted organic farming practices, have been able to grow vegetables around the cotton plants. They have noticed that the vegetables taste better.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
Dhan Singh Tarola, a cotton and wheat farmer who is now using organic farming practices, demonstrates how to make a natural fertilizer using jaggery, banana, soya bean, mahuwa flowers and water. After letting the completely natural tonic ferment for 8-10 days, it is ready to spray on cotton plants.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
To help farmers adopt sustainable farming practices on their cotton farms, AKRSP organises monthly demonstrations to build the farmers' understanding and knowledge of how to farm organically. At farmer field schools, AKRSP teaches farmers how to prepare bio pesticide, fertilizer, repellents and non-pesticide management methods such as blue and yellow sticky traps, as well as organic compost (above).

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
An organic cotton farmer collects cotton during harvest season after training from the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
Organic cotton farmer Manga and his wife Sila who joined one of the AKRSP promoted Farmer Interest Groups, found that since going organic they spend significantly less money on farm inputs. Earlier they spent Rs. 40,000 per year on seeds, pesticides and fertilisers but now, after adopting organic farming practices, they are just paying for the extra labour they need to help pick the cotton during harvest season as well as the monthly FIG membership fee which is Rs 300. Manga and his wife have also been able to grow a 100kg of chili's on the same land on which they are growing cotton, using some of the chili's for their own consumption but selling most of them in the local market for around Rs. 120 per kg. With the savings Manga is making in his farming he has been able to start paying off his large debts to the local money-lender.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
Manga and a fellow farmer demonstrate how to make Panch Patti or five leaf extract which is a natural pest repellent made from five leaves found locally. Combined with cow dung, cow urine and water the extract is left to ferment for 8-10 days and can then be sprayed on cotton plants as well as vegetables, herbs and pulses intercropped. The extract repels insects and provides added nutrition to the plants, making them grow stronger.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
Another natural insect repellent is made from garlic, onion, chili and ginger which is smashed up and diluted with water before being ready to spray on cotton and other plants.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
Manga spraying his fields with Panch Patti, a natural pest repellent.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer
Manga is one of 7000 farmers being supported by the Aga Khan Foundation, in partnership with the C&A Foundation, to become more self-reliant by growing organic cotton.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

Supporting farmers to move to become more organic

In April 2015 the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) started an organic cotton project in the Nimar region of Madhya Pradesh with the support of the C&A Foundation.

Nimar, in the south west of the state, is a dry and hilly traditional cotton-growing area with a significant tribal population. The project aims to improve the livelihoods and incomes of 7,000 tribal farmers living there through the promotion of organic cotton cultivation.

Photographs

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

Dhan Singh Tarola, a cotton and wheat farmer who is now using organic farming practices, demonstrates how to make a natural fertilizer using jaggery, banana, soya bean, mahuwa flowers and water. After letting the completely natural tonic ferment for 8-10 days, it is ready to spray on cotton plants.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

An organic cotton farmer collects cotton during harvest season after training from the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

Another natural insect repellent is made from garlic, onion, chili and ginger which is smashed up and diluted with water before being ready to spray on cotton and other plants.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

Manga spraying his fields with Panch Patti, a natural pest repellent.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

Manga is one of 7000 farmers being supported by the Aga Khan Foundation, in partnership with the C&A Foundation, to become more self-reliant by growing organic cotton.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

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AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

Dhan Singh Tarola, a cotton and wheat farmer who is now using organic farming practices, demonstrates how to make a natural fertilizer using jaggery, banana, soya bean, mahuwa flowers and water. After letting the completely natural tonic ferment for 8-10 days, it is ready to spray on cotton plants.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

An organic cotton farmer collects cotton during harvest season after training from the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

Another natural insect repellent is made from garlic, onion, chili and ginger which is smashed up and diluted with water before being ready to spray on cotton and other plants.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

Manga spraying his fields with Panch Patti, a natural pest repellent.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

Manga is one of 7000 farmers being supported by the Aga Khan Foundation, in partnership with the C&A Foundation, to become more self-reliant by growing organic cotton.

AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

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