Grow organic, sell non-organic: the strange predicament of Bundelkhand's marginal farmers

Bundelkhand's marginal farmers: In the semi-arid Bundelkhand region spread across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, climate vulnerability is a pressing reality. With dwindling forest resources, the region is susceptible to desertification — something that does not bode well for agriculture here.

According to Bundelkhand Drought, a report released by the National Institute of Disaster Management (except for Sagar and Jhansi districts), approximately 60% of Bundelkhand's population depends on agriculture, either as cultivators or labourers. Water resources were limited in the region, while recurrent and consecutive droughts made rain-fed agriculture uncertain. However, over the years, schemes such as Khet Talab Yojana and construction of dams improved water availability, but not without a catch.

In recent decades, there has been a shift towards cash crops from millet cultivation due to increased water availability and other factors. A 2021 study published in the Indian Journal of Extension Education confirms the decline by analysing data regarding area, production and productivity of major millets between 2000 and 2020 in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh.

“This region was historically known for its largely chemical-free cultivation. Crops such as millets, oilseeds and pulses, which require minimal fertilisers, dominated the landscape. Today, minor millets such as sama and kodo have mostly disappeared, surviving only in isolated pockets where irrigation facilities remain limited,” Dr SS Singh, Director (Extension Education), Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University (RLBCAU), Jhansi, tells 101Reporters.

“Rising food demand and improved irrigation have shifted crop patterns and increased fertiliser use, causing a decline in organic and natural farming practices,” Singh adds.

At the same time, Bundelkhand's fragile soil makes it unsuitable for high-intensity cropping. Promoting organic and natural farming is the desired path to preserve the region’s ecosystem. 

Multiple challenges

Aatmaram Rajput (62) from Badaura in Jhansi's Babina block is a beneficiary of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). While the scheme officially lists his wife Ranjana Rajput as beneficiary, Aatmaram has been actively involved in implementing the organic practices promoted under the programme.

“Under PKVY, I cultivate millets and vegetables on six acres. Last year's kodo millet harvest is still lying with me because there are no buyers,” Aatmaram shares. For cultivation, seeds were given under the scheme for free and farmers trained in preparing organic manure.

The situation is no better for vegetables. “Organic vegetables are priced the same as chemically grown ones... There is a lack of market incentives for organic produce,” he points out.

PKVY was launched nine years ago with the main objective to encourage organic farming among small and marginal farmers. However, the problem lies with a lack of designated markets and certification issues, which leave farmers with no option but to sell their produce in the markets where non-organic products are sold.

Agriculture Processed Food and Export Development Authority (APEDA) functioning under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry regulates organic farming certification in the country through the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), which sets standards for organic farming, outlines procedures for accreditation certification bodies and manages the use of the India Organic logo.

For certification, farmers need to apply in the required format, pay a fee and undergo a field verification process. Mostly large players have accessed it as the certification is costly. Put simply, a farmer has to spend anywhere between Rs 12,000 and 20,000 per acre per annum for the certification.

According to Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment, the challenges that PKVY face include inadequate training, insufficient funding and the failure to establish a strong domestic market for organic products.

“The certification process is very tedious. But it is important because otherwise the consumer will not know what is organic and what is not,” says Dr Yogeshwar Singh, Professor, Department of Agronomy and Agrometeorology, RLBCAU. 

"The process requires multiple visits from officials, and farmers must ensure that not only their farms but also the neighbouring farms are chemical-free as any chemical runoff from adjacent lands could contaminate their soil," Dr Yogeshwar explains. Moreover, certification alone cannot solve the market issue. There is a need for demand generation.

For the farmers of Jhansi, the nearest certification centre is 462 km away, in Ghaziabad. Hence, most farmers do not show interest. "Who will travel so far for this spending their own money," asks Mansingh Ahirwar (62), a farmer from Khajuraha Bujurg in Jhansi district.   

Dr Yogeshwar suggests allotting a blockchain number for a group of farmers in a particular region. This will make it easier to grant organic certifications also. Moreover, the consumers will know from where the produce is coming. “The urban consumers are keen on organic products, but they face difficulties in finding reliable suppliers. Blockchain can solve this issue,” he hopes. 

“In the last three years, 80 clusters have been formed in Jhansi under PKVY by involving around 3,900 farmers. Each cluster deals with 50 hectares,” Anil Kumar Solanki, Senior Training Assistant, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Jhansi, tells 101Reporters. “We are training farmers and offering assistance. Nevertheless, their products find it difficult to compete with the chemically grown produce in the market. Farmers ask us where is the market for organic,” he adds.  

Yet, there are examples of organic farmers in the region making a profit when equipped with the right knowledge. 101Reporters/SP