Bala Vikasa is promoting organic cultivation since 2009 in nearly 25 villages of Warangal district, involving more than 300 small and marginal farmers. The shift from current chemical practice to organic is the best alternative to ensure sustainability of agriculture and food security.  This approach is slowly spreading to other villages since there is ample evidence of better results through organic methods of farming.

Activities
BalaVikasa organizes the following activities to motivate and build the capacity of the farmers to practice organic farming

Community mobilization and motivation

Village level motivation meetings are organized in the selected 25 villages. The progressive farmers in the village have organized themselves into groups and elected village level committees.

Training of farmers

Series of training programs are organized for farmers both in the village and also at Bala Vikasa training center. These training programs provide them with knowledge and required skills to make different varieties of organic fertilizers which are prepared using the local material such as cattle dung, cow urine, ghee, coconut water, jiggery, etc. 

Providing motivation material

Bala Vikasa has published a hand book in the local language, on the preparation and application of different varieties of organic inputs. This book is provided to all the farmers practicing organic farming in the selected villages.

Demonstrating organic farming

BalaVikasa’s10 acre demo farm is easily accessible to many farmers, where a variety of crops, the quantity and quality of the yield, low investment, etc., demonstrate evidence of the benefits of organic farming practices. Since `Seeing is believing’, visitors have been inspired to take up organic farming as a more beneficial alternative.

Providing Incentives to farmers

The farmers are initially provided with some incentives in the form of materials to be used in the preparation of organic fertilizers and pesticides. After seeing the results, and being convinced of the effectiveness of organic farming, the farmers have started procuring the required organic material themselves.

 Impact

• The farmers are able to produce better crops with less investment as they are using local and low cost material to prepare organic fertilizers and pesticides.
• The quality and quantity of crop produced through organic practices is generating confidence among the practicing farmers and is also inspiring their neighbors to adopt organic farming.

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