The objectives are to conduct joint research on priority challenges and identify alternative production and marketing models adaptable to the Indian situation. Based on field surveys, the key challenges for sustainable agricultural production are identified. These include inter alia water, power, inequity, market, energy and education. Based on these challenges, need based training cum demonstrations were conducted on drip irrigation, value added products (tomato - jam, chutney, ketch-up), composting, gobar gas technology and baby corn production for dual purpose. The impacts were discernible in terms of disciplined use of water, sizeable increase in the number of gobar gas plants from 2 to 12 in Venkatanahalli and 6 to 13 in Heggadaehalli, saving on fertilizers to the tune of 20 percent due to improved composting (savings of US $ 20 to $ 25) and a modest improvement in nutritive food intake.

Small and marginal farmers (Around 80 percent) dominated the study villages largely cultivating finger millet (Eleucine coracana) with pulses as inter crops on rainfed land for food security while mulberry (sericulture) as cash crop in irrigation. Groundwater in the study area is dwindling, threatening groundwater-dependent farms. As the only source of irrigation, borewell depths have exceeded an all time high of 600 feet. Well age has also shortened from 12 to 15 years to 4 to 6 years. With recurrent droughts for the past three years, the drain on groundwater throughout the state of Karnataka has been the rule rather than an exception.

The most prominent farming system ensuring sustainable income levels is crop with dairy and sericulture contributing 38 and 31 percent to the total income in dry land. However, under irrigation tomato contributed a major share of net income (30 to 40 %) followed by other vegetables. Farmers were facing Hardship in marketing perishables due to frequent glut in the market followed by price crash. Producer's share in consumer rupee is low in conventional market, while it is higher in modern auction system i.e. SAFAL.

Farmers were trained on maintenance of drip irrigation system, biogas plants and compost making. Imparted skills to women on preparation of jams, juices, pickles and nutritive foods by using locally available resources.Farmers' response is overwhelming for activities where subsidy component is involved like drip irrigation and gobargas. The response is modest for soil and water conservation, health and nutrition and value addition. In the light of inadequate participation of farmers and new challenges faced by them in resource use and marketing, involvement of committed NGO's is desirable. Severe drought since three years has jeopardized agri development, resulting in poor investment. Thus, motivating farmers to take up new technologies is increasingly difficult.

Sustainable production practices such as organic manure production techniques, encouraging the farmers to adopt soil and water conservation techniques in dry land agriculture, improved cultivation practices and use of improved implements for increasing productivity of the crops were popularized after project .

Intended Development results
Sustainable Agricultural models implemented with community leaders support in two villages near Bangalore would lead to diversified crop production and work opportunities for local residents with a goal of creating self-sustaining production.

Key Issues
Water management
Groundwater in the study area is dwindling, threatening groundwater-dependent farms. As the only source of irrigation, borewell depths have exceeded an all time high of 600 feet, shortening the well age from 12-15 years to 4-6 years. Groundwater scarcity is the crucial problem facing the farmers in the study area. In order to cope this problem to a little extent, training cum demonstrations on drip irrigation were conducted to create awareness regarding groundwater scarcity and drip irrigation as an alternative coping mechanism. The area under drip was 2.0 acres in Venkatahalli as against no area under drip before training program. 0.5 acre of demonstration plot for crosandra with mulching and without mulching was taken up to create awareness on water conservation and to compare across various economic parameters. There was no quick response to drip irrigation in Hegdehalli but there was a willingness expressed by farmers for mulberry crop. The impacts were discernible in terms of disciplined use of water (40% savings in water).

Biogas
Biogas a sustainable source of energy for cooking was introduced in the village, training cum demonstration was conducted to create awareness on biogas and its advantages. There was an immense response to biogas technology. This was reflected in sizeable increase in the number of biogas plants from 2 to 17 in Venkatahalli and 6 to 13 in Hegdehalli producing 2 m3 of biogas per plant per day. This has reduced drudgery for women in cooking.

Composting
Soil fertility is deteriorating due to excess application of chemical fertilizers, to prevent this training cum demonstrations was conducted on heap method of composting and importance of vermicomposting in maintaining the soil fertility and yield levels to a sustainable status. Due to composting, there is saving on fertilizers to the tune of 20 percent (worth US$20 to $25).

Value addition
Training imparted to women on preparation of jams, juices, pickles and nutritive foods by using locally available resources was educative in improving their current level of nutritive food intake.

Marketing
Farmers were facing hardship in marketing perishables due to frequent glut in the market followed by price crash. Producer's share in consumer rupee is relatively low in conventional market, while it is higher in modern auction systems like the SAFAL.

Self Help Groups (SHG's)
It is heartening to note that the women SHG's through micro-financial lending have strengthened marginalized groups by supporting them with proper loans and other facilities, for activities such as dairy, goat rearing, sheep rearing, petty business, making leaf plates, thus addressing gender inequality.

Results of base line survey

Socio-economic characteristics of sample farmers

• The socio economic characteristics indicates that 95 percent of the families were agricultural families in Hegdehalli as that of 87 percent in Venkatahalli.Out of the total area around 70 percent of the area is cultivated area in both the villages
• Distribution of land holdings indicates that, around 80 percent of the farmers were small and marginal farmers remaining were medium and large farmers in both the villages
• Sericulture is the major occupation contributing around 44 percent to the total net income followed by dairy (21 percent) in Venkatahalli
• Sericulture is the major occupation contributing around 31 percent to the total net income followed by dairy (28 percent) in Hegdehalli
• In irrigated area, Tomato is the major crop grown in both the villages followed by the annual crop mulberry. Ragi is the main crop grown in rainfed area
• Among different farming systems identified, Crop+Dairy+Sericulture(C+D+S) is the popular system followed in the study area followed by Crop Dairy(C+D)

Research Accomplishments: October 1, 2004 - March 31, 2005

The prime objectives are to conduct joint research on priority challenges and identify alternative production and marketing models adaptable to Indian situation

• Based on field survey, the challenges for sustainable agricultural production identified were related to (1) Agricultural Trade and Policy, (2) Water Management, (3) Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems and (4) Health and Nutrition
  
• Small and marginal farmers (below 5 acres) dominated the study villages largely cultivating finger millet (Eleucine coracana) on rainfed lands and mulberry-sericulture on irrigated
  
• Dairy and sericulture were the major complimentary enterprises in rainfed farms respectively contributing 48 and 39 percent to total income. For farms with groundwater irrigation tomato crop contributed 54 to 86 percent of the farm income. Paradoxically, though a majority of the farmers had milch animals, the household consumption of milk and milk products was below 50 percent of the recommended intake
  
• Groundwater resource in the study area is over drafted threatening groundwater farms. Being the only source of irrigation, borewell depths have exceeded an all time high of 600 feet. What is more shocking is the drastically falling well age from 15 to 20 years to 2 to 4 years. The bore well yields are 1000-2500 gallons per hour. With recurrent droughts since the past three years, the drain on groundwater throughout the state of Karnataka has been a rule than an exception
  
• Efforts to educate rural folk on the role of micronutrients, vitamins and minerals in their daily menu were made for the benefit of rural women and women from self-help groups (SHG)
  
• Training cum demonstration on drip irrigation and biogas were offered in the study villages. This resulted in an increase in the adoption of biogas by 20 to 30 percent. Though farmers were aware of the benefits of drip irrigation, they were unable to adopt due to lack of capital and associated hassles in receiving subsidies

Research Accomplishments: October 1, 2004 - September 30, 2005

Research Accomplishments: September 31, 2005 to January 30, 2006