What farming model would you recommend to transform the livelihoods of the small and marginal farmers of India, who constitute 85% of the total landholdings of India? Can the farmers invest in these models and generate economic returns adequate enough to payback the investments? These are big questions. This report aims to capture the early evidence from the fields of West Bengal on a promising model which answers the questions raised. This model, known as Integrated Farming System (IFS) for small and marginal farmers has been piloted in two climatic zones of West Bengal: Wet Saline and Dry Laterite. Based on in-depth interviews with a small cross-section of successful farmers practicing this farming model, reviewing the farmers’ diary, which captured their season-wise production, earnings and expenses, we have concluded there is evidence of an investment case for the farmers in these models.
You can download the report here.
