The Hindu Business Line : Integrated cotton farming, a succour for poor growers

EVEN as technology and subsidies drive cotton output up in many countries, resulting in a decline in prices that hurts growers, especially small-holders, a unique model to bring together small farmers with the objective of improving their productive capability and build capacity among them to take on the challenge of the market was unveiled today.

Addressing a 600-strong audience from 30 countries at the fourth open session of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) plenary meeting here on the topic of strengthening the input supply chain to small holders, Mr Mani Chinnaswamy of Appachi Cotton Agronomy and Rural Empowerment Foundation said his model - called Appachi Formula for Integrated Cotton Cultivation - was successfully bringing about positive changes in the lives of small and marginal farmers in Tamil Nadu.

"We brought together small farmers and consolidated them into self-help groups; and then, provided them with resources, technologies and finance to improve cotton yields," he said.

What started in 2002 with 600 farmers, each holding less than one hectare of land, covering 400 hectares and formed into 12 self-help groups has now been expanded to cover 1,500 farmers in 65 self-help groups covering over 800 hectares of land spread over four regions of Tamil Nadu.

Explaining the modalities of the project, Mr Chinnaswamy pointed out that Appachi CARE Foundation negotiated with banks for institutional finance for the group of farmers (who were otherwise ineligible for loans) at concessional rate of interest as also crop insurance at lower premium.

From input suppliers bulk purchases of seeds, fertilisers and agro-chemicals were made at discounted rates and the benefit was passed on to farmer groups. Agronomists were appointed to render extension advisory services.

Uniform variety of cotton was grown under the system of contract farming, ensuring uniformity in the quality of produce.

The Appachi CARE Foundation acted as the coordinating agency between small farmers on the one hand and other stakeholders such as input suppliers, service providers and actual users of cotton (ginners, textile mills) on the other.

A significant feature of the Appachi model, according to Mr Chinnaswamy, is that under his scheme the farmer has the option but not the obligation to sell his produce to the coordinating agency. As the price is not pre-determined, the grower has sufficient marketing flexibility and obtains the market price.

Interestingly, last year the Government of Iran invited the promoters of the scheme to discuss ways and means of implementing the model in Iran. Mr

Chinnaswamy believes the model can be safely replicated in many parts of India and, indeed, the world.

"Integrated cotton cultivation is the way forward to ensure delivery of price benefit to resource-poor farmers in our country," he told Business Line.

More Stories on : Cotton | Contract Farming | Tamil Nadu

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