Variability in rainfall and rising diseases, pests attacks are top challenges faced by small farmers
Fluctuations in rainfall and increased incidence of pest and disease attacks are some of the top challenges faced by smallholder farmers, according to a study by the Nudge Institute. The study revealed that more than 76 percent of farmers practicing rain-fed agriculture and 55 percent of irrigated farmers lost half of their crops in the past three years, primarily due to rain.
The study was conducted on more than 201 farmers in eight districts, across six states and five ecoregions, such as Jalna, Satara, Dharwad, Kalapurgi, Narsinghpur, Hanukunda, Satya Sai and Mahendragarh. Small farm owners are classified as those who own between 1 and 3 acres of irrigated land or 3-7 acres of rainfed land and who usually earn a large percentage of the family income from farming and do not own tractors.
The aim of the study is to understand the impact of climate change on farmers and to bring the voice of small farmers to the negotiating table, said Ashish Karamchandani, director of the Transforming Agriculture Program for Small Farmers at the Nudge Institute.
About 76 percent of the rain-fed farmers suffered a significant crop loss of at least 50 percent, and cited rain as the main cause of the loss, while 55 percent of the irrigated farmers suffered a significant crop loss and cited rain as the main cause, followed by It closely by pest / disease. Both cited rain as the problem. Obviously there is a climate issue.
The study found that 74 percent noticed an increase in pests and diseases, while 77 percent noticed an increase in weeds, Karamchandani said. As a result, 76 percent of small farmers increased their use of pesticides, and 54 percent increased their use of chemical fertilizers.
About 48 percent started using new classes of chemicals such as herbicides and plant growth hormones in the past five years, while some smallholder farmers felt that using chemicals in the past five years had a positive effect on them.
The study revealed that about 59 percent felt that soil fertility had decreased, while 37 percent noted that there was no change. About 61 percent of farmers reported that earthworms either decreased or disappeared completely from their fields, and 28 percent saw no change.
The study further revealed that more than 60 percent of smallholder farmers are aware of and are already implementing practices such as crop rotation and farm manure to improve soil health. The study revealed that three out of five smallholder farmers actively search for and use weather information to plan their farming activities.