Mr. Kandlagunta Srinivasa Rao, MD-Founder, InAcres India LLP, Hyderabad, Telangana, talks about collective farming the future of agriculture.
We are facing many challenges in agriculture sector in particular with only 40 crore people out of 130 crores having agricultural land, and the available land proportion in India is less than half acre. In villages we are slowly implementing collective forming model though they have less land sizes. There is no input from outside. Every farmer can make his own manure, seeds, and there is no additional expenditure for cultivation practices. marketing and water system is worked on the collective model. After the Green Revolution era, people started using all inputs from outside, mechanisation, and labour. So monoculture was introduced which has made them depend on marketing system and strategies, government subsidies, and support for prices. People with agriculture knowledge in villages are aging, and so they are unable to continue the practice. Due to globalisation, changing lifestyles, education, employment, job opportunities, and migration from villages, it is difficult to do agriculture in small scales. The introduction of chemical fertilisers and insecticide companies, seeds and infrastructure and mechanisation companies has made the farmers the consumers. But the farmers are facing lot of challenges. Another challenge is the contract farming, it is a one individual company or person profit oriented decision.
With collective farming or community farming, which is going to be the future of India, farmers with small landholding come together. With lot of agricultural land being converted into non-agricultural land, they are forced to leave the village, and it is a big challenge to food security and safety. In India, there is a land selling limitation. So we want to showcase a farming model which have many benefits. We are cultivating more than 1500 acres in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. there are many benefits like social and environmental benefits apart from benefits to farmers. We identify big bunches of land in a single place, at least 100 acres which is the minimum viable size to do farming, we do scientific research and find water availability and proximity to reach markets. People can joint this group and form a society, where the lands are given as lease to the company for agricultural practices.
We identify good lands, fertile soil, soil conservation, water conservation, and practices like biodiversity with organic agroforestry. We establish the infrastructure which is forever. We do organic farming only, and we prepare the inputs in our place only. We have a goshala in our farm with which we produce Gobar gas, manure, and biodigesters which will be nitrogen phosphorous enriched. We use micro irrigation, and there is no tillage. Though it may be less in quantity, it is a quality product, and we get good price too. We sell the produce directly to members associated with the organisation and outside market. It is a soil to store model, and our practices are environment friendly and farmer friendly. We know a company who translate the ancient agriculture history into English, and we follow them.
11:28 to 11:55 NO CONNECTION. After two or three years, we want to adopt some villages and do the collective farming model. In a village with a few thousand inhabitants, we spend about Rs. 7 to 8 crores in buying fertilisers every year. if we produce our own inputs collectively in the village with our own dairy, we can produce manure, biogas, and milk. This will be an integrated and sustainable way of agriculture forever. As of now we do not have even 0.3% of carbon matter in the soil, but we should follow practices to get at least 3%. To drill borewells, in traditional methods, for 100 farmers we may need 100 bores, but in collective farming, we can do with 10. This way we can conserve water, share all the infrastructure, expenditure, and share profit. This type of community supported agriculture is the future in India. We have to promote the same. We can grow whatever the village requires first, consume healthy food, and the remaining produce we can sell in kilos or quintals with good packing. In a one-time establishment, we can have biodiversity crops and increase soil health. People need not migrate to urban area, but they can do bio culture, processing of agricultural produce, etc. I am sure farming will be a profitable profession in the coming days with huge hope for rural economy as there is no additional infrastructure required. We hope to establish models from where people can learn about how, what, and where to do agriculture.
How can collective farming models help small scale farmers improve their access to resources and markets?
Small scale farmers means the ones with one acre or less. So they have to form a society. The government is also encouraging FPOs. Based on the land holding capacity they can get the shares. It is a collective harvesting proportionate sharing business. It is mostly useful for small farmers.
How can agriculture students get involved or learn from successful farming initiatives?
They can approach us, come here, and do internship in our company. They can learn how to do and do things correctly. With basic things, we charge for food and accommodation which will be tents or rooms. This will work out to about Rs. 300 per day. One week of training is sufficient. The training includes soil selection, soil testing, crop planning, dairy establishment, manure preparation, Agri inputs like fertigation, pest management practices, harvesting practices, and marketing techniques. We are located about 50 kms from Hyderabad.
What are the challenges and potential solutions for integrating technology and modern farming practices into collective farming systems?
Definitely we have to integrate modern technologies like micro irrigation, sprinkler system, biodigesters, etc. There are no challenges as such. We have to have a proper farm plan, crop plan, and farm calendar year. Collectively we can sit, write, and based on the input we can proceed. It differs from location to location. We have to design and based on our requirements, we have to plan and arrange for irrigation practices.
What are the key benefits of cooperative farming after reducing input cost and increasing crop yields?
If there are 100 farmers we need 100 borewells, but in integrated collective model, they need only 10 borewells. For farming infrastructure like micro irrigation, central drip irrigation system, they can share land area wise. They can grow produce, take distribution proportionately. They can have soil to store organisation, and there will be no worry to sell the produce or brand it. Everything is done collectively. They can create a platform to make it a profitable project. It is environmentally friendly, farmer is benefited, and public health is taken care of by offering healthy food.
How can farmers and agriculture startups collaborate to create successful quality farming ventures?
Agriculture startups are very limited. If there is unity among farmers, people who complete graduation, can have their job opportunities in the village itself. We need to have a proper crop plan, and based on our requirement, we have to grow crops, do value addition, and prepare the required inputs. So in a village itself, the youth can have their agriculture entrepreneurship ideas. This will help establish livelihood everywhere. We have to focus on the villages first to live comfortably and a healthy life collectively to enjoy the fruits of the collective farming.
What role can government policies and support have in promoting and sustaining farming collective initiatives?
Government always works on the number. If the public demands, the government has to accept their request. The role of government here is less. But we should not depend on the government support. The government is helping FPOs to get infrastructure. We need authorities and agencies to help us identify the proper ground water, establish proper irrigation system, and establish proper food processing unit. These are the areas the government can help us.
How do collective farming contribute to sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture practices?
Collective farming makes us take cre of the ground water harvesting practice. We can harvest through proper trenches and water harvesting practices., soil conservation practices, and follow agroforestry model to increase the soil fertility. It will surely have an advantage in our environment as we use all the local produce manufactured at the village level and is under our control. We can sell through proper value addition and get a good price for our products.
How can collective farming help address food security, food distribution challenges in urban areas?
When we are doing a collective farming, we assure safe and healthy food for the urban areas. They can visit our farm, get assured, arrange for contract with the farmers instead of individuals. We can establish farmer store within the community. It is a win-win situation. We can offer quality produce at a reasonable price. We can offer them a healthy and quality food. It is a good assurance nowadays as healthy and safe food is becoming a challenge.
What are the financial and legal considerations that Agri startups and entrepreneurs should be aware of when engaging in collective farming?
Government is already working on establishing and promoting FPOs. So if we approach any horticulture or agriculture office, they will help us to get connected with FPOs. They will take care of the legal formalities, and they will give some fund also to establish it. So there will be no problems.
How can education and training programs assigned support the skills and knowledge for successful collective farming ventures?
Seeing is believing. So we can always learn by observing only. Instead of viewing videos and attending classes, we can visit the CSA farm which will teach us all the required proper information.
What are the potential social and cultural changes that may arise in collective farming communities, and how can they be addressed to foster cooperation collaboration?
People are divided by political parties now. But in the villages, people have usually a bonding, and they prefer to follow the rules of FPOs. So in such cases, we can successfully continue the culture. Agriculture and culture are great assets of India, and we can revive the potential of traditional agriculture wisdom and lead a natural life. Nowadays, many rich people long for the lifestyle of a farmer, taking care of crops, and living in a small and cool hut. Through the collective model, we can revive Indian traditional agriculture, and it will set the cultural practices too by celebrating festivals in the villages.
How does the collective farming impact the livelihood and wellbeing of rural communities, and what strategies can be employed to ensure equitable outcome?
It provides a lot of rural employment opportunities. Instead of buying factory made produce, the villagers can produce all the inputs needed for agriculture, monitor, and execute the projects. They can get employment with the value addition and processing of produce, and villagers can be part of produce marketing too. There are lot of agricultural opportunities. This is the way forward for India as far as agriculture is concerned.
CONTACT : Kandlagunta Srinivasa Rao
email id [info@inacres.com
We are facing many challenges in agriculture sector in particular with only 40 crore people out of 130 crores having agricultural land, and the available land proportion in India is less than half acre. In villages we are slowly implementing collective forming model though they have less land sizes. There is no input from outside. Every farmer can make his own manure, seeds, and there is no additional expenditure for cultivation practices. marketing and water system is worked on the collective model. After the Green Revolution era, people started using all inputs from outside, mechanisation, and labour. So monoculture was introduced which has made them depend on marketing system and strategies, government subsidies, and support for prices. People with agriculture knowledge in villages are aging, and so they are unable to continue the practice. Due to globalisation, changing lifestyles, education, employment, job opportunities, and migration from villages, it is difficult to do agriculture in small scales. The introduction of chemical fertilisers and insecticide companies, seeds and infrastructure and mechanisation companies has made the farmers the consumers. But the farmers are facing lot of challenges. Another challenge is the contract farming, it is a one individual company or person profit oriented decision.
With collective farming or community farming, which is going to be the future of India, farmers with small landholding come together. With lot of agricultural land being converted into non-agricultural land, they are forced to leave the village, and it is a big challenge to food security and safety. In India, there is a land selling limitation. So we want to showcase a farming model which have many benefits. We are cultivating more than 1500 acres in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. there are many benefits like social and environmental benefits apart from benefits to farmers. We identify big bunches of land in a single place, at least 100 acres which is the minimum viable size to do farming, we do scientific research and find water availability and proximity to reach markets. People can joint this group and form a society, where the lands are given as lease to the company for agricultural practices.
We identify good lands, fertile soil, soil conservation, water conservation, and practices like biodiversity with organic agroforestry. We establish the infrastructure which is forever. We do organic farming only, and we prepare the inputs in our place only. We have a goshala in our farm with which we produce Gobar gas, manure, and biodigesters which will be nitrogen phosphorous enriched. We use micro irrigation, and there is no tillage. Though it may be less in quantity, it is a quality product, and we get good price too. We sell the produce directly to members associated with the organisation and outside market. It is a soil to store model, and our practices are environment friendly and farmer friendly. We know a company who translate the ancient agriculture history into English, and we follow them.
11:28 to 11:55 NO CONNECTION. After two or three years, we want to adopt some villages and do the collective farming model. In a village with a few thousand inhabitants, we spend about Rs. 7 to 8 crores in buying fertilisers every year. if we produce our own inputs collectively in the village with our own dairy, we can produce manure, biogas, and milk. This will be an integrated and sustainable way of agriculture forever. As of now we do not have even 0.3% of carbon matter in the soil, but we should follow practices to get at least 3%. To drill borewells, in traditional methods, for 100 farmers we may need 100 bores, but in collective farming, we can do with 10. This way we can conserve water, share all the infrastructure, expenditure, and share profit. This type of community supported agriculture is the future in India. We have to promote the same. We can grow whatever the village requires first, consume healthy food, and the remaining produce we can sell in kilos or quintals with good packing. In a one-time establishment, we can have biodiversity crops and increase soil health. People need not migrate to urban area, but they can do bio culture, processing of agricultural produce, etc. I am sure farming will be a profitable profession in the coming days with huge hope for rural economy as there is no additional infrastructure required. We hope to establish models from where people can learn about how, what, and where to do agriculture.
How can collective farming models help small scale farmers improve their access to resources and markets?
Small scale farmers means the ones with one acre or less. So they have to form a society. The government is also encouraging FPOs. Based on the land holding capacity they can get the shares. It is a collective harvesting proportionate sharing business. It is mostly useful for small farmers.
How can agriculture students get involved or learn from successful farming initiatives?
They can approach us, come here, and do internship in our company. They can learn how to do and do things correctly. With basic things, we charge for food and accommodation which will be tents or rooms. This will work out to about Rs. 300 per day. One week of training is sufficient. The training includes soil selection, soil testing, crop planning, dairy establishment, manure preparation, Agri inputs like fertigation, pest management practices, harvesting practices, and marketing techniques. We are located about 50 kms from Hyderabad.
What are the challenges and potential solutions for integrating technology and modern farming practices into collective farming systems?
Definitely we have to integrate modern technologies like micro irrigation, sprinkler system, biodigesters, etc. There are no challenges as such. We have to have a proper farm plan, crop plan, and farm calendar year. Collectively we can sit, write, and based on the input we can proceed. It differs from location to location. We have to design and based on our requirements, we have to plan and arrange for irrigation practices.
What are the key benefits of cooperative farming after reducing input cost and increasing crop yields?
If there are 100 farmers we need 100 borewells, but in integrated collective model, they need only 10 borewells. For farming infrastructure like micro irrigation, central drip irrigation system, they can share land area wise. They can grow produce, take distribution proportionately. They can have soil to store organisation, and there will be no worry to sell the produce or brand it. Everything is done collectively. They can create a platform to make it a profitable project. It is environmentally friendly, farmer is benefited, and public health is taken care of by offering healthy food.
How can farmers and agriculture startups collaborate to create successful quality farming ventures?
Agriculture startups are very limited. If there is unity among farmers, people who complete graduation, can have their job opportunities in the village itself. We need to have a proper crop plan, and based on our requirement, we have to grow crops, do value addition, and prepare the required inputs. So in a village itself, the youth can have their agriculture entrepreneurship ideas. This will help establish livelihood everywhere. We have to focus on the villages first to live comfortably and a healthy life collectively to enjoy the fruits of the collective farming.
What role can government policies and support have in promoting and sustaining farming collective initiatives?
Government always works on the number. If the public demands, the government has to accept their request. The role of government here is less. But we should not depend on the government support. The government is helping FPOs to get infrastructure. We need authorities and agencies to help us identify the proper ground water, establish proper irrigation system, and establish proper food processing unit. These are the areas the government can help us.
How do collective farming contribute to sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture practices?
Collective farming makes us take cre of the ground water harvesting practice. We can harvest through proper trenches and water harvesting practices., soil conservation practices, and follow agroforestry model to increase the soil fertility. It will surely have an advantage in our environment as we use all the local produce manufactured at the village level and is under our control. We can sell through proper value addition and get a good price for our products.
How can collective farming help address food security, food distribution challenges in urban areas?
When we are doing a collective farming, we assure safe and healthy food for the urban areas. They can visit our farm, get assured, arrange for contract with the farmers instead of individuals. We can establish farmer store within the community. It is a win-win situation. We can offer quality produce at a reasonable price. We can offer them a healthy and quality food. It is a good assurance nowadays as healthy and safe food is becoming a challenge.
What are the financial and legal considerations that Agri startups and entrepreneurs should be aware of when engaging in collective farming?
Government is already working on establishing and promoting FPOs. So if we approach any horticulture or agriculture office, they will help us to get connected with FPOs. They will take care of the legal formalities, and they will give some fund also to establish it. So there will be no problems.
How can education and training programs assigned support the skills and knowledge for successful collective farming ventures?
Seeing is believing. So we can always learn by observing only. Instead of viewing videos and attending classes, we can visit the CSA farm which will teach us all the required proper information.
What are the potential social and cultural changes that may arise in collective farming communities, and how can they be addressed to foster cooperation collaboration?
People are divided by political parties now. But in the villages, people have usually a bonding, and they prefer to follow the rules of FPOs. So in such cases, we can successfully continue the culture. Agriculture and culture are great assets of India, and we can revive the potential of traditional agriculture wisdom and lead a natural life. Nowadays, many rich people long for the lifestyle of a farmer, taking care of crops, and living in a small and cool hut. Through the collective model, we can revive Indian traditional agriculture, and it will set the cultural practices too by celebrating festivals in the villages.
How does the collective farming impact the livelihood and wellbeing of rural communities, and what strategies can be employed to ensure equitable outcome?
It provides a lot of rural employment opportunities. Instead of buying factory made produce, the villagers can produce all the inputs needed for agriculture, monitor, and execute the projects. They can get employment with the value addition and processing of produce, and villagers can be part of produce marketing too. There are lot of agricultural opportunities. This is the way forward for India as far as agriculture is concerned.
CONTACT : Kandlagunta Srinivasa Rao
email id [info@inacres.com
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