integrated rice fish culture - rcdcindia.org

Integrated Rice Fish Culture Climate Change Adaptation Option

Paribartan Project in Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur

Regional Centre for Development Cooperation HIG-26, K-6, Phase-II, Kalinga Vihar, Bhubaneswar – 751019 (Odisha) Email : [email protected], [email protected] , Website : www.rcdcindia.org

Integrated Rice Fish Culture Climate Change Adaptation Option Paribartan Project in Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur

2 | Regional Centre for Development Cooperation (RCDC)

1. Introduction

The “Paribartan” programme, a multi‐country initiative involving the coastal districts of India and Bangladesh, was launched in February 2011 being implemented by RCDC in India and JJS and Sushilan in Bangladesh. The programme is facilitated by Concern Worldwide in both the countries and financed by the European Union. It is a five year programme that is expected to end its first phase in 2016.

Titled “A multi‐country initiative on increasing resilience and reducing risks of coastal communities to climate change and natural hazards in the Bay of Bengal” the programme involves both Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) aspects and seeks to make communities resilient to disasters and also reduce poverty by introducing climate change adaptable livelihood options. In India the coastal regions of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts of Odisha were chosen because of their vulnerability to disasters.

The maximum impact of the Super Cyclone of 1999 that took an unprecedented toll in terms of both lives and property was felt in these regions. The region also faced the fury of the very severe Cyclone Phailin in October 2013. RCDC has chosen to implement the programme in 74 villages of 6 GP’s of Rajnagar Block in Kendrapara districts and 10 villages of 2

GP’s of Balikuda Block of Jagatsinghpur district. The programme has been launched in 84 villages of 8 GP’s of 2 Blocks in 2 coastal districts of Odisha.

1.1 Livelihood Vulnerability

The community led Community Risk Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA) analysis at the beginning of the programme revealed that both the major livelihood options of the

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the community members and staff. The institute also helped in identifying and providing appropriate saline tolerant rice varieties. The Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Department of the Government of Odisha provided support in the way of providing information about fingerlings and their management.

4. Implementation Strategy

RCDC decided to encourage demonstration IRFC units. The target villages would need models tested in their own region for future replication. The farmers initiating the process and venturing for the IRFC units would gain experience, innovate, share their learning and later become Community Resource Persons (CRP’s) to propagate its techniques and use. These models would be used for experimental purposes like introduction of saline tolerant varieties, experimenting with different types of plant and fish varieties etc.

5. Financial Support

A support of Rs. 32,000/‐ per acre was provided in the first phase to owners of land by way of cash and kind who were selected by the Gram Paribartan Committee (GPC) in terms of their vulnerability. The GPC is one of the three tier community led institutions facilitated by RCDC at hamlet, field and Panchayat level. The committees take the decisions, participate in and oversee the program work.

While money was paid for the digging of the pond and trenches, fingerlings, fish feed, fencing material etc were provided in kind. In the first phase 8 vulnerable families in 8 Panchayats of 2 blocks were covered. The criteria were that the farmer should own at least 1 acre of land and preferably should have a pond in her/his field.

6. IRFC Design & Management

The IRFC unit was designed as a composite unit involving a pond/water hole adjacent to a patch of land. The structure involves building a trench around the plot. The pond/water hole would serve as a pisciculture unit and the patch of land would be used for cultivating paddy. The water needs for the land would be met from the pond and the fish released in it would be channelized through the trench to feed on insects and other pests on the water covered paddy field and would also fertilize the field with its droppings.

The edges of the plot would be used to plant horticultural and fuel wood trees. Unutilized land portions would also be used for vegetable, greens, and creepers. Duckery would complete the picture and also help in serving the nutrition needs of

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He earns an income of around Rs. 100,000/‐ per annum from his IRFC unit in terms of fish, paddy, fruits, vegetables, sale of organic fertilizers and firewood. He also donates some trees, flowers, and fruits to a nearby temple. The fish component provides him Rs. 35,000/‐ every year. Mr Das is very confident that if the IRFC units are sufficiently replicated the area would again become rich in fish and stop depending upon imports from Andhra Pradesh. It is interesting to note that Mr Das and family are strict vegetarians as they belong to the Baishnab faith.

8. Lessons Learnt

According to Dr Sinhababu, CRRI scientist, the benefits of an IRFC unit are, “Rice‐fish farming systems increase farm productivity by about fifteen times and income by around twenty folds over traditional rice farming, besides two folds enhancement of farm employment. Rice‐fish farming also has many other advantages, including control of weeds and insect pests in the rice field resulting increase in rice yield. This system is also environment friendly since harmful chemicals like insecticides, fungicides, herbicides are avoided and comparatively safer inorganic fertilizer is used. In the events of sudden drought, the rain water harvested in the refuge pond can be used for life saving irrigation for the rice and other crops. This way the disaster can be minimized. The cop canopy on the platforms over the water on the pond as well as side of the rice field will reduce the high temperature of the water during summer.” All these benefits have been noticed in IRFC units practiced by community persons in Paribartan programme area.

8.1 Expansion of IRFC Units

The success of the IRFC units encouraged the Paribartan programme to expand the number of IRFC demonstration units to 24 in the year 2013. Some of the earlier demonstration units were also upscaled upon observing the need and innovativeness shown by the farmer. The amount of support was increased to Rs. 50,000/‐. The process of selection was the same as before. The GPC made the resolution and recommended the farmer. The Paribartan team then visited the field, checked and approved the plot as suitable. The process of payment, in cash and kind, was maintained. There was a central Bhubaneswar Head Office based procurement of items to maintain transparency and ensure optimum utilization of funds. Currently the IRFC farmers are also cultivating pulses and other Rabi crops in their fields.



8.2 IRFC and Cyclone Phailin

The IRFC owners maintain that the units emerged almost unscathed from the very severe Cyclone Phailin that hit the area on 12th October 2013 thus proving that the units are also disaster resilient. This aspect and increased productivity is now encouraging other farmers to replicate the model in their fields.

9. Challenges

The initial investment by the owners of the farm is high considering that a pond has to be dug/ renovated and land work to shape the land and cut trenches is required. This is expensive and it is very difficult for a vulnerable family to take up the work without support. To keep down costs the owners supported by the programme were advised to take the support of the MGNREGA scheme. However the system of delayed payment under the scheme led to the labourers demanding instant payment from the owners of land. This unit is labour intensive and requires diversified farming skills that cannot be expected from one and all. As there are various components in the IRFC one has to run from department to department to get support from government institutions. There is no one window clearance.

10. Conclusion

There is no doubt that the IRFC unit has emerged as a potent tool for the community to ensure its livelihood and nutrition needs in these troubled times. The programme needs to advocate for various integrated schemes to popularise this very successful climate change adaptation option. Taking a look at the lack of financial strength among the very vulnerable communities can be encouraged to set up community units. This will also help the communities bond together and be more effective in tackling disasters. Replication of these units in the target area has already started and the adaptation of one or more of the systems incorporated has also been observed. The community has welcomed and embraced this successful model.

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