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1 Farmer promoters nomination and training, and field day visit report.

Acknowledgement

The concept of farmer field promoter was new to me when I first attended Writeshop training on

30th September to 3rd October 2014 at Dewathang.The facilitator of the training Dr. Julian Gonsalves

explained us about farmer promoters, their roles and responsibilities in society. He told us farmer

promoter plays an important role in agriculture farming. The other interesting topic during the

training was bio intensive gardening, where farmers are encouraged to grow green manure trees in

their fields in order to fix nitrogen to the soil.

I would like to sincerely thank Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative Executive Director Tshewang Dendup for

inviting me over a meeting. Although I work in forestry extension services, the training inputs on

nutrient management, pest management, post harvest and practicing bio intensive gardening were

interesting lessons I learnt.

I accompanied a group of farmer to Orong geog and visited the lead farmers. I was inspired and

motivated by the vegetable production by M.C Guring. He told us that “Interest and hardwork” are

important in farming. I also learned grafting from Memey Jamtsho. He taught us grafting for orange,

apple, pear or peach and few more. It was the most memorable and valuable journey to me.

I would like to thank Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative team Mr.Norbu Samphel, Sherab, Miss Pia

Lindstorm for invaluable support at field works and the guidance in writing this report.

Thank to Dr. Julian Gonsalves for facilitating the write shop.


TABLE OF CONTENT

Part A: Over all work plan………………………………………………………………………………………………… .4

Part B: Procedure for selection of farmer promoters………………………………………………………. .4

Farmer promoters’ selection criterion shared by farmers………………………………………………… .5

Farmer Promoters of Dewathang geog, Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongkhag…………………………… .6

Appointed farmer promoters, Dewathang…………………………………………………………………....... .7

Farmer Promoters’ roles and responsibilities…………………………………………………………………… .8

Promoters’ opportunities………………………………………………………………………………………………… .8

Promoters Tenure……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. .9

Promoter – promoter competition………………………………………………………………………………….. . 9

Promoters Incentives………………………………………………………………………………………………………. .9

Checking how well the farmers’ promoters are doing their job……………………………………….. . 9

Part C: Bridge, Coordination and monitoring……………………………………………………………….. .10

Knowing the farmers and field situation………………………………………………………………………….. .10

Analysis and prioritisation……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. .10-12

The Communication cycle……………………………………………………………………………………………….. .12

Forward Information interpretation flow………………………………………………………………………… .12

Reversed information interpretation flow………………………………………………………………………. .13

Monitoring format for seeds supplied for promotion ……………………………………………………………….. .13

Farming timetable management for germination and management……………………………….. .13-14

Part D: Farmers promoters were trained by EAs and SJI on following topics………………… .14

Farming problems listing out for study and analysis………………………………………………………… .14

Farming problems identification and damage prioritisation matrix…………………………………. .14-15

Addressing the farming problems……………………………………………………………………………………. .15

Compost making or basic livestock husbandry management…………………………………………… .16-17

Agro-silvo pastoral system advantages……………………………………………………………………………. .18

Soil Management…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. .18-20

Integrated nutrient management……………………………………………………………………………………. .20-22


Integrated pest management………………………………………………………………………………………….. .22 .

Pest awareness beforehand is a must for farmers…………………………………………………………… .22 .

Pest behaviour study and record keeping for management…………………………………………….. .23

Part E: Farmers’ Field Day Study…………………………………………………………………………………. .23-24

Discussions and advices received…………………………………………………………………………………….. .24-25

Part F: Farmer promoters’ words at the end of day study………………………………………… .26

Empty forms ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. .26-28


Samdrup Jongkhar Initiative tentative plan for farmers’ promoter training, Dewathang

Part A: Overall Work Plan Date: 17/10/2014

Sl.no Activities Date Remarks

1 Field visits and identifying interested and potential farmers

16-17/10/2014 8 farmers identified

2 Meeting for promoters and geog Tshogpas, training them, drawing out interim guidelines

21-22/10/2014 Initiated by SJI, in collaboration with geog Agriculture Extension agent

3 Farmer field day visit to Morong and Lerong for study and exposure.

28/10/2014 Escort by SJI team and geog agriculture, Dewathang

Part B: Procedure for selection of farmers’ promoters

Sl.no Village Initial active farmers selection by field verification team

Nos. of farmers voting for the most active

1 Martang Sonam Lhendup ///// ///// selected

Tuku Lhamo ////

Tashi Yoezer ///// ///// selected

Gerwa Dawa Norbu

2 Dungkarcholing Peldon ///// ///// selected

Samzang /////

Khotsa /////

3 Domphu Jampay ///// ///// // selected

Chezom ///// /////

Rinchen Wangdi ///// //

4 Rikhey Ngawang ///// ///// ///selected

Tashi Wangmo ///// /////

5 Bangtsho Tshering Gyelpo ///// ///// // selected

Sherab ///// //

Kopor Kuenga ///// ///// selected

Karma /////

Lata Wangdi /////

6 Chenary Rinchen Lhamo ///// ///// / selected

Dechen Choden ///// //


Farmer promoters’ selection criterion shared by farmers during meeting

Should practice farming consistently and need to have garden at his house

Have interest for learning

Willingness

Should be competitive

All rounder

Credible

Trustworthy

Can communicate and convince

Beneficial to community

Lives full time in the village or stays in the village

Does farming with interest

A person who often migrate should not be chosen

Should be receptive

Should be expert than other farmers in a village


Farmer Promoters of Dewathang geog, Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongkhag


Appointed farmer promoters, Dewathang


Farmer Promoters’ roles and responsibilities

1. Encourage local seeds preservation,

2. Give awareness to farmers for seeds sowing time, collect money from farmers, if

they are interested to buy seeds and forward to agriculture extension agents,

3. Ask and know from agriculture extension agents or geog administration for budget

allocation for seeds supply from government offices for each year.

4. Define farmer promoter. Farmer promoters are usually individuals with little or no

formal education who, through a process of training, experimentation, learning and

practice, increase their knowledge and become capable of sharing it with others,

functioning as extension workers.

5. Formal education is not a necessary requirement for being a farmer promoter. More

important attributes are credibility, community acceptance, and a positive attitude

to take on the challenge of a farmer promoter.

6. The role of the promoter in rural communities is that of a change agent promoting

rural development process.

7. Should undertake theoretical and practical activities.

8. Facilitate courses at the community level

9. Respect the local culture

10. Work as equals, treating others with respect and tolerance.

11. Work with farmers’ groups or with individual farmers.

12. Participate in meetings and workshops

13. Provide training in demonstration plots.

Promoters’ opportunities

1. Exposure

2. Study tour

3. Knowledge and experience

4. Trainings or workshop

5. Helping farmers

6. Income generation

7. Meetings with institution leaders or high dignitaries

8. Facilitator of knowledge to farmers

9. Become experienced and work like professionals


Promoters Tenure

Promoters are supposed to work for 3 years as promised. If he or she does good job, there is

a chance for second or third time too, depending upon the progress shown by promoters. It

is purely election system by village farmers.

Promoter – promoter competition

The Samdrup Jongkhar Initiatives and Dzongkhag Agriculture office would like to observe

the best promoter among the total eight. The criterion shall be his farm management,

vegetable garden management; quantity produced based, sell record quantity, creativity

based, and number of farmers he/she has supported or helped in the village. His/her

performance shall be evaluated closely and shall be rewarded

Promoters Incentives

Farmers and Agriculture Extension agents shall observe the performance and progress of

promoters for one year. If the farmers like the support and progress of promoter, they shall

organize group meetings on convenient time and start paying them if possible. But then, the

decision lies in the hands of gatherings.

Checking how well the farmers’ promoters are doing their job

Sl.no

Main activities or responsibilities

Indicator Who will monitor and how?

Responsibility

Comments

1 Practice or continuity of farming Interview or ask village farmers, visit promoters garden

Extension Agriculture agents, geog Tshogpas

Promoters,EAs,farmers

2 Share knowledge, or train farmers, transmitter role

Interview or ask village farmers, observe farmers garden



3 Apply knowledge of composting, pest management, nutrient management, soil management, agrobiodiversity practices, trained topics

Visit promoters field or gardens, ask farmers



4 Visit other farmers field, identify active farmers, advice

Ask farmers, visits to farmers field by EAs



5 Local seeds preservation practice, seeds distribution/supply on timing

Ask farmers, visit to farmers field by EAs



6 Incorporate EAs, Agency for planning,administration,relationship with EAs, or other offices

Keep record of EAs field visits or contact, keep register records




Part C: Bridge and Coordination

Knowing the farmers and field situation. This part have not been discussed with farmers, this is my self

assumption and trial. The list of daily activities depends on farmers. Let farmers list them out.

Listing out the farm activities and daily schedule. EAs have to be clever, do not ask which is more important

while comparing. Ask the real field situations, like where your time is mostly consumed? If asked, which is

more important, the answer would be completely opposite.

1. Vegetable garden visit

2. Fruits trees orchard visit,

3. Cow herding and fodder collection or preparation,

4. Attending meetings or training, woola

5. Compost preparation,

6. At home

7. Usual routine farming

8. Social gatherings, play, fun.

Analysis and prioritisation

Vegetable garden visit

3

Fruits trees orchard visit,

1

Cow herding and fodder collection

7

Attending meetings or training, woola

2

Compost preparation

1

At home,weaving,watching television 3

Maize or rice cultivation 5

Social gatherings, play, fun 5


X



X

Cow herding and fodder management



X


Attending meetings or training,



X


woola

Compost preparation




Compost preparation

X

At home,weaving,watching televisions


At home,weaving,watching television




X

Maize or rice cultivation







X

Social gatherings, play, fun








X

Graphical representation

Showing time consumption in daily activities

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8


Finding these evaluation, we can develop strategies and formulate plan to help farmers.

These prioritisation and table will show the nature of farmers and nature of farming, they

practice. It will very from place to place and people to people. In vegetable growing areas,

like, Wangdue or Paro, the highest point will go to visit to vegetable garden and doing

gardening.

The Communication cycle

Information Information

Information Information

Forward Information interpretation flow of communication cycle

Information from DAO, Project Offices

Date Received by

EAs to promoter

Date Promoters to farmers

Date

E.g. Contact received from DAO for Potato supply

31/10/2014 Kiran Rai, officiating agriculture

Call to Karma Tenzin for informing farmers

3/11/2014

Potato arrived, informed to farmers

3/11/2014

DAO handed vegetable seeds

1/09/2014 Kiran Rai, officiating agriculture

Contacted Rikhey Tshogpa

10/09/2014

Informed farmers

12/10/2014

Geog Agriculture Extension

Agent

Farmer Promoter Farmers


Reversed information interpretation flow of communication cycle

Know the farmers plan, interests, messages

Promoters action

Promoters to EAs

EAs action On which date?

EAs to Dzongkhag Agriculture Office

Comments

E.g. Pest infestation on cabbage or maize

Promoter visited farmer fields and record

Phone call to EAs on 3/11/2014

EAs visited farmer fields and find solution

5/11/2014

EAs contacted DAO on date 4/11/2014.Arrange pest repellents

successful

Farmers like to buy veg.seeds

Promoters collects money and passed to EAs

Passed money to EAs on 3/11/2014

EAs forwarded to DAO

5/11/2014

Applied for seeds demand

Arrived on time

Monitoring format for seeds supplied for promotion. To be filled by EAs

Farmers Village Nos.of packets/quantity supplied

Supplied date

Field visits monitoring comments by EAs

Monitored date?

Quantity produced

Comments

Karma Tenzin

Pazor 50 kg potatoes

3/11/14

Have planted, on date 5/01/2015

15 Dec 100 kg example

Farming timetable management for germination and management. To be filled up by

farmers.

When did you receive seeds?

Mother beds preparation

When did you sow?

Watering management?

How often are you checking germination?

Counting records of healthy/ dead seedlings?

Transplantation date

Potato supplied from Geog,

Prepared mother beds, used organic

10/11/2014 after seeds germination in mother beds,

250 seeds planted,200 nos.grew


MAGIP support, on date 3/11/2014

compost checking regularly

Part D: Farmers promoters were trained by geog extension agent and SJI team on

following topics:

Farming problems listing out for study and analysis

Farming problems identification, analysis and finding resolution,

Compost making

Agro-silvo pastoral system advantages,

Soil management for farming

Integrated nutrient management.

Integrated pest management.

I. Farming problems listing out for study and analysis

1. Wild boar and elephant damage,

2. Late seeds arrival at farmers hand,

3. Pest infestation,

4. Summer rainfall,

5. Marketing of vegetables from far villages,

6. Monitoring by Agriculture Extension Agents,

Farming problems identification and damage prioritisation matrix

Wild boar, elephants 5

Seeds supply delay 3

Pest infestation 1

Summer rainfall 2

Not efficient marketing channel 2

Monitoring by EAs 2

Wild boar, elephants

x

Seeds supply delay


x

Pest outbreak


Seeds supply delay

x

Summer rainfall


Seeds supply delay

Pest outbreak

x


Not efficient marketing channel


Seeds supply delay


Summer rainfall

x

Monitoring by EAs


Monitoring by EAs

Summer rainfall

Monitoring by EAs


x

Graphical representation of problems

Addressing the farming problems

Sl.no Problems list Resolution Comments 2 Wild boar and elephant

damage Instead of maize cultivation, opt for ginger, or vegetables which wild boars do not attack

Resolve from Dzongkhag Agriculture/Forest Office, GYT or DYT, Ministry or Headquarters

3 Not efficient marketing channel for vegetables

Linking or facilitating farmers to customers(Tshoki Gyatso Institue, Dungsum private school,Polytecnic,shopkeepers)

SJI and Agriculture extension agents decided to collect phone numbers of customers and give to farmer promoters

4 Monitoring by Agriculture Extension Agents

Farmer promoters should often share village farmer’s problems or keep close contact with EAs

Promoters should keep registers

5 Summer rainfall Use nets, if possible try to procure from Dzongkhag Agriculture sector or procure yourself

Search fund support from Projects, if possible

0

1

2

3

4

5

6


II. Compost making or basic livestock husbandry management

Compost Making

1. Construct shed or house for storing cow dung or urine with CGI sheet, with stone

wall or bamboo balep

2. Collect the cow dung and pile up. Water should not be allowed to get mixed up

3. Transfer the cow dung to the compost house and pile up in one corner.

4. Moisture content should be just enough to wet the material, not dripping

5. After reasonable heap, mix with green biomass or leaves (ratio: 3:1, of cow dung and

green biomass). After three days the heap should be warm inside. If not, it’s too wet

or too dry. If too wet, add dry matter. Avoid direct sunlight and rain water

6. After compost become ready, shift the heap into middle and leave it for sometime,

finally shift into last corner. Compost becomes ready for use at around 1-2 months.

Pit compost preparation

To make pit compost you need to dig pit

-length 6Ft,

-breadth 3Ft and

-depth 2½ Ft


Materials required to make pit compost

Cow urine and Dung

Green biomass

Dry biomass

Mix all these and cover up by soil

After 25 days turn up side down

After 2-3 month compost will be ready to use


III. Agro-silvo pastoral system advantages

1. Farming system consists of the three main components, keeping livestock, growing

fodder trees/grass, and agriculture practice in a combinative pattern at a same time

in a same land.

2. Have multipurpose benefits.

3. Land use is intensified, meant for avoiding land fallow.

4. Good, selected fodder trees/fodder grasses are planted along the terraces or around

the fields.

5. Cattles or other domestic animals are kept at the fields/farms openly, or could be

inside sheds, around or within the farm.

6. Cow dung, compost or manure are utilised within the farms for growing crops or

vegetables.

IV. Soil Management

Defining soil erosion

Soil erosion is the process of detaching the soil particles by erosive agents such as water,

wind and ice from the land's surface of one place and it’s transportation to another place for

deposition.

SOIL EROSIONAL TYPES

TYPE CASUAL AGENT

Splash erosion – Water Sheet erosion – Water & wind Rill erosion - Water Gully erosion - Water. Severe one

Splash erosion

Rain Drops

Detaches

soil particles

from

aggregates

SPLASH EROSION

18


Suggestion: Cover crops, mulching, agrobiodiversity practice. Practice bio-intensive gardens

SHEET EROSION

Uniform removal of thin layer of soil either by runoff or wind

Suggestion: Stone bunds or hedgerows plantation

GULLY EROSION

Removal of soil particles in gullies of several meters

Suggestion: Plantation of pioneer plant species like, Alnus nepalensis or selected plant

species, vegetatative/coppicing species, bamboo, etc. Natural check dams or bio-engineering

works.

Prevention Measures

1. Stone bunds. Raising stone bunds along the contour lines of sloped farm land helps prevent soil erosion, make use of local stones and eventually be formed into good terraces.

2. Hedgerow Plantation. Planting multipurpose trees and plant species along the contour slopes will reduce rain water erosion and eventually form terraces. The vegetation planted will provide fodder, timber and biomass as a source for green manure. Wind erosion can be controlled.


3. Protecting forest and water sources. Do not cut down trees. Planting new trees and protecting them will ensure good vegetation coverage and increase water quality and quantity over longer periods of time.

V. Integrated nutrient management

1. When possible, test the soil. Based on nutrient analysis, recommendation can be

made.

2. Improve the soil organically by planting green manure trees, like nitrogen fixing

plants, like Cassia siamea, gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, cereals along the

vegetable garden beds.

Cassia siamea

Leucaena leucocephala

Gliricidia sepium

3. Plant legume crops like Daincha to fix nitrogen and add organic matter to the soil.


4. Planting cover crops protect the soil from sun and rain, retains moisture, and

prevents soil erosion and helps build up soil nutrients.

Dha

Daincha, found in: Pemathang, Phuntshothang, and, and Daifam

5. Use organically prepared compost for farming. Do not opt for inorganic fertilizers

from markets.

6. Intercrop or rotate with legume crops like beans. Legume root nodules help fix

atmospheric nitrogen into the soil.

7. Practice mulching, covering crops with grass and leaf litter, twigs, straw, manure and

food residues adds nutrients and organic matter, retains soil moisture, and

temperature, favours healthy soil organism, suppresses weeds and improve soil

structure.

8. Practice hedgerows plantation along bunds or terrace for controlling soil erosion.

9. Practice bio-intensive gardening with nitrogen fixing trees with such design


VI. Integrated pest management

Pests Awareness beforehand is a must for a farmer

Before pest attacks, be

ready with defence

Be ready with

water sprinklers

and pipe water

Be ready with

nets, medium

or small sized

Plant marigold

flowers in vegetable

gardens

Introduce mixed

cropping or

agrobiodiversity

Use or practice organic pest

repellents

Introduce light systems in

garden. Insects will be

attracted by lights

Right pest identification by

Agriculture Extension

agents and their

suggestions

Draining water from a paddy fields every 4-5

days help kill insects. Do not keep stagnant

water in a field for longer time


Pest behaviour study and record keeping for management

Part E: Farmers’ Field day Tour

It was planned on 28/10/2014 to Orong geog. The team from Samdrup Jongkhar Initiatives in collaboration with geog officiating Agriculture extension agent of Dewathang escorted the 16 farmers to two expert farmers of Orong geog, one at M.C Gurung field at Morong 28 km, and other at Lerong, at Memey Jamtsho place. Here are some pictures of the day visit to their fields.

Crops damaged

Pest timing, record starting date, daytime or night time

Pest identified At germination time or later stage?

Comments by EAs and SJI office

Example Winter Summer

Potato Red ants example

Watering before ants infestation

Spinach White patches Watering before pest

cabbage Yanang khompa(local name)

Watering the garden before pest attacks

Carrot Watering the garden before pest attacks


Discussions and advices received

MC Gurung shared his views that “Personal Interest” is the first and the most

important thing in gardening.

Secondly, he stresses the point in keeping or following time table or routine. It is a

must for vegetable growers, he said.


Third important thing is “Self seeds conservation at home”. This is because the

government seeds supply sometimes arrives late or untimely, he clarified.

Gardening management and methodology is very important.

Should not feel boring or lazy to work. We need dedication and commitment.

Ask help from geog Agriculture extension agents in terms of technical assistance or

anything possible. Relationship and communication with them is important.

Should not discontinue gardening. Once started, we should keep on working and

learning.

After seeds germinate from mother beds, we have to visit the farm regularly, do

monitor, count the seedlings, and keep record.

Plant marigold flowers and artemesia for using as pest repellents. Keep the marigold

soaked inside water overnight in a bucket, and mix with beaten artemesia and spray

with sprayers.

Pest infestation usually happens in between March-July. Usually butterfly.

He preserves seeds at his house, like, broccoli, cauliflower, coriander, cabbage,

beans, etc. After producing, he handovers to geog agriculture extension agent. He

earns money from seeds sale.

The Project Office at Wengkher have trained them, helped them a lot on technical

background.

The Agriculture Extension agent of Orong geog explained that group formation is a

must. She explained that the criteria for group formation or registration is to have

interested farmers, and need account opening of a group. By laws are needed while

group formation. By laws are composed by farmers themselves, in the presence of

geog agriculture extension agent as a facilitator.

The RAMCO Office of Mongar have been providing seeds support to the farmers of

Orong, with 25% seeds cost charge.

Memey Jamtsho taught the farmers on grafting techniques. He told that grafting

time starts with 1st month of Bhutanese calendar.

Explained the farmers on pit composting, letting us visit the sites.

Sometimes, one needs to be creative and try our own idea, Memey Jamtsho told.

The farmer groups of Orong supply vegetables to Orong Higher Secondary School,

boarding school on a tender basis. Each groups supply 1500 kilograms of vegetables

weekly. Farmers have hard time for rest, they pointed out.

Farmers are able to generate good income and live happier life.


Part F: Farmer promoters’ words at the end of day study

1. They would also like to try vegetable farming in their garden or villages in a similar

ways.

2. They feel inspired and encouraged by the training and study tour.

3. They would like to form farmers’ vegetable groups here after.

4. They would like to buy seeds personally from Morong, MC Guring fields and do

gardening.

5. They would like to initiate marketing channels or farmers-customers linkages in

order to activate farmers gardening.

Agriculture Farming Field Diary

Farming timetable management for germination and management

When did you receive seeds?

Mother beds preparation

When did you sow?

Watering management?

How often are you checking germination?

Counting records of healthy/ dead seedlings?

Transplantation date

Forward Information interpretation flow of communication cycle (Both EAs and Promoters

need to maintain)

Information from DAO, Project Offices

Date of information received

Received by

EAs to Promoters

Date Promoters to Farmers

Date


Reversed information interpretation flow of communication cycle (Both EAs and

Promoters need to maintain)

Know the farmers plan, interests, messages

Promoters action

Promoters to EAs

EAs action On which date?

EAS to Dzongkhag Agriculture office

Comments

Monitoring format for seeds supplied for promotion. (For free seeds supply only).To be filled by

EAs

Farmers Village Nos.of packets/quantity supplied

Distributed date

Field visits monitoring comments by EAs

Monitored date?

Quantity produced

Comments

Pest behaviour study and record keeping for management

Crops damaged

Pest timing, record starting date, daytime or night time

Pest identified

At germination time or later stage?

Comments by EAs

Summer Winter


Checking how well the farmers’ promoters are doing their job. Evaluation to be done by

EAs

Sl.no

Main activities or responsibilities

Indicator Who will monitor and how?

Responsibility

Comments

1 2 3 4 5 6

Reference: Dr.Gonslave power point presentation on farmer field promoters and bio

intensive gardening.

Report prepared by:

(Kiran Rai)

1 Farmer promoters nomination and training, and field day ... › assets › October-2015 ›...

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