Homestead Production Systems (HPS) in Sundarbans,

West Bengal, India Current Status and Opportunities

SUBHASIS MANDAL, D. BURMAN, S. K. SARANGI, B.K. BANDYOPADHYAY AND B. MAJI Central Soil Salinity Research Institute

Regional Research Station CANNING TOWN

West Bengal (India)

Outline of presentation…

HPS – how important ? Methodology -Data sources & sampling design

-Analytical techniques Results and discussions -Current status of HPS - Socio-economic features of homestead farmers -Resources in HPS -Fisheries in HPS -Contribution of HPS to household (HH) food security -Economics of HPS Harnessing the opportunities of HPS -Linking HPS to the markets !! Conclusion

HOMESTEAD- It’s national importance Concepts and Definition - NSS report No 493 (2002-03)

Homestead land

– dwelling house – courtyard – compound – garden – out-house – place of worship – family graveyard – guest house – household enterprises – tanks – wells – latrines – drains and boundary walls

3

Central Statistical Organisation estimates

STATEWISE ESTIMATES OF VALUE OF OUTPUT FROM AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED ACTIVITIES (1999-2000 to 2005-06)

Kitchen garden/Homestead: This production of crops in foreyard/backyard of houses was

taken into account for the first time in the national accounts in the 1993-94 series.

4

5

y = 241.26x + 3978.7

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04

Value of output from Kitchen garden - West Bengal

West Bengal

Linear (West Bengal)

Annual Compound Growth Rate:

West Bengal ------ 4.23 %

India ------ 1.64 %

Rs

Lakh

Year

HPS – importance in coastal WB Value of output from homesteads more important for small-

holders.

In coastal areas of West Bengal the operational farm holding are dominated by marginal farmers (86%).

HPS systems contributes to livelihoods and household level food security in this region

The utilization of these available homestead water resources

are not to their potential. With scientific/improved interventions to enhance resource

efficiency and productivity.

Issues The HPS system is the way of life but complex in terms of quantification

Key questions are – • What is the current status of HPS that includes socio-economics of

farmers, resources in system and production ? • Quantifying the benefits and how to improve the production

capacities of the system? • How the HPS is linked with the existing market? Can the system

responds to the higher demand in the market, if arises? • What kind of support / intervention is needed to improve the

production system?

Sampling design (multistage stratified random sampling)

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Level Site/unit Criteria Number Cumulative

units

State West Bengal

(coastal)

Purposive

1 1

District N 24 Parganas

Purposive

(one of the

coastal

districts)

1 1

Block/PS Sandeshkhali I and

Sandeshkhali II*

Random

(random from

6 salt affected

blocks)

2 2

Gram Panchayat

(GP)

Hatgachi in

Sandeshkhali I and

Bermajur-I,

Bermajur-II &

Durgamandap are in

Sandeshkhali II

Random 2

(from each

block/PS)

4

Village Dakhin Kanmari,

Semulhati, Bermajur,

Jupkhali, Daudpur

and Durgamandap **

Random 3

(from each GP)

12

Households

(HH)

Homestead farmers Random

20

240

* N 24 Parganas has 6 salt affected blocks

Study area

Major occupation of HPS farmers

10

34

27

21

18

% of respondents (as per time spent)

Cultivation

Pisciculture+cultivation

Wage Labourers

Others

38

39

19 4

% of respondents (as per income source)

Cultivation

Pisciculture+cultivation

Wage Labourers

Others

Current status of HPS

Gender participation

All family members including the children (below 14 years of age) participate in activities of HPS on daily basis at least for few minutes to few hours. The HPS system is a way of life and considered to be a family affair.

Overall HH income pattern – sources and amount

12

17188

23334

5100

37152 53450

38173

Avg. Income (Rs/hh/year)

CultivationPiscicultureVegetableWage labourerBrackishwater aquacultureOthers

Homestead production system - ponds

• Majority farm households one or more pond within or outside the homestead production systems (few have >5 no).

• Avg. age of ponds 58 years, some were > 80 years and 5-6 years.

• Over 50 % of the total ponds >60 years, followed by < 20 years (18%), between 40-60 years (15%) and 20-40 years (11%).

• Average size of ponds 0.11 acre.

Fisheries in HPS

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Fishes are grown in HPS ponds as composite fish culture. rohu, catla, mrigal, japani punti, silver carp, tangra, vetki, tilapia, mourala, prawn, pangas, golden carp, sol, koi, magur etc.

Without scientific management – stocking, feeding, harvesting

Avg. number of fish seeds used 2000-2500 no/year. Avg. production 75 kg/pond/year and 143 kg/HH/year. Avg. value of fish produced Rs. 8250/- per pond/year and the

same was Rs. 15730/HH/year.

Non-aquaculture enterprises in HPS • No of Vegetables grown in HPS brinjal, bhindi, potato, cabbage,

cauliflower, pumpkin, yam, spinach, colocasia, amaranthus, cucumber, bitter gourd, beet, carrot etc.

• Vegetable area in HPS was 200-250sq.m. Inputs like seeds, pesticides and human labour (mainly family labour) were key cost components.

• Input cost (excluding imputed value of human labour) and average production of vegetables was Rs. 450/- or 340 kg per HH

• Value of vegetables produced in HPS was Rs. 5100/- per HH

Contribution of HPS to the households’ food security

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Items

Contribution (%) Average

production (kg/HH)

Home consumption

% to total requirement

Marketed

Vegetables 70-75 30-40 25-30 340

Fish 30-35 50-60 60-65 143

Fruits 85-90 - 5-10 -

Livestock 80-85 50 10-15 -

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Risk and uncertainty mitigation and HPS

Cyclone (aila) in this coastal area during May 2009 entire farmland inundated with saline water. Growing crops to these lands was impossible thereafter for few subsequent seasons. The HPS was only areas feasible for cultivation due to its high land situation and less intrusion of saline water. Saline water recedes quickly or salinity washed away after few shower and the plots under HPS became suitable for growing crops.

Financial analysis of existing HPS

Financial analysis:

IRR = 11% (<12 %, the discounting rate),

NPV = Rs. (-)2816,

BCR = 0.98.

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Assumptions:

1. Economic life – 15 years

2. Discount rate – 12%

3. Full benefit at 2nd year onwards

4. Major excavation/repair after 10-12 years

5. Major components – fish, vegetables

Under current practices long term investment in HPS was not a financially

attractive proposition but provides multiple services

The system can be contribute more the economy of the region through technological intervention and financial support

Harnessing the opportunities of HPS – Linking farmers

with markets Primary objective of the HPS to supplement the daily

food requirement without commercial motive.

The area of operation under HPS is very small and the quantity of marketable surplus limited.

Area under individual crops very limited, the quantity available for sales were not driven by the high or low market prices of a produce, therefore weakly linked with the market demand

Improved resource management – aquaculture and vegetables production

Existence of some kind of dichotomy between adopting management techniques for vegetable production and aquaculture practices.

Aquaculture – traditional and non-scientific (way of life)

Vegetables – intensive and preference for new varieties ( max. output)

Needs financial and technical support to the farmers for better utilization of their existing resources through scientific management

Priority setting - crop mix or diversification

Crop mix and diversity – high or low ?

Household food and nutrition vs better income ?

EITHER less number of crops focusing on the market demand to raise income OR diverse crops for better HH food security, sacrificing the expected higher return from specialized crops.

Needs govt. schemes to promote HPS as per farmers preference, socio-economic conditions and priorities of practicing HPS (HH food security or commercial)

Conclusion

HPS contributes substantially to meet daily needs of food and nutrition, cash income and employment to whole family.

Resource use under this system can be made more productive and contribute more to regional food security.

Need ensured supply of quality inputs and training on production management of all enterprises, fish, vegetables and livestock.

HPS was an all-out family affair, any skill up-gradation programme should be focusing on whole family, including men, women and children (12-18 years of age).

Farmers’ need financial support to enhance their investment capacities

Enhancing production level would increase the quantity of marketable surplus and better linkage with the market.