Tools and Methods

Integrated Farming System Module which will be intervened in the targeted families to develop sustainable livelihood model is given below. Altogether 4 modules will be practiced during the project period.

Module I        

Rice-Fish-Horticulture

Rice-fish-vegetable farming in an integrated way will be practiced as rice in the main field followed by vegetable like cabbage, cauliflower, knolkhol, brinjal, okra, potato, French bean. A unit area of 2500 sq m shall be put under this module. The fish will be cultivated both with the rice field and along with pond. The vegetable may be practiced along with the pond also.

Module 2   

Livestock-Fish-Vegetable

This module would consist of three sub-modules such as poultry-fish-vegetable, Dairy-fish-vegetable and pig-fish-vegetable. Adoption of any module would be based on farmers’ choices and feasibilities. A homestead fish pond 5000 sq mts water surface area to be integrated with livestock unit comprising 10000 sq mts for recycling of animal waste and feeds and fodder would be produced to reduce the input cost. Seasonal vegetables like cabbage, bean, gourd etc would be cultivated in an area of 2500 sq mtrs. Some parts of animal waste and fertilized pond water would be utilized to enrich the soil fertility in the cultivated area.

Module 3

Dairy-fish - vegetable

Cattle is the most important and common farming unit in the most of the household. The cattle is mainly used for ploughing the land and milk production for own consumption. The cow dung and cow urine is not utilizes effectively which can be utilized for INM and IPM in vegetable cultivation. The vegetable byproducts can be used as cattle feed. This way there will be effective recycling of dairy bi-product and vegetable bi-product. 1 acre of land can be utilized for this module.

Module 4

Sericulture-Livestock-Horticulture

The muga silk is extensively being practices in the district. The ‘somani’(plot where som trees planted for muga caterpillar) known by the indigenous people can be integrated with livestock and horticulture plants such as pineapple, lemon, pomello etc. Livestock species like pig, poultry may be integrated in this module. As the area faces acute shortage of fuel wood, the trimmed branches of som trees can be utilizes as fuel wood from time to time taking into consideration the multipurpose nature of the som tree. Besides, the som leaves would also be a source of fodder for animals. Further, fodder plants and trees also can be planted in between the som trees. The existing som tree will be used for this module and along with this the horticultural and livestock unit will be integrated.

 For effective facilitation and implementation of the interventions and to assure people’s participation and making people empower frequent field visit by NGO, employee and implementing agencies are very much required. For this matter and to make the delivery system effective for Cluster Office and one District Unit Office has been proposed.

 A total of 4000 families in the three clusters of the District shall be covered under the project from training and extension part of view. However, 2500 farm families will be directly adopted under the project with physical interventions during the project period. The farmers would be selected based on the objectivity. The selection criteria should be based on the assets possessed, farming system, farming tradition and farming situation.