Research and Development At ETC

Research and Development Projects Undertaken

Period1996 - 2001
CountryIndia
FundingAME
LocationBangalore, Huskur & Mallur
Responsible Staff & ConsultantsH. Lanting, Dilip Chinnakonda & Ms. N. Brindha

Organic Vegetable Production System With farmers of Huskur and Mallur After the success with the pilot project in terms of the round the year production system and using the learnings, we extended the project to the farmers in Huskur area. We designed the production system with a group of individual farmers on ¼ acre of land of each farmer and the produce was brought to CoCo.

The main focus of this project was experimenting with the social organisation and marketing structures. We experimented with a group of youth farmers in Huskur village and various marketing linkages with organic shops. We also tried to link with schools, hospitals and caterers.

In Karnataka field offices in Hassan and Kadur. Foci of work: farmer organization and federation of ATMA registered farmers groups in Producer companies. Till date 7 Producer Companies established. Development of input supply structure for innovative inputs like potato planter, improved sprayers, biofertilizers, bio-control agents. Guiding ROHIT industries in Pune in developing potato planters and tomato trans-planters.

Improving nursery management and guiding APMC in developing upgraded market inclusive of sorting and grading machines. Developed a smartphone-based potato production application. Turn-over of Producer Companies over 2 crores per annum. Yields of both potato and tomato increased while pesticide and fertilizer use decreased. A total of 40,000 (Forty Thousand) farmers reached.

Period2000 - 2002
CountryIndia
FundingAME
LocationKarnataka
Responsible Staff & ConsultantsH. Lanting, Dr. M.S. Rao & Dr. K. Ravi (IPM)

In view of severe outbreak of coconut mite in Karnataka and the problem of pesticide residues in especially coconut water, we undertook a programme with a number of selected farmers to manage coconut mite using neem oil and sulfur-based sprays. Data were collected of cost: benefit ratios. These formed the basis of a business plan for private extension agents to take up the sprays on commercial basis. The business plan is under consideration with NABARD.

Publications

  • H. Lanting, Dr. M. S. Rao & Dr. K. Ravi, Tomato, a field guide to eco-friendly crop production. Manual published by AME, 2001.
  • S. Balaji Rao, S. S. Kandagal and H. Lanting. Groundnut and Cotton cultivation, technologies worth trying in LEISA India, December 2000.
  • Edith van Walsum and Rama Devi Kolli. Mainstreaming Gender in Participatory Technology Development. Dynamics between Farmers Groups, NGOs and a Support Organisation in developing Sustainable Dryland Agriculture In south India. Published in the book. “Experiences in Gender Transformative Capacity Building”. Edited by Ranjini K. Murthy, SAGE, New Delhi, 2000.
  • V.S Khatana, A.S Aluru, J.S D’Souza and H. Lanting. Farmers’ participation in technology generation-an answer to environmental problems of unsustainable agricultural practices. Published in the proceeding of the National seminar on environmental pollution, organised by University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, November 2000 Chinnakonda, Dilip. Integrated Agriculture - towards food, financial and ecological security – Editorial in LEISA India September 2000
  • Robens, C. J. & H. Lanting. Methodological Problems in Comparative Research. Published in the 13th International IFOAM Scientific Conference Proceedings Report, August 2000, Zurich.
  • Dilip Chinnakonda and H. Lanting. Measuring Farm Level Sustainability. Published in the 13th International IFOAM Scientific Conference Proceedings Report, August 2000, Zurich.
  • Dr. STS Reddy, Dr. Alexander Daniel, H. Lanting and IFOAM Project 1 Team. Research Methodology for IFOAM Project 1: Participatory Approach. Published in the 13th International IFOAM Scientific Conference Proceedings Report, August 2000, Zurich.
    R.P Witte, D. Chinnakonda, S.T.S Reddy, H. Lanting, C.J Robens, V. Gonzalvez, F.Salmeron, M. Verschhr and F.Orozco. Farm Level Comparison of Organic, Conventional and Traditional Farms in IFOAMs OA’99 Programme: First Year’s results regarding farmer self-reliance, nutrient balance and labour. Published in the 13th International IFOAM Scientific Conference Proceedings Report, August 2000, Zurich.
  • V. S. Khatana, H. Lanting and J. S. Naidu. Ground Realities about Groundnut Cultivation in India with special reference to the semi-arid tropics. Accepted for publication in Asian -Agri-History.
  • FPHH. Lanting. A glimpse of factors influencing bio-diversity in LEISA India December 1999
  • Edith van Walsum, H. Lanting and J. Jangal. Training for NGOs: The Approach of the Agriculture Man and Ecology Project. In Participatory Watershed Development. Challenges for the Twenty - First Century. Edited by John Farrington, Cathryn Turton and A.J. James, Oxford University Press 1999.
  • H. Lanting, Mussoorie Phosphate for Sustainable Agriculture. Proceedings of a workshop, Kochi, Nov. 15, 1999.
  • Rama Devi Kolli and H. Lanting. Leaf Wetness Counter. A case study of Institutional Partnerships towards Sustainable Groundnut Production in South India. In: Research Partnerships: Issues and Lessons Learnt from Collaborations of NGOs and Agricultural Research Institutions. Proceeding of an International Workshop organised by IIRR, the Philippines October 1998.
  • Walsum, E. van, Mans Lanting and J. Jangal. From Peanuts to Platforms. AME’s Approach to training NGOs in Integrated Watershed Management. Paper presented at the National Conference on Participatory Approaches to Watershed Management Organised by the Ministry of Rural Development. New Delhi, April 1998.
  • Rama Devi Kolli, H. Lanting and Y.D. Naidu: Leaf Wetness Counter - A Case Study of Institutional Partnership Towards Sustainable Groundnut Production in South India. (Oct. 1998)
  • Edith van Walsum and Rama Devi Kolli ( 1998): Mainstreaming Gender in Participatory Technology Development. Dynamics between farmers groups, NGOs and a support organisation in developing sustainable dryland agriculture in South India. In : Ranjani K. Murthi (ed): Gender Transformative Training and Main streaming at the Community at the Community Level. Indian Experiences. Sage Publications, New Delhi; forthcoming.
  • N. Brindha, H. Lanting & K. S. Sebastian Participatory approaches for Development A case study on Organic Vegetable Cultivation.
  • AME and Australian Center for International Agricultural Research, “Why are my groundnut plants dying?”, published by AME in 1999.
  • AME and MANAGE, “Ecofriendly Management of White Grub and Leaf Miner Pests of Groundnut”. Proceedings of a Diagnostic Workshop; 8-9 October 1997, Bangalore & Hyderabad.
  • Chinnakonda, Dilip, “FARMS - Monitoring Farm Performance”. In: LEISA Newsletter, October 1997, Vol. 13, No 3.
  • Chinnakonda, Dilip, H. Lanting and K. Ravi, “Organic Vegetable Production. A Case Study with special reference to Pest Management”. In: Proceedings of the First National Symposium on Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems. AAPMHE, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore. October 1997.
  • Lanting H. , Chitra Suresh & K. Ravi, “Guidelines for Groundnut Cultivation on Red Soils in South-ern India”. In: Resource Management in Rainfed Drylands. An Information Kit. MYRADA & IIRR, 1997.