Gumla and Simdega districts were selected for visits and detailed studies since they have the greatest pressure of population on land as well as over 76% of the population below the poverty line. Based on the field visits and the consultations held, we suggest the following seven point Action Plan for speeding up agricultural progress and bringing agrarian prosperity. A vital requirement for ensuring speedy progress in rural prosperity is the improvement of rural roads and communication, irrigation and rural electrification. The State Government should fully utilize the funds available under Bharat Nirman for this purpose.

SEVEN POINT ACTION PLAN FOR ACCELERATED AGRICULTURE PROGRESS LINKED WITH AGRARIAN PROSPERITY

The average productivity of paddy (1832 kg/ha), wheat (1204 kg/ha), oilseeds (574 kg/ha), maize (1204 kg/ha) and pulses (597 kg/ha) is low. Most of the cultivated area of 2.12 million ha is under a single crop during the months of June to September. Farmers are idle from September to May and men usually migrate to other cities or other states in search of jobs. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Program will help to alleviate this situation to some extent. The agriculture production strategy should be three pronged, consisting of:

	Improve the productivity of crops during SW Monsoon period
	Introduce a second crop which is high value but with low water requirement during the Rabi season from November to April
	Create opportunities for multiple livelihoods through crop-livestock integrated farming, poultry rearing, lac production, sericulture (both tussar and mulberry), mushroom cultivation, floriculture, vegetable production and agro-processing, all based on assured linkages to markets.
	The following seven steps adopted in an integrated manner based on a system or symphony approach will help to achieve the above goals.

(a)  Land use and Soil Health Care

Conservation farming should be the pathway to sustainable advances in productivity and profitability. There is need for providing farmers with Soil Health Cards, which provide information on the physics, chemistry, microbiology and erosion susceptibility of the soils. The status of soil organic matter content, micronutrients (boron and zinc) and macro-nutrients (N,P,K) as well as soil pH will have to be indicated on the Soil Health Card. Since most of the Jharkhand soils are acidic, ameliorative measures like lime application and micro-nutrient application  will have to be recommended. In addition, soil organic matter content will have to be improved through composts (vermicompost etc.) and farmyard manure. By restructuring the methodology of delivery of government support in the form of subsidy (direct payment to farmers rather than through fertilizer companies), it will be possible for farmers to buy the needed micro and macro-nutrients in a manner that promotes balanced fertilization. Modern Soil Testing Laboratories should be established in every district with funds from the Rashtriya Kisan Vikas Yojana.

Land use advice for the second crop should be based both on assessment of water availability and market demand. The cost-risk-return structure of farming should be kept in view while offering advice on cropping patterns. Wasteland and fallow  land development will also need appropriate advice on soil health enhancement. Thus soil health advice should cover both cultivated land and waste and fallow land. More phosphorus will be needed for pulses and oilseeds, balanced nutrients as well as irrigation water.

(b)  Jal Swaraj

Water security is necessary both for agriculture and domestic needs. Several programs are already underway for watershed management. Pani Panchayats will have to be set up with the help of Gram Sabhas for the sustainable and equitable use of the available water. Action on the setting up of Pani Panchayats should be included under the Panchayati Raj rules. A second crop can be taken both by saving water in farm ponds and wells during the SW Monsoon period and by the judicious use of groundwater through tube wells from November to April. Fortunately, the groundwater availability is good in almost all districts. In view of the shortage of electricity, diesel and solar pumps should be provided along with manual treadle pumps which are effective for small land holdings. Lift irrigation from Tanks and rivulets should be facilitated. The Pani Panchayat should be assisted with the science and art of rainwater harvesting and aquifer recharge as also with the sustainable management of aquifers and stored water. Equity in the sharing of harvested water is essential to ensure cooperation in water saving.

Watershed management should be linked to the use of the water for growing high value crops like medicinal plants, vegetables, flowers etc. as well as for seed production, which can provide opportunities for microenterprises based on micro-credit. If this is done, they will become Bio-industrial watersheds. The emphasis should be on more income and employment per unit water.

In order to expose farmers to successful Jal Swaraj programs, visits of men and women farmers can be arranged to successful water conservation programs as in Hiware Bazar Panchayat in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra (Sarpanch Sri Popatrao Pawar), Alwar in Rajasthan (Sri Rajendra Singh) and Dahod in Gujarat. The first National Water Prize awarded by the President of India in September 2007 went to the Hiware Bazar Panchayat. With much lower rainfall than in Jharkhand, Hiware Bazar farmers are taking 2 to 3 crops a year. As a result, there is nobody below the poverty line in the village. Farmer to farmer learning is the most powerful method of motivating farmers.  Continue.....