Farmer’s Vision on Future Farming Systems: Strategies for Livestock and Forage Development in the Eastern Plateau Region, India

Abstract

This report elucidates the opportunities that exist for livestock and forage development in the East India Rainfed Farming Project areas in Ranchi district of Bihar in India. The various steps in the Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) approach followed and, the different participatory tools that were employed for gathering information are described in detail. The farming households from three clusters are typologised into three farm types based on their livestock holding pattern. The changes in the agroecosystems in the study villages from the past to the present brought out through agro-ecosystem mapping are described in detail. The partners who were responsible for these changes are identified. The visions of different types of farming households about the desired future farming models are elaborated. The stakeholders whom the households consider as potential partners who can help them realize their future visions are identified. The results of the brainstorming exercise done involving the farming households, researchers and development workers on the alternative pathways to realize their visions to develop farm models for the three types are described and discussed. The report gives the desired future farming system models for each of the farm types. The plausible research and development options are identified and targeted for each farm type. They are then subjected to a process of screening for environmental sustainability, social equity and economic competitiveness. The process and the results are elaborated in the report. The report gives the organizational linkages required to implement some of the important screened options, roles of each of the organizations involved and action plans to achieve the same. The report ends with the training needs identified for the development workers and communities and the areas identified for adaptive and new research.