How farmers organise
The vast majority of articles published in the LEISA Magazines describe situations where communities working together formally or informally are a key part of the experience.
The benefit of strength in numbers is not a new concept, and for many farmers and communities in rural areas, working together is an obvious, time-tested and often necessary idea.
Working together can take many forms, and a variety of terms are used to cover the scope of this idea – collective action, farmers’ organisations, womens’ groups, unions, co-operatives, self-help groups, networks, alliances, associations, committees, clubs, partnerships. These terms imply a range of methods for joining forces, at different levels, in a variety of sizes and scopes, with different aims, or with different legal status.
In this issue of the LEISA Magazine we present articles which discuss and analyse the experiences of some of these types of groups, looking especially at how, where and why farmers organise themselves, and drawing out some lessons.
LEISA Magazine • 23.1 • March 2007
Table of contents:
-
1 - 1
-
2 - 3
-
4 - 5written by ILEIA editorial teamThe vast majority of articles published in the LEISA Magazines describe situations where communities working together formally or informally are a key part of the experience. The benefit of strength in numbers is not a new concept, and for many farmers and communities in rural areas, working together is an obvious, time-tested and often necessary idea. Working together can take many forms, and a variety of terms are used to cover the scope of this idea – collective action, farmers’ organisations, womens’ groups, unions, co-operatives, self-help groups, networks, alliances, associations, committees, clubs, partnerships. These terms imply a range of methods for joining forces, at different levels, in a variety of sizes and scopes, with different aims, or with different legal status. In this issue of the LEISA Magazine we present articles which discuss and analyse the experiences of some of these types of groups, looking especially at how, where and why farmers organise themselves, and drawing out some lessons.
-
6 - 8The role of well-functioning markets for development is now widely recognised, but the challenge to make these markets benefit the poor and the environment remains. Increasing attention is being given to the potential role markets can play to conserve agrobiodiversity through product diversification and increasing competitiveness in niche and novelty markets. Bioversity International (formerly known as the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute) has undertaken several studies that explore the use of market-based approaches to on-farm agrobiodiversity management and livelihood improvement. This article presents some of the case studies developed on a range of species, all of which shown the importance of collective action.
-
9 - 9written by Annette Aurelie DesmaraisLa Vía Campesina is an international peasant movement that brings together 149 organisations of peasants, rural women, indigenous agrarian communities, small and medium-scale farmers and farm workers from 56 countries. Since 1993, it has worked hard to put in place a radically different model of rural development, one that keeps farming families on the land, builds vibrant rural communities that produce healthy and safe food, respects diversity, and is based on social justice. La Vía Campesina works at the local, national and international levels to change agricultural and rural policies to help improve the well-being of people living in the countryside. It focuses on eight issues of great concern to farming families everywhere: food sovereignty and agricultural trade, biodiversity and genetic resources, rights of migrant farm workers, sustainable peasant agriculture, gender equality, agrarian reform, human rights in rural areas, and peasant-based sustainable agriculture.
-
10 - 11written by Olakulehin John Oladapo , Y.O BasorunWith more and more fish being brought into the state of Lagos to satisfy consumer demand, the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority realised that fish farming could offer the possibility of increasing fish production, as well as creating employment opportunities and providing an additional source of income for urban dwellers. Fish farming was successfully promoted, but after some time fish farmers realised that they were at a disadvantage when working independently: they had limited access to extension services and prices were set by middlemen. In response, the Lagos State Fish Farmers’ Association was started up in 2004 with less than 10 members and has since grown in numbers and influence, benefiting small scale farmers as well as other stakeholders in the local fish farm industry.
-
12 - 14written by Jeyanth K Newport , Godfrey G. P. JawaharIn the early 1990s, the Palli and Pattapu communities of Prakasam and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh (India) were facing a difficult situation for various reasons. The increasing presence of large-scale fishing interests and the depletion of the marine resources forced many Pattapu communities to shift completely to farming. And both the Pattapu and the Palli found it increasingly difficult to depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. This article describes the actions taken leading to the creation of the Samudra Theera Matsya Karmikula Union (STMKU). The resulting organisation, on the basis of their traditional leaders, has made the local inhabitants aware of their own stregths, potentials and limitations.
-
15 - 17written by Hans Peter ReindersIn the 1980s, Dutch farmers started cultivating new land in an area that formerly had been at the bottom of the sea. Although there was a growing interest from consumers in organically grown products, organic agricultural practices were still hardly developed in the Netherlands in those days. A group of farmers started a club with the aim to develop and share knowledge on organic production systems. Over the years this initiative developed into a formal organisation for organic farmers with more than 70 members. Once enough knowledge had been generated by this group, their mission has shifted towards strategic representation in influential agricultural organisations and lobbying activities.
-
18 - 19Even though the FFS approach is not intended for creating long-term organisations, it has become apparent that after the season-long FFS process, most of the groups continue working together to address problems within their community. Whereas the season-long curriculum is developed around a technical component, other vital livelihood issues that affect the community are blended into the curriculum as special topics: HIV/AIDS issues, basic financial management, simple credit management skills or others. This responsiveness to immediate community concerns has facilitated a transformation of the FFS to a popular community forum in which farmers discuss problems within their own local context and seek solutions with minimal external support. This development has been a fundamental factor in building farmers’ confidence to determine their own destiny. The first networks emerged in Western Kenya in the year 2000 as a result of exchange visits and communication between farmers, facilitators and trainers of different Farmer Field Schools. Similar networks have subsequently emerged elsewhere in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
-
20 - 21written by Cesar Gonzales AlfaroFaced with decreasing productivity and an increasing population, farmers in the district of San Luis in Peru decided to participate in the Ministry of Agriculture’s National Soil Conservation programme. The programme began by setting up a number of “conservation committees” based in the villages. After some years’ progress, San Luis was chosen as a pilot area for a new project with the objective of “developing a participatory approach to natural resource management”. This project built on the existing local and district committees to form a district association, which, despite some initial difficulties, has seen concrete results such as securing funding for a reforestation project, as well as small scale production projects. This has recently motivated the association to move in other directions.
-
22 - 24written by Mihin DolloThe traditional farmers’ groups of the Apatani people, in the Arunachal Himalayas, India, have been successfully managing their natural resources for many years. However, in recent times, many of their traditions, practices and knowledge are in danger of being diluted or lost. The Apatani are known for their system of paddy rice and fish cultivation, which is a highly evolved indigenous farming system, producing enough rice to export after meeting local needs. The farmers themselves recognise that, without farmer groups, agro-ecosystem management could easily weaken, and the technical ecological knowledge which supports it could quickly erode. Their challenge is to maintain and preserve their production system and the knowledge and practices it is based on, when faced with changing conditions and outside influences.
-
25 - 25written by Cristina Reyes SalvosaThe Malabing valley is found in the northeastern part of the Sierra Madre Corridor, in Nueva Vizcaya, the Philippines. Although maize and rice are still its major crops, citrus production has intensified since its introduction in the early 1980s. The mild climate, rich soils and forests provide unique conditions for the cultivation of various species of citrus, covering more than a thousand hectares. Citrus production is now the major on-farm income source for the valley population, and it has also resulted in significant improvements in the community itself, bringing new infrastructure, facilities and services to a valley which was once inaccessible. Much of this has been a result of the Malabing Valley Multipurpose Co-operative.
-
26 - 27Farmer organisation has been identified as a key factor in enhancing farmers’ access to markets. In response, policy makers and development practitioners have focused on supporting small scale producers to associate, collaborate and coordinate in order to achieve economies of scale in their transactions with input suppliers and buyers. The enthusiasm for farmer organisations has, at times, obscured the fact that establishing viable organisations is not a simple process. There is, hence, a need to examine what we mean by farmer organisations and to understand better when farmer organisations make sense, when they do not and how they can best be established and maintained.
-
28 - 28written by Malamba Clement MwangosiFarmers in Bwipa, a remote village in the district of Ileje, in the southern Mbeya region of Tanzania, regularly grow maize, bananas, potatoes and upland rice. The maize seed most often planted in this area is a high yielding hybrid type, but is prone to disease and pest attacks. Compared to the local varieties, hybrid maize is less tasty and more expensive – not only because of the price of the seed, but also because of the fertilizer it requires. Furthermore, because it is a hybrid, farmers need to buy new seed every year, or yields drop drastically. This general situation became even more complicated in 2003, when the seeds were not available in sufficient quantities. This led to the formation of a self-help group with the specific objective of ensuring the availability of good quality seeds.
-
29 - 31written by Doug AveryThe continuous drought affecting the northern part of New Zealand's South Island made all farmers in the area struggle in order to maintain their farming businesses. Many farming people had to find jobs offfarm to support their families, and farm work was done in the evening and at weekends. All were struggling in isolation and much voluntary help, which had always been so forthcoming, was no longer available. The community organisations which relied on this were badly affected. About three years into the drought, we came to a point when it was vital to re-evaluate all of our farming systems if we really wanted to survive. A group of local farmers got together to look into alternative production technology as well as to try to stop the immense sheet erosion caused by the drought. With the invaluable guidance of the Landcare Trust, our farmer group set about creating a science project to explore and demonstrate potential solutions to the problems experienced.
-
32 - 33
-
34 - 34
-
35 - 35
-
36 - 36If your organisation or library is missing any previous issues of the magazine, or would like extra copies of a particular issue, you can request them from ILEIA free of charge. We have limited numbers of most issues going back to 1988, covering a wide variety of topics relating to the social, economic and technical dimensions of sustainable agriculture. You can also go to the Magazine page on our website to see which issues would be of most interest to you.
Print this