How farmers organise - Editorial

LEISA Magazine • 23.1 • March 2007

How farmers organise

Editorial

Everywhere in the world, small-scale farmers are collaborating with each other in some way – forming groups, sharing information, working together. Under the right circumstances, farmers’ groups can make a very positive difference to the lives of those working to improve their livelihood options, as well as to the sustainable management of natural resources. 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.

Why should farmers organise?

For individuals and communities, it is useful and effective –sometimes a matter of survival– to organise and work together for many reasons. In general, farmers and groups organise themselves as a response to a commonly felt need to improve their own social or economic situations. This can create different dynamics and present exciting opportunities. Experiences with Farmer Field Schools show how this works: farmers come together because they have lot of problems with pests. In the process of learning how to deal with this, they discover that pests are a symptom of a bigger problem. They also discover the value of working together in a group, and then find ways build on this to their advantage (see Braun et al., p. 18).

Many tasks related to managing sustainable agricultural practices are best done in groups. This is clear from the various types of informal institutions such as voluntary work groups and long-practiced traditions of reciprocity which are common, and found in countries as diverse as Ghana, the Philippines, and Brazil. These farmer groups are based on community ties, trust between members, obligations, and are based in tradition. In the example of the traditional farmers’ groups among the Apatani in India (see Dollo, p. 22), the groups provide the means for sharing and preserving local knowledge, strengthening the cohesiveness of the community through mutual dependency and contributing to effective and long-term natural resource management.

Farmers’ organisations of all types have an important role in development – they provide space for participation which contributes to group members’ ownership of the issue at hand as well as any solutions. This in turn builds group cohesiveness, solidarity, and promotes mutual support. They can be the platform for building a sense of community, a social support system, increasing self-confidence, learning together and providing a sense of equality. A well-organised group can be taken seriously in a wider environment. Farmers’ organisations are increasingly about empowerment, of individuals as well as of the groups themselves.

Groups with common interests can secure access to services that individuals cannot, such as training, credit or equipment. Lack of access to any of these could be the vital issue that an individual farmer faces, yet by joining a group, different opportunities arise, enabling farmers to learn, decide and act. This is particularly the case where farmers organise as a response to marketing concerns, as there are clear economic benefits of working in groups. These include the ability of groups to buy seed in bulk, or access more distant markets. Working together can increase members’ bargaining power, which helps to share and lower risks and costs. In areas where farmers are scattered geographically, and transport and communications are difficult, the importance of such organisations is even greater.

Lastly, farmers’ groups are an important way for farmers to become recognised, economically, socially and politically. With increased emphasis on farmer-led or demand-driven development processes, groups are an important tool enabling farmers to lead the way and giving them more power. By building on what they have, know, and share (including knowledge, interests and obligations), organising is an important way for farmers to have a voice and increase their influence. This is vital when working towards improving their own social, economic and environmental conditions and can be achieved through lobbying and advocacy activities.

Organising for change

The articles in this issue give some examples of the common goals that farmers organise themselves around – environmental concerns related to social and economic improvement (see Gonzales, p. 10), advocacy (see Newport and Jawahar, p. 12) or access to markets and related opportunities (see Kruijssen et al., p. 6). Groups of farmers who come together spontaneously or through their own efforts to answer their own felt needs are more likely to be effective than groups that are brought together to suit the needs of an external agency. Spontaneous and voluntary formation of social groups involves a high degree of trust which cannot be manufactured. This is one reason why community groups are often formed around one strong personality, and are formed due to some immediate issue which needs attention. It is very common to find women’s or youth groups, as they will share a number things in common and are often more comfortable working together than in more mixed groups.

There is an important difference between farmers or communities that organise themselves to work together, and farmers being organised in groups by external actors who see this as a vital step and entry point for community development. External agencies often view the creation of organisations as a positive intervention, a way of increasing impact and sustainability of activities. Farmers and communities often do benefit from participating in such projects through gaining access to trainings, information, resources and further linkages. However, groups formed in this way are typically more prone to difficulties at the start and there is a risk they will not continue if or when the initiating institution pulls out. Alternatively, where previously established local groups gain the support of external agencies, this arrangement can be very positive. A key challenge for these agencies (whether big government programmes or small NGOs) is then to act as catalysts and bring out the self-organising capacities of farmers and local communities in the most locally relevant and useful way. Effective support can facilitate or enable local groups to achieve more, or be heard by the right people. It can be especially constructive while community groups are establishing themselves, or in response to a stated need. However, as groups develop and find their own strength, the external agencies then need to consider the different type of support groups may need. Established groups may move on to needing legal advice, infrastructure such as transport or computers, and will generally need more complex and focused support to maintain as well as develop activities.

Limitations and difficulties in farmers’ organisations

There are other difficulties which must be overcome if groups are to develop and flourish in the long term. Often these are problems of day-to-day management, such as farmers not having enough time to participate as fully as they would like, or having difficulty in finding fees or other contributions required. Farmers will weigh these investments against benefits, but often these and other pressing practical concerns can become a difficulty for farmers’ groups.

According to the circumstances in which specific organisations are formed, each group will need different types of support, resources and information. Access to this can affect how groups perform. In larger groups or networks, difficulty in reaching decisions and resulting internal conflict is more common. If objectives are not achieved, or results do not come up to expectations, members may lose interest. Groups also have to deal with external pressure or influence, and always have to operate within the local political and economic environment. Challenges faced by groups include ensuring that everyone can be involved, and avoiding that certain interests or voices becoming dominant. This is especially the case with gender and cultural or religious concerns.

Although working together is beneficial in many situations, it must be recognised that organising for the sake of organising, or organising because it is requested by outside projects will not necessarily bring the results expected. Successful groups take some planning, thought and careful consideration of what form they should take in order to reach their goals. Would a co-operative work in the local economic climate? What local or traditional institutions already exist that can be built on or formalised? How large does the farmers organisation need to be to get local government to listen to them? Members should also look at why it is beneficial to be in a group, and consider all their options (see Hellin et al., p. 26).

Successful groupings

By looking at examples of success, we can begin to draw out some common characteristics of effective groups. Research and experience with groups shows that the most successful are often small, informal groups, formed by people of similar backgrounds or concerns, who have a clear objective and vision, are responding to commonly felt needs, and share a high degree of trust. Members of successful groups also realise that the benefits of organising outweigh the costs. They are able to secure adequate support, have clear rules and responsibilities, hold meetings and communicate effectively. These groups are often focused on income generation, and many have a savings or emergency fund.

Legal status is also usually needed for an organisation to be recognised by public authorities, or access public services. It can also be useful when finding partners and institutionalising into more formal structures – developments which can help an organisation to progress and move forward. Supportive local policies and a conducive institutional environment are of critical importance. Power relationships at the local and district level are often complex, and strengthening farmers’ voices, and making sure they are listened to, are crucial elements of sustainable agriculture.

On a larger scale

If strength can be found in a well-functioning group, then this effect can be amplified when groups work together, or form networks to achieve their aims (see Braun et al., p. 18). Many groups start small, and quickly see the advantages in joining forces with other groups, NGOs or research institutions. This can be beneficial for all parties, provide options that are based in local realities and be more effective and efficient. Depending on the group’s objectives, scaling up and reaching out is often a natural step. Such alliances, however, are not always easy to manage, due to different expectations, working practices or attitudes. Much more is known about what makes a successful community level organisation than what is needed to create effective collaborative structures at higher system levels, and this challenge needs to be addressed. However, with honest and open communication, many operational difficulties can be overcome. Strong networks of farmers groups have developed in Latin America, at both regional and national levels. In India there has been a phenomenal increase in and development of womens’ self help groups. These groups have gone on to establish federations and larger structures, which have succeeded in making small farmers’ concerns heard where they were never heard before.

Moving forward

Many groups organise themselves as a response to a felt need. If this need is resolved, members may feel that working as a group is no longer necessary, or that they need to change their objectives to suit the new situation. As such, some groups are not meant to last forever and it is valid for them to achieve their objectives and move on. What is important is that a group has a clear vision of where it is going and what it wants to achieve – this vision can be adapted over time. In most circumstances, farmers’ organisations are beneficial to those involved, although choosing the most appropriate type of organisation, and its internal management, needs careful thought in relation to how to achieve objectives.

The articles in this issue, as well as numerous other experiences, show that farmer organisation is critical and central to furthering sustainable agriculture. This works at every level, from farmers experimenting together to locally improve techniques, to jointly representing their interests at a international level. Given the difficulties faced by small scale farmers, every effort is needed in order to achieve the improvements needed in their various circumstances. Farmers’ groups, networks or federations can all make a huge contribution to raising awareness and campaigning for change. In the majority of cases, strong local organisations are, and will continue to be, key to building sustainable livelihoods based on low external input agriculture.