This case study was sent to us as an appendix to HICODEF’s first annual report on the Layer Farming for Adaptation project. We have done some light editing to the text, but have not do a full re-write as the meaning comes across perfectly. The full annual report can be downloaded from our reports page.
Bishne Rana, 46, is a resident farmer of Ripaha village. He lives there with six family members. He migrated to gulf country for labour and returned two years ago. After returning home he re-continued his traditional farming occupation. He cultivated maize, millet, rice and vegetables. By this farming practice he and his family only coped with difficulty; year round food security was a problem.
The Layer Farming for Adaptation project gave him the chance to become a founder member of the farmer's group the project established in Ripaha. Furthermore, he got the opportunity to get involved in framers group training and received onsite technical support from our project staff. After being trained he started farming vegetables like chili, long beans and tomato.
Having seen his efforts and commitment, the project supported him with a polytunnel and a 1,000 litre irrigation tank. After that he started tomato farming in the tunnel. In the lockdown period and since, he has grown 400kg of tomato.
Unfortunately, due to lockdown he could not get a high price for his tomato crop. However, he did manage to sell it at Rs 20/kg* and earned more than 8,000 rupees from. Likewise, he sold 100kg long beans at Rs 80/kg and earned a further 8,000 rupees.
In the last month or so, he has started to grow valuable chillies named Akbare on one ropani of land, which is now ready to sell. These chillies can be sold for Rs 200/kg in the local market, possibly more.
Bisne Rana is very excited by his success so far, he told us: "I will expand my vegetable farming in more than 5 Ropani and will take more than 1 lakh (100,000 rupees) every year." Now he has also started coffee plantation on his land too; he will be supported in growing and commercialising organic coffee using the layer farming method.
*Tomatoes can normally fetch up to Rs 40/kg in local markets (around 25p)
To find out more about our Layer Farming for Adaptation work, please visit our projects pages. This project is 100% funded by TGT’s individual supporters, please make a donation to help us to expand and continue this work.