APPROACH & ACTIVITIES
WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE
We intend to facilitate the adoption of N+FFS systems by a large number of farmers across India. We hope to reach consumers with the message of pesticide-free safe foods and catalyse the supply of these foods to these consumers. We also hope to significantly contribute to a cohesive body of knowledge and practice on N+FFS thereby creating the necessary grounds for its scaling up in the years to come.
Facilitate adoption of N+FFS systems by a larger number of farmers
Disseminate the message of pesticide-free safe foods widely
Catalyse supply of pesticide-free foods to millions of consumers
Create body of knowledge on N+FFS
OUR APPROACH
We espouse an integrated farm-to-plate approach as indicated by our five major components:
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Facilitating adoption of N+FS by a large number of farmers
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Developing territorial value chains
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Promoting household consumption
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Facilitating wider adoption of guarantee systems
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User focused research and policy advocacy.
Our key strategies include:
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Adopting a regional approach
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Partnering with interested Support Voluntary Organisation (SVO) and FOs/CSOs in each region
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Building working models for scaling up
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Serving as a resource organisation
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Collaborating with organisations having similar mandate
MORE ON THE SVO MODEL
It is understood that critical knowledge support is needed by Farmers Organisations (FOs) of various types, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)/NGOs and other stakeholders to evolve and establish context-specific agriculture biodiversity-based nature-positive farming and food systems at a viable and cost-efficient scale, taking into consideration the robust indigenous knowledge systems and practices, particularly that of women farmers. For this to be possible, there is need for working models of region-specific nature-positive farming and food systems interventions to learn and adapt from, intensive customized handholding support by a resource agency and vibrant cross learning, collective learning and coordinated action among the practitioners. There is also need for a setup to undertake action research in each region to take forward the agenda of scaling up N+FFS. To meet these requirements, engagement of an experienced agency as SVO has been visualised in N+3F.
It is expected that one such SVO will be able to build capacities of 10 to 12 CSOs and few MSMEs of the region in a span of five years. Each​ partner CSO supported is expected to reach out to around 3000 to 5000 farmers on an average over five years.
OUR ACTIVITIES
Facilitating adoption of N+FFS by a large number of farmers
We will provide critical knowledge support to FOs, CSOs and other stakeholders to evolve and establish context-specific agriculture biodiversity-based nature-positive farming systems at a viable and cost-efficient scale. While doing so, we will take into consideration the robust indigenous knowledge systems and practices, particularly that of women farmers.
Capacity building and providing support to establish local bio-input production units
The N+3F visits Sarguja Gramin Vikas Sansthan ( SGVS), Chattisgarh
Supporting development of N+FFS regional/territorial value chains
The N+3F visits Carm-Daksh, Chattisgarh
The N+3F visits Bastar Sewak Mandal, Chattisgarh
We will support FOs (Farmer Organisations) and NGOs to move up the agricultural value chain by effectively engaging in aggregation, storage, processing and collective marketing. MSMEs engaged in N+FFS will be supported for business development. We will endeavour to establish regional/territorial markets for pesticide-free food by organising producers and buyers meets, linking producers with e-commerce platforms, and the like.
Supporting partners to form and strengthen Farmer Producer Organisations
Support for setting up of community scale processing units
Introduction of hermetic bags and hermetic cocoons
Developing and promoting N+FFS Guarantee and Certification Systems
To generate consumer confidence and to help farmers realise better prices for their produce, we will develop and establish guarantee systems for N+FFS that are affordable to farmers organisations and other value chain actors.
NGS trainings to partners
The N+3F provides training on NGS to Lokadrusti, Odisha
Pesticide-Free certification for Food Business Operators.
N+3F is offering certification for Pesticide-Free Agriculture and Foods in India.
Catalysing Pesticide-Free Food Chains- Services offered
Promoting household consumption of pesticide-free wholesome foods
We will raise widespread awareness on the nutritional and ecological benefits of these foods and strive to transform the existing awareness into consumption. We will target women, youth and children and ensure that their agency is amplified. In these efforts, we will give due attention to local food cultures.
Development and launch of the film Choose Right, Choose Safe!
Carry out user friendly research and policy advocacy on N+FFS
We will take up user-focused research to address the knowledge gaps and practical issues, particularly from the perspective of small holders, FOs and MSMEs in collaboration with relevant research institutions. To create a level playing playing field with those involved in conventional agriculture and food chains, we will take up policy advocacy for farmers and other value chain actors involved in N+FFS.
The N+3F launches pilot project on traceability with Samaj Pragati Sahayog, Madhya Pradesh
RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECT/S:
IMPROVING THE MARKET READINESS OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS PRACTICING NPM OF AGRICULTURE
Realizing the importance of Non-Pesticidal Management (NPM) for the holistic development of poor communities, BRLF (Bharat Rural Livelihoods , a funding agency with a focus on the backward regions of Central and Eastern India, have adopted the strategy of promoting NPM as one of the mandatory component in their support for all the projects supported by them.
Initial support was given to their NGO partners for adoption of NPM production practices. As a result of this strategy, the NGO partners have promoted adoption of NPM methods with a sizable number of small farmers in their working locations. As a next step to incentivize the NPM farmers in terms of assured markets and prices for NPM produce by building NPM value chains, support was given for improving the market readiness of the NPM farmers through this project.
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This project, implemented by NPM Network and Social Education Economical Development Society (SEEDS), has the following specific objectives:
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To strengthen the capacities of inexperienced partners, who are advocating NPM, to promote community based, producer-led Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).
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To enhance the market preparedness of partners who are already promoting FPCs and open up for them, the possibility of working at scale to connect farming communities with organized markets.
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This project, which was initiated in October 2018, supports 22 NGO partners of the BRLF who are currently practicing NPM. Of the 22 partners, two are located in Madhya Pradesh, six in Chhattisgarh and 13 in Koraput, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Kalahandi, Deogarh, Boudh, Bolangir & Nuapada districts in Odisha.
While most of the partners focus on adoption of NPM approach in non-perishable crops, some partners also focus on vegetable crops. Some of these partners have been promoting FPOs, while the others do not have adequate experience. Based on the existing capacities of the partners, SEEDS and the NPM Network have been taking the following interventions to address their specific needs and empower them towards becoming market-ready:
Capacity building of partners on FPO formation and strengthening
Research, documentation and policy advocacy on NPM
Improving market readiness of partners & creation of market for NPM produce
Monitoring NPM Practices adopted by Agricultural Production Clusters in Odisha