Scaffolding Farming Benefits Women Farmers

Kala and Archana are two farmers residing in the Chandpura village of Kabrai block. Like many farmers they used to cultivate their crops using traditional farming methods. As a result of this the quality and yield of their crops were poor, and they would not receive good prices in the market.

Under the Livelihood Promotion project supported by Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiative, we conducted a meeting on scaffolding farming in Chandpura village and selected both to get trained in scaffolding farming. They were taught the method erecting scaffolding and growing crops on it and received bamboo poles and wires.

Using this method Kala cultivated tomatoes and Archana cultivated sponge gourd (taroi). They both observed significant increase in the yield and quality of the crops. While earlier Kala used to harvest 3 to 4 kg of tomatoes from one plant, now she is harvesting 7 to 8 kg. She reported that when she was growing tomatoes on ground they would often get spoiled as the water touched them. Now she is getting better rate in the market, and it has slowly helped improve the condition of her home.

Archana also reported that now she is harvesting 20 to 25 kg sponge gourd in a day in comparison to 8 to 10 kg she was getting earlier. She said that when she was cultivating sponge gourd on the ground it would need more time and water to irrigate the crop and the quality of the gourd was poor. Due to this she would receive less price and less profit in the market. When she began scaffolding farming, she also used the ghanjivamrit fertilizer on the seeds and during irrigation. She noticed that her yield increased by 10 to 15 kg and improved the quality of the gourd. It has slowly increased income of her family. Both Kala and Archana are grateful to the organisation for it.