UNDERSTANDING FARMER LED INNOVATIONS FOR PROFITABLE FARMING AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Abstract

Farmer-led innovations are evolving under specific agro-climatic and socio-economic conditions and such innovations should be widely adopted and sustained. The farmers identified a number of traditional crops and developed varieties with enhanced productivity and better quality through selection. Farmers also developed low cost processing technologies for value addition, increased shelf-life, and better marketability of various farm products. In addition, a number of farm implements and tools were also designed and manufactured by the farmers to increase operational efficiency and productivity. Women farmers have equally contributed in germplasm conservation and postharvest and value addition enhancing the farm income. The identity of farmer innovators as those who have developed or are testing new ways of land husbandry that combine production with conservation is well established. Such innovations may be simple or sophisticated structural designs in the integrated production systems. The innovation may be an on-going experiment, or already proven and effective. As such, farmers’ innovation is a practice started and later improved by a farmer on her/his own initiative (problem oriented), without any external influence. Indian farmers are continuously improving available technologies for more efficient and cost effective farming over the generations. Promotion of farmers' innovations is also a priority agenda item of the government in the form of various programmes