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| PTD Sikkim project |
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Indo Swiss Project Support (ISPS) is
the project support office for the bilateral project
between Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) and
Government of Sikkim, which is implemented by
Inter-cooperation (IC) of Switzerland.
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ISPS supports Department of Horticulture (DOH) in
Sikkim for Ginger cultivation. Ginger is
recognized as poor farmers’ crop. Ginger
production has suffered due disease problems. ISPS
supported research on Ginger conducted by
International and National
scientists together with the
DOH over a period of 6 years.
Valuable experience was
gained
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during the research program in tackling fungal and
bacterial disease and healthy seed production and
monitoring.
ETC India was invited to increase farmer’s involvement
in the research and adopt promising technologies. ETC
India designed the Participatory Technology
Development (PTD) project, which is being implemented
by the DOH in Sikkim.
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In August 2002, ten
officials of the DOH from four districts of
Sikkim came to Bangalore for a PTD concept
training and exposure to a PTD area for
understanding the roles of social organization
and linkage with scientific institutions. In
September 2002, a training was conducted for the
DOH field staff and newly selected NGO staff to
introduce the
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steps in PTD. After this, the social organizers and
farmers were selected in the five villages where PTD
was to be implemented.
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Social
organization did not exist in the village like in the
South wherein SHGs are very common. Although, cultural
and sports club were common and a few SHGs formed by
Government Department like Forest or Rural development
could be found. Therefore, along side the PTD process,
formation of SHG and strengthening them was also
undertaken. The social organizer who would represent
the NGO would be the link between the DOH and the
farmers. The S.O. would primarily help in conducting
farmer meeting, implementing the steps in PTD and
organizing the farmers. The DOH would provide
technical backstopping to PTD in providing the
necessary technical training on ginger cultivation and
management of disease and soil. A technical support
team (TST) consisting of international and national
scientists was also formed to provide technical
backstopping to the project to bring in research ideas
for ginger, develop technical production manual and
strengthen linkage with other research institutes in
India, especially in the Himalayan region.
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A
management structure was also put in place. NGOs act
as intermediary between the farmers and the DOH. Every
month a District PTD management meeting is conducted
wherein the district DOH staff, SO and NGO staff meet
to review and plan the PTD process. Every quarter, a
state level PTD management is conducted chaired by the
project coordinator (Additional Director of
horticulture) wherein the Joint Director of
horticulture and Deputy Directors of horticulture and
ISPS participate.
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Between November 2002 and
March 2003, the farmers prioritized problem,
selected options proposed by the scientists,
some DOH staff and by some fellow farmers, and
laid out a very basic experimental design
(farmers’ own practice plot and an experimental
plot) taking care of minimizing the
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variability between the
plots. They are keeping record of the activity
in the plot, meet every fortnight in the group
and share their observation and experience. The
S.O. supports the farmers in doing these
activities and provides these data to the DOH
who helps them in analyzing the data.
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In December 2003, the Ginger
Platform meeting was organized meant for farmer
– DOH - scientists interaction.
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The PTD process is now
continuing in its second year. ETC India with
the support of ISPS provided intensive support
to the project at each step in order to build
the capacity of the DOH, NGO, SO and the farmers
in conducting participatory research by the
farmers, strengthen the social organization and
management structure.
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