Agroecological insights for Mandla, Madhya Pradesh, India: a contextual analysis for sustainable transformation

This report examines the agroecological, environmental, economic and social dimensions of Mandla district in Madhya Pradesh, India. Agroecological dimensions include recycling, input reduction, soil health, animal health, biodiversity, synergy, economic diversification, co-creation of knowledge, social values and diets, fairness, connectivity, land and natural resource governance, and participation. The report also highlights the challenges and opportunities for sustainable agroecological transformation. Mandla, a tribal dominated district faces challenges such as land degradation, poor soil conditions, poor land productivity, biodiversity loss, and socio-economic disparities. To address these challenges, CGIAR initiative on Agroecology established Agroecological Living Landscapes (ALLs) in Mandla district. The initiative identified key challenges, captured the vision of local communities, assessed existing farming practices, and developed new agroecological practices to address some of the challenges. Local communities recycle resources such as crop residues, animal manure and invasive plant species to prepare compost, farmyard manure and biochar to a limited extent. There is significant increase in synthetic fertilizer use in the last few decades, however some farmers are applying some amount of locally prepared compost, and operating at low input-output conditions, leaving scope of improvement in production with input reduction. The district, predominantly characterized by black cotton soil, faces challenges like soil erosion, low organic content and nutrient deficiencies. Conservation practices such as green manuring, mulching, bunding, silt application, bio-fertilizer, compost application and crop rotation are practiced sporadically to maintain soil health. Cattle and livestock are integral to farming system. Department of Animal Husbandry and local animal health workers are primarily involved in maintaining animal health. Penning, timing open grazing, prohibition of grazing in some areas, and cattle shed flooring are recent introduction for sustainable feeding regimes. The district is rich in natural biodiversity with wide range of flora and fauna, however due to increasing chemical fertilizer use and unsustainable farming practices has led biodiversity loss. Synergy between various faming system, including crop-livestock, agroforestry, NTFP in the landscape need improvement through targeted interventions. Local communities depend on agriculture, NonTimber Forest Products (NTFP), and fisheries for livelihood, contributing to economic diversification, however dwindling natural resources poses risks to the community livelihood. Farmer to farmer interactions, traditional fairs, informal gatherings, seed festivals, farmers field schools, and formal institutions such as NGO’s, government institutions facilitate co-creation of knowledge. Local communities prioritize diverse, nutritious and traditional diets but shrinking production poses a serious threat to dietary diversity. Seasonal festivals and community gatherings also play a key role in maintaining social values and diets. Limited access to resources, market information, transportation, price disparities and monopoly markets are some of the value chain challenges faced by local communities. Community practices such as wage fixing, labour pooling and labour exchange help maintain fairness. However, Connectivity among various food system and value chain actors is weak and need strengthening. Land and natural resource governance is managed by district administration, state forest department, and local communities including gram sabhas and panchayat committees, which usually adhere to traditional tribal practices. Participation of community organizations such as NGO’s, tribal knowledge networks, state agricultural department, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, department of rural development, Farmers producers’ organization, self-help groups, and Joint Forest Management Committee is crucial for agroecological transition. The assessment reveals that while agroecological practices are being practiced in Mandla, they are fragmented and implemented at smaller scale but shows potential for scaling up. National and state policies, including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, National Rural Livelihood Mission, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, and local NGO’s can play a pivotal role in agroecological transition. Large scale adoption of agroecology can be achieved by establishing multistakeholder platform, farmers networks and knowledge sharing platforms, access to markets and value chains, capacity building programs, infrastructure and policy support, nature-based solutions, financial mechanisms and incentives, participatory research and trail establishment, inclusive governance structures.