After implementation of LSP, a small or marginal farmer has created a plot of raised land, where rainwater cannot stagnate. At the same time he has got a pond in the same plot of land, where rainwater is stored in the monsoon season, which serves the purpose of irrigating the crops during dry months.
In view of the sustainability of the technology, the LSP model has the following practical solutions.
It has been demonstrated that before LSP the farmers could get only one crop throughout the year from their low-lying land. But after implementation of LSP, a plot of 0.26 ha. land (0.2 ha. raised land + 0.05 ha. pond + 0.01 ha pond bund) can generate an annual income of Rs. 5,981/-. This is an increase of 7 to 8 times of their earlier income. The income may be further enhanced depending on the cropping sequence.
| Prior to Land shaping | After Land Shaping |
Season – Kharif (Monsoon) Deshi Aman | Season – Kharif (Monsoon) HYV Paddy Pond Bund Vegetables (Okra, Brinjal) Banana |
Season – Rabi-Summer(Nov – May) Fallow due to non-availability of irrigation | Season – Rabi-Summer (Nov – May) Chilli, Okra, Tomato, Frenchbean, Brinjal Pumpkin, Bottlegourd, Ridgegourd, Fish culture with carp and freshwater prawn. |
This novel technology of land shaping and water storage offers farmers triple benefits in one fold:
The success of the project is presented by collecting data of five years average from 100 farmers in 10 villages in an unit area of 0.26 ha. in Table 1.
| Name of the Village/Island | Av.net income from 0.2 ha.raised land in kharif season | Av.net income from 0.2 ha. Raised land in rabi season | Av.net income from 0.05 ha. Pond area | Av.net income from 0.1 ha.pond embankment | Total annual income on the averages after land shaping programme | Annual net income before land shaping programme | Resultant increase in income after land shaping programme |
| Bhangari | 2987 | 3012 | 1800 | 250 | 8040 | 690 | 12 times |
| Kaikhali 8 | 3502 | 4205 | 1790 | 210 | 9707 | 720 | 13 times |
| Kaikhali 4 | 3609 | 4303 | 1500 | 260 | 9672 | 860 | 11 times |
| Goalgange | 3808 | 4506 | 1410 | 400 | 10124 | 780 | 13 times |
| Garankhati | 3220 | 3910 | 1705 | 310 | 9145 | 903 | 10 times |
| Nolgora | 4506 | 10600 | 1508 | 410 | 17024 | 980 | 17 times |
| Chuprijihara | 4500 | 12300 | 1605 | 315 | 18720 | 920 | 20 times |
| Kantamari | 3907 | 10320 | 1809 | 210 | 10246 | 870 | 19 times |
| Ghotiharani | 3620 | 11605 | 1410 | 250 | 16885 | 900 | 19 times |
| Subhashnagar | 3675 | 8405 | 1206 | 405 | 13691 | 870 | 16 times |
Employment generation: Land shaping programme has proved to be a good source of income to the landless laborers of Sundarban region. It is now possible to create employment opportunities for the landless laborers in dry months (i.e. from January to June) of the year when the landless laborers cannot find any work during this period. Employment made through this programme is represented in the table 2:
| No. of Land Shaping Programme Done | No. of days required to complete one unit | No. of Labors engaged for one employment unit | Total man-days created |
| 75(0.26 ha.) 75 (0.2 ha.) | 26 days 20 days | 360 (Average) 270 (Average) | 50,382 |
Self employment generated: Before land shaping programme, the farmers were not able to engage their labour round the year because there were no possibilities for round the year cultivation. Now, they are able to engage them into agricultural work, as there is excellent scope.
Migration: Due to enhancement of income from LSP migration has reduced to a great extent. In a survey it is revealed that 45 per cent of the beneficiaries have totally stopped to migrate to other places and 55 per cent occasionally migrate to earn additional income.
Multiple Cropping: After implementation of LSP, the former mono-cropped low-lying land, the farmers now grow two or three crops, in addition to fish in the pond and banana on the pond bund in the same piece of land in a calendar year.
Diversified Agriculture: Having raised land and assured irrigation facility, the farmers grow different vegetables, spices and oil seed in different section on the same piece of land keeping in view the demand of the market. Moreover, farmers have also been practicing duck.cum.fish culture in their ponds to minimize the cost of supplementary feed of fish.
Environmentally sound: Wide embankment surrounding the raised land protects the loss of soil erosion and plant nutrients of the cultivated land which might happen due to excessive rainfall. The land shaping plot where the farmers usually apply huge quantity of organic manure remains isolated from the chemical agriculture practiced land.
Increased family income: The income from 0.2 ha. land area has increased to the tune of 18 times in comparison to before LSP.
In addition to the above the following benefits have been documented:
SRAN has demonstrated the land shaping and water storage technique in 960 units under the Integrated Rural Development project supported by German Agro Action since 1988. Apart from this, SRAN has also implemented another 650 units of LSP.
On calculation it has been found that almost 360 man-days have been created in each land shaping area for excavating a pond. Another 120-150 additional man-days have been created for cultivation of a second crop in each LSP.
For over two decades, SRAN has been engaged in disseminating the land shaping technology and conducting participatory research. They have acquired capability and confidence to impart training to other NGOs and Government departments.
As a member of the District Planning Committee and the Sundarbans Development Board, SRAN is influencing other members to adopt the technology for large scale dissemination in the region of West Bengal to support the livelihood of distressed farming community.
Besides, SRAN has also participated in the agriculture developmental planning of West Bengal where this technology has been documented as one of the best ones for the coastal agro-climatic zone. At the annual National workshop of Krishi Vigyan Kendra held in different parts of the country, the benefits of this novel technology have been highlighted and has motivated other participants and representatives of the central Government to disseminate the same among the farming communities. In addition, SRAN also demonstrated this technology at different exhibitions at the national level.
Apart from this, SRAN also participated to the World Exhibition held at Hanover, Germany in the year 2000 to interact with experts from different countries in order to disseminate this information among the farming communities living in the same agroclimatic situation. This technology was recognized by the authority of the Exhibition as one of the best ones for livelihood of farming communities in coastal agro-climatic situations and for utilizing natural resources in an efficient way.
The following tables present a comparative study of cropping patterns, agricultural productivity and the resultant income of a beneficiary-farmer, before and after land shaping programme.
Shri Arun Haldar, a poor farmer lived in Kaikhali Island of Sundarbans with his wife, four sons and two daughters. He had 0.26 ha low-lying cultivable land where water used to be stagnant two and a half feet during the rainy season. Haldar grew the local variety of Aman paddy during the monsoon period and was able to harvest four quintals and 80 kilogram of paddy; this was not enough to maintain his family consisting of eight members all the year round. Apart from this, there was no irrigation facility for growing of any second crop during winter season. Consequently, Haldar would hire a country boat from his neighbor and go to the river to catch crab and fish with his elder son and wife in order to provide food and fulfill the basic needs of his family.