Bhoomi Ka works with smallholder farmers as well as farmer groups to provide them with technical support and incentives. It helps them gain access to suitable markets and bring their sustainably-grown produce to the right consumers. Bhoomi Ka also educates farmers through Farmer Field School and makes them aware of training opportunities on the latest sustainable farming methods. The Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) associated with Bhoomi Ka facilitates eco-certification and aids in improving post-harvest standards.
Organic Certification through Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS)
PGS is the preferred system of organic farm certification, approved by the Government of India that owes its existence to the experience of the organic farming movement worldwide. Through its implementation partners, Bhoomi Ka helps and encourages smallholder farmers to acquire PGS certification. Organic farmers have become very keen on acquiring this certification as it opens up the domestic markets for them along with several other important beneficial features. PGS is now also recognised by IFOAM and FAO.
Bhoomi Ka actively works with small farmers and farmer groups to help them create Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).
FPOs associated with Bhoomi Ka are involved in organic food procurement, primary processing, and marketing of eco-certified products.
.A group name and a leader has to be decided for seeking certificate/registration.
The group name and its leader’s primary data can be registered online on PGS India website.
The farmer’s history sheet and peer inspection forms are the first documents to be filled in by the members.
The Regional Council duly verifies peer recommendations and generates certificate accordingly.
The peer inspection is done by a minimum of three group members for every farmer’s field.
Monthly meetings, trainings, induction of new practices, status check of livestock, and crop planning are regularly done.
By directly linking up consumers and farmers, a transparent value chain is formed, thereby ensuring the availability of organic food to consumers.
Bhoomi Ka works with smallholder farmers to encourage usage of farming methods that are in synchrony with nature. This agroecological system is called Sustainable Integrated Farming System (SIFS). The methods involved in this rely on the symbiotic relationships that have been established between different types of environmental ecosystems.
SIFS integrates various techniques like soil water conservation, energy security, rainwater harvesting, cropping sequence management, and multi-tier arrangement for better utilisation of space and time.
Appropriate cropping methodology ensures less competition for food.
High levels of interaction among biotic and abiotic components make a natural ecosystem resilient, self-maintaining, and highly productive.
High levels of interaction among biotic and abiotic components make a natural ecosystem resilient, self-maintaining, and highly productive.
