Key interventions
Sustainable Agriculture refers to a range of strategies for addressing many problems that affect agriculture. Such problems include loss of soil productivity from excessive soil erosion and associated plant nutrient losses, surface and ground water pollution from pesticides, fertilizers and sediments, impending shortages of non- renewable resources, and low farm income from depressed commodity prices and high production costs. Furthermore, “Sustainable” implies a time dimension and the capacity of a farming system to endure indefinitely. Towards that end, LAVS emphasized following practices .

Reduced use of synthetic and chemical inputs        Increased practice of biological pest control           Improved soil and water conservation practices Use of animal and green manures/ organic wastes          Crop rotations and diversifications Crop- livestock   diversification

Send Exchange

Cultivation of rice is done by farmers using traditional methods that often ignore considerations of seed suitability, manure requirements and soil conditions. LAVS launched sustained campaigns for agriculture renewal through modernizing initiatives. Under seed exchange programme farmers receive seeds from one another based on needs. Watershed committees handle the operations benefiting the poor who otherwise may not be able to access quality seeds paying higher price.  5 village level seed banks have been established during the year. 24 qtls of paddy seeds was procured by women SHGs of village seed banks from the seed growers and sold to 46 farmers.
Seed Village:
LAVS distributed foundation seeds among promising small and big farmers to produce certified seed within village. Later watershed committee purchased those certified seeds and redistributed the seed during next kharif season to the farmers. As a result, apart from easy availability the yield rate of paddy increased with accelerated pace of seed replacement through the seed village initiative.

Crop Diversification

Drought is a recurrent experience in most part of operational areas of LAVS which is getting further aggravated due to adverse climate change effects. Hence, paddy is not always a suitable crop though its cultivation is highest in kharif season.  Of late, farmers have been encouraged to diversify in to non paddy drought resistant crops. New crops and improved varieties of Ragi(Bhairabi), Pigeon pea(Asha), Black gram(PU94-2), Ginger(Suprava), Yam(Orissa Elite), Elephant Foot Yam(Gajendra) have been promoted in the programme area.

Cash Crops:

Most of the soils in upland contain poor quantity of organic matter and primary essential elements like NPK. Such soil is suitable for root crop and cash crops. LAVS has popularized cultivation of sweet potato, yam, and improved variety of ginger, tomato, mustard, Niger, ground nut and chilli helping farmers to earn better and assured income

Inter cropping:
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Intercropping is very much suitable for rain-fed uplands. It acts as an insurance against the crop failure ensuring drought proofing and increasing soil fertility and productivity. The main objects are to utilize the space between the two rows of the main crop and judicious uses of resources. The common popularized intercropping systems followed in two blocks are Arhar+ Groundnut and Arhar +Green gram / Black gram in Kharif and Groundnut + Sunflower in Rabi season

Farm Mechanization Farm mechanization holds key to increased labour productivity and drudgery reduction.  LAVS in convergence with line departments and resource agencies has been promoting farm mechanization processes in its project areas. An inventory of technologies has been prepared and propagated. The benefits hasbeen demonstrated through field applications in pilot mode. Small tools are made available through common facility centres/ similar mechanisms.

System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

The growing technical proficiency in SRI especially from the state of Andhra Pradesh has led to innovative institutions scaling out of SRI to other states of India where this expertise has been adapted. Realising its rich potential LAVS organized Audi Visual shows on SRI Method

Select number of identified lead farmers was sent for an exposure. Training programmes were organized on SRI to impart knowledge and skills to the tribal farmers. Cultivation of paddy following the Systematic Rice Intensification (SRI) method has been very popular and successful in the project areas

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Promotion of vegetable cultivation and horticulture Crops

The project laid good deal of emphasis on promotion of kitchen gardening, vegetable cultivation and plantation of fruit trees. Adequate number of training programmes and exposure visits were conducted to motivate farmers. HYV seeds of Tomato, Watermelon, Lady's finger, Coriander, Chilly, Brinjal, Okra, Radish, French bean, Spinach, and Bitter Gourd were provided to individuals and groups. Horticulture Department provided mini kits of seeds at subsidized rates. Farmer groups were supported to develop fruit orchards. Individual beneficiaries were supported to undertake coconut and mango plantation; black pepper plantation was taken up on pilot basis. Pump sets were provided for irrigation.

LIVESTOCK & PISCICULTURE INITIATIVES
Small livestock

Livestock is recognized as a remunerative income generation activity of the poor. This is more popular with tribal communities who are mostly drawn from poorer sections like the marginal farmers, landless labourers and other vulnerable groups. LAVS emphasized on livestock activities through a series of interventions that included Para-veterinary training, exposure, animal health camps, input support, credit linkage, insurance and marketing. Poultry, goatary, Duckery etc were supported to promote self employment and improve economical condition of tribal poor. These interventions particularly poultry farming were very popular at individual and group level .

Fishery

least use of water bodies for pisciculture, Poor access to capital financial support and inadequate storage, processing and marketing infrastructure. Thanks its affirmative efforts fishing as supplemented livelihoods security initiatives in its project areas.

Fishery is a very remunerative enterprise in rural areas where adequate infrastructure and supply chain services are available to organize production and marketing of fish. LAVS addressed problems like lack of awareness regarding aquaculture, lack of proper training to fish farmer, lack of exposure visits of the fish farmers and also officials,

• NTFP

Almost one third of the poor in project areas of LAVS depend on forest products for their livelihoods. NTFP management has clear ecological, social and economic benefits. Besides taking a number of steps to safeguard sources, it constructed storage godowns cum dying yard for processing, grading and proper storage. JFMCs were oriented to encourage collective marketing for value chain benefits.

LAVS has taken up a number of activities that include capacity building and hands-on support to small and marginal farmers for piloting and experimentation on sustainable livelihood models; experiential blending of traditional, organic and low-input farm practices; promotion of farmers' groups/federations, community farming and grain bank under integrated watershed regime. Network level interventions include: capacity building and hands on support to intermediaries for promotion of sustainable agriculture models; and identification and demonstration of best practices for replication by others.
Farmers Club Programme (FCP)

Water User Association (WUA):
LAVS is an implementation partner with Orissa Community Tank Development and Management Society (OCTDMS) which has been conceptualized to maximize the state irrigation potential and for the continued development water resources sector, in line with the priorities of the central and state governments. The Orissa Community Tank Management Project (OCTMP) aims to develop the selected tank based producers to improve agricultural productivity and Water Users Associations (WUAs) to manage tank systems effectively.  LAVS has formed 21 WUAs and facilitated farmer’s development activities in project areas besides ensuring effective operation and maintenance of assets.

Farmers Training Programme:
Farmers training programmes were organized in the watershed villages to educate the farmers on selection of crops, field preparation, line sowing, fertilizer application, water management, pest & disease management, weed management, plant nutrients and crop management. This is very important aspect to educate the farmers to cultivate disease resistant varieties crops, new crops and adopt innovative technologies for gettingwithin their available resources.

Sl. No	Training Theme	Number of programs	Participants Covered
1	Training on sustainable agriculture protocols	6	192
2	Training on vermin composting and production of bio-fertilizers	12	268
3	Training on Bio-pesticides	11	237
4	Training on SRI (Paddy)	14	318
5	Training on crop planning, crop rotation and diversification	6	98
6	Training on Land & Water Management	8	170
7	Training on improved practices of Agri/Horti mixed cultivation	14	560