Livelihood Security through Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI)
NIRMAN has collaborated with ICRISAT-WWF to increase the productivity of sugarcane through an innovative sugarcane farming method i.e. ‘Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative’ (SSI) since 2009. This new practice increases the sugar content in the cane, requires organic inputs, and consumes 75% less seed and 40-60% less water.
The adoption of SSI by sugarcane farmers has led to the increase in yields by nearly 25%, and substantial reduction in input costs as well as vulnerability due to lesser use of seeds, water, labour and fertilizers. SSI has been successfully up-scaled from Nayagarh to Ganjam and Bargarh districts with the support of ICRISAT-WWF and Ag SRI. Farmers’ net average income in SSI is Rs. 56375 per acre which has 47% higher return over traditional sugarcane farming.
Our Vision is promoting equitable
Nirman focuses on restoring the ecosystems with rich biodiversity and has specific intervention in agriculture, natural resource management and governance. The organization is concerned with issues relating to the negative impact of climatic variations and current development paradigm that has endangered the natural resources and traditional knowledge base. Thus, it yearns to have sovereignty over the seed, the soil, the land, water, the indigenous knowledge system and strives to achieve sustainable use of natural resources and democratize its governance pattern.
