Scaling off-season vegetable production in India

The World Vegetable Center has been actively promoting the production of safe off-season vegetables in India, through two projects funded by the World Bank and supported by state governments. These both demonstrate the transformative impact of innovative agricultural practices and capacity-building initiatives on rural livelihoods. By promoting sustainable seedling production, climate-resilient farming techniques, and nursery entrepreneurship, WorldVeg has empowered farmers to achieve higher productivity, reduce losses, and increase their incomes. These efforts contribute to the economic wellbeing of farmers and supported broader sustainable agriculture and rural development goals.

In eastern India, the Jharkhand Opportunities for Harnessing Rural Growth (JOHAR) was a livelihood-intensive project implemented in Jharkhand by the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS), operating under the Department of Rural Development, Government of Jharkhand. WorldVeg involvement in this World Bank-funded initiative spanned six districts, providing farmers with comprehensive packages of practices for all stages of crop production, from preparation and pre-sowing to postharvest handling, tailored to the specific needs of target crops.

More than 12,000 farmers received training through a total of 1,173 separate training events, on healthy seed and seedling production, good agricultural practices and integrated pest management. These were demonstrated in farmers’ fields to ensure better understanding and increased adoption, supported by continuous practical training and monitoring. In addition, 205 demonstration plots were established, showcasing selected technologies and improved crop varieties, and more than 3,000 queries were addressed digitally, providing farmers with further advice and support.

Nursery entrepreneurship development training enabled many farmers to begin seedling production to improve yields, and also so they can start their own businesses, selling healthy and/or grafted seedlings to other farmers. Vertical trellising in cucurbit crops such as bitter gourd, proved very popular, with farmers reporting a 25% increase in productivity after adoption of this simple and low-cost technique. Another widely adopted practice was the staking of tomato which resulted in a 23% increase in productivity while also improving fruit quality and reducing postharvest losses. But the largest yield improvements (72%) were seen with line sowing of carrot and peas, indicating the huge potential for productivity gains from adopting new practices.

Implementing IPM approaches to reducing brinjal fruit and shoot borer, a common pest of eggplant, led to a 13% reduction in crop losses. Farmers were also trained in environmental issues surrounding pesticides, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Intercropping also proved very successful, with income increases of 13-29% when interplanting cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli with peas, and 57-62% when intercropped with bitter gourd. This not only boosted farmer incomes but also optimized land use. Overall, the adoption of the recommended package of practices led to a benefit-cost ratio of more than 4:1 for eggplant, carrot and muskmelon, and more than 3:1 for chili, tomato, cucumber, peas, broccoli and watermelon – highlighting the economic viability and profitability of the practices promoted by WorldVeg.

In the northeast of India, the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (APART) project also saw many similar successes (Assam Project profile). WorldVeg has provided technical advice and support that improved the quality and availability of planting materials, and promoted the adoption of good agricultural practices. Assam Agricultural University conducted participatory varietal assessment trials, with high yielding and disease resistant tomato and pumpkin lines selected and multiplied by seed production agencies. Training in vegetable nursery entrepreneurship was new, with some 50 businesses now producing high quality seedlings for sale is gaining popularity. The seedlings produced in nurseries are of better quality than those produced by traditional methods.

Climate resilient production demonstrations were conducted in 15 districts of Assam, with more than 3,000 farmers trained each year on different aspects of vegetable cultivation, resulting in 30-36% yield increases for eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower, tomato and pumpkin. Technologies demonstrated and adopted included minimum tillage, rain shelter cultivation for tomato, disease resistant vegetable varieties, grafting, and integrated pest management. And just for the latter alone, applying IPM systems allowed farmers to increase yields by 18-26%, and reduce pesticide use by 48-81% across the five target crops.

The collaborative efforts of WorldVeg, state government and other partners show how the potential for positive transformation in the region’s agriculture can be realized, for a more resilient and productive farming future. The success of these projects highlights the importance of targeted interventions that address the specific challenges faced by farmers, demonstrating suitable and viable climate-resilient agricultural practices, and collaboration between research institutions, government bodies and local communities. Farmers were keen to adopt new practices, and more are adopting, while government partners create and support farmer interest groups and producer organizations to ensure that the benefits can continue to be scaled even after these projects have ended.