Back A. Shah1 and Y. Memon2
Oxfarm GB Sindh, Pakistan1 and
IIMI, Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan2
Full Paper (PDF File: 70KB)
Abstract
The southern province of Pakistan, Sindh is accounted for loss of arable
land due to mismanagement of natural resources whose 40 % of land is under
water logging and salinity condition. All programs addressing poverty alleviation
are partially successful. The rural poor who account for the 70 % of the
population are related to agriculture. The green revolution agriculture
system has started a vicious circle of poverty where poor farmers are doing
negative farming. The Agriculture Extension Department and the research
organizations of Sindh have failed to address the issue of resource degradation.
No alternative was available to farmers of Sindh for sustainable agriculture
system. Oxfam GB an international NGO in collaboration with other organizations
is addressing the issue of resource degradation through its poverty alleviation
program ensuring community participation in Sindh. The challenge of introducing
the E.M technology for the poverty alleviation program was taken by Oxfam
GB in Sindh province with active participation of 17 grass root groups
in five districts of Sindh. NFRDF Pakistan initially provided the technical
support in 1998. The innovative methodology of spreading E.M nature farming
for the poorest of the poor has resulted in training of about 10,000 people
and spread of EM to 342 villages as "E.M Message Villages" in
18 months period. The activists are trained as trainers to educate farmers
at doorsteps. In Sindh the E.M movements is taking the shape of a peoples
movement for social harmony and poverty alleviation. This paper presents
the case study of spreading EM technology through community groups and
its impacts on soil and environment. It will also draw learning lessons
for E.M extension strategy in South Asia region where the grass root movements
is older then Sindh.