Facilitation needed for farmers to acquire various bio inputs to enable them to practice/shift towards natural/organic/sustainable farming.

1. c
c
Formation and Management of
Bio-Resource Centers
(BRC)
To Facilitate transition to NF/SA
D.Balaraju,
KVK, Yagantipalle

2. c
c
Present Scenario of Agriculture - Challenges
• High chemical input dependant
• Escalating CoC.
• Ever deteriorating Soil fertility – quality.
• Imbalance nutrition to crops.
• Escalating biotic/abiotic pressures.
• Warrants more and more chemical interventions.
• Zeroing soil life forms.
• Ever narrowing crop biome.
• More prone to extremities of weather, moisture, pests.
• Un stable production.
• Incurring losses.

3. c
c
Alternate farming methods
• LEISA
• NPM
• Organic Farming
• Natural Farming
• Biodynamic Farming
• Sustainable Agriculture.
• Permaculture.
All need lots of Biomass, Manures, Preparations, Cultures.
.

4. Natural Farming is catching the attention of farmers across the country. Government of India
promoting natural farming/ agro-ecological approaches in a big way. Few states have already
taking up NF programs at different scales. FAO has synthesised the 10 principles of agro-ecological
transition with an appeal to the nations to enable transition into NF.
Challenges in Agroecological Transitions
1. Bio-inputs are not easily availabile
2. Lack of location / situation specific knowledge on NF methods
3. Addiction to Chemicals - needs Change in mindset.
4. Reducing labor- particularly in management
5. Access to valued Markets
Lack of Easy availability of bio-inputs has been a major obstacle in the spread of natural farming methods

5. c
c
Shrinking Availability
• Diminishing Natural Resources.
• De linking AH from Agriculture.
• Monocropping.
• Residue burning.
• Limited use of Biofertilizers n Biopesticides
Access ......... a big gap.

6. c
c
This Gap ......... An Opportunity to meddle in.
• To provide knowledge
• To source raw material
• To supply readymade inputs.
• To motivate on use/adoption.
• To facilitate acquire less known IPM/INM inputs.
All at one place

7. c
c
Bio Resource Center
BRC is an enterprise run by an individual farmer/family/FPO, where time tested, locally
prepared inputs/formulations utilizing biological entities or biologically derived inputs
useful for improving soil health, crop growth, pest n disease management and
habitat management are made available to farmers of a defined geographical area.
• Train/ share info to any one on making and using bio-inputs – knowledge transfer
• Supply required raw materials if the farmers intend to prepare inputs by themselves.
• One stop centre for all Bio-inputs - Prepare/Multiply and supply organic inputs/bio-inoculants
• Facilitate to Acquire other useful IPM/INM/EE inputs
Purpose

9. What a BRC can offer to Farmer
IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN AGRICULTURE, FARMER HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO USE AN ARRAY OF
BIO AND ORGANIC INPUTS …..READILY APPLICABLE.. FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES. THAT BRC
MAY PROVIDE.
• Seeds of green manuring crops.
• Vermiculture/compost
• Neem/Karanj cake
• Cow dung/cow urine
• Organic preparations like Jeevamrith, Ghana Jeevamrith, Panchagavya etc.
• Bio fertilizer cultures : VAM, Azolla, Rhizobium, PSB, Azospirillum, Potash/Zinc Mobilizers etc.
For Improving soil fertility n Soil health

10. What a BRC can offer to Farmer
• Seeds/seedlings of trap crops.
• Botanical decoctions
• Panchapatra/Dasaparni ark
• Neemastra/bramhastra/agniastra
• NSK/PSK powder
• Bio pesticides – Beauveria, Verticillium, Trichoderma, Pseudomonas cultures etc.
For Pest/Disease management
For habitat management
• Seeds/Seedlings of Glyricidia, Drumstick, Pongam, Neem, Flowering plants.
• Seeds for Border crop/Inter crop/Cover crop.
• Navadhanya Seed Kits

11. • Farmers showing interest towards Natural/Organic farming – to save
land/ to eat safe/to offer safer produce.
• More youth into agriculture – interested in value farming.
• Ready made availability attracts more number – easy transition.
• Post CORONA – conscious about food.
• Change in thinking of policy makers.
Scope for BRC Services

12. Indicative cost of establishing a BRC
S. No. Item Qty Unit cost (Rs.) Total (Rs.)
1 Plastic Drums 200 ltd 8 1000 8000-00
2 Plastic Drums 100 lt with lid 8 500 4000-00
3 Gas Stove/Connection 1 set 7000-00
4 Buckets n tubs 20 160 3200-00
5 Cans 20 lt 10 350 3500-00
6 Steel vessels big 5 800 4000-00
7 Wet grinder 1 9000-00
8 Transfer hood 1 4000-00
9 Plastic trays 1 dz 150`x 12 1800-00
10. PP covers & other packing material 1000-00
11. Sealer 1 1500 1500-00
12. Racks 2 2500 5000-00
13. Shadenet 100 sqm & Pro trays Qs 11000-00
14. Pressure cooker 1 2000-00
15. Transfer hood 1 2500-00
16. Miscellaneous Qs 5000-00
17. Neem pounding machine 1 30000-00
TOTAL 100000-00

13. Business from a Bio Resource Center in a year
Cost of Infrastructure : Approx. Rs.80,000/BRC
Finance : by Entrepreneur, Project and FPO
S.
No.
Product Unit cost of
production
(Rs.)
Unit
cost of
Sale
(Rs.)
Quantity and expected profit
100 acres 250 acres 500 acres
Qty Profit
(Rs.)
Qty Profit
(Rs.)
Qty Profit
(Rs.)
1 Jeevamrith Rs.2/- per lt 5/- 5000 15000 12500 37500 25000 75000
2 Ghanajeevamrith Rs.8/-per kg 12/- 2000 8000 5000 20000 10000 40000
3 WasteDecomposer Rs.2/- per lt 5/-- 5000 15000 12500 37500 25000 75000
4 Botanical extracts Rs.15/- per lt 30/- 200 3000 500 7500 1000 15000
5 Agni/Bramhastra Rs.30/-perlt 40/- 300 3000 750 7500 1500 15000
6 Biofertilizers Rs.15/-perlt 50/- 100 3500 250 8750 500 17500
7 Biopesticides Rs.15/-perlt 50/- 300 10500 750 26250 1500 52500
8 NSKernals Rs.20/perkg 30/- 250 2500 625 6250 1250 12500
TOTAL 60500 121000 242000
BCR 268500/
147500
1.82:1

14. Establishment and operationalization of Bio Resource Centres in all APDMP
Clusters in a sustainable way …..
• To establish BRCs in each cluster
• To make BRC Operational by capacitating entrepreneurs and facilitate
acquire all needed infra.
• To provide bio-inoculant cultures
• To train local farmers
• To handhold, monitor and evaluate functionality.
Objectives
KVKs experience - APDM Project

15. • Worked closely with LFA to establish model BRCs in all APDMP districts
• Supported LFA in promotion of rest of BRCs.
• Capacity building of selected entrepreneur families done – Production of
Botanicals, Cow based products and various bio inoculants.
• Provided mother cultures of bio-products.
• Given technical backstopping for successful running of BRCs.
• Regularly monitored for problem redressel and ensuring quality.
Where KVK Intervened

16. Activities Taken up
Stake holders workshop conducted on 29th October, 18

17. Selection of Farmers for BRC Entrepreneurship
(5th to 9th November,18)

18. Capacity building Training to 1st phase of BRC
Entrepreneurs (27 clusters) conducted from 19th to 22nd
Nov.,18

24. Bio inoculant culture supply to BRCs

25. Functioning of BRCs

26. Mr.U.Venugopal, Chandrapalle (V), Peapully (Cluster) Kurnool Dt.
Preparing Bioinoculants

27. Field Application of Bio Inoculants

28. Field Application of Bio Inoculants
Seedling dipping Incubating with FYM
Through Drip/Irrigation Soil drenching/spray

29. Diagnostic Field Visits

30. Monitoring Activities of various BRCs

31. Monitoring Activities of various BRCs

32. Handholding support to BRCs
• Regularly in touch with BRC entrepreneurs through social media.
• Tracking the activities and Answering their queries.
• Suggesting solutions (how to use) for their field problems through Whatsapp
• Answering doubts in process of bio inoculant multiplication (Sterilization,
Transfer, Hygine maintenance etc.)

33. Problem Redressal through Whatsapp

34. Review meetings with DPMUs

35. Review meetings with DPMUs

36. Activities by BRCs

37. Field level support to BRCs

38. Interaction with BRC entrepreneurs

39. Review meeting at SPMU

40. For upscaling concept with NCNF support
● Conducted 3 Capacity building programs on the concept at KVK for 6
days each
● Theory, Practice and Exposure on BRCs
● About 100 members from various NGOs across the country involved.
● Number of new BRCs established and
● Existing BRCs benefitted to improve.

43. Abstract of Work Done under APDMP
1. Trained 105 farmer families - in establishing Bio resource Centres and Running in
villages.
2. Facilitated development of infrastructure for BRCs by FPOs.
3. Monitored randomly for assessing functioning and redressal of field problems.
4. Reviewed functioning of BRCs at DPMU level along with the project staff for better
understanding of the BRC activities.
5. Regularly addressed the field problems through Whatsapp group.
Outcome:
1. Established 105 BRCs in 5 districts,
2. 40% units are maintaining good range of products and servicing FPO farmers of their
area; 30% are maintaining only 3 or 4 items and catering to a part of few farmers
needs. And remaining 30% are just using some products for their own use.

44. How to sustain the BRCs ?
Problems faced by the entrepreneurs & Suggestions
 There is no natural demand for the BRC products especially for bio
inoculants.
Promotion and demand creation may be taken up by supporting
organizations like RBKs.
 The quality of the bio products produced in BRC need to be standardized.
A simple protocol maybe developed by the competent agencies and
train concerned NGO personnel for strict enforcement. Continuous handholding
support and random checks may be done for quality.
 Lack of awareness on usage of bio inoculants.
To create awareness and build confidence and motivate farmers, it
needs to be demonstrated across all possible crop ecosystems of the village. And
all the farmers (Chemical, Semi chemical and Organic). may be exposed to these
demonstrations.
 Lack of resources and capital for maintaining stocks (both raw materials
and finished products) in BRCs.
The FPOs / RBK may own up BRC units and with a micro planning
of the local situation, procurement & production may be increased to make the
products available in time in sufficient quantities.

45. Some Issues in Facilitation
 Low interface between entrepreneur and farmers
 Low coordination between BRC and promoters.
 Low motivation in entrepreneurs coz of lack of demand/insufficient revenue.
 Frequently changing BRC operators
 Distantly located BRCs from Clic Offices.

46. Overall Challenges
• Improving knowledge levels of entrepreneurs.
• Retaining the entrepreneurs in BRC business.
• Convincing farmers to adopt.
• Coordination between BRC and other stakeholders.
A support system for redressal of various issues in
knowledge, technology, operation and field application.