Community initiative for azolla cultivation by farm women of Uttar Dinajpur District of West Bengal

Azolla is a small fast-growing free-floating water fern and has been proved as sustainable source for the poor and disadvantaged women and men farmers in their hardships of finding viable feed for the farm animals and enriched bio-manure in rice farming. Keeping above points in view backyard azolla cultivation was introduced to 10 self help groups by KVK, Uttar Dinajpur in the year 2013 under frontline demonstration programme covering five villages. Through farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing and proper training, now it had been reached to 55 SHGs covering more than 50 villages and 650 farm families in five blocks of the district. Azolla had been introduced in domestic animals and birds’ feeds. As azolla produces abundant biomass, and has 5-7 per cent protein respiration abilities, offer cost-effective solutions for fodder security [more than 3040 per cent cost saving] and significantly reduces costs towards chemical farming. It was revealed that there is significant change in knowledge, attitude and skill level of SHG women practicing azolla cultivation after getting training. Reasons for adoption and discontinuation were also assessed for the selected group.