CASE ANALYSIS:

How tuber crops

multiplying employment
in Andaman?

Ekra ansari
PGDM 2020-22
How tuber crops multiplying employment in Andaman?

Case Analysis:

Nicobarese is a prominent ethnic group living in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. People live in
a shared family system and use the "Tuhet" Garden System. Their farming methods are different
and completely different from other farming methods. ICAR-CIARI has embarked on an effort
to provide scientific information on tuber-based farming systems in the Harminder Bay area of
Little Andaman. The village has 15 tuhet and an area of 0.44 hectares per tuhet garden. A tuber-
based farming system was established by the Council for Indian Subcontinent Tribal Agriculture
and Rural Development (CIARI). CIARI selected farmers from 10 nations to exhibit crop-based
farming programs in remote areas of the northeastern region of India. A tuber-based farming
system has resulted in increased profitability and residual and profit margin (B: C). Popular with
international farmers, my elephant foot has created a demand and enthusiasm among them.
Crops were grown under natural farming practices without additional manure and fertilizers. The
total revenue for each 'tuhet' has been increased from Rs. 42,200 with a B: C rating of 1.33, prior
to intervention, to Rs. 132,820 after intervention. The increase in revenue was due to the
combination of tuber and pig crops. The youth of the Nicobarese tribe came to the fore by
adopting a tuber-based farming system as their livelihood. Job creation in the tuber-based
farming system is estimated at 510 men per day per hectare compared to the day 295 people in
their traditional program show a significant increase in employment generation. CIARI
intervention in the Little Andaman and Nicobar tribal areas has tripled the income of farmers of
three different ethnic groups and increased job creation by more than 70 percent. The capacity of
this program is to provide additional income, employment and the development of food security
in the natural environment of the island.

Affordability: Being preferred by the tribal farmers, the elephant foot yam has created demand
and enthusiasm among them. The crops were grown using natural farming practices with no
added manures or fertilizers, which the tribal members found affordable and resulted in an
increase in income due to the integration of tuber crops and pigs. The employment generation in
the tuber crop-based farming system was estimated at 510 man-days per hectare as compared to
295 man-days in their traditional system, showing a marked increase in employment generation.
Awareness: ICAR-CIARI has initiated an effort for imparting scientific knowledge on the tuber crops-
based farming system at the tribal village Harminder Bay in Little Andaman. The village has 15 tuhets
with an average area of 0.44 hectare per tuhet garden. The tuber crops-based farming system was
developed by the Council for Indian Subcontinent Tribal Agriculture and Rural Development (CIARI).

Availability: The CIARI selected 10 tribal farmers to conduct demonstrations of the crop-based farming
system in remote areas of India's north-east region. The tuber crop-based farming system has resulted in
increasing the gross and net returns as well as benefit cost.

Acceptability: The Nicobarese are a dominant tribe among the tribes living in Andaman & Nicobar
Islands. The people live in joint family system and adopt the "Tuhet" Garden System. Their cultivation
practices are unique and entirely different from the other farming practices. CIARI's intervention in the
tribal areas of Little Andaman and Nicobar has led to triple the tribal farmers' income and increased the
employment generation to the tune of over 70 percent. The potential of the system is providing additional
income, employment and enhancement of food availability in the island ecosystems.