Catalyzing Common Property Farming For Rural Sustainability: Lessons From The Furracabad Valley

Lessons learnt and progress achieved in a project seeking to catalyse establishment of a group, or common property, farming enterprise are reported in this article. The project concept grew from successful experiences of the farmers initiating the project in working together to address shared environmental issues. It was concerned with appraising the potential of a group farming arrangement to consolidate their environmental achievements as well as deliver them economic and social benefits. Preliminary budgeting indicated that such an arrangement would benefit the participating farmers economically. A range of social advantages were also identified by the farmers involved. Nevertheless, it was not possible during the nine month life of the project to obtain the critical mass of farmer commitment needed to implement such an arrangement. Even so, the project succeeded in strengthening awareness and understanding of the concept of common property farming and firming up a structure through which it could be implemented.