Community-based programmes: The role of collective storytelling in the context of sustainable agriculture

Abstract Information: As in many developing countries, agriculture in India has a profound cultural and social significance. It is deeply ingrained in the social fabric and identity of rural communities, and plays a crucial role in their livelihoods and economy. Agriculture is also closely tied to the country's religious and cultural practices, such as the celebration of harvest festivals and the worship of agricultural deities. The position of stories, as both an emergent aspect and an influencing factor, is key to understanding the agrarian context in India. High chemical input-based agriculture promoted during the 1960s under the “green revolution” was overlaid with a narrative of progress and of breaking free from the past. The strength of this story in capturing the farmers’ imagination was instrumental in diffusing practices under the green revolution.

In this context, we wish to present findings from an ongoing evaluation that assesses the role of narratives and storytelling in influencing attitudes and practices of the farming community in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, wherein the world’s largest state-led sustainable agriculture project is being implemented. Envisioned to be a community-based programme, the role of narratives goes beyond influencing uptake of promoted practices by farmers, and reifies the position of community actors, especially women farmers who are responsible for scaling out and deep, through collective articulation and adaption of stories. The power and boundaries of stories in unifying otherwise discordant stakeholders, including but limited to large and small farmers, landless farmers, input dealers, middlemen and produce purchasers, extension agents, and ground-level implementation actors will be presented.

Relevance Statement: While large scale state-led interventions are often interlaced with grand narratives, the role of the same on target beneficiaries, community-based actors and upstream implementers has not been adequately delved into it, especially in the context of sustainable agriculture in developing nations. We wish to present insights from an ongoing evaluation to showcase novel methods of understanding the stated relationships. As the significance of agriculture extends beyond mere economic returns or livelihood, our findings suggest that storytelling that situates stakeholders within the narrative is an effective strategy for programme implementation.