Concept and Origin

• The Krishul Model is an integrated, farmer-centric income augmentation framework developed through the Krishikul initiative of the Global Vikas Trust (GVT)
• It emerged in response to agrarian distress and drought conditions, particularly in Beed district of Maharashtra
• The model focuses on moving farmers away from low-value, risk-prone crops toward high-value, science-based horticulture combined with water security and institutional support

Core Philosophy

• Farmer prosperity as the foundation of rural and national economic growth
• Trust-building with farmers through continuous engagement and problem diagnosis
• Use of science, scale, and sustainability rather than short-term relief measures
• Income enhancement through structural transformation, not subsidies alone

Key Components of the Krishul Model

Crop Diversification and High-Density Plantation

• Shift from traditional rain-fed crops like soybean and cotton to high-value fruit crops such as papaya, pomegranate, guava, banana, custard apple, sweet lime, and mulberry
• Adoption of high-density plantation techniques to maximise yield per acre
• Focus on crops with better price stability and market demand

Quality Input Management

• Centralised procurement of high-quality saplings from multiple nurseries
• Bulk purchasing reduced sapling costs significantly
• Saplings supplied to farmers at subsidised rates using CSR funding
• Emphasis on uniformity, disease resistance, and productivity

Water Security and Groundwater Recharge

• Addressed extreme groundwater depletion through a multi-layered water strategy
• Construction of farm ponds and check dams
• Introduction of Global River Aquashafts, vertical recharge structures built in riverbeds
• These structures filtered silt and channelled excess surface water into aquifers
• Resulted in a dramatic rise in groundwater levels, enabling assured irrigation

Institutional and Financial Support

• Establishment of Krishikul as a demonstration, training, and research hub
• Extensive farmer training on crop management, pruning, irrigation, and pest control
• Partnership with banks to ensure access to credit
• Risk mitigation through a first-loss default guarantee mechanism, reducing lender hesitation

Economic Outcomes

• Per-acre farmer income increased more than tenfold within a short transition period
• Independent evaluation by validated income growth and livelihood impact
• Large-scale adoption across thousands of villages and tens of thousands of farm families
• Demonstrated that even drought-prone regions can become high-income agricultural zones

Social and Structural Impact

• Reduced farmer vulnerability to climate shocks and price volatility
• Improved rural employment and asset creation
• Strengthened farmer confidence in innovation-driven agriculture
• Demonstrated scalability potential similar to earlier cooperative-led agricultural revolutions

Lessons from the Krishul Model

• Income transformation requires simultaneous intervention in crops, water, credit, and knowledge
• CSR funding can be effectively leveraged for long-term productive assets
• Trust and local engagement are as critical as technology
• Proof-of-concept at district level is essential before large-scale replication

Next Phase and Expansion Needs

• Transition from production-focused model to full value-chain control
• Aggregation, grading, packaging, cold storage, and logistics infrastructure
• Direct access to domestic and global markets
• Aim to raise farmers’ share in the consumer price from around one-third to a majority share
• Requires coordinated participation of governments, financial institutions, private sector, and civil society

Broader Significance

• The Krishul Model demonstrates that farmer incomes can be multiplied, not merely doubled
• It provides a replicable blueprint for agrarian transformation in drought-prone and marginal regions
• Highlights the role of institutional innovation in achieving sustainable rural prosperity