Magadi (India)

Magadi is 45 km west of Bangalore and comes under the newly formed Ramanagar District (prior to August 2007 it was part of Bangalore Rural District). Geographically, Magadi is situated on the Deccan Plateau and between latitude 12° 58’ & 12° 97’ degrees North and longitude 77° 23’ degrees East.

Magadi has a good climate and altitude is 900m. The maximum temperature during summer is 38°C and the minimum 12°C in winter. The average maximum and minimum temperatures are 33°C and 14°C, respectively. The average annual rainfall is 800 mm. Most of it is received between June and September from the southwest monsoon. However, the northeast monsoon also brings rain for a short period during November to December.

Magadi town has been divided into 23 wards for administration and developmental purposes. The major livelihood of the town is agriculture. Silk twisting also has good share in livelihood of Magadi and this has been taken up by the well off families and providing employment opportunities for the local people on hourly basis.

The geographical area is 5.59 sq kms (522.45 ha.). Out of this, agriculture comprises 242.2 ha (46.36 %). Green leaves, vegetables and flowers are the major crops grown in town limit. Urban farmers prefer to grow short duration and market oriented high value crops. Now agriculture in this area is getting away due to urbanization, increase of input cost and labour cost as well as increase in land value.

Magadi TMC Land-use Map

Starting from Seed; to reach the Table

FStT project started in January 2009. The main aim of the project is to strengthen the marketing capacities of urban producer group/s in Town Municipal Council. After the introductory and context analysis phase of first six months from February to June 09 the project has moved to its planning phase in July. During the project planning stage, producer groups who have market potential were identified. Most of the urban farmers are have small lands for cultivation. Carrot (Daucus carota) was selected to be produced by 100 farmers and sell through a super and local market in collective approach. Also, the various inputs suppliers, service providers, producers & marketers and inter-relations were mapped. It has been used to select what are the areas to be improved by technical and marketing innovations.

As an affiliated body the Magadi Vayalagam Vegetable Producers Association will be established and registered. It consist 100 producers from 6 clusters in three wards in Magadi Municipal Council.

Technical and organizational capacity building has been taken up through demonstration plots. These demonstrations were taken-up to evolve the techniques to minimise the rottening of carrot in rainy season due to water logging.

Multi-Stakeholders Forum (MSF)

The Multi-Stakeholders Forum is the body of developmental departments to build a green city in Magadi where the implementation of RUAF-FStT project is ongoing. The MSF of Magadi comprises Town Municipal Council – Magadi, Dept. of Agriculture – Magadi, Dept. of Horticulture – Magadi, Dept. of Animal husbandry, Social Forest Department – Magadi, Dept. of Women and Children Development, Department of Industrial Extension and Department of Watershed and University of Agricultural Sciences – Bangalore coordinates the MSF in Magadi.

List of Members of Multi-stake Holders Forum, Magadi