Promotion of Solid Waste Management through Organic Cultivation in 15 Villages of District Kalahandi of Orissa.

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State :  Orissa

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Region : East

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Areas Covered by Initiative Work

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Under Mission Sanjeevita, 15 Scheduled Tribal Community Khond and OBCs dwelling  backward villages of two blocks Kurlamunda and Madanpur Rampur of district Kalahandi in Orissa.

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Major Issues Addressed

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Apart from poverty, migration, drought and starvation death, Kalahandi is characterized by one dominant feature—agriculture is not chemical free. SULAXMI is intended to preserve and promote bio-diversity through soil conservation, promotion of organic agriculture through vermiculture and to cover more and more areas through growing of chemical-free indigenous varieties of green vegetables with cent percent involvement of locals specially womenfolk, the pivot of tribal economy.

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Objectives

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To cover 135 acres of land for organic cultivation of different verities of green vegetables through construction of 90 vermipits for 80 farmers of 15 villages of two blocks of district Kalahandi. Being a demonstration project, two training camps were organized to spray the message to adopt vermin-manure to make the area chemical free.

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Description of initiative in brief

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SULAXMI aims to develop a society that rejects the chemical fertilizers only since this is fatal for innocent community, away from the draconian impact of pesticides and fertilizers. A Village Level Committee (VLC) was formed with the consent of locals that was followed by the selection of beneficiaries. Awareness cum motivation programme was organized and then after vermipits were constructed based on the approved model of Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. The capacity of each pit is 3.6 tones of manure in a year. Besides, 80 pits for same number of beneficiaries, 10 pits have been constructed for demonstration. These pits are being looked after by the beneficiaries. The beneficiaries were provided all technical support including technology transfer with seeds of tomato, brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage, raddish, turnip, onion, chilli, Amaranth leaves and etc. The farmers are applying vermin-manure. They are growing organic yields very beneficial to the locals, specially womenfolk, who are anemic.





Ecologising organic based cultivation in a tribal dominated village of Kalahandi for sustainable livelihood development of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes  (SC/ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) population of drought prone area in District Kalahandi of Orissa.

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State :  Orissa
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Region : Eastern​
 

Areas Covered by Initiative Work 

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The proposal focuses on field   The project focuses on field demonstration with R&D component to involve rural population with little equipment to provide them sustainable economic resources. The project is cent percent eco-friendly without subversion of local tradition but only to make avenues of revenue generation and convert the farmers as Barefoot Agriculture Scientist.

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Major Issues Addressed

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Agriculture must be free from chemical fertilizers. As SULAXMI is intended to preserve and promote bio-diversity through soil conservation, promotion of organic agriculture through vermiculture and to cover more and more areas through growing of chemical-free indigenous varieties of green vegetables with cent percent involvement of locals specially womenfolk, the pivot of tribal economy. It was estimated to enrich the economy of tribals through production of vermin-manure and its proper marketing as rural entrepreneur scheme.  ​
 

Objectives 

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Awareness for the importance of organic agriculture among the indigenous population of target village. Introduction of organic farming with the construction of vermin-pits and vermin-compost. Make atmosphere for the adoptability of organic-vegetables among the target beneficiaries. Distribution of saplings of fruit tree in target region following development of a nursery. Involvement of women folk directly with this project to put them on the mainstream of nation. To explore the market-avenues of organic fertilizers. 

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Description of initiative in brief

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This was only a demonstration project to make aware the villagers of this region. Since, SULAXMI believes in awareness cum motivation to get optimum achievements in our mission. SULAXMI combined the locals with this project . The villagers developed a nursery of Bamboo (Bambusa nutans), Mango (Magnifera Indica), Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), Lemon tree (Citrus limon), Drumstick (Cassia fistula) in Kursurla village. Green vegetable cultivation was done under which tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), garlic (Allicurn sitavum), ginger (Zinziber officinale), chilly (Capscicum annum), turmeric (Curcuma domestica), onion (Allium cepa) including papaya (Carica papaya) were grown. The agriculture scientists technically assisted the volunteers. Meanwhile, SULAXMI  constructed vermipits and vermicomposts with its all accessories. The awareness components were continued. In the second months, a training programme was conducted to train the direct beneficiaries. Hereafter, the villagers were permitted to see our nursery.

Total number of beneficiaries was 24.





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Development of Kitchen Gardens through Introduction of Organic Horticulture​
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State : Orissa

Region :  Eastern

Areas Covered by Initiative Work 

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Tribal dominated revenue villages named Joradobra and Muskadandi of district Kalahandi in Orissa​
 

Major Issues Addressed

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It was an extension project of our last year’s Cottonwood Foundation supported activities to SULAXMI on vermiculture.​
 

Objectives 

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Since the locals have appropriate number of vermin-pits, so SULAXMI intended to provide qualitative food intake among anemic womenfolk with proper application of vermimanure through development of kitchen gardens. The locals can grow all sorts of green vegetables round the year for their personal and commercial uses as well.​
 

Description of initiative in brief

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A 3 member Village Level Committee (VLC) was formed. The VLC selected 14 beneficiaries for this project following a long discussion with the participance. The VLC decided to make a provision of PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (PC) through their manpower support like other projects of SULAXMI.  

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A one day training programme was organized in Muskadandi village. The participants were provided the benefits of bio-manure through bio-mass. They were provided concerned pictorial literature as well. In the training component, the beneficiaries visited SULAXMI’s nursery, where two vermipits (size of each pit is 3m X 1.2m X 0.80m) are existing. The capacity of each pit is 3.6 tones of vermin-manure. Just besides these pits, SULAXMI is doing organic horticulture. The volunteers developed a land (20m X 12m), adjacent to this nursery, through two ploughs with application of bio-manure.



The beneficiaries were imparted training for development of kitchen gardens through introduction of organic horticulture. Since the locals have appropriate number of vermin-pits, so SULAXMI intended to provide qualitative food intake among anemic womenfolk with proper application of vermimanure. Total number of kitchen gardens is 30 and the size of each plot is 25m X 10m. The design was developed by The Indian Council of Agriculture Research Institute (ICAR), Pusa, New Delhi.



The plots were developed by the end of May 2006 and plot no. 1 & 2 were used for Okara cultivation that was continued up to July. Additionally, Amaranth was grown as cross cropping on the same plot. Hereafter, the same plots were used for cauliflower growing in the month of July. Besides, tomato saplings were planted in plot no. 3 and brinjal plants were planted in plot no. 4. Near about 5000 saplings of tomato and brinjal were developed in the Central Nursery of SULAXMI at Kursurla, and they were later on transferred to the different plots. On every plot 15 plants of papaya, 5 plants of banana were planted. In the month of September, chilli plants were planted whereas carrot was planted in the month of November in the ridge (gap between two plots) no. 5, 6 & 7.In the month of December, onion growing was started in the plot no. 3 & 7 since season of tomato was over in this area. Chilli will remain up to March and the farmers will be taking crop of brinjal up to April of 2007. Turnip is existing in the ridge no. 1 to 3 and in ridge no. 4, beat is followed by colocasia. Drumstick, banana and papaya will take time to give yields to the farmers.



The kitchen gardens have been developed just beside a well of hand pump so that the availability of water will be possible round the year. Secondly, procurement of water is not the subject of Herculean task for the beneficiaries. The quality of vegetable yield is undoubtedly very good. The horticulture experts estimated the huge quantity of vegetables from these gardens. By April, the total yields will be counted and then after The Cottonwood Foundation will be informed. There are no pest attacks so far. The Village Level Committee is looking after this project. Ownership is being availed by the beneficiaries, who are using their land. Profit is the subject of their personal benefit. Now, other villagers are taking interest to develop kitchen gardens in their backyard. SULAXMI is ready to provide them all possible technical support to such farmers.



The demand of organic vegetables is growing day by day as it is total negation of chemical fertilizers. The project is spontaneously sustained as it is giving economic benefits to the farmers. SULAXMI is providing suggestion to the farmers and local Block Agriculture Officer, Department of Horticulture, Kalahandi, Government of Orissa is also attached with this project.



The project was timely finished and it has been handed over to the community assisted by The Village Level Committee (VLC) in the month of November. Each and every component has been annexed with this project. First time in this area, the person was identified as who will be responsible for what activity. For each activity, deadline was already decided to get 100% achievement.



So far, SULAXMI has been providing seeds and technical support to the beneficiaries. But the beneficiaries kept on selecting the plots or sights to grow vegetables. Through this project the sight was not only decided but they were developed in the close supervision of concerned experts. This is cent percent scientific project having mission of technology transfer.

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Cultivation of Sarpgandha for Sustainable Economic Growth of Farmers 

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State:  Orissa​
 

Region: Eastern​
 

Areas Covered by Initiative Work

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The traditional folk-healers, folk-physicians, farmers, local institutions & grassroot NGOs.​
 

Major Issues Addressed

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Bio-diversity of Kalahandi, existing of herbs in that locality, interested groups-individuals for traditional folk knowledge on herbs, linkages between mass and marketing following cultivation of selected herbs, suitable to the local environment.​
 

Objectives 

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Availability of herbs in the nearby locality of targeted area, meeting of the traditional folk-healers, folk-physicians, farmers, local institutions & grassroot NGOs, identification of locals farmers, who are interested for herbal cultivation, cultivation of Sarpagandha & proper marketing of yields.​
 

Description of initiative in brief

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Sarpgandha is a very important medicinal plant in Western Ghat region in India. It is generally used by the traditional folk physician and it has abundance of scope for trading. SULAXMI identified 7 acres of land in Sarplohra village of Karlamunda block of Kalahandi on trail bases. The experiment was very successful that motivated the farmers to continue the same. Meanwhile, the TRUST established a robust networking for maximum uses of this herb. SULAXMI developed marketing scope also, so, that the farmers could not get any problem, since there is ban from the side of government to export Sarpgandha, so SULAXMI managed local marketing. Total number of beneficiaries was 37.​
 

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​​Technology Transfer to Sunflower Cultivation​​
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State : Orissa​
 

Region : Eastern​
 

Areas Covered by Initiative Work

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Work With Technology transfer to sunflower cultivation.​
 

Major Issues Addressed

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Land development, proper care for seedlings, saplings, rowing, nourishment, irrigation, revitalization of plants, manuring, weeding, harvesting and marketing.   ​
 

Objectives 

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Selection of farmers for demonstration of scientific cultivation of sunflower following proper intervention of technology transfer. Introduction of proper marketing. ​
 

Description of initiative in brief

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In Kesingha block of district Kalahandi, dozens of farmers are involved in sunflower cultivation. Unfortunately, they are not using its scientific way of cultivation. As demonstration, SULAXMI marked 21.34 acres of land near Uttkela area for science and technology intervention in sunflower cultivation. The selected 29 farmers came across with and experience to see the impact of such intervention with the close intervention of agro-scientists.





Lemongrass Cultivation

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State  : Orissa
 

Region : Eastern
 

Areas Covered by Initiative Work  ​

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Technology transfer to lemongrass cultivation.
 

Major Issues Addressed ​

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Land development, proper care for seedlings, saplings, rowing, nourishment, irrigation, revitalization of plants, manuring, weeding, harvesting and marketing.   
 

Description of initiative in brief 

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Lemongrass is not a very common species in Western India. The locals are still unaware with the importance and uses of lemongrass. So, only to disseminate to adopt this crop for instant income among the local farmers whose area has proper irrigation facility. SULAXMI selected 5 acres of land near Sandula River. The villagers of Maskadandi were involved in this activity and they were provided training and scientific support. In addition to this they were also provided seeds and organic manure. A demonstration of oil extraction was also done. The villagers grown green vegetables to get additional income.
 

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Greening Kalahandi

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State :  Orissa
 

Region : Eastern
 

Areas Covered by Initiative Work 

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Raising of 7250 saplings of fruit-trees and teak and distribute them among 82 people.
 

Major Issues Addressed ​

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Greenery, bio-diversity conservation, climate change.
 

Objectives  ​

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Distribution and plantation of more than 7000 saplings of different saplings to cover 8 hectares of land to procure raw materials for preserved food in future.
 

Description of initiative in brief ​

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Green India is a dream of SULAXMI. SULAXMI has one nursery in Kursula village of district Kalahandi, where saplings of fruit trees were raised. The beneficiaries received and planted 3000 teak saplings, 1500 jackfruits saplings, 1000 mango saplings, 1000 guava saplings and 750 lemon tree saplings. They  were poor SC/ST/OBC. The  to expand greenery in the targeted village of this TRUST.



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Documentary film on the unwed mothers of Orissa based on the conducted research on the same issue.

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State :  Orissa
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Region : Eastern
 

Areas Covered by Initiative Work​

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The pain and pangs of unwed mothers, case study, interview, comments from related experts, the custom-norms-legal provision and rights, milestones from the side of judiciary.
 

Major Issues Addressed ​

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Social-economical-legal-political-religious aspects of tribal society in the context of free and fare sex culture. The present economic scenario and democratic provision. The status of women in local society and legal provision.
 

Objectives  ​

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To make aware the mass to avoid the sexual intercourse before marriage. The film make them aware to keep control emotion in the context of relation between men and women. 
 

Description of initiative in brief ​

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The film is based on selected interviews of 50 unwed mothers of 10 districts of Orissa. Their personal happenings,  their family background including their economic status, the reason behind their pregnancy, the reason behind being of unwed mothers, comments from related experts, the custom-norms-legal provision and rights, milestones from the side of judiciary; all have been displayed in this film. The film is being marketed. The cost of one CD is worth US$ 60. The benefit from selling of this CD will be used in favor of unwed mothers.





Solid Waste Management-the ultimate solution Narla- Kalahandi.

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State  : Orissa
 

Region : Eastern
 

Areas Covered by Initiative Work

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Under Mission Sanjeevita, some Scheduled Tribal Community Khond and OBCs dwelling  backward villages of two blocks Narla, Kurlamunda and Madanpur Rampur of district Kalahandi in Orissa.
 

Major Issues Addressed

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If poverty is the fate of Kalahandi, migration, drought and starvation death are called their destiny that always appear in full swing. Kalahandi is characterized by one dominant feature—agriculture is not chemical free. SULAXMI is intended to preserve and promote bio-diversity through soil conservation, promotion of organic agriculture through vermiculture and to cover more and more areas through growing of chemical-free indigenous varieties of green vegetables with cent percent involvement of locals specially womenfolk, the pivot of tribal economy. 
 

Objectives 

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To make the mass to fight against the draconian tendency to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Motivational work to adopt organic agriculture through distribution of related pictorial literature to the local population with involvement of schools.  
 

Description of initiative in brief

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The local volunteers covered 25 villages of three blocks of Kalahandi and motivated the mass to adopt organic agriculture for safe and happy life. The students of 11 schools sprayed the message of organic agriculture.





Jangle Jangle Loot Machi Hai

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State  : Orissa
 

Region : Eastern
 

Areas Covered by Initiative Work

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Water-forest-land-man-animal.
 

Major Issues Addressed

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Tribal and bio-diversity conservation including govt. supported developmental programmes.
 

Objectives 

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To know the actualities and realities of targeted areas.
 

Description of initiative in brief

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Everyone knows the hunger and misery that stalks the tribal districts of India. But what remains unknown is that starvation and hunger exists amidst plenty. With 87 per cent of the population living below the poverty line/BPL among tribal populace, the struggle to eke out a living is an onerous task. The innocent, simple and illiterate tribals end up borrowing money at the time of distress only to find themselves slipping deeper and deeper into debt. Although the moneylenders vehemently deny, the annual rate of interest comes to about 460 per cent. Such is the degree of exploitation that even the poorest of the poor are not spared, whether it is Kalahandi or Palamau or Chhindwada or Banswada districts.

The land holding system is very unique and complicated in the remote districts. There are two types of land holding, first is big landlord of business community (Sahoo and etc.), who are moneylenders and second one is small landowners from SC/ST class. Generally moneylenders hold 5 to 10 acres of land and the ST/SC own 0.5 acre to 4 or 5 acres of land. The report says that there more than 7 lakh population are migrant labour in this district. Forests have been a major source of livelihood and survival for tribal communities for a long time. The development programmes wrecked the rich storehouse of bio-diversity; the poachers began to move freely, frankly and boldly. Their woods destroyed, so minor forest produces (MFP).

There is no arrangement to conserve rainwater at doorstep to do off-season vegetable cultivation in the targeted villages. The sudden increase in the number of outlets selling chemical pesticides indicates the corresponding rise in use of pesticides and other chemicals. Tribal farmers do not have any knowledge about its negative impact. Being illiterate, they cannot even follow the instructions on the label. There is a tendency to use chemical pesticides indiscriminately. This poses a grave threat to human and livestock health apart from the adverse effect on the fragile ecology of the region.

The extent of poverty and malnutrition that afflicts the tribals of India belt is beyond the comprehension of the standard economic models. And it is perhaps for this reason that the economists and sociologists have not been able to see the human side of continuous suffering and servility. Fifty-nine years after independence, an average rural family in tribal areas are survives on an annual income of less than Rs 5,000. Hunger, malnutrition, disease and even starvation are, therefore, inevitable.

The area, where the research team visited to see the reality and actuality is also world known as drought prone region. So, migration is very common phenomenon among the local villagers. Starvation deaths happen from time to time here. However, the average rainfall in most of the tribal region is 1200+ mm but there is no source to conserve run off water. The average income of the tribal villages is Rs. 3000/- per head. The farmers earn Rs. 1,500 from one acre of land. The poor infrastructure, inaccessibility to the most of the villages, improper marketing facilities, over indulgence of mediators to purchase their yields at dam cheap rate and unawareness to explore avenues for sustainable economic growth has been knitted the cobweb of poverty that compels the villagers for migration.

Migration is the biggest destiny of this area that is putting negative impact on the tribal culture. When a family migrates, the senior citizens are abandoned and their misery ultimately turns into unnoticed death. Due to engagement in the unorganized sectors of outside the native place, the womenfolk are labeled UNWED MOTHERS.



All have been depicted and described in this research through various chapters.





The State of Unwed Mothers of Orissa: Possibilities of Their Rehabilitation and Prevention to Mar This Malpractice.

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State  : Orissa

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Region : East

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Type  : Research Project
 

Year   :   2004-2006

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Project Details
 

Areas Covered by Initiative Work With Nine Districts of named Kalahandi, Koraput, Bolangir, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Nuapada, Kendrapada,  Sonepur, Sundargarh, Phulbani, Bargarh of state Orissa.
 

Major Issues Addressed​

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The vulnerable picture of Unwed mother in the state Orissa.

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Objectives  
 

• To encourage the tribal women, especially the unwed mothers to form groups for having a common platform for share in different views on the other concern.
• To generate awareness about various affairs of their social, economic, and other matters.
• To provide them maximum days of employment.
• To connect them with micro-credit system.
• To include savings and credit among the members of the group for crediting of a common fund through weekly small savings to meet the future needs.
• To establish linkages between SHGs of unwed mothers and banks.
• To encourage tribal women for promoting their economic status by utilizing the skills and knowledge acquired through training.
• To encourage their participation in various development programmes.

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Research findings 

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The identification of Unwed mothers has done by the researchers and their case studies collected. SULAXMI has organized various group meetings of these unwed mothers with the various officials like BDOs etc. to represent their problems. These unwed mothers encouraged time to time to start their own business for livelihood development for herself and her child. With the special emphases these unwed mothers included in the Micro credit groups of SULAXMI made for the women’s empowerment. Four children of unwed mother’s has adopted by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) by the initiative of SULAXMI. In the next step SULAXMI is going to engage these unwed mothers in the entrepreneurship programme in Kalahandi district and then in further district. To make them independent. These unwed mothers will also work for SULAXMI as the volunteers or counselors  to make the adolescent girls to escape the situations, which may tern them till the taboo of unwed mother. The training for this purpose is under process step by step.