Hardy, nutritious crops that were once commonplace on farms and plates are being brought back to diversify food systems, we reap benefits ranging from climate resilience to healthier diets to nutritional quality of food products along developing value chains, to increased livelihoods with setting up agri-enterprises. Our continued focus on agro-ecological farming, conservation of traditional diversity by reviving Neglected and Underutilised Crops(NUS) that are nutrient dense, climate-resilient, profitable and locally available and are fundamental to improving dietary and production diversity.
Agro-ecological farming by concentrating and increasing the area of Neglected crops with about 1000 farming families. Creating consumer awareness, engagement with consumers, working on value chain development of Millets and Horsegram by engaging with different stakeholders from producer, processor, retailer to district officials and scientist, stressing on demand generation and market linkage for the NUS products. With improving overall production approach and upscaling of NUS and agroecological food production with formation of SHGs and Village Samithis that work on improving the production line of the crops where many capacity building programmes are organised and support through provision of inputs, seeds and so on is provided.
Carrots of different colours
Agroecological Driven Production
The Market development is to involve all actors along production to marketing of agroecological products. By involving farmers who are organised into FPCs and connecting, Consumers and other private players in a participatory manner, while improving livelihood and resilience of small and marginal farmers through agroecological approach specifically aiming to strengthen the economic viability of local food crops through conducting fairs and campaigns. Comprehensive capacity building programmes for different stakeholders around the agroecology based farming and enabling market access and developing value chain for local crop production.
Empowering farming communities as the key agents of change, aimming at transforming the current food systems through agroecological production and by empowering women, smallholder farmers and consumers to ensure sustainable livelihoods, and responsible consumption and interventions through enabling marketing support.
SuATI
Initiate agroecological transformation with FPCs by introducing natural farming practices.
The objective is to strengthen agroecological transformation processes of agricultural and food systems with a focus on market development. This project is being implemented with a network involving 5 Farmer Producer Orgnisation and 10 Women SHGs in the districts of Dharwad, Belagavi, Haveri and Mysore of Karnataka, Transformation with the link between producers and consumers. The project is designed to offer an integrated solution to small and marginal farmers by developing concept of model farms of 4guntas(60x60m) area. These plots are crafted with mix species – oil seeds, pulses, green manuring, cereals, vegetables which provide sustainability to farming families. The dividing line has to be planted with green manure crops and plots bordered with fruit trees. These ensure food supply while diversification in production and diets, improving on nutrition security and reducing adverse environmental impacts.
Securing Food and Nutrition of Tribals
Working with the Jenu Kurubas in the H D Kote Taluk of Mysore district, which is their homeland. This tribal community has settled down in numerous hamlets in some tiny houses, known as Hadi.
The revival of roots and tubers had been on the forefront of our initiation in the area. To make these more accessible to all the community members, some women had collected the diversity of roots and tubers from other places and from their own regions and planted them in their backyards and have also set-up nurseries for further multiplication.
Roots and tubers occupy an important place in the diet of the tribal community. Considering the importance of these , to produce their own tubers and in their own backyards and space they have the concept of kitchen gardens was implemented. The roots and tubers were sourced from different regions and some nurseries were established these were distributed, with designing and land preparation. These gardens helped feed the families and also income enhancement within their homes.
Promotion of Roots and Tuber has been with organising Melas and Festivals that were organised in Urban areas of Mysore, Dharwad and Chennai.
Establishing Agrobiodiversity School Garden
The school garden is important, it is a learning tool where students learn about climate, environment, organic practices. They can apply the theories from class into real practices. The school garden encourages children to learn and work together. They have formed into groups and divide the work among themselves. They love their garden so much that they come even on Sundays and Holidays to take care of it. They are so proud that the harvested vegetables from the garden is used for their meals. The produce from the garden is used for more than 8 months for cooking at the school. We have not brought vegetables and greens from the market for almost 6 months. Some of the students have also learnt on developing garden from school to apply at home.
Garden veggies used in their kitchen for mid-day meals
Tibetan Organic Marketing
Sahaja samrudha initiated as research focused group that transformed many farmers and organizations towards organic. As early as 2006 Dhondenling Tibetan Settlement was completely transformed to organic farming with technical expertise from Sahaja Samrudha.
Being the first model settlement, later spread across 8 settlements and today markets under the brand name ‘Tibetan Organic’ promoted by a federation of Tibetan Organic Marketing.
The Organic Village Programme
Government of Karnataka was planned to bring 100 hectares of a village under organic farming in each district and Sahaja Samrudha implemented it in 3 districts.
Later in 2006 it extended to 100 hectares of a village in talukas and later to hoblis and renamed as Savayava Bhagya Yojane, which was successfully implemented in 35villages in 11 talukas. Now these villages have shown evidence of reduced weeds, pest and disease, with increased production and less water requirement in vegetable crops and increase biodiversity of the farm.
About 6 collectives have been formed in these villages and community marketing of organic produces is being successfully carried out.