Building Capacities of Community
Community mobilisation has been with Self-help group and village-based groups that are called as Village Samithis are organizations that are into setting up of micro enterprises. Often comprised soley of women and some are mixed groups, are playing a crucial role in promoting the focused objectives of livelihood, conservation of agro-biodiversity, health & nutrition and marketing. Formation of such groups have not only brought women out of their households but also has supported agrecological approaches by their sharing knowledge on seeds and sustainable practices, also women have involved more in value addition initiatives and also moved into the market space by marketing their products, this has changed the lives of women at the grassroots level.
Concentration on building capacities of women and research training sessions were conducted – Crop Improvement, Plant Breeding, Quality Seed Production, Establishing Seed plots & Diversity Blocks, Developing Integrated Kitchen Gardens, Value addition and Nursery Development.
Which impacted on increased production of high-quality seed varieties and women have emerged economic leaders in their families and communities. About 12 women enterprises are actively engaged in production and marketing of value added products and agri-artistic products, making handmade soap using natural resources and pappad making using cassava tubers and kitchen garden concept to supplement food and also gender sensitization workshops.. Many landless and very low landholding women farmers are encouraged to set up vegetable nurseries, where other organic farmers in the area purchase the saplings from them.
Building Brands
Initiatives in 2011 professional branding and packaging for all its stores and products. Brands like Namma Anna, Millet Magic, Nature Store have been created in the Sandbox and gone far in bringing about consumer awareness; the name ‘Millet Magic’ has even been trademarked
Formation of FPO’s
As Sahaja Samrudha continued to work on improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and the landless with a strong focus on gender equality with all our Women groups, Village Committees and every member of our team to feel valued and supported.
Formation of Devdanya Farmer Producer Company that has been incorporated with 10 Directors, the FPC is marekting of agroecological products and involving WSHGs in value addition and branding of Millet and Pulses food products. Community Seed Banks have collected seeds, multiplied by identifying seed producers and sale of seeds of millets and vegetables on a larger scale.
Training and Capacity Building: Training on agro-ecological farming was the prime focus which developed about 25 Trainers who imparted training to about 500 farmers in the project areas. Training to farmers in Seed production, CSB management, Participatory Varietal Selection, area of line sowing, application and preparations of bio-inputs.
Setting up Farmer Markets
Farmers to sell directly to consumers, Sahaja Samrudha has linked farmers to markets by setting up Farmers Markets. Markets have brought farmers to urban and rural settings where consumers get to shop for fresh, locally grown foods. The direct-to-consumer connection has been built between consumers and farmers, giving farmers a source of income and consumers confidence in the foods they are choosing for their families.
It was a long dream of Sahaja to establish farmers market at village and district levels Farmers. Farmers’ markets allow consumers to have access to locally grown, farm-fresh produce, enable farmers to develop personal relationships with their customers, and cultivate consumer loyalty with the farmers who grow the produce which inturn reflect the local culture and economy.
1. Namdu Organic Market, Mysuru on every Saturday
2. Desi Trust, Dharwada on every Sunday
3. Gandhi Pratistana ,Dharwad on every Thursday
4. Muru Savira Matt, Hubli
5. Timmapura, Doddabendigere, Matighatta village local markets
Weekly shandies – where farmers in dharwad district have assigned a separate space for themselves to sell the agro-ecological produce at the weeekly shandies being held in every village. The farmers and the women selling here are in the process of creating a healthy eating pattern and sell fruits, vegetables, grains, snacks of all crops of neglected nd underutilised crops and roots and tubers for offering to build a healthy plate.
Community Oriented Millet Processing Unit
Community processing unit established to reduce drudgery in millet processing is being operated by Bibi Fatima women’s self-help group in Teertha Village of Dharwad district. The unit was set up in the month of July 2022, SHG were provided with technical and funding from several agencies for installation of millet processing unit. The whole unit with graders, Desotner, Blowers, Cleaning machine was all provided by IIMR (Indian Institute of Millet Research, Hyderabad), secured ICAR support in setting up processing unit with KH Patil KVK in Hulkoti, Gadag as the nodal agency. Seeing the enthusiasm of the women the institute decided to fund their project with complete machine financial support. The Millet Foundation, Bangalore trained the women to make the unit operational.
The women underwent a rigorous training till they succeeded in achieving quality grains that are acceptable to consumers. The farmers in almost 15 villages get their grain processed at the unit. Earlier the millet farmers who grew millets sold the complete produce. But with the Processing Unit operating in the taluk has increased the household consumption of Millets. The unit is a hybrid version with both service to farmers producing small quantities and also purchasing from the farmers in bulk and processing and market the bulk product. During the year about 5000 metric tons of millets were processed and used by the local community and marketed through different platforms and marketed to peri urban and mega urban markets.
Setting up the processing facilities was to overcome the major bottlenecks in revival of millets. Establishing the unit has encouraged women groups to start local enterprises by value addition to Millets. Many products are being prepared by the women groups in the project area and also has increased the household level consumptions. It is envisaged that promoting processing facilities helps in easy access to millet grains.
The processing unit is being successfully run by Bibi Fatima SHG, Teertha. With technical assistance from Mr. Dwijendranath Guru of The Millet Foundation, who has capacitated the women into operating the Unit successfully.
Agricultural Tool Bank
Average land holding size of our farmers in our project area Hubli and Dharwad district is estimated at 1.2 ha. About 80% of the land holdings are operated by small and marginal farmers owning <1 and 1-2 ha holdings, respectively. These farmers cannot invest in costly farm machinery and depend on hiring of implements to carryout agricultural operations in their fields. In rainfed areas, the window for taking up of timely land preparation, sowing and inter-culture operations is narrow especially in the low rainfall zones. Failing to exploit this limited window often leads to a compromise on productivity and efficiency in crop production. Several options are now available to increase the efficiency and timeliness of agricultural operations even on small farms by using farm machinery.
Mechanical power is largely consumed in big land holdings and is still beyond the reach of small/marginal holdings which constitute around 80% of the total land holdings. This is due to the fact that the small/marginal farmers, by virtue of their economic condition are unable to own farm machinery on their own or through institutional credit. Therefore, Agriculture Tools Bank was set up at Malalai Village, Kundagola Taluk, Dharwad District run by women farmers. The tools are provided by hiring service to the needy farmers, operational skills are taught to them and they need to sign an agreement of maintenance for being responsible for the tool they hire.
Gender Sensitisation Workshop
Multiple gender sensitization trainings were organized for organizational members as well as community and community seed bank members, addressing roles and responsibilities, behavioral patterns and attitudes of both men and women. This has ensured equitable participation in all project activities and created access and management of resources and has had significant impact on women decision making power at both household and community level. Community Seed Bank is one area in which SS has put a strong focus on equitable gender outcomes while achieving many women emerging as leaders also has had significant results of biodiversity conservation.
Sahaja Samrudha has taken a step further by involving women in seed conservation, crop improvement through participatory plant breeding (PPB) technologies. Also by providing them access and control over good seeds. This has changed their whole attitude of remaining in the background.
@ Nature First, Dharwad
The concept of gender sensitivity reduces the barriers of personal and economic development created by conscious and unconscious gender bias. Gender sensitivity brings forth the realization that assumptions related to matters of gender are invalid and stereotyped generalizations. To address gender related issues, and to make the rural environment more inclusive and diverse, training sessions on Gender sensitivity was organized to women and men of Kundagol taluk.
Sahaja Samrudha looking at the aspect of increasing women’s participation and bridging the gender leadership in project area had an orientation workshop for 3 days at Nature First, Dharwad.
Livestock to Landless
Soap Making Training by Yoke
The training was aimed to augment the income for tribal women and also help setup small scale business and create their own customized beauty soaps.
Kitchen Garden orientation @ Gramachetana,Surshettikoppa
Cassava Pappad Making Programmes
Production and marketing of diversified tuber crops based products create demand for tuber crops and ensure stable price, thereby increase in area of tuber crops cultivation.