HARIT PRAYAS-CI

Visit plan of Caritas India Project Officer by JCSS-HARIT PRAYAS team ( 23rd-25th Feb 2012)

2012-02-22T23:45:00.000-08:00

As per the schedule of visit by Mr. Vinod Pandey sir to Jhansi, we have planned that on 24th we will go to the project area villages and next day, i.e on 25th the team members of Harit Prayas will come to office for discussion on Job description and feed back for improvement implementation of the project, in its word and spirit.

The list of villages and concerned activity in the village is as following- (24-02-2012)

1. Pathari - Meeting with Farmers' club members

- Visiting demo plot on organic farming where farmers will share their experience with organic farming, as facilitated by Harit Prayas project.

- Meeting with few MNREGA workers

2. Chamraua - Visiting Demo Plot on Organic Farming and meeting with Farmers named Gudda and Madhav

- V.I.C Visit

3. Matth - Demo plot visit of Asharam on organic farming

- Meeting with MNREGA workers

On 25-02-2012, 2nd day, all staffs of JCSS - Harit Prayas will be at office at sharp 9.00 AM.

The cluster coordinators of the concerned villages have been communicated about the schedule and their opinion has also been sought for this.

HARIT PRAYAS@JHANSI:strengthening democracy!

2012-02-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

“Democracy is the ideal that all the citizens of a nation determine together the laws or actions of their state, requiring that all citizens have an equal opportunity to express their consent and their will. In practise, "democracy" is the extent to which a given system approximates this ideal, and a given political system is referred to as "a democracy" if it allows a certain approximation to ideal democracy.The most common system that is deemed "democratic" in the modern world is parliamentary democracy in which the voting public takes part in elections and chooses politicians to represent them in a Legislative Assembly”

Now HARIT PRAYAS has moved a step ahead in terms of not only securing the livelihood and rights of downtrodden people, but also strengthening the overall good governance system in the form of strengthening democracy by ‘making community aware about casting their vote-through the message that vote is important and it gives us the power to elect the best people’s representative who can work for the welfare of people”

Considering the same and in concern with assembly elections voting in Jhansi on 23^rd/02/2012; JCSS-HARIT PRAYAS team in collaboration with Dainik Jagran ( a leading Hindi daily news paper) has gernerated mass awareness in all the 20 villages of HARIT PRAYAS in BABINA block of Jhansi.

Campaign has been supported by the National Daily Dainik Jagran. In the campaign the community members, children and women participated in the rally and the Harit Prayas team was encouraged with the people’s participation.

"Jaago matdata jaago" is the awareness campaign which makes voters aware of the importance of their vote. In Harit Prayas project villages Khandi, Guawali (chopra), on 17/02/2012 and Chamraua on 18/02/2012, team Harit Prayas organized rally with help of our community members. After rally a brief address was also given to the participants and the team emphasized the importance of vote. People requested to come out of their houses on voting day and they must cast their vote and elect right candidate who will work for betterment of people.

Slogan used- “matdaan- mahadan” , “apna vote, awashya karne”

Hope, this awareness campaign make people not only aware of their rights but also of their duty. This campaign has also given new breakthrough in reaching the HARIT PRAYAS project to the community.

FIELD VISIT TO SAMNAPUR AND KANCHI PIPARIYAH by Caritas India Project Officer

2012-02-21T02:37:00.000-08:00

Date: 17th/02/2012

Time: 10:00 am to 6 pm

Field area visited: Samnapur & Kanchi pipariyah

First we visited to Harit Prayas VIC at Panch Mile. There we met with VIC incharge Mr. Sandeep Agnihotri.

Observations:

· Location of VIC is good.

· Need to put vacancy forms related to employment in VIC and other necessary and beneficial documents for village community.

· List of total HH under Harit Prayas Project.

· To bring out innovative ideas to motivate more and more people to take benefit from VIC.

Then we went to Samnapur which is 36 kms form our office. There we met members of Sangam Kissan Club and Radha Mahila Mandal.

In FC there are 16 members who hold very less land. We talked them about their monthly meetings, on issues related to organic cultivation and NREGA. Later we talked to members of MM.

Then we went to the farm of Mr. Hargovind (FC member) who has started organic cultivation in 40 decibel of land. He used organic manure and Amrit Pani (prepared by Mr. Laxman Jatt- FC leader and participant in learning cycle meet) in the farm.

After lunch we went to Kanchi Pipariyah- field area of Mr. Rajendra Patel which is 15 kms away from Rehli. There we met with Mahalakshmi Mahila Mandal. During interaction Mrs. Sapna and Mrs. Aarti shared how they went and deposited the monthly saving in bank which is 8 kms away from the village. Project Officer Mr. Vinod Pandey has briefed the members on benefits of forming MM and cleanliness in their areas to avoid health problems.

Observation:

· Mahalakshmi MM is quite strong.

· Need to strengthen MM and FC on the scale to make them an effective one.

· FC soon to be linked with NABARD.

courtsey: MVSS-Sagar HARIT PRAYAS team

MPACT OF HARIT PRAYAS on MGNREGA in Bundelkhand region

2012-02-21T00:14:00.002-08:00

With our HARIT PRAYAS project we are able to generate positive impact on better implementation of MGNREGA in Bundelkhand region in last one year (Jan-Dec 2011). It also covers the work under Bundelkhand package. The key strategy in the form of raising CBOs and strengthening linkages with PRI has strengthen HARIT PRAYAS to have impact on MGNNREGA implementation.

The MGNREGA is a radical step that is expected to significantly reduce rural poverty and hunger. It guarantees one hundred days of employment at a certain minimum wage as a matter of right rather than as a great privilege. For those who live on the margin of subsistence, it makes dramatic difference by providing the right to live with dignity by seeking work through a due process. It also provides an opportunity to create useful assets and regenerate degraded ecological resources to enhance livelihood security.

One of the best ways to obtain high returns from manual labour is to invest such efforts to increase the land productivity and improve ecological services, which in the long-term would enhance the livelihood and food security situation.

Enhancing the natural resources is the critical element for promoting sustainable livelihoods in the poorly endowed arid/semi-arid regions. The field level experiences from arid/semi-arid tracts in the country reinforce the view that ecological restoration is the key to livelihood improvement in these regions. The HARIT PRAYAS experience has shown that a individual Household based planning approach – a pre-requisite to ensure and secure the right for work.

Job cards & demand for work…

The result shows that 100% of target households have the job cards and all the job cards are in their own custody. Whereas incase of demand for work we could infer from the graph that 546 households have given written application for demanding job under MGNREGA ( according to baseline data it was earlier ZERO) and all the applicants have received the job.

HARIT PRAYAS team promotes the proper way of demanding job i.e. through written application; as in most of the Panchyats sarpanch/sachiv prefers no written application, because if some gives written application and concerned Panchayat is not able to provide job the the particular individual in 15 days then the concerned Panchayat has to give unemployment allowance which hardly any Panchayat prefers. Also written application for job under MGNREGA gives guarantee for the job/unemployment allowance as well as creates pressure on Panchayat to provide the job.

Full wage payment…

In Bundelkhand region full wages are in UP (120 INR per day) & in MP (122 INR per day). HARIT PRAYAS team with 18 training programmes on MGNREGA (including 2 at district level and rest at village level) is able to secure 407 target community members to receive full wages for their job done under MGNREGA. It is also worth to notice that with HARIT PRAYAS its not we are making government system to work properly, we are enabling people to make system work properly and also making people to involve properly, as in many cases community do not do proper prescribed measured work under MGNREGA and ask for full wages! How it is possible to pay full wages without full work?

Average working days…

Baseline report of HARIT PRAYAS states that average working days under MGNREGA is 45 days in a year and NREGA website states ( on paper) average working days in the region is 75 days (2010) per household[1] including other Bundelkhand regions[2] also. With effort of HARIT PRAYAS project team at 3 districts we are able to achieve average 55 working days per households under MGNREGA and it is ground base data. Considering the situation and high political engagement and Uttar Pradesh government under MGNREGA scam, even in near future for the HARIT PRAYAS team especially for Jhansi team it would be difficult to increase the number of working days per HHs.

[1] www.samprag.org/downloads/mnrega/mgnrega_lucknow_meet.pdf

[2] The region is now divided between the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, with the larger portion lying in the latter.

The major towns are Jhansi, Datia, Tikamgarh, Rath , Lalitpur, Sagar, Damoh, Orai, Panna , Hamirpur , Mahoba , Banda Narsinghpur and Chhatarpur

VICs at Sagar has a brand name in the form of “Soochna Dwar”

2012-02-19T22:33:00.000-08:00

“ROLE CLARITY & ENHANCING CAPCITY OF PROJECT STAFF’@Sagar (16th feb 2012)

2012-02-19T03:07:00.000-08:00

Through various interactions and recently in the LEARNING CYCLE MEET it’s good to observe the interest of HARIT PRAYAS project staff for the cause and commitment towards bringing change. Now we have entered in to the 2^nd year of HARIT PRAYAS project and some where we need to sharpen our skills and redesign our Job to per form better. In concern with the same we have plan to organize workshop on “ROLE CLARITY & ENHANCING CAPCITY OF PROJECT STAFF’. The workshop would be organized during my field visits to the HARIT PRAYAS project partners.

Objectives of the workshop

To review the JD, clearly identify the indicators for performance and set the target on individual basis for the year.
To enhance the capacities of the staff of on their particular roles & responsibilities.

Methodology to be used

Discussion on current JD along with the 2^nd year plan and 1st year achievement
Group exercise
Role play

Expected outcome

HARIT PRAYAS staff has developed clarity on their roles and responsibilities staff for the better implementation of HARIT PRAYAS & and contribute to the organization, community and for the self.

We are Self Dependent Now…

2012-02-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

A small village in Rehli Block namely Kanchi pipariyah consists of 171 HHs that are of minority community mainly belonging to harijan caste out of which we have 50 targets HHs.

Mr. Rajendre Patel (cluster coordinator) made efforts for a MM of 12 females of this community 4 months before.

The name of the MM was fixed by the mahilas themselves as MAHALAKSHMI MAHILA MANDAL who seem to be very much interested in making a move from the line of poverty to a new life. Their willingness for the same was shown by the shift they made in their thinking from making of beedi to something a newer IGA. Their stage of motivation was high with the regular visits of the harit prayas team and the trainings that were conducted.

For some or the other reason there was clash because of which the members were reduced to 10. From here on the eager to make a fight back for showing the others of what they are and what they can build up.

So they have fixed their saving to 50rs per head on 1^st of every month, which was irregular in the beginning. Now they have a balance 2000rs in bank.

All the mahilas along with the cluster coordinator made a visit to the bank for opening bank A/C at Chandhpur (SBI Branch) 8km far from the village totally a different area from Rehli.

For some reason the cluster coordinator could not make a visit to the group for the monthly meeting day, so the mahilas themselves arranged their meeting and travelled by cycle to bank to deposit the saving and filled the form all by themselves. For the first time Mrs. Sapna Ahirwar and Mrs.Aarti Ahirwar had filled the bank form and deposited the money.

The age old custom of wearing Gungat seems to slowly vanish from this village as the mahilas are coming out of the villages and facing the world all just after the intervention of the Harit Prayas team.

HARIT PRAYAS @SATNA-KHAJURAHO IN news

2012-02-18T00:17:00.000-08:00

Impact of sustainable agriculture in satna is now getting in media. Please find attached news paper cutting of Dainik Bhaskar, where in HARIT PRAYAS at Khajuraho came in NEWS for spreading sustainable agriculture amongst farmers through trainings.

Whither Bundelkhand package?

2012-02-14T01:59:00.000-08:00

“It never reached anywhere except in the pockets of the officers, contractors”

“Bundelkhand package? It never reached anywhere except in the pockets of the officers and contractors.” This is the standard reply one gets on queries over the ambitious Rs. 7,266 crore special package announced by the Planning Commission for this backward drought-prone region of Uttar Pradesh.

Announced in 2009, the package was meant for the overall development of the region spread across districts in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh — collectively known as the Bundelkhand region — and was to be implemented over three financial years between 2009-10 and 2011-12.

Of this amount, Rs. 3,506 crore was meant for seven districts in U.P. and the remaining for development of six districts bordering M.P. A substantial chunk of the money was to be allotted for the already existing schemes of watershed management, irrigation, drinking water, animal husbandry and environment.

Driving down the far-off regions where the much-touted package was to be implemented, villagers have tales to narrate of how officials and politicians allegedly ensured that it was not implemented and wherever some work was done, it was mere tokenism.

“Diseased goats were distributed by the State government under the livelihood scheme of the package that, instead of helping the poor farmer, resulted in the death of his own cattle as the infection spread,” explained Deepak, a local journalist in Lalitpur.

His friend pitched in to explain how 6,000 wells were dug up across the district but these collapsed within a few months because money was exhausted in digging and no funds were released to upgrade them.

There is another instance where several lakh of rupees were shown as spent on a road from Jhansi to a nearby village. But the road did not exist. When Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia visited the village to review the implementation of the scheme last year, along with local Congress MP Pradeep Jain, the local contractor is said to have shouted down Mr. Jain for pointing out the deficiencies.

“I am looking for the package. Where is it? Bundelkhand package could well be the biggest scandal,” said Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Bharti. Her sentiments are shared by the Congress as well as the Samajwadi Party.

A review of the Bundelkhand package showed that only 16.57 per cent of the total allocation has been spent so far in Uttar Pradesh and 21.70 per cent in Madhya Pradesh over the past two years. The package is now expected to be extended by the Planning Commission.

The National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) is the nodal agency created under the Planning Commission to release the funds under the Bundelkhand package. According to the NRAA, till November 30, 2011, it released Rs. 860.973 crore to U.P. out of a total allocation of Rs. 3,606 crore. But only Rs. 280.99 crore was spent. While Rs. 1,129.92 crore was released to M.P. out of a total allocation of Rs. 3,860 crore, it spent a meagre Rs. 424.4 crore.

The U.P. government is yet to demand the second instalment since it is yet to spend 70 per cent of the first instalment, which is mandatory as per the rules. However, the State government led by the Bahujan Samaj Party has been accusing the Centre of not releasing the funds on time that resulted in the poor implementation of package schemes. Uttar Pradesh has been demanding Rs. 80,000 crore for the development of the Bundelkhand region.

“There can be no proper implementation of any scheme unless there is independent monitoring,” points out Professor Krishna Gandhi, a social activist who runs an NGO Abhiruchi. He said the State government and the people were unaware of what the package was all about. Whatever money came was spent without proper planning and effective monitoring, he said while suggesting overseeing the implementation by an independent ombudsman.

As of now, the local monitoring committees set up by the Congress workers are not adequate enough. There is resentment that the Central monitoring team that visits off and on does only an aerial survey of the works done under the package and hence is unable to get the authentic picture of the mess that the scheme is in.

for more detail read on:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2883401.ece

Training on MGNREGA : & its impact @Satna-Khajuraho

2012-02-14T01:54:00.000-08:00

For the rural area MNREGA is life line, especially for marginalized farmers and landless community members. In the reporting month team Harit Prayas, satna conducted two units of MNREGA training. In these trainings the team trained people on the provisions of MNREGA. Due to lack of awareness of the schemes community members are unable to get the benefit of MNREGA. So through this training they came to know all about MNREGA. Total number of participants were in these trainings are 104. There is details of people who linked with this scheme….

S.NO.	NAME OF VILLAGE	NO. OF PEOPLE LINKED with MGNREGA on the basis of training
1	Silone	19
2	Majotta	5
3	Kawar	11
4	Karondia	05
5	Saleiyya	08
6	Taleiyya	02
7	Motidungaria	04
8	Amronia	07
9	Motigarh	06
10	Adiwashipura	09
11	Dewra	10
12	Patra	05
13	Dharampura	10
14	Tapra	04

HARIT PRAYAS NEWS LETTER

2012-02-13T02:34:00.000-08:00

We are happy to share that our HARIT PRAYAS team at Jhansi has come out with HARIT PRAYAS quarterly news letter in Hindi covering various process aspects of HARIT PRAYAS at Jhansi. This would be a regular news letter on quarterly basis. On the name of the project the news letter has named HARIT PRAYAS.

Aatmamnthan-LEARNING CYCLE MEET-in Camera!

2012-02-12T01:56:00.000-08:00

Aatmamnthan-LEARNING CYCLE MEET

2012-02-12T01:40:00.000-08:00

Aatmamnthan-LEARNING CYCLE MEET

LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS PROJECTS

SSSS-Satna

30^th Jan-1^st Feb 2012

1. What is Aatmmanthan: LEARNING CYCLE MEET?

Learning cycle meet represents experience sharing of “community based project implementation’ from the project partners of LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS project team (including community members would be). Sharing of learning would be entirely based on the result of the project and its process part”

1.2 Objective of the meet:

To enhance the effectiveness & the quality of programme through cross learning amongst the teams of LIFE, HARIT PRAYAS, Caritas India and community members from the field are of LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS.

To review both the LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS project in terms of result achievement and process adoption

Both the project teams LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS have shown the desired result achievement and get capacitated for better performance of the project.

2. Where and how it has organized (process part)?

Aatmmanthan-Learning Cycle Meet has organized at SSSS-Satna from 30^th Jan to 1^st Feb 2012 where in representatives from 5 partner organizations partner’s organizations-SSSS-Satna including directors, all the project staff of LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS and community members (two from each partner) along with Caritas india staff, resource person from ASK and PGSSS have involved and made the learning cycle meet more worth for the purpose being it was organized. It has started with the inauguration by VG Fr. Joseph (from Satna) and welcome of all the learners i.e. participants in the learning cycle meet. It moved ahead with the different steps of learning’s as:

Clarifying the concept of meet in the beginning
Sharing of the project progress and learning at different level
Mixed group interactions ( inter team and inter- team interactions)
Field visit to feel the progress and learning
Consolidation of learning’s
Adoption of learning’s

2.1 Day- wise process

Learning cycle meet was a three days process from 30^th Jan-1^st Feb 2012.

1^st Day: 30^th Jan 2012

Day one has initiated with the following process:

All the 5 teams of (2 of LIFE & 3 of HARIT PRAYAS) presented and shared the progress of the concerned project and learning from the same: This has given a clear cut picture of project progress of both LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS project at the concerned partners. From the presentation it has come out that HARIT PRAYAS team at Sagar has made 300+ community members to submit written application for MGNREGA, at Satna team has come out with organic at Jhansi team has good progress in community mobilization , with LIFE team at Banswara team has achieved 2^nd best award in District for the promotion of organic cultivation, where as at Ajmer team has done quite well CBOs strengthening and linkages with other stakeholders.

Members from other teams and communities from other part raised the queries and good discussion & sharing has taken place. Few of the key queries are related with: SOIL TESTING REPORT RECEIVED BY THE FARMERS, IMPORTANCE OF APPROVAL OF FARMER’S CLUB BY NABARD, AMRITPANI-a only substitute for DAP & UREA, IMPORTANCE OF OTHER LIVELIHOOD OPTIONS (especially for youth-female) and on MGNREGA wage rate.

There was a good discussion on “livelihood options for youth-female” Fr. Tony after his presentation raised query that in field it is quite difficult to find livelihood options for females youths and after an hour of discussion with the forum it has came out that not only female youth, infect both male and female youth could be promoted to involve in the promotion and cultivation of sustainable agriculture. As sustainable agriculture have much better options for income generation. Also involvement of youth in agriculture doesn’t mean that they should be denied from education.

Community members shared the impact of LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS project in their concerned villages: Hardeen ( a farmer from Majhota village-HARIT PRAYAS project at Satna) has shared that with HARIT PRAYAS he is able to reduce more than 90% of input cost in agriculture, Angoori devi ( a female farmer from Jhansi) has shared about his selection as farmers club secretary, Bhairia ( a farmer from LIFE project village of Banswara) has shared the importance of sustainable agriculture and has compared SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE WITH MOTHERS MILK, Meera devi ( a SHG member from LIFE project village of Ajmer) has shared about how with SHGs she has moved from a member to an entrepreneur and Luxman Singh ( Farmer club president from the HARIT PRAYAS village of Sagar) has shared about the formation of farmers club.

Input on organic certification by a resource person from PGSS-Gorakhpur: This has able to give a basic clarity on organic certification process and strengthening organic cultivation.
Consolidation of learning’s and impact of project has shared at the end of the day.

From the first day of process following are the important results concluded by entire team:

ALL PARTNERS ARE ACHIEVING RESULTS
Organic Farming - Use of organic manure and pest repellent has been extremely useful – gives life to land & cost effective
Confidence and trust of farmers on Organic agriculture has increased – critical factor for development (role of facilitators)
It takes time but sustainable in future
Farmers are not only learning and practicing organic & improved agriculture but also making others to learn
Farmers club & SHG – Community institutions has been instrumental in grounding of intervention and towards ensuring RESULT
Some partner have done excellent in context of gender whereas some partners still needs to strengthened involvement of women
Linkage with various stakeholder becomes extremely essential when our results are dependent on other stakeholder such as KVK, banks, government department
Banswara has received district award for best agriculture promotion
Organic certification is essential for getting adequate price of produces at various level and farmers needs to follow systematic & adequate practices
All partners have started using RBM framework – Implementation focused on RESULTS
Use of monitoring systems has been very useful to know actual progress of the projects
Integrating systematic project management systems – leads towards better implementation of the project and achievement of results
It important to invest on human resource to get better RESULT

2^nd Day: 31^st Jan 2012

Field visit to three HARIT PRAYAS project villages ( Majhota, Kanwar & Motigarh): Three teams were made to visit the pre-decided thre HARIT PRAYAS project villages at Chatarpur-Khajuraho. HARIT PRAYAS project villages are around 200 kms from Satna and to reach the mentioned villages we have started our journey early 6.30 and reached Majhota by 9.30, there we had a welcome from the community and as per the team division one team stayed there and other two teams left for the other two villages.
In villages there were discussion on organic cultivation (especially amrit Pani),,caste system , MGNREGA, farmers club and IGA activities in Mahila Mandals. Team members visited the field, interacted with the community members, farmers club & Mahila Mandal members.
Discussion with the LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS coordinators on individual skill development: After returning from the field there was a meeting with all the coordinators of LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS and discussion on individual skill development on presentation and other aspects related with the project. Apart from this there was few work division for coordinators.

From the field visit of the 2^nd day following are the key learning’s ( these learning’s are based on the visit of three teams to the three villages and later on their sharing on learning’s)

Sustainable agriculture

Complete organic agriculture is possible in less cost– it gives proper yield in long term. Infect in Satna even in the first year it has given better yield in some of the farmers ( like in Hardeen-a farmer from Majhota village has two times better yield from organic in compare to inorganic)

We learned how to compare or differentiate organic with chemical farming.

Amrit Pani[1] – One of the ways to bring life in agriculture.

Community mobilization and excellent rapport building– through local friendly activities such as participating in their village activities, cultural activities, folk song etc.

Need to be demonstrating complete process of improved methodology such as…weeding, sowing practices….as it can reduce the input….

The comparison of action and results need to be documented well to prove….and learn…. There were good examples of change happening in the field of HARIT PRAYAS at Satna but some where team failed in documenting the whole thing. If it would be documented well, it could also be shared as an IEC material to other villages and other villages ( from near by) could also be bring to see the change and learn from it.

Community mobilization

Winning trust of community is extremely essential. At Satan we are able to see that community have developed a trust on the project and its various components, which results in better intervention and making communities’ life much better.

Capacity building of staff through field exposure is vital. This gives staff and community to think beyond the existing situation and probably they get many ideas and thought process from the same.

When we work with the specific target community we need to look into the issue of inclusion – respect of women/SC/Adivasi.

Demonstration of any organic product before promoting is essential method….as it would give us the better understanding affects ( positive & negative) on the crop

Always try to be facilitators and never try to be doers in the field. It has been observed in the field that Satna team has done quite good role of facilitator and especially in promotion of sustainable agriculture and hence the better result it is there in Satan in the form of entire villages adopting organic cultivation.

Farmers guiding other farmers – most effective strategy for change - Farmers are not only learning and practicing organic & improved agriculture but also making others to learn

Forest & Livestock

Forest residual can be used for preparation of organic manure. It would be better that there would be a proper contract with the forest department where in community could use the residuals of forest for the organic cultivation and teams working there could facilitate the same. Forest residuals have good source of organic components.

Livestock needs to be promoted – upgrading quality of livestock and it’s also lifeline for organic agriculture.

Extent focus on other project component such as alternate livelihood and entitlements…

Project villages/context

Selection of right project area and target people….

3^rd Day: 1^st Feb 2012

Sharing of field learning’s ( by the team of Directors, Coordinators , field staff and Community members): all the team members did group exercise to compile the field level learning’s.
Sharing of monitoring tools by HARIT PRAYAS & LIFE team and discussion on making monitoring tools short, time saving and economically

Presentation by all the team on different learning’s they have from the meet and what they would be taking as the learning for their entire organization: At the end of the learning cycle meet all the consolidated learning’s have been presented in front of all the team members by the resource person and all the five teams have asked to go through all the learning’s and select those learning’s which team would take it for their organization. Project organizations of LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS have also decided the time line for the implementation of learning’s at their organizations. Following learning’s are taken by different teams for the development of their organization and strengthening of LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS project:

· Learning’s on sustainable agriculture ( especially Amrit pani)

· Learning’s on strengthening women collectiveness through IGA

· Learning’s on strengthening linkages with other stakeholders of development project.

· Learning’s on strong community mobilization

· Learning’s on strengthening entitlements amongst the community

3. Something special about LEARNING CYCLE MEET:

Learning cycle meet was unique in itself with number of innovations and special learning’s. Some of the special aspects of the meet were:

Gallery presentation on various components of HARIT PRAYAS & LIFE project by all the five partners
Cultural evening on 30^th Jan 2012; presenting various culture of Rajasthan & Bundelkhand region
Release of first ever project based newsletter of HARIT PRAYAS by community members. The news letter has been worked out by HARIT PRAYAS JCSS-Jhansi team
Release of CD of documentary films on Organic cultivation revolution in Satna. The CD has been developed by HARIT PRAYAS SSSS-Satna team
Active involvement of community members, where every community member spoke like the owner of the projects.
Passion amongst the team to go beyond limits of development. The team has shown its all creativity and passion to do the things in highly professional way and get maximum learning from the meet for the betterment of the projects as well as the concerned organizations.
Use of bio-degradable products in meet e.g. Banners are of cloth rather than on plastic/flex
Taking back learning’s at organization level.
All communication in Hindi
Launch of e-learning programme of LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS (e-LHP)

4. What people said about the meet?

People’s voice….

It’s an interesting experience with learning cycle meet and it serves the purpose of its name. I prefer this should continue in other projects also. Fr. Tony & Mr. Mansih ( RCDSSS-Ajmer)

I would practice sustainable agriculture in such a way that it would generate hungerness amongst the other farmers to do the same. Mr. Harideen ( Farmer, Majhota village, Chatarpur-HARIT PRAYAS project village)

I am happy that I am able to learn on organic cultivation and meet with the community members from other parts country. Ms. Angoori ( Farmers club secretary, Jhansi, HARIT PRAYAS project village)

With LIFE project I have became and entrepreneur with initiating my own poultry farm, with this meet I have learnt the best practices of sustainable agriculture and would replicate the same in my farm field. Ms. Mira Devi (SHG member, Ajmer, LIFE project village)

I have not only learned the things from the meet, I have also enjoyed the evry moment of the meet. Mr. Sunil (LIFE project Field staff, RCDSSS-Ajmer)

The process of learning cycle meet was unique and I find it successful in every aspect from its design to its learning. Mr. Ratan (HARIT PRAYAS Coordinator, JCSS-Jhansi)

I have seen a unique blend of learning happening through this whole process of learning cycle meet. Mr. Prakash ( ASK, India)

I am bit surprise to see the clarity and understanding of sustainable agriculture amongst the community and staff within short period of time. Mr. Vijay ( PGSS-Gorakhpur)

It’s an interesting process of learning. Fr. Emanuel ( MVSS-Sagar)

We are taking many learning’s at organization level. Fr. Sebastian ( JCSS-Jhansi)

5. Outcome of the Aatmaanthan-Learning Cycle Meet

In terms of key achievement of the learning cycle meet, it could be concluded that the capacity of each and every member associated with both the project has increased in terms of clarity on result and working towards the change process in the context and amongst the community. In both the project there has been good result and change happening in sustainable agriculture, entitlement ( especially MGNREGA & FRA) and community mobilization in the form of CBO formation.

[1] Its an organic substitute for urea and DAP and being easily made with cow urine, jaggery, gram flour, water and neem leaves

RELEASE OF HARIT PRAYAS HANDBOOK!

2012-01-17T03:32:00.000-08:00

HARIT PRAYAS project takes shape each and every day and every day it reaches closer to the community. In endevour of making it more reachable to the community in the form of strengthening the capacity of entire HARIT PRAYAS project staff (especially village level field staff); Caritas India team along with the HARIT PRAYAS project team has worked on the handbook for the project. The handbook has been released by Fr. P. Chinnappa (Administrator, Caritas India) on 12^th Jan 2012 at Caritas India Head Office before in the zonal review meeting of Caritas

India

north Zone staff; after the release of handbook Fr. Chinnappa said that the handbook would be able to strengthen the capacity of staff as well as the project partners. He has handed the handbook to Dr. Haridas ( Manager –Caritas

India

) During the release Caritas India HOD-Mr. Nelson, North zone manager- Mr. PU Francis and Caritas India Head office & North zone staff were present there.

Strength of this booklet…

· Handbook is in Hindi: It took almost a year to develop this handbook, initially the handbook has developed in English and later on it has translated to Hindi for better clarity of this booklet especially on HARIT PRAYAS field staff, which in turn would reflect in the form of better implementation.

· Some chapters of handbook are pictorial

· Come out with intensive work out of one year and with 14^th draft preparations

· Translation job has done by the HARIT PRAYAS project staff

Brief about the handbook…

The book includes each and every aspect of the projects focusing

Project overview
Project on strategy,
Project process,
Result achievement (PMF),
Project detailed activities
Budget,
Time line
Gender concept in HARIT PRAYAS ( pictorial)
Note on NRGEGA, Mahila Mandals, FRA, RTI, Village information centers and farmers club
Project guideline
Caritas India’s concerned staff ( associated with HARIT PRAYAS project)

We are thankful to Caritas

India

and the HARIT PRAYAS project partners and staff for the release of this handbook.

Let’s bring change through HARIT PRAYAS!

Let’s promote sustainable agriculture!

Let’s make people aware about their rights!

Let’s secure the livelihood of poor!

Let’s come together to make this change happen!

HARIT PRAYAS IMPACT….securing better production in very first year of organic cultivation!

2012-01-16T00:12:00.000-08:00

Most of the time it has been reflected and heard that at initial level with organic inputs production of crop goes down, but we are experiencing a different scenario in HARIT PRAYAS project villages of Satna-Kahjuraho.

HARIT PRAYAS IMPACT….

For the promotion of organic cultivation before the rabi crop, our HARIT PRAYAS team at Satna has organised 6 village level capacity building programmes on organic cultivation ( basically on preparation on inputs and usage of the same) in six training programmes in total 233 target community members have participated and around 130 participants have adopted the complete organic way of cultivation for rabi crop, and now they are able to see the result that organic cultivation saplings of wheat are much better than those who have adopted the inorganic way. One more result has started coming out in the form of local seed bank amongst the villages.

Below are the pictures from the field of Bhola Ahirwar ( SC community) from kanwar village ( Satna-Khajuraho-HARIT PRAYAS project target village), he has used the same seed ( w –wheat) in two different field and given organic input and treatment ton one part and inorganic to other part; you can easily see the difference of organic and non organic ( for 20 day wheat crop-same seed);

WITHOUT ORGANIC INPUT

WITH ORGANIC INPUT

Now our HARIT PRAYAS Satna team is doing the follow-up with 130 farmers practicing organic cultivation.

आइए मिलकर कुछ बदलाव लाए !

For more on HARIT PRAYAS log on to www.caritasindia.org (blog) or www.haritprayas.blogspot.com or follow us on facebook.

...begining a new life: Sustaining livelihood through HARIT PRAYAS efforts!

2012-01-14T20:42:00.000-08:00

Fact file

Name - Mrs.Rama Devi, W/o Mr.Sitaram,

Age- 40

Caste – Kushwaha,

Children- 2 daughter , 1 son

Land – Landless,

Village – Imilia,

Name of the S.H.G—Parwati Mahila Swayam Sahayata Samooh, Members – 13,

Monthly saving - Rs.-50/.

Date of formation –6 July, 2011

Group Category—B.P.L

Project - Harit Prayas

Rama Devi, the mother of 3 children, falls under BPL category and having no land for agriculture. The source of income for this family is daily wages, earned by Rama’s husband Sitaram. Since this is a landless family, Sitaram has to work on other’s agricultural plot as a labour or sometime as a bataidaar. They find it difficult to manage their daily food.

In the project Harit Prayas, a Self Help Group/Mahila Mandal was formed, under the guidance of cluster co-ordinator Mrs. Malti Devi, in the month of July, 2011. Rama Devi also joined this group. By the end of October this group had saved Rs. 2600/-. In a monthly meeting of Parvati Mahila Swayam Sahayata Samooh, Rama Devi requested to get a loan of Rs. 2000/- from the group. She wanted to open a Tea-stall in the Imilia village. The members of this group agreed to grant her the loan of requested amount. Then Rama Devi opened the tea-stall in the village itself (October, 2011).

At the tea-stall she keeps Nimki,Pakauri, Samosha and other snacks item. Now she earns Rs. 100-150 /- daily. She has also returned the Rs.1000/- to her group. This tea-stall has become a major source of income for her family. Now economic condition of the family has improved. Rama devi and her family is happy. She has become a source of inspiration for other members of the group and the village.

The project Harit Prayas ensured food security and thus prevented a distress migration, since the tea-stall has been opened in the village only. Rama Devi along with all SHGs members are thankful to the project Harit Prayas. At the same time, Harit Prayas team members are encouraged to assist many more women like Ramadevi.

Courtsey: HARIT PRAYAS -JHANSI TEAM

HARIT PRAYAS at Sagar strengthening MGNREGA!

2012-01-14T20:35:00.003-08:00

In Samnapur village of Samnapur Panchayat of Rehli block (Sagar-Madhya Pradesh) were mostly the work on NREGA was checked this month. We found out that 25 members applied for NREGA and got work in their respective villages under kapil dhara yojna. The daily wages for these labourers were also fixed at 120/- per days work, but due to delay of evaluation by the govt officials of the work the wages were met by the owner for whom the well was to be dug. The work is continuing for the last 32 days. The owner also had met the sachiv of the panchayat who found some or the other accuses against the work done.

It was here that the owner of the well came in contact with Mr. Raja Patel who reviewed the case to the project coordinator who advised him to take the matter in favour of the block auditing committee. Later on when the matter was inspected by the Harit Prayas staffs and the committee official it was found that our side was clear. Taking advantage of the situation the cluster coordinator decided to make a warning before the Sachiv of filing an RTI on this matter. The Sachiv panicked and took urgent decisions regarding the matter and soon auditing was conducted at the end of December. As a result of which the money was re-imbursed and the work is carrying on now as per the norms of NREGA.

Courtsey : HARIT PRAYAS SAGAR TEAM

HARIT PRAYAS at Sagar strengthening MGNREGA!

2012-01-14T20:35:00.001-08:00

Courtsey : HARIT PRAYAS SAGAR TEAM

...on 12th Five Year plan

2012-01-06T02:30:00.000-08:00

Jan 2012 Monthly Action plan-SSSS-Satna

2012-01-04T07:55:00.000-08:00

S.NO	TENTATIVE DATE	CONCERNED ACTIVITY	VENUE	RESPONSIBLE PERSON
1	01/1/12	Sunday
2	02/1/12	Preparation of Action plan	Zonal Office Khajuraho	Project manager &coordinator
3	03/1/12	Planning for Review Meeting	Zonal Office Khajuraho	Project manager &coordinator
4	04/1/12	Linkage with Rajnagar Block	Rajnagar Block	Project manager &coordinator
5	05/1/12	Training on MGNREGA	Motidungaria	Project manager &coordinator
6	06/1/12	Training on MGNREGA	Kawar	Project manager &coordinator
7	07/1/12	Skill Development Training for farmers	silone	Project manager &coordinator
8	08/1/12	SUNDAY
9	09/1/12	Training for preparing Pesticides	Amronia	Project manager &coordinator
10	10/1/12	Capacity Building of Farmers Club	Motigarh	Project manager &coordinator
11	11/1/12	Skill development Training for farmers	Majotta	Project manager &coordinator
12	12/1/12	IGP Training (Agarbatti)	Motigarh	Project manager &coordinator
13	13/1/12	Linkage with Bijawar block	Bijawar Block	Project manager &coordinator
14	14/1/12	HOLIDAY
15	15/1/12	SUNDAY
16	16/1/12	IGP Training	Adiwashipura	Project manager &coordinator
17	17/1/12	Linkage with KVK Nowgong	Nowgong KVK	Project manager &coordinator
18	18/1/12	IGP Training	Tapra	Project manager &coordinator
19	19/1/12	Skill Development Training for Mahila Mandal	Majotta	Project manager &coordinator
20	20/1/12	Capacity Building of farmers club	Kota	Project manager &coordinator
21	21/1/12	Training on Govt. Schemes	Lehar	Project manager &coordinator
22	22/1/12	SUNDAY
23	23/1/12	Training on Sustainable Method of Agriculture	Saleiyya	Project manager &coordinator
24	24/1/12	Capacity building of farmers club	Karondiya	Project manager &coordinator
25	25/1/12	Staff Meeting for preparation of Monthly Meeting	Zonal office Khajuraho	Project manager &coordinator
26	26/1/12	Holiday
27	27/1/12	Preparation Of Review Meeting	Samaritan social service society satna	Project manager &coordinator
28	28/1/12	Review Meeting	Samaritan social service society satna	Project manager &coordinator
29	29/1/12	Review Meeting	Samaritan social service society satna	Project manager &coordinator
30	30/1/12	Review Meeting	Samaritan social service society satna	Project manager &coordinator

Jan 2012 Monthly Action Plan-MVSS-Sagar

2012-01-04T07:52:00.000-08:00

S. no	Tentative Date	Concerned activity	Venue & Time	Responsible person & Contact Details
1.	2^nd – 5^th Jan	Staff meeting and Association Meeting & Meetings of formed CBOs	MVSS & Concerned villages	Project Coordinator & Cluster Coordinator
2.	6^th -10^th Jan	Village level training on NREGA	Concerned villages	Cluster Coordinator
3.	11^th–12^th Jan	Panchayat level awareness program on FRA and NREGA	Concerned villages	Project Staff
4.	13^th-15^th Jan	· Formation of new MM and FC · Maintenance of CBOs register and VIC	Concerned villages	Project Staff
5.	16^th-19^st Jan	Village level training for PRI and community on FRA and NREGA	Concerned villages	Cluster Coordinator
6.	20^th -22^ndJan	Panchayat level awareness program on FRA and NREGA	Vijaypura & Bagron	Project Staff
7.	24^th -28^th Jan	MM & FC meetings	In formed MM’s & FC’s	Cluster Coordinator
8.	29^th-31^st Jan	Review Meeting	Janpahal Office Patna Bujurg	All the staff members

Jan 2012 Monthly Action Plan-JCSS-Jhansi Team

2012-01-04T07:49:00.000-08:00

S. no	Tentative Date	Concerned activity	Venue & Time	Responsible person & Contact Details
1.	January,2012	Meeting of all CBOs formed under Harit Prayas in 2011	Respective villages	Team Harit Prayas, Jhansi
1.	January,2012	Follow up and review of - All training programmes conducted in 2011 - Functioning of all CBOs 9farmers club and Mahila Mandals) formed in 2011 - All demo plots of organic farming - All vermi compost units created in 2011 - Gender studies of activities accomplished in 20 villages - Review visibility of project harit prayas at Jhansi diocese - Data collection and application of TOOLs - Direct and indirect beneficiaries of project - Fund/resource mobilization under the project - Preparation of meeting at satna.

Lets bring change in 2012!

2011-12-31T21:10:00.000-08:00

Democracy Wall: Food security bill & middle class clash!

2011-12-25T22:33:00.000-08:00

Election dates announced for Uttar Pradesh!

2011-12-24T22:05:00.000-08:00

IT’S NOT THE FOOD SECURITY, IT'S HOW WE ARE SECURING THE FOOD MATTER!

2011-12-20T20:59:00.000-08:00

Dear all,

IT’S NOT THE FOOD SECURITY, IT'S HOW WE ARE SECURING THE FOOD MATTER!

on one side Indian government is talking on need of annually 60-61 million tons of grains to feed people ( if the proposed food security bill would come), where as on the other hand government don’t have proper storage to store food grains and vegetable. Recently in Punjab farmers have thrown their vegetables on road; as they have high production but they don’t have buyer and storage for the produce.

Its not that we don’t have sufficient food grains, its we don’t have the proper system of:

· Storage-for food grains

· Purchase from farmers

· Promotion for agriculture

· Credit for farmers ( not the business farmers-typical farmers who do farming, most of the credit available in farming is availed by either rich farmers or rich farming based business man-LIKE reliance fresh and others).

· Promotion of community based farming systems (rather than individualistic farming system).

· Hardly anyone of us wants to be a farmer!

Is we are able to establish the above said systems, I hope there is no need of food security bill for India, India can “secure its food and would come out of the trap of hunger ness’

Regards

Vinod Pandey

Updates on food security bill!

2011-12-19T21:14:00.000-08:00

Progess in HARIT PRAYAS project @JCSS-Jhansi

2011-12-17T04:58:00.000-08:00

Project activity: In the November 2011 month a wide range of activities took place. These activities are as following -

Name of activity	No. of units planned/no. of units achieved	Total participation (of community)	Remarks (if any)
Micro training on SHG management	2 units/2units	5 SHGs	It is easy for community members to participate in micro training.
Farmer’s club meetings	All CBO formed under Harit Prayas, till now	members of Farmer’s club.	By conducting regular meeting only the FC members will learn how to run an organization/group(Farmer’s club)
Mahila Mandals meetings	As per routine	members of Mahila Mandals	-------- do---------------
Farmers Training on agricultural schemes	1/1	65 participants
Demo plot on Organic Farming	10/10	10 farmers	It has been conducted in 5 villages. 2farmers from each village.
Development of T.A Calculator	1/1	NA	It’s important to manage resources in coming months.
Development of Tool Chart	2/2	NA	To measure the development of project a simplified tool was required.
Field visit report	1/1	2 villages	Submitted to the rev Dr.jcss
Bank a/c opening and linkages with managers	3/3	NA	Form for opening bank account for 5 CBOs was received from banks. The a/c opening is in the process.

The meeting of all CBOs (Farmer’s club and Mahila Mandals) took place as per schedule. Regular monthly meeting is helpful in organizing farmers and women into a group and a sense of solidarity is being developed. Apart from this the monthly meetings are helping the members of these groups hoe to run a group successfully.

Micro trainings on SHG management have been finished this month. Women from 5 SHGs have been trained in the villages. Hope this training will facilitate women of Mahila Mandals/SHGs to run their CBO smoothly. They learnt the importance of SHG, the meeting process, documentation, purpose of saving, discussion on several social issues etc.

Demo plots on organic farming have been completed this month. 2 quintals of certified seeds of wheat, 10quintals of vermicompost and 5 packets of Tricodarma have been distributed among farmers of 5 different villages. The follow up is being done and in the demo plot the farmers are seeking suggestion from K.V.K scientist Mr. Mukesh chand and Dr. Gupta. Without expert opinion the demo-plot may not be successful. This is why JCSS has requested K.V.K scientists to assist Harit Prayas farmers in demo plot.

Two charts related with tool have been developed by team harit prayas to measure the progress of project at JCSS. The chart will be assisting in applying tools successfully and scientifically. The chart has been distributed to the field coordinator and cluster coordinators. As soon as date is received, the tool and pmf will be sent, after compilation, to Caritas india.

To resolve the issue of T.A and manage the human resources a T.A chart has been prepared.

The opening up bank accounts of all eligible CBOs has been started.

Farmer’s training on Government agricultural scheme has been conducted this month. Resource persons were from k.v.k and in total 65 participants were there in this training. This training was conducted at Block level.

To get the approval from NBARD for the farmer’s club, JCSS is trying her best. Hope by the end of January atleast two Farmer’s club will be approved by NABARD.

Courtsey: JCSS-Jhansi HARIT PRAYAS team

Lowest food inflation rate in last 4 years because of high production in vegetables!

2011-12-15T23:45:00.000-08:00

Farmer's are throwing potatoes on road in NORTH INDIA!

2011-12-15T23:17:00.000-08:00

More production of potato in North India but less price, in South India less production of Potato & more price...

Major progress in HARIT PRAYAS project in Nov 2011 @MVSS-Sagar

2011-12-15T22:27:00.000-08:00

· Awareness on RTI and NREGA: Village level training was conducted by the cluster coordinators in their respective villages & as a result of this about 250 people participated and out of that 61 had filed application for work under NREGA and 24 has got work.

· Identification of PATTA needed: 2 belts of farmers were identified, in total near about 50 farmers who have not yet received their patta of land. Their documentation was complete and had receiving’s of the application filed for patta. We have discussed the issue for them with Sarpanch and Forest officer and they have given the positive response.

· Panchayat level training on CBO management: PRI members from along with our FC and MM members attended the training & various issues related to the group, its formation, importance of being together etc. was discussed.

· Panchayat level training on RTI in MNREGA:. Members from PRI, FC and MM had attended the training. Many issues regarding late payment, improper maintenance of muster roll, how to file RTI, were discussed. An application format was distributed to the participants during training.

· Audio/video mass media activity: 5 Panchayat level audio/video mass media activity was conducted by combining 3 nearby Panchayats. We have organized puppet show which is a very new activity for the community member as they have never seen it before. The theme of the show was NREGA and organic farming.

· Liasoning with officials: met Mr. Tiwari, wheat researcher and Ms. Pratibha Das, Researcher in KVK. They told us about various new upcoming and researches going on to increase the production and will soon send us a copy of the findings. We also met with the Nabard DDM, ADO Rehli and officials of Forest Department.

· Organic farming: We have identified to farmer’s club who are interested in making compost pits for promotion of organic farming in their area. We are working on them and making the maximum out of the two to attract more towards organic farming. In total we have 12 farmers who are interested in forming NADEP. We have also discussed SWI technique with the farmers during FCs meeting and have agreed to follow the technique in small area from the next season.