Self Dependent: Women Making Their Own Ways@HARIT PRAYAS Jhansi

An interaction cum income generation activities programme was organized at Iimilia village. The programme started with cultural programme singing religious song. An SHG group as a resource person was called from Ganeshganj village. the SHG (NABARD) is working very well connecting with banks and utilizing the money for their income generation. The president interacted with women SHG members under Project Harit Prayas, shared thoughts, had responsive diaologues among the SHG present there. And suggested many ways for self employment working through SHG and individually. 44 SHG women of Rajapur, Bamer, Imilia, and Baruapura were present there. 

By JCSS-Jhansi HARIT PRAYAS team 

A story of national Change!

“Madhya Pradesh receives award for highest agricultural production and contribution of HARIT PRAYAS in it is .01338%”

For the year 2011-12 Madhya Pradesh has received the Krishi Karman Award from President of India for highest agriculture production[1] on Jan 15^th 2012. The agriculture production in Madhya Pradesh has noticed as 216.08 lakh metric tones ( i.e 21608000000 kilo grams, as 1 metric tone equals to 1000 kgs and thus 216.08 lakh metric tone is 216.08*1000*100000) and this has given a boost of till now the highest growth in agriculture sector in India in any state  i.e. 18.5 %.

How it relates with Caritas India work?

It is interesting to know that with our HARIT PRAYAS project in 44 villages of two deprived tribal majority districts ( Sagar & Chatarpur) of Madhya Pradesh total production in the year 2012 is as:

Agriculture Production ( food grains) in 2011-12  in HARIT PRAYAS project field with small & marginalised farmers
Place	No. of Farmer	Average Production ( kilo grams)	Total production (in kilo grams)
Chatarpur	1200	1300	1560000
Sagar	1200	1100	1320000
Total	2400		2880000

Source: Final reports of two years of HARIT PRAYAS ( till Dec 2012)

Production details in2011-12 Madhya Pradesh and in 44 villages of HARIT PRAYAS
Total Production in Madhya Pradesh ( in Kgs)	21608000000
Total Production in HARIT PRAYAS 44 villages of Madhya Pradesh (in Kgs)	2880000
Contribution of HARIT PRAYAS in the total production of food grains in Madhya Pradesh	0.013328397

Source: http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhopal/117590-krishi-karman-award-for-madhya-pradesh.html

From the table if we see with 2400 farming families the production  ( mainly organic or mix of organic and synthetic fertiliser based cultivation) in the year 2012 is 2880000 kilo grams which is .01338% of the total production of Madhya Pradesh. The cost involved from the HARIT PRAYAS project to achieve this is about INR 7.9 lakhs  Here it is important to notice that the production increase in the year 2012 in the HARIT PRAYAS project villages is about 32-35%, input cost  in agriculture is decrease up to 80-82% and this all is with small and marginalised farmers from SC and ST and OBC category. Also interesting fact is the increase in roduction in HARIT PRAYAS villages means there is increase in production in the highly deprived region of Madhya Pradesh i.e. Bundelkhand region where in last 5 years 3000+ farmers’ suicides have happened.

What’s our plan?

We are working on its details report with individual farmers profile and planning to send it to the CM of Madhya Pradesh to acknowledge the contribution of HARIT PRAYAS project in enhancing the agriculture production of Madhya Pradesh and contributing it for becoming highest agriculture production state. We hope in coming future with the endevours of HARIT PRAYAS probably the Bundelkhand region has the highest agriculture production in India.

For more on HARIT PRAYAS log on to:

Blog: www.haritprayas.blogspot.com  or on www.caritasindia.org (blog)

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/harit.prayas

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HARITPRAYAS

HARIT PRAYAS online channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/haritprayas

HARIT PRAYAS is a development movement supported by caritas India, caritas Spain& caritas Italian in Bundelkhand region (India)

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[1] http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhopal/117590-krishi-karman-award-for-madhya-pradesh.html

Enlarging community power through community collectiveness@HARIT PRAYAS Chatarpur

In our project area we have 20 villages in which we have formed 34 community based organization it includes Mahila Mandal(15) and Kissan club(19).

Mahila Mandal:-

A lot has changed at the village level and in the lives of these women since the formation of self-help groups a couple of years ago these are the following impact shown in them:-

·       They  havestarted sitting together.

·       The SHGs have fostered a culture of savings.

·       It also established discipline among the members.

·        They carry out regular monthly meetings and in meetings they discussed various issues related to the development of village, personal issues etc.

·      They are actively involved in various aspects of SHG management such as conducting meetings, documentation related to the group, savings collection and remittance.

·       They also done interloaning when they need money and the group provide it in low interest rate (1% 0r 2%).

·       Now they are free from the clutches of local moneylenders for taking small debt.

·       The other advantage is that interest paid by the borrowing member also becomes the income of the group.

·       The all Mahila Mandal group learned to make Aggarbatti this year

Kissan Club:-

We have 19 farmers club in our project area, after formation of these clubs our farmers has faces lots of change, these are the following:-

·         Our farmers started sitting together. They carry out regular monthly meetings and a non member has also invited to attend meetings.

·         They also have fostered a culture of savings.

·         They done interloaning in there groups in minimum rate of interest.

·         They take small loan from the group to purchase inputs for agriculture.

·         They maintain regular register of meetings.

·         In their meetings discussed about different methods of organic farming like organic manure, organic pest repellent, development issues, personal issues etc.

·         And most important things now they are free from the clutches of local moneylenders, because they take small loans for agriculture input and for that they have to give high rate of interest.

By Project Coordinator Ms. Preeti ,HARIT PRAYAS SSSS-Satna team

Making farming a profitable occupation with HARIT PRAYAS –a change story of farmer of Our Kissan Club !

Introduction:

Uddipal, 34,  is a farmer from our  our farmers club HARIT PRAYAS Majotta village & he has six members in his family. He is the owner of 2.5 Acre of land which is not sufficient to earn his livelihood because of this he migrates every year.

Situation before the HARIT PRAYAS Project Intervention:

Uddipal & other farmer’s club members have never practiced the organic farming in their agricultural land. The problem of Uddipal is the same problem of other farmers of Majotta they have facing different problems:

·         High Input cost.

·         Low production

·         Degradation of quality of Land

·     Travelling cost & Time taking: They have to go 50 to 60 km away from the village for Urea & DAP, sometimes they have to wait for that & need to buy in higher rate.

·         Not getting work & payment timely under MGNREGA.

·         Migration every year.

HARIT PRAYAS Project Intervention:

He attended different trainings & meeting on Sustainable agricultural method of farming, Mgnrega, project orientation Program & awareness Program which was conducted under Harit Prayas Project. Uddipal joined the farmers club on 15/08/2011. He practiced organic method (Amrit Pani) first time on 26/10/2011 under assistance our project team. He also practiced organic method of seed treatment & land preparation for Chana & wheat crops.

He himself given following benefits & change he has seen after becoming the member of farmers club:

·         Low Input cost in organic farming.

·         Relatively high production

·         Quality of land is increasing

·         Saving of time & Money (They have cover distance to buy Urea & DAP & need to buy in higher rate).

·         Now he has getting high price of his crops.

·         He is getting timely work & payment under Mgnrega (by filling written application).

He practiced the organic method of farming In Chana (Gram) & seen a big change which is given below in cost benefit analysis. He also shared that before using organic method he used to go outside village to sell his Chana but this time a person came to him for the Chana(Gram) and taken few kg from him, then he tested the quality of it by soaking it in water he finds the quality of Chana is really best & he went again to Uddipal & purchases more from him by seen the quality of Chana villagers of Majotta has also purchase Chana from Uddipal. His Chana was easily sold in his village itself in high rate & he didn’t go outside to sell his crops.

   Cost Input Analysis: Chana (gram) Crop

S.no.	Basis	Before project	After Project	Changes
1	land	Half Acre	Half Acre	-
2	Seeds	14 Kg	14 kg	-
3	Input Cost	Rs 1000	Rs.50	Rs  950
4	Production	1 Quintal	2 Quintal	Increases 1 Quintal
5	Price(sold)	Rs 20 per Kg	Rs 30/- Kg	Rs 10

Source: Daily updates by SSSS-Satna-HARIT PRAYAS team.

HARIT PRAYAS musical album by the community is out on online!

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNjX1pq9VV4&feature=youtu.be

Now HARIT PRAYAS is apart of community culture in Bundel Khand region and community members from HARIT PRAYAS villages of Chatarpur, have come out with the HARIT PRAYYAS folk songs (in Bundelkhandi language) on basic practices learnt under HARIT PRAYAS to obtain low cost agriculture and strengthen governance. Community members along with partner organisation SSSS-Satna team has documented those folk songs in the form of HARIT PRAYAS a musical album. The songs are written, music composed, sung and shot by community.

The album has 7 songs, sung by the community on governance sustainable agriculture and women empowerment. The musical album was released by Caritas India Chairman Most Rev  Bishop Lumen Monterio on 7th Dec 2012 in the most interior village Kota (Chatarpur, Madhya Pradesh) during his visit and interaction with the community members of Kota village. Kota is also a first village in the region to practice organic cultivation by 100% of the HHs. This is another development step to make community to learn and practice ICT ( Information Communication & Tecgnology)

You can watchand listen HARIT PRAYAS musical album on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNjX1pq9VV4&feature=youtu.be  also on HARIT PRAYAS online channel also.

Let’ s promote folk songs of HARIT PRAYAS! So keep listening, watching, loving, sharing and feel the movement of HARIT PRAYAS to bring out a revolution in Bundelkhand region.

For more on HARIT PRAYAS log on to:

Blog: www.haritprayas.blogspot.com  or on www.caritasindia.org (blog)

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/harit.prayas

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HARITPRAYAS

HARIT PRAYAS online channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/haritprayas

HARIT PRAYAS is a development movement supported by caritas India, caritas Spain& caritas Italian in Bundelkhand region (India)

Kisan Mela Exposure@HARIT PRAYAS Jhansi

On 23 December 2012 Farmer Club members visited Kisan Mela organized by agriculture department at Deen Dayal Sabhagar, Jhansi. There farmers has visited different departments stall – Agriculture, Irrigation, Animal husbandry etc and acquired useful tips for applicability of new techniques in sustaining their livelihood. There was prize ceremony for good farmers by government seeing this they are also motivated to promote their agricultural effort to be in the list of good farmers. Organic method, bank linkage, fisheries & livestock were the main attraction in Kisan Mela. A total of 26 farmers along with PM Prakash Singh were present in the event.

By: JCSS-Jhansi HARIT PRAYAS team

Impact of MGNREGA training (through HARIT PRAYAS)@Jhansi

A radical change is occurring in the attitude and mind set of people belonging to SC, ST and Tribes. First time after the training a group of 42 people @ Shekhar village had written an application to BDO, SECRETARY and PRADHAN for the demand of job card, MNREGA works. Cluster coordinator Bhola Prasad helped them to build their confidence for fighting for the rights and to get their entitlements. 3 widow pension forms were filled. One had got the benefit of Rani Laxmibai Pension. 

By: JCSS-Jhansi HARIT PRAYAS team 

Mitigating migration in Bundelkhand through HARIT PRAYAS@Chatarpur

Kota is one of the targeted village comes under Harit Prayas, it is far most & village from our cluster office Khajuraho & also very tough to reach there. The total no. of families is 35 SC & ST and population is around 200.

Condition before Project Intervention:-

•   There is high number of families migrates every year (ref. Baseline survey, 2010).
•   Number of people doing organic cultivation :- Zero
•  Input Cost in Agriculture is very high and the village is very far so they have to distant place to purchase Urea & DAP and have to wait 2 to 3 days for it in black.
•  They are not able to save money because profit is low and input cost is high.

 Condition after the Harit Prayas Intervention:-

•  Now, in Kota all 35 families (100%) are doing Organic farming.
•  10 families who migrate every year didn’t migrate this year.
• Now there input cost is reduced to 70- 90%.
• There Production is high so profit is high and now they are able to save money and didn’t need to go outside to earn their livelihood.

People Didn’t Migrated this Season:-

S.no.	Name	Village
1	Gorishankar Adiwashi	Kota
2	Munoo Adiwashi	Kota
3	Gopal Fojdar	Kota
4	Pratipal Fojdar	Kota
5	Ramkumar Fojdar	Kota
6	Halkaiyan Adiwashi	Kota
7	Mijaji Adiwashi	Kota
8	Badri Adiwashi	Kota
9	Dadri Adiwashi	Kota
10	Kajju Adiwashi	Kota

The impact is explicit. Data say it all. Last but not least, in order to measure the impact of Harit Prayas project, data alone can’t speak. The impact and positive changes in the lives of the poorest of the poor community members are more explicit when we visit them regularly. Community members have gained self confidence, they are aware of their rights and a list of positive changes is there at grass root level for which no measurement indexes have been developed in social sciences.

Source: Document by HARIT PRAYAS SSSS-Satna team in Jan 2013.