http://www.dhan.org/development-matters/pdf/2009/Dev_mat_feb2009

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Feature: MDGs in Practice

Leelavathi turns entrepreneur: Achieving Productive Employment K. Amina Bibi* Leelavathi enrolls in Kalanjiam: There are many causes of poverty but ultimately the poor are poor because they earn too little from what they do. The debts from usurious money lenders take away all the fruits of hard work in the form of interest and compounded interest. Leelavathi was one such poor woman who was living in poverty. Small loan of Rs. 10,000 from money lender for initiating a pappad making unit with Rs. 10,000 grew to a huge sum of Rs. 50,000 in spite of regular repayment of interest. She and her husband Sethubathi worked hard in the unit but they could not visualize any profit from the venture as the entire income drained to fill the chest of the money lender. In those days of time in 2001, Mr. Narender Kande and Ms. Latha Rukmani came to their area with the concept of Kalanjiam Self Help Group. Sixteen women in her area were willing to form a group “Veiyuluvandhal Kalanjiam”. They started to save Rs. 25 per month and increased over time to Rs. 200 at present. “The small initiative of becoming a member in Kalanjiam have turned up into a great support in establishing the pappad making unit, that too exporting across the states and globe”, admires Leelavathi recalling her initial days.

Pappad making unit: They were married in 1997. The then new wed couple, living in a joint family with father-in-law mother-inlaw, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law was working hard to improve the pappad making unit in a thatched shed. The unit was initiated by her husband in 1995. Her knowledge and skill in pappad making from her childhood helped the unit grow into what it is today. The regular saving habit and hard working nature convinced the group members to sanction a loan of Rs. 1000. She used it for improving the unit by purchasing inputs. She repaid the loan in three months. Seeing her grow with the help of Kalanjiam the money lender started to pester her

to repay the loan at the earliest. To overcome the situation she placed the situation to the group members.

The second loan of Rs. 5,000 was sanctioned to her and it was repaid in a year with the income from the unit.

The season of this business is only for 4 months (October – February). After March through September the business used to be dull. They have to earn enough for the entire year during the 4 months itself. In this situation they have initiated the venture. There was a long gap of non-earning period. At that time they worked hard to get orders in the lean period so that they can produce uninterruptedly in the peak period. With the support of Kalanjiam members through moral

*K. Amina Bibi, Project Executive, Centre for Development Communication, DHAN Foundation, Madurai

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by the primary groups and their networks by acquiring new assets, improving performance of existing assets, gaining employable skills and access to market linkage.

support, providing need based loans, members working for extra hours helped them to stamp foot in the business.

During the successive peak time, the orders were more and the work force was only four family members they had to employ at least three more skilled labourers. They have to pay advance of Rs. 2,500 to each of them to book them for work in this unit.

When she expressed her need to the group the loan of Rs. 7,500 was sanctioned. The extended work force plunged into action to finish the assignment. “The support extended by Kalanjiam members is beyond words. Four Kalanjiam members joined hands to make it possible�, says Leelavathi. With immense hard work, full fledged support of Kalanjiam helped the pappad unit grow and the unit in turn employed seven members and two daughters of a member. Only with the income of the unit she could arrange marriage for her sister-inlaw. Now in 2009, brother-in-law could also establish his own pappad

making unit independently. The separation is not out of friction but he is going to get married soon. He wanted to prove his financial productivity before he gets married.

Her roles Leelavathi has studied only till 5th standard went to pappad making unit with her mother since her childhood.

As she lost her father while she was very young hence she had to discontinue her school education and accompany her mother to be an extra hand to earn for the family.

From then she was learning one or the other activities of pappad unit.

She could knead dough, flatten it, extend it into thin film, dry it with perfection and pack it for dispatching. This experience helped her to gain skill and helped her to decide her lifetime activity. She was managing both the family and the unit with the income from the unit. Since the external debts were brought to nil, visualizing profit was possible.

The standard of living of her family graduated from survival to subsistence through the facilitation

She has two children, the daughter Kousalya is 11 years old studying in 5th standard in Veerasakthi Primary school and son Viswakumar is seven years old studying in 2nd standard in Grace Matriculation School. Both the children are studying in English medium schools as the parents wanted to give good education which they could not get.

Father-in-law and mother-in-law take care of the children and household chores. Leelavathi and her husband take care of the unit. They not only supervise but also do one or the other activity of the unit to closely monitor the unit. Only because of this they could achieve the quality for which the product is known for.

Meticulous member of Kalanjiam She did not get loans from the group for three years. By this time she could extend the size of the unit and made it a good building. Paying rent for residence and unit was very expensive. There was a house leasing product from Kalanjiam to help her. She availed a loan of Rs. 30,000 and in two years she repaid it. After the house leasing period she could get Rs. 30,000 from the house owner and invested to purchase the unit with the chit fund savings. She moved to a rented house adjacent to the unit. The unit and Kalanjiam grew simultaneously. Last Deepavali (2008) was a crucial time for her, as she had to pay bonus for all the workers in her unit and had to employ four more skilled labourers

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as the orders in hand was huge. She got a loan amount of Rs. 50,000 from Kalanjiam. She distributed bonus for the workers to a tune of Rs. 20,000. She paid advance of Rs. 5,000 each for four skilled labourers.

Rs. 10,000 was paid as an advance for purchasing dough kneading machine. The kneading machine was needed as the unit was expanded; hand kneading was difficult for her.

She had to depend in skilled men labourer. She thought of purchasing a dough kneading machine. The cost

of the machine was Rs. 18,000. The remaining Rs. 8,000 she could pay from her savings in the form of chits.

Owning the unit The unit was improved from thatched shed to a rented building with good building and open space for sun drying the pappad produced in the unit. The building was very suitable for the business and every month. She had to allocate certain amount towards rent and there was

List of loans availed by Leelavathi

a fear of the owner asking them to vacate in future (seeing their growth, as the money lender did with the money). So she discussed with her husband to probe the possibility of purchasing the unit. The cost of the land of 3.5 cents and building was Rs. 4.5 lakhs. To purchase the unit, the family had to sell golden jewels of 15 sovereign and received Rs. 90, 000. A loan of Rs. 50, 000 was obtained from money lenders, a chit of Rs. 25, 000 was obtained, advance money of Rs. 25, 000 was mobilized from marketing agency and a piece of land in native place was sold for a price of Rs. 75, 000.

The remaining amount was paid at different intervals with the profit from the unit.

Process of pappad making:

Source: Federation MIS records

The marketing agency gives a bag of 100 kg black gram powder and Rs. 2500 to them. This pappad unit prepares 120 kgs of pappad and gives it back to the marketing agency.

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They sell to internal markets and exports to other countries. The products are being exported to Bngalore, Malasia and Singapore often. Occasionally it is exported to Dubai, USA and other gulf countries.

The unit produces a bag of 120 kg pappad with the one kg of black gram powder. In a month the production is 26 bags of pappad in peak season and 15 – 16 bags in lean season.

On receiving Rs. 2500 and a bag of black gram powder, Rs. 1800 is used to distribute wages and Rs. 500 is spent to purchase the other inputs needed for pappad making. For routine works like kneading the dough, making cylinders of dough for making smaller balls, cutting the cylinders of dough into smaller balls and sun drying the pappads, Rs. 10 is paid for every two kg (two kg is the unit of works in this unit).

Whereas for skilled works like rolling out thin films of pappad, extending the smaller size of pappad into medium sized ones by typical hand movements with extending some pressure, extending the medium sized pappads into larger size papads by similar actions, Rs. 15 per two kg is paid. On an average, the routine workers get R. 100 per day and the skilled workers get Rs. 120 – 150 according to the volume of the work done.

Leelavathi’s growth with the help of Kalanjiam: Without Kalanjiam she could never dream a debt free life. Not even a penny of profit was coming to our hand says, Sethubathi, her husband.

We have come out of the debt trap.

We were once in survival level and now we are in subsistence level. This

was possible only because of Kalanjiam. The unit was in a thatched roof in the initial days, four group members who worked in our unit stood for our growth. She could establish a profitable pappad making unit to a worth of Rs. 4.5 lakhs.

Kalanjiam members who worked in her unit have stretched out even in odd hours and holidays to finish the target to export. Kalanjiam have provided many timely loans to reach the present position. Few members have sacrificed their turn to have loans so that Leelavathi can avail the loan for the benefit of the unit which

employed few of the group members. “I used to tell the group members about my need. It is they who spoke in an enduring way to Kalanjiam officials and see the loan is ensured. This I can say with an example. Last year, I needed Rs. 50,000 for my unit; I explained the need to the group. The members realized that the loan would not only benefit me but also eight members too. So Rs. 25,000 was given from the bank loan and the remaining Rs. 25,000 was sanctioned through federation and cluster loans. The time of loan was very crucial as three others also were in need of loan

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but they sacrificed for our unit, recalls Leelavathi. She could ensure good education to her children.

Kalanjiam group’s growth with the help of Leelavathi In eight years, she has availed only eight loans (Rs. 98,975) all loans she repaid ahead of due date. She is a member with regular savings of Rs. 15, 385 and special savings Rs. 276 till March 2009. She availed loans only when it was dire need.

She used to withdraw her special savings to meet the financial needs arising then and there. She repaid all her loans ahead of time. Out of the 16 members of her group, she is

employing seven members and two daughters of one member. She is reasonable in making the eight members prompt in savings and loan repayment. As on March, 2009 the group savings is Rs. 2,09,108 and special saving is Rs. 26,318.

Future plans Though we are employing few people we are not fully independent business men. We are providing products to some orders. Some other marketing agency is exporting our products in their name. We have to reach our destination of having our own trademark. Our products will bear our label. We have taken few Timeline

steps towards that. To get the registration without any hurdles we have purchased the unit which is spacious for the operations. We have registered in Small Scale Industries (SSI) and obtained electricity supply with the certificate from them. We have filed papers with income tax.

Though we have not earned enough to pay the tax, we have applied to Income Tax (IT) department. Once we get our own label we may export to other states and countries. At that time this should not be a hindrance for our growth. We have registered for our label too; we are expecting it at any time.

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Collaboration

Collaboration for Poverty Reduction National Agricultural Innovation Project and DHAN Foundation Adhinarayanan* Background of NAIP Supported by wide-ranging reforms particularly beginning 1991, India experienced rapid growth over the past decade (averaging about 6per cent year between 1992/3 and 2003/4). In parallel with this faster growth, it has made impressive progress towards reducing poverty; an important element of the MDGs. Continued progress has also been made on many social indicators, particularly literacy, which rose from 52 per cent in 1991 to 65 per cent in 20011.

However, weakening agricultural performance beginning with the mid nineties is a national concern. The marked slow-down in growth rates in the traditional “green revolution states” and the breadbasket of the country, namely, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh (“green revolution fatigue”) is a major setback2. As these states account for 74 per cent and 26per cent of the production of wheat and rice respectively, these lower growth rates are again raising food security concerns. At the same time, the states of Bihar, Orissa, Assam and MP, in which rural poverty rates and dependence on agriculture are the highest; agriculture shows limited and slow improvement. The challenge of sustaining growth over the longer term has been highlighted by several recent studies that find total factor productivity (TFP) in agriculture

declining between the 1980s and 1990s. It is reported that while TFP3 grew by 2per cent per year between 1981 and 1990, the growth rate became negative during 1990–96 in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, comprising the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal4 . The studies attribute the deceleration in TFP growth rate to the slow-down in productivity gains from the earlier adoption of highyielding varieties, the decline in public investments in the agricultural sector, and increasing degradation of natural resources.

The green revolution in wheat and rice, white revolution in milk, yellow revolution in oilseed and the “blue revolution” in fisheries have augmented the food basket of the country. But many technological

challenges remain. First, despite the shrinking share (23 per cent) of the agricultural sector in the economy, the majority of the labour force (nearly 60 per cent) continues to depend on agriculture. About 75 per cent of India’s poor people with low purchasing power live in rural areas and nearly 60 per cent of the cultivated area is under rainfed farming. Hence, the National Agricultural Policy and the Tenth Five Year Plan place high priority on raising agricultural productivity as a means to achieve more rapid agricultural growth and reduce rural poverty. Secondly, stagnating/ decelerating productivity growth and declining total factor productivity in agriculture have cast doubts on the resilience of the sector to meet the challenges of a more market-driven and competitive regime. Related to the issue of stagnating productivity

*Mr. Adhinarayanan, Regional Coordinator, DHAN Foundation, Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu.

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is the obvious limited connection between input use and productivity growth performance. Thirdly, current unsustainable land and water use practices will lead to lower agricultural productivity in the future. Fourthly, ensuring economic and ecologically sound access to food to every Indian, while conserving and improving the natural resources and traditional wisdom, in a more competitive regime, is yet another challenge.

To address these challenges and to generate additional income and employment for the poor, the role of agricultural research and development (R&D) is critical.

Given the limited scope for area expansion, increases in productivity, profitability and competitiveness will have to be the main parameters of the agricultural growth in the future and this should be led or triggered by advances and innovations in, and applications of science in agriculture.

In other words, Indian agriculture will have to shift from resource or input-based growth to knowledge or science-based growth. In this paradigm shift, the flow of knowledge and innovations plays a critical role. R&D assumes more importance because it is a costeffective method for promoting growth with sustainability while attaining competitiveness. For making agricultural R&D achieve these goals, first the R&D system efficiency has to be enhanced and the enabling environment for science to excel has to be created. Secondly, new and innovative ways of doing research have to be developed like pursuing a production to consumption system (PCS) approach which comprises the entire set of actors, materials, activities services and institutions involved in

growing, harvesting and handling a particular commodity, transforming it into usable and/or higher value product, and marketing the final product. Studies show growing regional imbalances in India. In a welfare state, such a trend can not be allowed to continue and therefore special R&D efforts to target disadvantaged areas should receive priority attention. For example, in the vast dry land areas where the possibility of large scale irrigation infrastructure development is very limited, productivity can only be enhanced by innovative and appropriate technological advancements/interventions complemented with institutional and policy support. Participation and empowerment of the stakeholders are a major necessity for ensuring success. Harnessing advances in frontier sciences in selected priority areas to break the yield and quality barriers for satisfying the present and future national needs and attaining global competitiveness with larger spin-off benefits to India has to be given focused attention. Therefore support to basic and strategic research is also critical.

The recently concluded National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) led by the ICAR aimed to implement a shared understanding of the Government of India and the World Bank on technology-led-propoor growth, and facilitated the public sector reform process for accelerating the flow of agricultural technologies. A key lesson from the NATP is that deliberate investments in partnership building and shared governance are required to speed up technology adaptation and dissemination. Another lesson was that while the project undertook an enormous number of activities,

mostly successfully, the bigger picture was very clear in the extension component where the project activities were guided by a well defined conceptual model for collaborative agricultural extension.

The challenges, opportunities and the lessons learnt in the NATP provide a useful framework to move forward.

The NAIP responds to the GOI’s objectives as expressed in India’s National Policy on Agriculture (NPA), which accords high priority to generation and transfer of agricultural technologies, and reforms in the technology system.

The NPA seeks to actualize the vast untapped growth potential of Indian agriculture to generate income and employment opportunities for the rural communities. The policy recognizes the role of the private sector in agricultural research, human resource development, postharvest management and value addition. The 10th Five Year Plan envisages a growth rate of 4 per cent per annum in the agriculture sector.

To achieve such growth requires investments in research, extension, as well as interventions that improve the policy and institutional environment within which agricultural producers, traders and processors operate.

Policies and Institutional Framework Since the agricultural scenario is changed, the policies also need to change. The policy changes should reflect continued priority on food and nutritional security, increased market orientation, focus on disadvantaged regions, break yield and quality barriers by strengthening basic and strategic research, provide for an enhanced role of the private sector, NGOs etc. First of all, agricultural development is

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traders and others must be able to express their demand and must be in a capacity to adapt and adopt new knowledge and technology.

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increasingly market rather than production driven. With falling staple food prices and rising urban incomes, the pay-off has slowly improved to strategies that enhance agricultural diversification and increase the value added of agricultural production. Secondly, it is increasingly realized that the generation, diffusion and application of new knowledge often takes place more efficiently through the private sector5. A significant part of the technology package that farmers use has also been designed by and supplied through private businesses (e.g., fertilizers, machinery, pesticides, and seeds). With increasing commercialization, the role of the private sector as technology supplier grows. Thirdly, through the ICT revolution (particularly the internet), the ability to take advantage of knowledge has been developed in other places, or for other purposes, has grown. How to capitalize on existing new knowledge has become a question that is as important as how to generate and diffuse new knowledge.

This is where the concept of a national agricultural innovation

system (NAIS) becomes important.

A NAIS is made up of the institutions, enterprises and individuals that demand and supply knowledge and technologies, and the rules and mechanisms by which these different agents are interacting. In this concept the focus is not only on the science suppliers but also on the totality of actors that are involved in innovation. The role of the private sector and as well as of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) associated with the innovation are more explicitly recognized, endmarket demands are more integrated and the conditions that need to be fulfilled for innovations to become successful are better spelled out.

Following the lessons from the industrial applications, the effectiveness of the NAIS depends on three main elements:

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An institutional environment that is conducive to the flow of knowledge, to collaboration, experimentation and implementation of innovations.

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A well articulated demand for new knowledge, technology and institutional and policy innovations.

Producers,

The effective supply of new knowledge and technology, from the public research system, but also from other sources, such as indigenous knowledge, private sector research and even transfers from abroad.

The institutional framework for NAIP therefore needs to be designed to match with the policy changes and the elements of the NAIS articulated above.

Objectives of NAIP Agricultural innovations and diffusion of new technologies are important factors in the country’s quest for food, nutrition, environmental security and enhancement of income and employment. Agricultural research in India has generated outstanding productivity increases in the past and shall continue to play an important role to support rural livelihoods and accelerating rural growth. However, rising population and per capita income are pushing up the food demand, which needs to be met through enhanced productivity per unit area, input, time and energy. At the same time, issues of decreasing factor productivity and resource use efficiency have emerged.

Furthermore, many promising research findings have not reached the producers, due either to the inadequacies of research design or research results, deficiencies of delivery systems or a lack of economic incentives. This is particularly evident in complex environments and in less-favored

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areas. In order to address poverty and hunger, it is critical to redirect and augment resources devoted to agricultural research to the farming and livelihood systems of the poor rural communities. Further, to avail the technological breakthroughs that are now available for commercial use, agricultural research priorities and strategies will have to be revisited and new system-wide approaches need to be developed and adopted.

in priority areas/themes to enhance productivity, nutrition, profitability, income and employment (component 2). c)

d) The NAIP will address the above concerns through a combined effort on changing content and process.

Policy and technology options will be checked or tested by the end-user for applicability and for economic, social and environmental sustainability. In applied and adaptive research projects, the end-user of innovations will be involved from the start of programmes and projects to their completion. Both indigenous knowledge and new or frontier technologies will be used to generate targeted products.

The overall objective of NAIP is to facilitate the accelerated and sustainable transformation of Indian agriculture in support of poverty alleviation and income generation through collaborative development and application of agricultural innovations by the public organizations in partnership with farmers groups, the private sector and other stakeholders. The specific objectives are: a)

To build the critical capacity of the ICAR as a catalyzing agent for management of change of the Indian NARS {component 1).

b) To promote production to consumption systems research

To improve livelihood security of rural people living in selected disadvantaged regions through innovation systems led by technology and encompassing the wider process of social and economic change covering all stakeholders (component 3).

To build capacity and undertake basic and strategic research in strategic areas to meet technology development challenges in the immediate and predictable future (component 4).

NAIP is planned for 6 years to allow time for piloting, learning and then scaling up wherever possible.

NAIP Institutional Development Priorities The NAIP is aware of the growing importance of access to information in the global competitive economy. Competitiveness and access to information will be of particular relevance to poor population groups if they are not to be further marginalized. The amount of new information and the increasingly rapid outdating of existing knowledge may pose a threat to traditional and indigenous knowledge. Useful traditional knowledge must therefore be validated, documented and disseminated. The NAIP may support efforts to do this wherever they are related to proper information systems and the utilization of such knowledge. Thus, the NAIP shall strive for a better balance between utilization of existing or indigenous

knowledge, creation of new knowledge and adequate documentation, validation, dissemination and utilization of knowledge.

India’s agricultural sector is composed of a large number of small individual entrepreneurs. Farmers depend increasingly on other entrepreneurs for services, inputs, implements, marketing and processing. The capacity of these various entities to adjust to rapid change in the political, institutional and economic environments, and mutual collaboration among them, are decisive for the success of agricultural development. Capacity building and strengthening of partnerships will be taken up in all components of the NAIP. Capacity building refers to individual farmers, farmers’ groups, organizations, and agrarian institutions and businesses, which support them. Partnerships include public sector institutions, farmers’ organizations, self-help groups, NGOs and the private sector. The NAIP is well aware that women farmers whose number and contributions are significant in Indian agriculture have to be involved particularly. Participatory technology development and participatory learning and action shall be essential ingredients in capacity building and project management.

With the increasing importance of market context in Indian agriculture, enhancing business skills of agricultural research institutions assume significance.

There is a need to develop suitable business development units as models for promoting business planning, and development and commercialization of technologies.

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NAIP R&D Priorities The NAIP R&D priorities are in agreement with the broad objectives of the project which have been set to match also the national and sectoral priorities. However, the NAIP will encourage creative local level needs and priority identification on the basis of systematic need assessments under the overall broad priorities set for the NAIP. In fact the actual sub-projects supported by NAIP may integrate in a systems mode the various priority areas to meet local level requirements.

The NAIP therefore, will not predefine the specific research projects that it wishes to pursue in the components 2, 3 and 4 but will allow the agenda to evolve from the bottom through the competitive process that will guide the resource allocation. The thrust areas discussed below are merely indicative of what the NAIP subprojects may address. These areas are the national and sectoral level priorities as reflected in the National Agricultural Policy and the Tenth Five-Year Plan of India (2002-07), including its Mid-Term Appraisal Report and several consultations held with a wide array of stakeholders as a part of project concept note preparation. Some specific guiding examples on possible sub-projects for the Components 2 and 4 have been provided in subsequent chapters.

Agricultural Diversification For making Indian agriculture profitable, sustainable and competitive, agricultural diversification will have to be intensively promoted. Attention towards precision farming, small

farm mechanization, resource conservation technologies, use of sprinkler and drip irrigation systems, fertigation, protective cultivation of flowers and vegetables, and adoption of high-value and low-volume crops is expected to be rewarding. This warrants a multi-faceted approach with a greater appreciation of the various site-specific needs and compulsions of the farming systems, agro-climatic conditions, and endowments of land and water resources, rural infrastructure, and the market demand both within the country and outside. Facilitating service and support systems covering planting materials, credit, extension, marketing, prices, etc. are critical for successful diversification.

With emphasis on much-needed diversification in agriculture, the availability of quality seed, particularly in case of oilseeds, pulses, horticultural crops and fisheries, becomes a crucial component of agriculture-led growth and development. This would require efficient field operations/hatchery management, facilitating and improving processing, marketing, quality assurance and strengthening of infrastructure for rapid multiplication of disease-free planting material.

On-farm experimentation would be given high priority for testing and disseminating technologies suitable for increasing food, feed, fodder and fuel (rural energy) security, and for improving the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers. Needless to mention that empowering of the small and marginal farmers and rural women through participatory approaches is critical to provide them adequate strength to face sudden calamities and farming failures.

Livestock and Fisheries Production The livestock and fisheries sectors are emerging as important “sunrise sectors� in the country. Since most livestock in India is owned by small and marginal farmers and landless people in rural areas especially in dry land areas, the sector’s rapid growth benefits the poorer households. Further, the role of women in these sectors is substantial. Focused attention to genetic upgradation, nutrition, management, disease surveillance and control, production of feeds, diagnostic kits and vaccines, postharvest handling and processing and marketing of livestock and aquaculture produce, by-produce and wastes will be certainly rewarding. Work on monitoring and control of trans-boundary livestock diseases has important implications for human health, international trade and compliance with importing country requirements.

Genetic Resources and Bioprospecting Sustained growth in agricultural productivity will depend upon continued improvements in germplasm (plants, animals including fish and microbes) and improved nutritional value of staple foods, besides crop and livestock disease and pest control. The traits required include improved yield potential, increasing yield stability through resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and enhancing adaptation to high stress conditions like drought, water logging and salinity.

Genetic resources (plant, animal and microbial) constitute one of the most important and invaluable natural

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resources and their effective documentation and utilization are an important endeavor. The importance of undertaking such an activity with the help of local communities, NGOs, etc. cannot be overemphasized. Identification of resistance genes in wild relatives, molecular marker mapping and marker-assisted transfer to the elite germplasm may be pursued. Bioprospecting will have to lay the foundation for effective mining and targeted the transfer of genes for specific traits. The vast microbial gene pool has to be explored and utilized for crop and animal improvement. Such efforts are not only capital-and knowledgeintensive, but also warrant strong public-public and public-private partnerships. Interactions between research institutes and the industry need to be strengthened for realizing the full potential of frontier sciences.

Natural Resource Management Enhancing farmers’ capacities to use and conserve natural resources (agro-biodiversity, land and water management) and indigenous knowledge in an efficient and sustainable manner is an important issue in Indian agriculture. This includes enhancement of crop and livestock including fishery productivity in intensified and more sustainable farming systems. Farmer participation is decisive for this approach.

In view of the water scarcity and the growing competition for water for agricultural, household and industrial use, efficient and sustainable management of water resources, with a focus at the watershed and local level is another important topic. Through its

consortia the NAIP will aim to combine short- and possibly longterm economic benefits (farmers’ interests) with longer-term environmental concerns (public interest) and favorable institutional development.

Soil health has been affected adversely owing to depletion of organic carbon, imbalanced use of nutrients, micro-nutrient deficiency, etc. The proper understanding of this issue and addressing the issue through appropriate interventions by following an IPNM approach assumes significance.

Precision agriculture may be explored to tackle the inadequate replenishment of the soil with nutrients in very intensive cropping systems like rice-wheat, which have led to reduction in factor productivity, water use efficiency, nutrient use efficiency, and as whole, input use efficiency.

Global warming is becoming an important issue for sustainable agriculture. Understanding its effects and developing adaptation and mitigation strategies should

receive attention. Component 4 address this issue.

There is an increasing appreciation about the quality of food as well as the extent to which the environment is affected by excessive and indiscriminate application of chemicals. Therefore, organic farming is attracting greater attention worldwide. The various factors for successful adoption of organic agriculture in selected areas where they have competitive advantage may be analyzed, and research for generating technologies that support modern organic farming may be strengthened. Such research may not only contribute to enhanced nutritional and environmental security but also improve export prospects in the country.

Integrated Pest Management Pesticides are often not accessible to small-scale farmers and skill and knowledge in the sound use of pesticides is lacking. Pesticide misuse is therefore a significant health and economic risk to producers, consumers and the environment. The evolution of new

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global and national imperatives will be needed.

NAIP Components

races, pathotypes, strains and biotypes of the pathogens and insectpests is a continuous process. In this context, to manage such biotic stresses, efficient and effective integrated approaches are required.

Consortia within the NAIP may take up the elaboration and validation of IPM policies and practices for the minimal ecologically tolerable and economically necessary use of pesticides.

Value Addition and Post-Harvest Processing An area of immense importance to enhance the global competitiveness of Indian agriculture is value addition and post-harvest processing. At present, only seven per cent of the output of the agricultural sector is value added and two per cent of the volume of perishables is processed. In view of the small and scattered farm holdings and the majority of farmers being resource-poor, strengthening of cooperatives, self-help groups, and contract farming assume significance. The need for reduction in post-harvest losses is being increasingly important. This also concerns processing technologies to follow changing consumption patterns. Post-harvest losses

compromise food security and the market presence of small-scale farmers by disrupting supply or reducing the quality of products.

Local storage and small-scale processing capacity has an impact on development similar to that of the construction of other rural infrastructure. In component 2, the NAIP will address the whole PCS, improving knowledge on postharvest losses and tackling the most critical elements in the system, including quality assurance mechanisms to meet domestic needs and international trade requirements.

In fact, the scope extends to issues in the food chain of human beings and animals. In view of the complexity of changes in postharvest and processing practices, attention may also be given to the development and introduction of promising storage and processing technologies for small farmers.

Research on Policy Analysis and Market Intelligence In the scenario of greater importance of markets in agriculture and the integration of the national markets, and the world market, it has become clear that research to develop appropriate policies to understand these fast changing

The NAIP comprises four components: (1) ICAR as the Catalyzing Agent for Management of Change in the Indian NARS; (2) Research on Production to Consumption Systems; (3) Research on Sustainable Rural Livelihood Security (SRLS); and (4) Basic and Strategic Research in the Frontier Areas of Agricultural Sciences (BSR).

Component 1: ICAR as the Catalyzing Agent for the Management of Change in the Indian NARS In the context of the emerging Indian agricultural research system, the limited ability of partners to interact and transact with each other was identified as a key constraint to streamlining the generation and use of new knowledge. This led to the choice of the “consortium� (i.e. an often public/private partnership of service providers that collaboratively addresses production systems constraints) as the principal modality for project implementation in components 2, 3, and 4. In support of these other NAIP components, Component 1 will allow the ICAR and the SAUs to strengthen their role as the catalyzing agents of the system by strengthening their information, communication and dissemination capacity, business planning and development knowledge, skills in using new learning and capacity building models, policy analysis, visioning, market intelligence analysis, and ability to remodel financial and procurement systems suitable to a changing and performing organization.

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Component 2, 3 and 4: Research Consortia: Components 2, 3 and 4 are planned to organize using a consortium concept. The consortium concept is central to facilitating flows of knowledge collaboration, experimentation and implementation and to articulate demands for knowledge and technology. The world over, collaborative research networks and consortia have been more effective than simple information exchange networks. The consortia to be supported by the NAIP will have to play a key role in more efficient use of scarce resources in national agricultural research, and in enhancing synergies among research and development actors. The NAIP will enhance the potential and tackle the limitations of these partnerships, contribute to a better utilization of limited resources, and enhance synergies among participating institutions.

commodity, transforming it into higher value product and marketing the final product. The system includes the technologies used to grow and process the material, as well as the social, institutional and economic environment in which these processes operate.

By making competitive grants available for large projects (from Rs. 12 to 45 crores for each consortium) strong incentives are created to build partnerships and share knowledge and information 6. An additional reason for the competitive mode is that it allows successful and innovative models to arise from the bottom, rather than imposing a design from the top. The consortium mode will then be applied to main development challenges that the Indian agricultural research system faces.

The emphasis in Component 3 on rural livelihood improvement reflects that several million people in the country remain largely by-passed by the green revolution and modern agricultural practices. A large proportion of these people and of the rural poor live in less favored, marginal or more complex environments. Long-term social, political and environmental stability requires that attention be given to these areas. The relevance of less endowed areas to decentralized development, to resource conservation, to water harnessing and bio-diversity management is being increasingly recognized.

Component 2: Research on Production to Consumption Systems PCSs comprise the entire set of actors, materials, activities, services, and institutions involved in growing and harvesting a particular

The emphasis on PCSs is a simple reflection of the fact that agricultural growth in India is increasingly market driven and that the challenge to raise income and welfare to the agricultural community has to be met in a market context. The PCS implies a higher priority to among others, postharvest processing, quality management and safety issues. The importance of the market also implies a shift in attention to products with large market and income growth potential.

Component 3: Research on Sustainable Rural Livelihood Security

In component 3, emphasis will be given to improving the sustainability of the farming systems

and natural resource management in less favorable environments.

Particular attention will be given to rain-fed, hill and mountain, coastal and island eco-regions.

Component 4: Basic/Strategic Research in Frontier Areas of Agricultural Sciences To sustain innovation for accelerated development, investments must also be made in basic and strategic research in frontier areas of agricultural sciences, in order to generate new knowledge and new findings that can later on be turned into the next generation of innovations. Recent research shows that the capacity of the Indian agricultural research system to produce high quality science was greater in the past than at present. Especially for a large country such as India it is important to be at, and contribute to the scientific frontier. Component 4 therefore, addresses the widening knowledge gap that might appear in the absence of high quality basic and strategic research.

“Farming Systems for Livelihood security of small and Marginal farmers in Disadvantaged Districts of Tamilnadu” Under component 3 (Sustainable Rural Livelihood Security) consortium partners DHAN Foundation, Annamalai University, Vedapuri KVK (Krishi Vigyan Kendra) and BMT KVK has submitted a concept note titled “Farming Systems for Livelihood security of small and Marginal farmers in Disadvantaged Districts of Tamilnadu”. The project has selected and sanctioned during April-2008 and fund released,

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project started from July-2008. The total project period is for 4 years April 2008 – March 2012. The total sanctioned budget of the projects is Rs.732.32 Lakhs.

Partnerwise breakup

•

Annamalai University Rs.524.29 Lakhs

•

DHAN Foundation Rs. 62.82 Lakhs

•

Vedapuri KVK Rs. 93.49 Lakhs

•

BMT KVK Rs. 51.72 Lakhs

Objectives of the project

•

•

•

•

Up scaling farming system models through on farm research for adoption under wetland, upland and shore farming conditions in disadvantaged districts of Tamilnadu.

Productivity enhancement in predominant crops of these districts through technologies like IPM, INM and mechanized cultivation.

Imparting training for processing and values addition in the farm produces.

Restoring the pristine status of water resources in these districts through integrated biocontrol of aquatic weeds and conserving soil health through optimized agro input use.

Technological interventions being implemented Integrated Rice + Fish + Poultry in Wetland cluster Integrated Rice + Fish + Poultry in 5 cent area per farmer for 100

farmers in a cluster. In the 5 cent Rice field 20 square meter with one meter deep fish pond excavated and 100 fingerlings released in the pond.

Above on the pond 6’ * 4’ * 3’ dimension cage fixed near the water entry channel and 20 broiler birds reared for 45 days. The broiler birds and fish production, birds droppings enrich the soil nutrients are the additional income for the farmer out of the project. Total farmers covered in this intervention are 400 with an extent of 20 acres.

Mushroom production/ Vermi Composting In all the above three clusters 100 landless agricultural labourers per cluster selected for any one of the activity (Mushroom/Vermicompost).

Each selected landless agricultural labourer gets Rs.2000 for establishing the units. Totally 1200 members covered through these interventions.

Role of DHAN Foundation in the project 1.

Selection of panchayat union / blocks based on the criteria chosen for NAIP.

2.

Secondary Data collection for the selected panchayat union / block villages.

Integrated Goat with millet/Pulses/ Floriculture in Rainfed upland cluster Rearing goat by the upland farmers by using fodder from the land and during fallow crop period the goats were grazed in the field to control weed infestation and enriching the soil nutrients through penning activity. Two insured goats per farmer supplied through this project and the farmer has to maintain minimum two goats continuously. Total farmers covered through this intervention are 500 with 1000 goats and an extent of 250 acres.

Sea Weed culture in Coastal shore farming cluster Weaker section fisher folk communities identified for sea weed culture involves growing Gracilaria edulis by raft method in the back waters. Each selected member gets 3 to 5 inoculated rafts. 60 days is the harvest cycle and the yield expected is 10 tons of dry seed weed or 2 tons of agar agar from 1 ha area. Total fisher folk members covered through this intervention are 300.

• • • •

Demography

•

Existing problems/ constraints in agriculture cultivation and production

• • •

Employment opportunity

Socio economic status Geographical area Agriculture production and cultivation

Water resources Existing system.

marketing

3.

Visit and discussion with villagers for selection of villages.

4.

Selection of villages based on visit and discussion with villagers / VAO / Panchayat President

5.

Collection of primary data for the selected villages and comparing it with secondary data. (RRA, FGD)

6.

Grouping the farmers in to economic status. (Wealth Ranking PRA )

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Orientation in to the villagers about NAIP project.

10. Preparing and sending the farmers to training to respective KVKs

8.

Selection of farmers for training & demonstration.

9.

Confidence building event for farmers.

11. Follow up of training and technical guidance to the farmers.

7.

4.0 Area Demarkation

12. Co-ordination demonstrations.

of

13. Co-ordination of trainings.

14. Identification and providing training on assistance for credit facility for adopters and beneficiaries.

15. Dissemination of technology in all the 4 districts.

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Goat distributions function at Vellapallam of Thalainairu Block: As part of this project implementation and transparency Rainfed upland clusters’ Goat distribution function held at Vellapallam of Thalainairu block of

Nagapattinam district on 11.02.2009.

There were 400 farmers from the villages, federation and from the partners of the project were attended.

The chief guest of the function was Dr. M.Rathinasabapathi – Registrar, Annamalai University. The other

guests are Dr.G.Kuppusamy, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Dr. P.Manohar, JDAH, Nagapattinam. In this function the selected 100 project partners/ beneficiaries got 200 insured goats worth of Rs.2,80,000.

References 1

National Statistical Survey, Office of the Registrar General, India.

2

The inter-state comparisons are largely based on the old National Accounts (1980-81 base), which show a much slower overall growth of agricultural GDP than the new National Accounts (1993/94 base). See World Bank (2000) footnote 9 for detailed discussion.

3

TFP measures the amount of increase in total output that is not accounted for by increases in total inputs.

4

The Indo-Gangetic Plain is one of the most fertile regions in India.

5

The private sector encompasses all non-government agencies such as the corporate sector, voluntary organizations, self-help groups, partnership firms, individuals and community based organizations etc.

6

The competitive grants program (CGP) model already existed in the ICAR in the form of AP Cess Fund projects and more recently under NATP. The CGP of NATP really provided the rationale and experience for this important feature of NAIP.

Social Security

Micro-insurance in coastal areas L.Murali Krishnan and K. Madhanakumari * Introduction Kollidam-Sirkali Fishermen Kalanjiam federation is a selfsustained people institution promoted

by DHAN Foundation. It was initiated in the year 2005 as a part of post Tsunami development intervention. Majority of the members of the federation are fisherfolks. Hence the products were tailor-made to meet their specific needs. Self help groups (SHGs) were promoted which included savings, credit, capacity building, livelihood activities and micro-insurance. The federation

mobilized Rs. 34 lakhs from members as savings, Rs. 1.71 lakhs from DHAN Foundation for post Tsunami livelihood development intervention and Rs. 72 lakhs from Indian Bank through SHG-bank linkages. As on January 2009, a total sum of Rs. 86 lakhs is deposited as fixed deposit (FD) in federation accounts and Rs. 6 lakhs FD is maintained at group level. This was achieved by 157 Kalanjiams (41 women SHGs and 116 men SHGs) comprising 2162 members. All members’ risk is covered under JBY scheme of Life Insurance Corporation.

Risks and vulnerabilities of the disaster prone areas Many of the villages of the federation are located in the coastal area of Sirkali taluk. They lie below mean sea level, hence prone to various risks like flood, cyclone etc. most of the members belong to fishing community, face risk in their livelihood activities. The frequency of they facing risk is very high.

When there is heavy shower, stagnated water do not drain easily due to its land level below sea level.

In such situations, lives and livelihood assets are prone to

*Mr. L.Murali Krishnan, Managing Director, and Ms. K.Madhanakumari, is Community Accountant, KollidamSirkali Fishermen Kalanjiam federation, Sirkali, Tamil Nadu.

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Table No. 1. Details of Claims received

Yojana (JBY). It is promoted through partner – agent model for clients with the support of Government of India.

The premium for each member is Rs. 200 of which Rs. 100 is paid by the Government, leaving members to pay only Rs. 100 on their behalf.

The education expense is supported by scholarship of Rs. 1200 for the member’s children studying between 9th standard and 12th standard. The claim settlement amount offered was also good. Natural death claim was Rs. 30,000, accidental death claim was Rs.75,000 and permanent disability claim was Rs. 30,000.

How our federation succeeded?

damage or loss. The condition is pathetic favouring grooming of pest and diseases which affects the health conditions. With all these concepts in mind, we created awareness on social security. We provided products at a minimum affordable cost; the premium amount was easily payable for the poor to get a reasonable coverage for their life security.

Organizing the unorganized The members, who are fisherfolks face frequent sudden shocks and untimely death leaving their households in a vulnerable position. The family members are deprived of resources and feel like fish out of water. Fisherfolks lack alternate livelihood opportunities.

Their livelihood routine is fishing in rough sea for four months and don’t go for catch for 11/2 months. They are living between life and death due to accidents in sea, poor health, and alcoholism ruining the health. Most of the fishermen belong to S2 and S3 categories. Majority of the people residing here die before reaching the age of 60. the federation facilitated microinsurance product of LIC for all 157 SHGs with membership of 2162. Partner – Agent model of microinsurance was adopted to provide the value added microinsurance product without any extra administration expenses.

Kollidam – Sirkali fishermen Kalanjiam federation is the non-profit agent for the insurance product offered to members. The federation is the point of contact for the nodal agency, LIC. Hence, claim amount of Rs. 7,35,000 was received for 20 members and Rs. 6,67,000 was received as scholarship for students (member’s children) over 29 months with a premium settlement of Rs. 6,12,000 to cover the members’ lives upto Aug 2009.

Monitoring and managing the insurance policy Separate staff wing is monitoring the insurance activities. Data entry from field, policy renovation, claim settlement, premium collection, bank procedures and all activities related to insurance is undertaken by the staff. They do the follow-up of the team at right time and place to facilitate early settlements to the members and their family.

JBY

Development of the JBY insurance product

One of the microinsurance products of LIC is Janashree Bhima

Last year (2008) we introduced collection of premium of Rs. 125.

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Rs. 100 is for the insurance company and Rs. 25 for the share capital in federation. As 2162 members paid Rs. 25, the amount pooled was Rs. 54,054. this amount is used to provide Rs. 1000 to member ’s family at the time if death for funeral expenses. Over yars there is a minimum of 15 deaths per year.

Financial sustainability of the share capital was good. The members accepted the concept as it is benefiting one among them.

Role of microinsurance microfinance sustainability

•

due to the microinsurance claim settlement to four members who died. Now the group is streamlined their interest to run the groups for both credit facility and insurance purpose.

•

Limitations of the policy

•

Age limit of 18 to 58 is big problem; because member who enrolled in his age 48 and pays for the 10 years, when he still lives beyond the age limit he looses Rs.1000 with out getting any benefits from the scheme (when their children are not studying).

•

The programme design is good with less technical complexities

for

Madavamedu was severely affected by Tsunami. In the post Tsunami days 12 Kalanjiams were formed by our federation. But, 6 Kalanjiams were not functioning well till last year. The group was revitalized

The claim amount was used for the family development and debt repayment purpose.

it gives NGO as a “Non profit agent role”. But, the policy benefits only to 50% of population because of the age limitation.

Conclusion The insurance product (JBY) is efficiently and effectively helpful for gross root poor peoples with good Insurance provision, affordable cost, simple, timely and relevant one for their natural / accidental death only.

And so, innovative development of microinsurance product for integrated risk coverage of life, livelihood assets and health also important for poor with mutuality from community, government, NGO, private, insurance company to relieve the poor fisher community against the total risk accumulation.

Development Tools

Time Line PDM 8 batch students of Tata DHAN Academy*

T

ime line is an important PRA method quite commonly used to explore the temporal dimension from a historical perspective. Timeline is an important tool that helps us to know the history of the village and the changes that has occurred as the time passes. Time line captures the chronology of events as recalled by local people. It is drawn as a sequential aggregate of past events.

It thus provides the historical landmarks of a community, individual or institution. It is a technique, which is commonly done to explore the temporal dimensions

from a historical perspective. It is drawn as a sequential aggregate of past events as perceived and recalled by the people themselves.

We are going to see time line study conducted by two teams, one with microfinance focus another one with health focus.

Time Line with microfinance theme (Upputhurai) The main purpose of this technique is to understand the saving and credit pattern that existed in the village. Through it, our purpose is

*Tata-Dhan Academy, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.

to know the lending pattern of the village people and changes if occurred in the village. Our objective was also to know the existence of moneylenders in and outside the village. Through timeline tried to learn from the community what they consider important in the past events.

We also try to know about the historical perspective of the current issues related to the microfinance.

The important application of this technique is to develop a rapport with the villagers.

Typical timeline depicts the time landmark on the left side and a brief

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description of the major events. The main motive of time line for microfinance however is to know the status of the village concerning the theme and the changes that has occurred in the past regarding the theme. We also try to know the reason of the changes that has happened in the village and the reason for the change in the village.

Through Thematic Time line our motive was to be more concentrated on a particular area of interest and would not be deviated from our theme.

For completion of this technique, our team sat and discussed about the strategies that should be followed for the completion of one this technique.

We discussed about the approaching factor and the questions that could be asked by them so that we would not be deviated from our team. The group was divided into three parts in such a way that one group consist of 4 to 5 group members to facilitate the learning process. For the successful implementation, we identified some elder persons who were willing to talk about the history of the village; we explained them the purpose of the exercise. After explanation, we initiate a discussion on the history of the village. We also put some questions that were important for our theme. We asked one of our members to note down the major events in a piece of paper in such a way that the year would be on left side and the year and the description on the right side. We also asked the member to note the year that would be important for the microfinance. After the collection of

Table 1. Time Line for Upputhurai Village concerning Microfinance:

the information, the group sat and consolidated the output that was given by different villagers. In addition, we have considered both men and women to provide the information.

The materials required for time line include chart paper, bold markers of different colors, paper clips, gum and some paper pins. The time required was between 1 hour 30 minutes and 2 hours.

Inferences In past people, do not have a formal saving and credit system.

The people usually save the money in the form of cash, jewels and sometimes they keep the lives stocks as a savings. They sold the livestocks when they need money. In the year 1954, the villagers started borrowing

money from the moneylenders who were in the village and they lend the money to the villagers. In 1960 the people started to grow paddy crops through which they can fulfill their basic needs and were able to sell small of paddy by due to which they got mere amount of money. In the year 1968 the Canara Bank was opened in the block through which the people got an opportunity to save as well as ask for a loan. The rich farmers got the benefit but the poor were deprived. In 1970 the tar linked was constructed by which the people got an opportunity to sell the products conveniently as well the consumption power increases .In the year 1993 first SHG promoted

by Kalanjiam was formed in the village due to which people got an opportunity to save as well as an option for formal borrowing. First

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SHG by PRADAN was introduced in the village due to which people had sustainable and secured way of saving. At first the member were saving Re. 1, but as the time changes the people were saving Rs. 10, Rs. 20 and now they are saving Rs. 100.

We can say that now people have capability to save more and thus capability of spending more. The construction of temple in 1997 resulted to an increase of social obligations by the village people. The people are celebrating the Kali Amman festival. Only through this temple, the people are losing Rs.10, 000 to Rs.15, 000 in a year from only one festival. We can say that the expense on social obligation has increased. Within ten years (probably from 1999), people now give dowry in large amount that ranges from 20,000 to 50,000. The reason of this change is show off by the village that could be due to due to the increase in the income of the village people. In the year 2000, the people were compelled to opt for growing the cotton silk which was less labour oriented and more profitable. It resulted in more increase income, which resulted to better standard of living. The first bore well was dug in 2004; after that number of wells was increased and the production of the cash crops (silk cotton, coconut, cashew nut) increases. In the year 2005, the Kalanjiam has collaboration with Tamil Nadu Merchantile Bank, which provides several loan facilities to the Kalanjiam members.

The microfinance is playing an important role, but there is hitch in

the Self Help Group. The regular meeting among the group should take place, which is absent in present situation. The microfinance is an important tool for any development programme. It is an important tool in development and strengthening of the deprived section. This was evident from the Upputhurai Village where the member ’s status is changing. They are now having more savings options and are now getting more loan facilities. The moneylenders do now not exploit them and they are now getting the loan at much affordable rate.

Time Line with health theme (Ayyanampatty) We did time line to understand the history related to health, history of drought /flood and its effects on villagers and changes in access to health care services. Our purpose was also to find out the gradual development of the health care services and also awareness related to the health care services. Through some technique we would know the actual status related to the health care services.

We wanted to know the history of the village. We sought to get a better understanding about the change in health practices and health status in the village with the change of the time. We would like to know the change related to the health infrastructure of the village at the end of the process.

To conduct timeline it was very necessary for us to contact with some older people as well as new

generation to get an in-depth knowledge about the past of the village and its changing health practices and health status. As health status is influenced by many factors and differs with the changing of social and economic status, it was necessary for us to consider all the segments of people for relevance of collected data. We approached some old age people who are living in the village for a long time. We invited them for a discussion about the village history from their life experiences and memories. The group were consists of both male and female. This balance helped us to understand different aspects of the village. When we were interacting some small children gathered around us. Their input was very important information regarding the recent past.

The older villagers including women who had knowledge about the local incidents gave many details about the village. We explained to the elders that we are interested to learn about the important events related to the health. Most of them were engaged in their work. We divided ourselves into three groups and visited to the work place and interviewed about the history of the village. After gathering the data we met as a group and consolidated the collected the data. We divided the data into some sub-sections like road and transport, house and family, agriculture, health and education and electricity.

We concentrated to find out older people with good knowledge was an

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advantage to us. It helped us to generate details information about the village history. Sincerely we put effort to engage ladies in our process.

It helped us to understand the status of child health and reproductive health status in past and recent era.

The villagers were unable to recall the exact date of the events due to long time gap. So, it became hard to take the collect the entire data from the villagers. But crosschecking the data and asking from the other villagers made us comfortable to the information.

2007- Cell ph one came in the hand of the villagers.

Agriculture 1960 -Only millet crops were cultivated during those times.

1967 -Villagers started to cultivate paddy 1976 & 1977- the village was affected by drought and flood respectively 2000- The forest department Ban on grazing in forest land 2002- The village was faced drought for the second time

TIME LINE Road and transport 1975A mud road was constructed connecting the village to the Ayyalur.

1982- The mud road was developed to metal road

2006- Forest protection council was established by the villagers and it came into action Health and education 1960- During 60’s all the delivery were home delivery

1998- The metal road was coated by tar.

1971 -One pregnant were death with new birth ( delivery death)

1975- Mamarthupatti (2.5 km) bus stop was established and bus service was stared

1983 -Overhead tank for drinking water was established.

In the same year the SHC at Pudupatti was established

House and family 1940- During 40’s all the villages were in hut.

1980- The first tilted house were built with in the village 1985- The traditional joint family system changed into nuclear family 1996- TV was bought by one villager

1984 – The first hand pump was constructed in the village primary school was established at Mamarathupatti.

Electricity 1966 -The village gets electric facility for agriculture purpose.

1972 - The houses were connected for electricity

1984 –Government announced free electricity for agriculture Inference The village was changed and changing according to the change in outer world. Before 1975 the village was isolated from the outside because of road facility. In gradual improvement in transportation and communication facility the villager are able to access health care facility from outside although there is no institution with in the village after intervention of TV the villagers have knowledge about the latest information about the family planning and health relate issue (broadcast by Government). The most remarkable change has come through the cell phone. Now the villagers call doctor or van through phone when some one falls sick.

The changing of time brings the change in the life of people, their life style, food practices and all. The villagers were very happy to share their memories with us. Their face and eyes reflects that the time was stagnant in front of them for a few minutes and they were lost in their memories which are very sweet. The memories are sweet for every body because we can’t get it back. But every body feels happy with sharing with others. They feel proud. We also feel it in the eyes of old people which often fill with tears to remember those person who are no more in this world but they were part of life of the villagers.

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Livelihoods

Sustainability of Community pisciculture in Indian rural villages Introduction DHAN Foundation has taken up fish rearing activity in rural villages through community under Tele food special fund approved by FAO of UN. This project was proposed mainly to provide nutritional food for rural villages in a sustainable way.

Community organizations are formed as Tank users groups called VAYALAGAMs and Micro finance groups (Small and Marginal farmers and Landless Agricultural laborers) have shown more interest in this activity and also actively participated in this project. This project was implemented in three districts namely, Madurai, Sivagangai and Ramanathapuram. Totally 20 Vayalagams and Micro finance groups in these villages jointly take participate and involved in this project with their participation. The fish rearing activity was taken up in 20 Vayalagam locations benefiting 4,000 families.

(Indian major carps), Grass carp, Silver carp and Common carp (Exotic carps).

Selection and Orientation on Fish rearing under FAO project Totally twenty associations have shown keen interest in this activity accepting the preconditions of this project. After discussing with the associations and the field visit to the water bodies, these associations are selected. The block level federations have taken responsibility to implement this project effectively.

These twenty associations have taken up this activity in 26 water bodies as details below:

S. P. Madhan Mohan* The main objective of this meeting is to provide clarity on the expected out come and sustainability of this project. After selection of water bodies, orientation on fish rearing activity to 20 association leaders was given in December 2007 in each district wise. Totally 40 association leaders attended this orientation meeting. In this meeting, their contribution in this project was clearly explained and the revenue sharing was also discussed. In revenue sharing, the profit is planned to be shared between tank association and people federation in percentage of 70:30.

Technique Adopted Composite Fish culture technique (Poly culture of fishes) is adopted in all the 20 water bodies taken up under this project.

Composite fish culture means rearing of various species, having different food habits and habitats in a single water body to avoid interspecific and intra-specific competition for food. The suitable species are Catla, Rohu, Mrigal

Orientation on this project

Ensuring Community contribution – Manuring, Harvest, watch and ward

As said earlier, twenty tank users associations are involved in this activity. One orientation on this project is given to DHAN staffs working in the concerned districts.

Community contribution is a non negotiable policy of Tank fed agricultural development programme of DHAN Foundation. Naturally

* S.P. Madhan Mohan, Team Leader, DHAN Vayalagam (Tank) Foundation, Madurai.

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community contribution is also happened in this project. As per the project work plan, community was involved in preparation of water bodies like repairing the surplus weir, repairing the sluices; removal of bushes in the water spread area etc was carried out wherever possible.

In some water bodies, these repairing works are not taken up due to standing water.

In most of the blocks, water bodies got filled up with water in November end due to delayed monsoon. The main input for this activity is manuring with organic matters. The importance of manuring was seriously taught to associations. With the understanding importance of manuring, community applied cow dung in all water bodies to enhance the natural food productivity in water resources.

Two tones per hectare of cow dung applied by community before stocking of fish seeds. This application continued in periodical interval during the course of rearing to maintain the natural food.

Apart from that, watch and ward system was introduced by many of

the association especially during the night time. This system was introduced only after the third month of rearing period. In some areas, association members themselves had taken care of their water bodies. The water bodies especially ooranies which are situated in the centre of the village didn’t appoint any watch and ward.

Community participated Fish seed stocking Due to delayed monsoon, the stocking of fish seeds also got delayed. Stocking of fish seeds was taken up in two phases. Further delay

also happened in stocking due to non availability of desired species of fishes. In purchasing of fish seeds, community actively participated in selection of fish seeds like size of fish seed, size variation, numbers per packing and also the proper packing with required oxygen. Totally 1, 60, 000 numbers of fish seeds with the average size of three inches except common carp were stocked and the species are Catla, Rohu, Mrigal, Silver carp and common carp and the ratio of species stocked are 20%, 20%, 15%, 10 % and 35 %.

Mostly stocking of fish seeds are taken place for 23 water bodies in the third and fourth week of January and in three water bodies, the first week of February 2008. But it is unfortunate that, all the rain fed water bodies receive water during north east monsoon which starts in October and ends in January. For the last two years, due to global climate change, the rainy season has also changed, monsoon starts in October end and short fall of rain also happened. In 2007 – 08, even though the monsoon is delayed with short fall of rain, fortunately unexpected rainfall occurred during March 2008, June 2008, September and October 2008.

24

Most of the water bodies are refilled again due to periodical rainfall with gaps. In some places, monsoon failed and the tanks also dried up quickly. Community themselves stocked the fingerlings in the water bodies. In some blocks, stocking was delayed due to some inevitable reasons. Delay may cause more stocking mortality rate, as the temperature will go down as well as the improper acclimatization of fish seeds during stocking.

( RB) are planned in all water bodies and FAO has accepted to support for supplementary feeding. The ratio of feed GOC/ RB is 1:2. Totally 15 tones of supplementary feed was supplied by FAO under TFSF to all associations. For one unit, 8000 fish seeds, 250 kgs of GOC and 500 Kgs of RB are supplied. Unfortunately, this process was delayed and the supply of feed to associations taken place by the end of May 2008 only.

Supplementary Feeding

Cost – Benefit analysis of harvested Water bodies.

The supplementary feed like G’nut oil cake (GOC) and rice bran

Totally 14 water bodies are fully harvested within the project period.

In these 14 water bodies, 10 water bodies are successfully harvested mostly by partial harvest technique and also by other methods like Ottha, hook and line etc. Four water bodies are not at all harvested because of quick drying of water bodies and community harvested the fishes exclusively for consumption purpose. Sustainability of this activity becomes a question mark in these villages. We have negotiated with community to generate seed money for this activity for the next season from the village community.

Inputs supported by FAO

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Water bodies with successful harvest

* Including Net profit and FAO contribution combined Case study on Singampunari block Name of the association

:

Periya Vaikkal cascade &

Karruppur cascade

Number of water bodies stoked :

Four

Name of water bodies

:

South oorani, Ramar oorani, Chetti oorani and pollakulam,

No of finger lings stocked

:

16000

Species stocked

:

Catla : 4000,

Rohu

Mrigal : 2000

Common carp : 6500

: 2500

Silver carp : 1000

Type of Harvest

:

Partial harvest in Two water bodies, Single harvest in one water body, Ootha method of Harvest in one water body.

Total harvest

:

2340 kgs

Gross income obtained

:

2340 x 45 = Rs. 105300

Net income

:

105300 – 58400 = Rs.46900

The income was shared among the members (120 members) and Rs 24400/ was taken for the association as revolving fund for next crop. The contribution of FAO Rs 34000/ is with Federation as revolving fund for fisheries development for some more new associations in the coming year. So the fund provide by FAO will be used to support other associations based on their requirement which will help to provide nutritional security for more.

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Education Updates

Education is the movement from darkness to light Alok Ashish* Right to education ‘Right to education’ became the fundamental right after the 86 th amendment of the Constitution of India in 2002 but the grassroots realities still remain the same. The right to education has been incorporated in the Article 21a of the Constitution, which clearly says that the state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the ages of 6 to 14 years. The central and the state government are implementing numerous education programmes in the state for ensuring the right to education of children at the grassroots. The ‘Total Literacy Programme’ is the most populous among them. At the same time, ‘Midday Meal’ scheme was also introduced to ensure the presence of children in the schools. But unfortunately the situation in many schools in Jharkhand has been the other way. The slogan of the total literacy programme “Adhi Roti Khayenge, Phir Bhi School Jayenge” (we shall go to school even with the half stomach) remains painted only on the walls. The government of India had sanctioned crores of money to the state government but the result is quite disappointing. The Total Literacy Programme has no meaning to more than 4 lakhs children who are still engaged as child labourers in the state. They have no ideas about their right to education and mid day meal as well.

Literacy rate and school dropouts: The Census Report 2001 shockingly mentions about the denial of right to education to the rural masses. The report says that 348 villages among 32,620 villages of Jharkhand are still waiting for a literate person to come. 1291 villages have only 10 percent literate people and not even a single woman is literate in 1433 villages. 4573 villages have merely 10 percent literate women. 382 villages are waiting for a literate man and 665 villages have only 10 per cent literate men. In total, the state has 53.6 per cent literacy including 67.3 per cent male and 38.9 per cent female. The most marginalized communities of the state - tribal and Dalit (scheduled castes) are at the bottom of the education ladder. The tribal community has merely 33 percent literacy including 48.76 percent male and 22.11 percent female literacy while only 29.90 percent people

from Dalit community are literate with 41.28 percent male and 17.85 percent female literacy. The status report shows that 26 thousands posts of teachers are vacant in the state. Among these, 22 thousand posts are about primary schools and four thousand posts are vacant in high schools. Interestingly, the report states that the 80 per cent schools are also running without the head teachers. The status of drop out children is so high in the state. Three lakhs children dropped out from the schools. Among them two lakhs children disserted their schools in primary level and one lakh children left studies after the matriculation.

On the other hand, the NGOs have also received crores of rupees for providing education to tribal and Dalit children but the outcome is not visible.

Education Scenario The situation of various education projects in Latehar district

*Alok Ashish, Project Executive, DHAN Foundation, Latehar (East) Location, Jharkhand.

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is mirror image of what has been stated for the state. One of the incidents which became eyecatching news recently narrates the story of educational campaign in Latehar and involvement of community in its proper implementation. Manikdih middle school of Latehar district in Jharkhand, which starts at 10 am and gets closed at 4 pm. 137 children of adjoining villages are getting education in the school. It has a provision of 3 teachers to educate the children of class one to seven.

But only two teachers are posted in the school and one post is still vacant.

In the last year, children had received the books four months before their final exam. The teachers are also uncomfortable with the way school is running but they are helpless. Their hopes lay only on the midday meal, which helps them to bring children to the school so that the attendance can be maintained properly.

The school also has a village education committee consisting of 15 members, formed in 2005, which prior responsibility is to monitor the school. But the committee is also defunct. The chairperson of the committee, Kripal Singh says that the members are not having interest on the matters and merely 5-6 members’ turn up in the meetings.

Consequently, it has lost the legitimacy. Though the villagers are not quite happy with the Khichidi (mixed rice), their children are being served in the school but they assume that the raising questions against the authorities may result in deprivation of their children from Khichidi.

This is not an isolated case of Manikdih Middle School but it shows a clear picture that how the government schools are functioning in Jharkhand.

Alternative to Khichidi schools With the initiation of Kalanjiam community banking programme in Latehar by DHAN Foundation in 2007 it was assessed that most of the women who are organized in self help groups were illiterate. Those who call themselves literate were found to be functionally illiterate as they can only put their signatures by identifying the alphabets. By this it can be assumed that what would have the status of their children who used to go to Khichidi schools and what guidance they can receive from their parents at home for better education. Though at the time of initiation these issues were not highlighted as it was time for community mobilization, and issues were left open for them to put forward and search ways for addressing them. With the period of time as already an year have passed women slowly started realizing the importance of people’s organization and started raising certain issues related to their life and livelihoods.

One among them is quality and functional education to their children.

Based on the strong demand from community side from two villages namely Luti and Asnahikahd it was decided to take up remedial tuition

centers for primary school going children. The members from these two villages came up with a petition showing the number of children whose parents were interested to enroll their wards in these tuition centers.

Before initiating the tuition centers a survey among the sample children of Kalanjiam members in these two villages was conducted to assess what are the areas they lack and what could be the teaching methodology and learning materials for them. Based on the results of survey the children from 1st to 5th were categorized under two sections. The first section comprised of pre primary students who need alphabets and number knowledge both reading and writing. The other section of students comprises of those who requires word formation knowledge both in Hindi as well as in English, simple arithmetic, general knowledge etc. though the survey results could not properly spoke out which children will fall under which section so a month period was allotted for them to go under combined class and at the end of the month it could be only decided the what is the status of each student attending the tuition centers.

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PTA and Tution centres A formal parent teacher’s association was formed in these two villages including members of Kalanjiams and the Gram pradhan (Village head) of that village. The Parents Teachers Association (PTA) agreed that each Kalanjiam member will pay Rs. 10 as part of tuition fee per child. The PTA also decided that there will monthly meetings at the end of the month to assess the progress of children under the chairmanship of tutor and some body from the organization side. The selection of local tutor was also done in the first PTA meeting which took place in September 2008. Initially separate classrooms could not be hired for running these tuition centers so it was decided to carry on with the existing government buildings either in local government schools or in Aaganwadi centers.

Presently one of the centers in Asnahikahd is running in government school and the other in Aaganwadi center at Luti. As there is no electricity facility in these villages so the decision was taken to run these centers during morning time from 6.30 am to 8.30 am, so that after completing this, students can get enough time to get prepared for going to formal schools.

Launch of Jay Sarana kalanjia Gyanashala On 2nd of October 2008 the two remedial centers were inaugurated with the traditional pooja (worship) by the Gram pradhans of the respective village. Around 60 students in both villages along with their mother and father attended the inaugural ceremony. The local tutor selected by the PTA expressed his urge that he has taken this responsibility not because of Rs. 500

honorarium but because he want to provide quality education to his village children. The Gram pradhan wished best of luck for such a challenging initiative and also suggested that there should be teaching by some senior village person regarding the tribal custom and culture to the children so that they can adopt good practices in their life. It was decided that on every Thursday there will village prayer in the morning and all students along with their parents will be attending that. It was also decided to name these centers after there holy name i.e. “Jay Sarana Kalanjiam Gyanshala” .With short briefings from other reputed persons from the village these tuition centers came into formal existence.

Collaboration with PRATHAM : With lots of enthusiasm and energy these centers came to existence to start a movement from darkness towards light. Kisan Devi of Luti village says that she could not get proper education because their parents were not aware towards educating her. But she wants that their children should get good education. She says that she will work one more day that to for getting fees for her four children who will be going to these centers.

For getting expertise in this field regarding developing teaching materials, teaching methodology for primary children, training to teachers, talks are going on with PRATHAM, an organization working on primary education. People from PRATHAM, Jharkhand also expressed their interest to help us in this venture.

In the era of the information technology, one can not even imagine

of development without the quality education. But we have not even achieved the graph of cent percent literacy even after 60 year of Independence of India. On one hand around 80,000 community teachers of government primary and middle schools in the state are on indefinite strike since two months which has collapsed the whole education system in villages.

Untouchability - an issue to be addressed: On the other hand, the practices of untouchability in schools are going on, which is a big obstacle and a great shame for us. In various schools of Latehar block students belonging from scheduled caste category are not provided plates from school administration during midday meal and they are asked to bring their own utensils from home.

They are offered Khichidi in such a manner that the spoon should not touch their plates. The social justice can not be delivered to the marginalized people without education and awareness. Under such grimy situations which are continuing in the state as well as local areas these tuition centers are an attempt to bring solidarity among people through their children who are studying under one roof irrespective of their caste and creed. The quality of functional education which will be rendered through these centers with the collaboration of PRATHAM will help these children to build a strong base for higher education.

Though it is a pilot project and may take some time to show the impacts but let’s expect for brighter future for these children. Than only in real sense it could be said that education is the movement from darkness to light.