1. AGRICULTURE :
For the last four and a half decades the focus of agricultural development and research has mainly been on maximizing yields, coupled with increasing specialization of production and ever larger farm sizes. The industrialization of agriculture, initiated with the Green Revolution, resulted in aggressive promotion of few varieties, leading to erosion of traditional practices and knowledge. Thus traditional seed varieties got neglected and almost disappeared.
The initiative of SWCWI inspired the small and marginal farmers to make transition to practices that are more environmentally sound and that have the potential to contribute to the long-term sustainability of agriculture.
ALTERNATIVE PRACTICE
Traditional food crops have been replaced by income generating cash crops, resulting in lower access to nutritious food. The water intensive cash crop requiring higher use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers has led a depletion of ground water levels and contaminated food and drinking water. All these together have contributed to degradation of environment, production of unsafe food and ultimately deterioration of human and animal health. Realizing the need of maintaining genetic diversity– a set of programs has been taken up by the organization:
Community Garden
Our approach was to promote a sense of joint action in growing products to meet the community requirement in terms of Nutritious Food for a healthy society. With the tiny plots, in case of small and marginal farmers, was quite impossible to produce in a large scale. Primarily, by using PRA techniques, information was gathered about the plant species and varieties that has previously been used by the people and which, in the course of time, had either become extinct or were not used any more. An intensive ‘Seed Mapping’ session was conducted to reveal the genetic diversity. In five villages under Kulpi block, 10 such demo plots on community gardening was an initiation to inculcate the idea of Community produce through collective labour. 57 farmers are enjoying the equal benefits from equal share, while others are enthusiastic to start their own.
Nutritional Garden
Procurement of Nutritional Food among the rural people is a challenge. The organization motivated small and marginal farmers to start with a piece of Nutrition Garden adjacent to their homestead area. Necessary technical knowhow and seeds are provided by the organization. Vegetables and fruits are growing with the concept of low external input and sustainable agriculture and health. The local food culture and agricultural system is being considered towards achieving food security and adequate nutrition for the community.
Vermin Compost
Decreasing soil fertility is one of the major agricultural constrain of the day. Excessive uses of toxic fertilizer have made the soil barren. It is therefore, to enhance soil fertility by creating favorable conditions for soils life, ensuring a balance of components for an optimal structure and texture. Vermin compost, adding of mulch etc. can improve the organic matter content in the soil. The women SHGs in the working villages are provided with the different agronomic techniques including support for setting up vermin compost near their Nutrition Garden. So far, 10 groups have already reached the target.
Seed Bank
The concept of organic farm was initiated by the NGO through setting up Seed Bank in our project office at village Uttar Berandary. The farmers, specifically the women are the manager of this seed bank. A lend and deposit system upholding the program. Almost 200 farmers are directly involved in this practice.
Natural Resource management
The organization is concerned to bio-intensive farming system, in a phased manner on select areas, by applying tank silt, addition of green and dry leaf manure, compost, vermin compost, liquid manure, panchagavya. The very fact is– simple technique requires preparing those items. Our initiative was to activate the people in caring out with the Natural resource management techniques. Management training on Liquid Manure, Green and Dry leaf Compost, Vermin compost along with its demonstration has resulted in adoption of the program by many of the farmers.
TRAINING AND SHARING
Giving up of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and hybrids cannot complete the course of our journey. We opt for an integration of soil management, animal husbandry and tree cropping. The local wisdom that matches with the culture of indigenous people should respect and considered. The elderly people are with the knowledge and expertise of traditional practice of agriculture. We venture, extensive knowledge of practices and process involved in the maintenance of ecosystem services that enable farmers to the farm to produce of quality, safe yield. Establishment of integrated and sustainable farming systems contributes to long term food security and increased productivity, which put in to health and general well-being.
There is a process of continuous sharing along with the elderly farmers, members of SHGs and the enthusiastic stakeholders for improvement of the technologies and the components of alternative agriculture.
2. LIVELIHOOD :
Agriculture and Fishing are mainly the sources of livelihood. The inhabitants are facing acute crisis of allied employment that is the undermining cause of migration, usurious exploitation and bondage in this area. This backwardness is linked up with poverty and vulnerability, which also have vice-a-verse relationship. The organization has taken up several programs for enhancement of livelihood opportunity at Kulpi and Kakdwip Block:
Skill Development Endeavor
Rapid economic growth of a few and massive poverty on other hand often gives rise to frustration, income-poverty, socio-cultural backwardness and other vibrant problems like low wages, malnutrition, early death, illiteracy, dropouts and so on. Increasing volume of surplus labour and diminishing job opportunities due to skill deficiency among the educated youth is also a problem which was to address.
The organization continuing with Basic/Office Computer Training for the youth in collaboration with Anudip foundation. A total of 120 Youths have already been trained up and are qualifying for their job in both organized and unorganized sector.
Tailoring courses are meant for the Women and Girls. We offer a 3 months course on Cutting and Sewing of garments. Specifically the ladies and children dresses, which has a local market and women can also sale their product from their household units. We plan to promote a cooperative of variety produces within the Panchayet and regional level and proper market linkage for the products of local units or the SHGs.
Pisciculture
Agriculture and Fishing are the main sources of livelihood of the local people. The indigenous people have their own traditional practice of fish culture. The organization has introduced locally viable techniques of farming by keeping up ecological balance. Training on Integrated Farming was arranged for the 32 farmers aiming at enhancement of their family income.
Animal Husbandry
The womenfolk belongs to the weaker section, SHGs members and small farmers are the priority group of our organization. We use to provide with training on Animal husbandry that helps the target group to generate their family income. Domestic poultry and goat raring training organized for the people which are the boost to family income as well as source of nutrition for health. Species of Black Bengal goat, Khaki Campbell ducks and chicks were provided to support the poor families.
3. TANK RE-EXCAVATION :
40 tanks were re-excavated within the project area. Small farmers, who are having their own ponds, can make the best use of it. During the monsoon season rain water harvest helps them to start with fish culture and the storage of water is being used for irrigation in vegetable garden. Water management and agriculture training helped the farmers to multiply their income.
4. CRECHES :
We are continuing with Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche Scheme since last eight Years. In four villages in Kulpi block comes under this program. Children of working mothers and single parents are nurtured with efficient teacher and Ayah. Nutritious food, playthings and primary education with other comfort materials are provided to 25 children of each centre. We are keen enough to provide a well organized homely ambiance in those centres.
5. SAFE DRINKING WATER :
As the area situates in Gangetic delta region, ground water level is much down in comparison to other areas. Scarcity of safe drinking water caused by inadequate source of drinking water. Tube-well installed by Panchayet are either defunct or far away. The organization installed 8 nos. of Tube-wells in 8 villages under Kulpi Block. The villagers were trained for minor repair and maintenance of tube-wells by their own.
6. WOMEN EMPOWERMENT :
Women’s access to savings and credit gives them a greater economic role in decision-making. Women in SHGs, control decisions regarding credit and savings, they will optimize their own and the household’s welfare. The investment in women’s economic activities will improve employment opportunities for women and thus have a ‘trickle down and out’ effect. To ensure the economic, social and political empowerment of women the organization has promoted 35 Self-Help Groups prioritizing the women to rationale the empowerment endeavor.
Regular meetings, group discussion and sensitization programs are taken up. Trainings on entrepreneurships are conducted to begin with locally viable enterprises. And finally, a strong network of SHGs and women leaders is being imparted to uphold women rights of which they are entitled for.
7. ENVIRONMENT ISSUES :
The Organization works on Environment issues. The area is Cyclone-prone and Flood is a common phenomenon. Climatic hazards disrupt the general life very often. Disaster management trainings conducted to save the human lives as well as agro-based produce and natural resources too. The root cause of these problems are– haphazard growth of human settlement, massive deforestation, denial of CZM Regulation Act, and destruction of mangrove plants etc. the organization motivating the community for Protection of Mangroves and Island Marsh for maintenance of hygienic and aesthetic standard of coastal areas.
The organization takes up massive plantation program every year and organizes Seminar, Workshops and Rally to create awareness and ensure community participation in protection of forest resources and preservation of bio-diversity in Kulpi and Kakdwip block respectively
8. ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN :
Democratic accountability and efficient use of public resources are the twin challenges at present. Concerned authorities and autonomous bodies so far has not been successful in addressing the livelihood rights of the people, because of poor planning and lack of involvement of the community. All these indicate the need for a people centric approach to development and development planning as per the demands of the time. But the poor working class needs a platform and capacity to advocate their rights and demand for situational change.
Raising poor citizen’s voices and widely available information, stop diversion of public services to poor and promote strong public opinion, advocacy campaign and aptitude development of the community people, SWCWI brought community leaders and the people under a series of training and subsequently enable them to take necessary cooperative action.
9. Disaster management :
As climatic threats are rapidly in increase and resulting in huge devastation of life and livelihoods resources. SWCWI to meet this situation started working by forming a Disaster Management Task Force (DMTF)at grassroots level, with trained locals, aiming at identification of vulnerable groups, dissemination of early warning, evacuation, shelter management, rehabilitation. DMTF are so enabled to conduct various training programs at village level on disaster preparedness, utilization of local resources and making floating equipment’s.
10. Child rights :
As violation of rights of children and protection becoming a concerning issue in today’s decade, SWCWI has continuously been working on making social institutions more child friendly and realizing child rights through awareness camps, workshops, liaison building with govt line dept, advocacy campaigns, legal aid.