Updates

Documentation of Farming Practices and Yield: 

We conducted a workshop for people engaged in documentation of self-reliant farming model of Chetana-Vikas. The techniques and science employed in the model are continually researched and improved by us and focus on low external input, high internal regenerative farming. 

Training of village resource persons during the workshop. In many instances, the trainers are from the villages too.

Documentation of facts, figures and observations during the workshop.

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Beej Swaraj - Seed Sovereignty:

Because of unprecedented monsoon this year, farmers were compelled to sow twice, or in some places even thrice, which adds to their woes. In view of this crisis, seed procurement and seed distribution activities were carried out for them at their doorsteps. Most of these seeds came from Chetana Vikas’s seed banks, or in a few cases, were purchased from outside, and sold to the farmers at subsidised rates as part of the movement called ‘Beej Swaraj’ – literal translation would be “Seed Sovereignty”. We firmly believe that seeds are a renewable and unpatenteable resource, and hence, it was made sure that the distributed seeds were not hybrid or genetically modified and could be sowed in the next sowing season. 

Beej Swaraj or Seed Sovereignty: Seeds taken to the farmers' door steps for second or third sowing. This was required due to extremely excessive rains causing unforeseen damages to crops.

Planning for mid-course corrections with regard to crop planning was done, especially regarding late monsoon and early winter varieties of pigeon pea, sesame, some varieties of green gram/moong, and various vegetables such as amaranthus, spring onions, rosella, etc.

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Wasteland Regeneration & Soil-Water Conservation:

A part of the experimental farm of Chetana Vikas is devoted to research on wasteland regeneration. We identify, plant and monitor survival and growth of various native hardy species that are resistant to long spells of water scarcity, but yet are fast growing. A quickly established green cover of a hardy native species is important in soil and water conservation which hastens the process of wasteland regeneration. This is an important attempt as recent survey by the Govt. of India concluded that about 50% of Indian landmass is degraded and unsuitable for any agriocultural, farming or planting practice. We have been working on regeneration of such plots through perennial pioneering species of plants for last 30 years. These efforts have led to the improvement of the soil and the land supporting less hardy species. Parts of these plots are now converted to the orchards and other planting related experiments. We usually carry out gap-filling of trees in these plots at the beginning of monsoon as the saplings have a higher chance of survival due to conducive environment. This year, gap filling was carried out using saplings of  fruit trees such as amla and custard apple, other perennial trees such as teak, neem, banyan, and peepal, important nitrogen-fixing trees like gliricidia, and various improved fodders. Apart from these activities on the experimental farm at Wardha, distribution of suckers (shoot planting material) to farmers in the villages was carried out as well. Vetiver grass which is an extremely good bio-agent for soil conservation and serves as a good fodder was planted on the experimental farm, and the planting material was provided to farmers in the villages as well.

Grasses for soil and water conservation, and for fodder.

Grass saplings created on he experimental farm ready to be transplanted in villages.

Entrepreneurship Workshops

After working for thirty three years with rural women, it is evident that financial dependency of women on men is one of the reasons why women endure injustice at the family and community level. To make women more independent, it is imperative that they become financially independent. Another important aspect is to build a supplementary income-generating enterprise apart from farming. Most of these women come from families that are dependent on agriculture for their survival. Due to natural disasters and seasonal inconsistencies which severely affect the agricultural yield, and economic unpredictability which affects the prices offered to farm produce, it is essential to have a supplementary means of income genertaion.

One of the activities through which we ascertain empowerment of rural women is entrepreneurship workshops and enabling women to build small scale businesses. A financially independent woman can explore avenues for her own development, and in effect development of her surroundings, without worrying about the monetary means to sustain herself and her family.  This is the seed behind organising these workshops.

We have been organising these workshops for almost 15-20 years now. Three types of workshops are organised:

1. Introductory Camps:

Anyone can participate. These workshops are meant to introduce women to the idea of starting a new business in their villages.

2. Advanced Training Camps:

15-20 camps per year; on an average 20-30 women per camp. Rs. 10/- entry fee*. These women are usually drawn from the introductory camps based on their initiative and enthusiasm. There's no filtering in the selection process. Anyone who shows an interest to start an enterprise in the introductory workshop is admitted in the advanced workshop.Each of these camps is for a specific kind of training such as food and agri-produce processing (condiments, grain and pulses grinding units; value addition of fruit products like fruit lollies and candies and dried fruit poweders; snacks such as laddu, chivada, mixture, daal vada, etc.), technical training camps for repairing machines (such as sewing machines,cycle repair shops, LPG stoves and burners repair shops, etc.) and opening retail shops (selling utensils, cosmetics, bangles and women's accessories, stationery, etc.). Resource people involved in these camps are mostly rural women from same or nearby villages who have successfully managed the same enterprise for a few years.

An advanced training camp for repairing cycles. Women who chose to attend these workshops and start cycle repair shops had to encounter outrageous comments and roadblocks from the men, as traditionally machine repair shops are considered mainly a man's domain.

An advanced training camp for repair of gas burners. Note that the resource people are not imported from cities but are rural women who participated in Chetana-Vikas's training camps a few years ago, and now have a successful enterprise.

Food value addition workshops

sewing machine workshops

3. Training of Teachers (ToT) workshops:

20 camps per year; on an average 15 women per camp. Rs. 25/- entry fee*. Chetana-Vikas staff trains women who have initiated and sustained a successful enterprise in their villages. These women have sufficient practical experience, but sometimes lack the methods or courage to speak to a group. These workshops are held to train them in communicating their thoughts effectively in a group.

 (*Note: Over the years, we have realised that things that come free are not usually valued. More than 95% of the nominal entry fee we charge is eventually paid back to women when their transport fare is reimbursed.)


In last few months:

Six introductory camps were organised, in which 350 women participated. Instead of identifying resource persons from urban backgrounds, we decided to invite rural women entrepreneurs (who were trained in ToT workshops) as speakers. Since these women hail from the same background, and are aware of the ground realities, problems, managing small-scale businesses in terms of profits-and losses, marketing of products in villages, they turned out to be excellent advisers as expected.

The camps started with sharing of experiences, with a focus on questions such as -
- what businesses could be viable in the region?
- how to raise funds for the start-up?
- how to market one's product to reach maximum consumer base?
- what innovative strategies could be incorporated for marketing and selling?
- how does one improve one's skill set? where does one get training? are there certain trainings or workshops where Chetana-Vikas could help and recommend the women to the organisers?

The resource persons-cum-rural entrepreneurs and Chetana-Vikas staff answered these queries.

The camps concluded by making a list of women who are interested in getting a training in the enterprise they want to pursue. It makes us at Chetana-Vikas feel proud as facilitators that almost 50 % of the women (~170 women) showed interest in starting their own enterprise. These women will be later admitted to different advanced training workshops depending upon their choice of enterprise.

Some of these enterprises may seem too small or trivial to an urban mind accustomed to seeing ventures on grand scales. However, in a hand-to-mouth existence, every penny counts!

We are posting some of the photos taken at these events:

A retail shop for women's clothing and accessories. The smiles are priceless!

An operational grinding unit where chilli is being ground!

An installed and fully functional grinding unit

Snacks preparation

An enterprise in progress where the woman is selling pigeon pea produced on her farm. The pea is first split and a machine is needed to process. The woman took loan from the microfinance group operating in the village under the guidance of Chetana Vikas to set up a processing unit.

Listing of items and keeping accounts in a retail shop selling utensils.

A successful retail shop and grinding unit operating under a shed.