During COVID-19 pandemic, vegetable price and demand both were very low at Sonamukhi, Bankura local market. Whereas, at the nearby metro city i.e. Kolkata, the vegetable the prices were quite higher. At that time, WBCADC and KVK Bankura, Sonamukhi came up with a marketing channel approach where the main objective was to abolish middle man activity. The WBCADC and KVK Bankura jointly conducted the activity where they collected vegetables from SHGs on weekly basis and sold at Kolkata.
In this value chain management, ‘Dihipara Monalisa Mahila Swanirvar Dal’, a SHG of Sonamukhi Block, Bankura involved actively. The group members of the SHG received different improved vegetables seeds and seedlings from WBCADC KVK Bankura along with various skill development trainings on nutritional garden, Nutri Thali and organic farming. That facilitated production of a variety of fresh vegetables on farm and subsequent marketing. Both the organizations provided refrigerator insulated ToTo rickshaw to the SHG so that they could supply fresh product at consumer door steps and abolish the middlemen.
This value chain marketing management enabled the farmers to get reasonable prices of their vegetables. According to the SHG members, the price of the vegetables provided by the institutions was much higher than the local markets. In that way, the SHG members earned a handsome income and did not have to face the difficulty of storing perishable product and losses. ‘Dihipara Monalisa Mahila Swanirvar Dal’ of Sonamukhi has set an example of the well said proverb- ‘If there is will there is way’. This is one kind of supply driven approach too. Because, when the market and remunerative price both are assured, automatically the production gets a hike in quantity as well as quality. This kind of produce-market driven approach motivates the farmer to form FPO and FPC. This value chain marketing system becomes a model for organized marketing of vegetables not only in Bankura district but also in South Bengal areas.
SHG members working at field
Backyard poultry farming has been found as an important livelihood option among the self-help group (SHG) members and farm women in Bankura district of West Bengal especially with Haringhata Black. It notonly meets thenutritionalsecurity but also supports the additional income and as a whole increases the empowerment status. It is evident from the study that beneficiaries are well aware of taste of desi chicks and they are accustomed to rearing birds with their indigenous techniques. Adoption of Haringhata Black has found to be accelerated positive and vertical growth as taste of this bird beats other locally available birds like RIR, broilers etc. It has got high disease resistance and low mortality at field level in free ranging system too. It may be concluded that Haringhata Black poultry is genetically superior and they play an important role in self- employment in those particular area where the poultry farming is the only source of income. Apart from this, the by-product obtained from them may be the other source of income e.g. feather can be used for making pillow, broom, other fancy things etc. Through selective breeding and vaccination, the superiority and survivability, respectively of the birds can be improved. Finally, the role of village people in conserving this indigenous/desi fowl breed may have remarkable opportunity.
Farm women Mrs. Sulata Mondal
After came in contact with the scientists of KVK Bankura in an awareness meeting organized by the KVK, Mrs. Sulata Mondal from Nityanandapur village, Sonamukhi block, Bankura district learned about the indigenous poultry production in the district specially about this new breed and its potential. She listened attentively as the KVK team shared their plan for commercialization of local chicken production. It was gut feeling that pushed her to be a part of the plan and made a decision to be part of the programme. The KVK suggested all the beneficiaries to be ready with low-cost poultry shelter and provided training on construction of low cost scientific poultry house using locally available materials. As soon as the shelter was ready, Mrs. Mondal along with other beneficiaries received 100 day old Haringhata Black chicks along with feed, poultry keeping guide book, vaccination schedule, an exercise book for record keeping and essential medicines as subsidy for one month.
From the first 100 batch of Haringhata Black, she hatched 450 chicks in her first attempt and raised those 450 to maturity. From those 450 birds in the 2nd cycle, she earned by selling 350 birds for worth Rs. 105000/- and egg of Rs. 61200/- after deducting inputs and transportation cost. She used part of her money to renovate her house, expand the poultry shed and paid fees for her children’s education. Her story has inspired several women in Bankura district to join commercial production of Haringhata Black poultry especially after she was elected as master trainer by KVK Bankura to mobilize other women in the area to start commercial production. It is a story of a strong- willed woman who has successfully splintered a coating which had for decades remained conglomerated in a vicious cycle of systems challenges, poor poultry keeping practices, fear for failure and general lack of a commercial drive; to free her family from the collar of poverty into improved livelihood.
Mrs. Mondal expressed her gratitude towards KVK Bankura for opening her eyes on the potential of Haringhata Black poultry birds. The KVK linked other poultry producers with input suppliers to promote access to essential inputs. Mrs. Mondal’s story represents several other untold stories of over 300 farm women in Bankura district whose lives have been transformed through commercial production of Haringhata Black poultry. Within a period of one year of implementing the programme, local chicken production had increased from an average of 5-10 birds per beneficiary to 100-300 birds. The number of production cycles also increased from only 1 in 12-18 months to 3 in 12 months which enabling beneficiaries to earn more frequently from the venture. Mrs. Mondal opened a bank account for the first time in her lifetime using money earned from production of indigenous (Haringhata Black) poultry farming. She is one of the beneficiaries of the ‘Nityanandapur Maa Sarada Krishak Adhikary Gosthi’ aided by WBCADC KVK Bankura with an objective of transforming the rural poultry subsector into a viable commercial enterprise. The story of Mrs. Mondal clearly shows that the increased indigenous poultry production can lead to increased household income, reduced poverty and improved livelihood for the poultry farmers.
In recently, maximum biodegradable waste are disposed of in unsafe ways like burning, unscientific dumping or discharging into water bodies. Moreover, bio-resources such as animal dung cakes, crop residue and firewood are commonly burned as cooking fuel, causing indoor air pollution. Bio-waste has the potential to be harnessed as energy, fuel and fertilizer. Organic wastes such as cattle dung, kitchen waste, poultry droppings, pig excreta, human excreta and crop residues can be converted to organic manure. Biodegradable waste generated in villages like waste from the kitchen, agricultural waste and cattle dung, etc. This agricultural waste and cattle dung can be used for production of vermicomposting. The indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides in the crop production have created serious problems of soil health, water quality and also hazard to human being. Therefore, to sustain fertility and productivity of soils, there is an urgent need to promote use of organic manures by the farmers. Vermicomposting a method of preparing enriched compost with the use of earthworms is one of the easiest methods of recycling agricultural wastes to produce quality compost. The vermicomposting is rich in plant nutrients, plant growth promoters and beneficial micro flora and enhances soil physical, chemical and biological properties of soil.
As part of Swachhta Activity, KVK Bankura organized Swachh Bharat Abhiyan awareness programmes in adopted villages and KVK campus. These awareness programmes were held exclusively on source segregation of waste generated by farmers of the villages and all staff of KVK and community.
These programmes were held in interactive mode by using participatory methods. Farmers were asked to explain what they know about Swachh Bharat and its objectives. Programme Co-ordinator, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bankura has participated in the programmes and explained about Swachh Bharat in their inaugural remarks of the programme.
Under this programme Farmers collected agricultural Waste for preparation of vermin-compost. The participants were divided into small groups and they discussed about the types of waste and classification of waste. Later, they were told about life cycle analysis of Agricultural waste and responsible behaviour in reducing agricultural waste by using it as an input material for vermin-compost, turning awareness into application, action and transformation of the village, and thereby keeping surroundings clean and green. KVK has given them information about the successful case studies in agriculture waste recycling and use it for vermicomposting to take up entrepreneurship programmes to become a job providers. KVK expert stressed on resource recovery of waste material and expenses involved in the production of each 'use and throw' product.
Hence looking to the needs of the farmers in the, KVK started introduction of vermin-compost unit for farmers and KVK farm and they were provided with vermin bed and the desired earthworms. The farmers were equipped with proper trainings and demonstrations on use and maintenance of the unit. Collected Agriculture wastes were chopped into small pieces. The chopped waste was mixed with cattle dung in 50: 50 ratios.
Vermicomposting is a non-thermophilic, biooxidative process that involves earthworms and associated microbes. This biological organic waste decomposition process yields the biofertilizer namely the vermicompost. Vermicompost is a finely divided, peat like material with high porosity, good aeration, drainage, water holding capacity, microbial activity, excellent nutrient status and buffering capacity thereby resulting the required physiochemical characters congenial for soil fertility and plant growth. It is the process of using earthworms and microorganisms to turn kitchen waste/ organic solid waste into black and nutrient-rich humus. Vermicomposting involves the stabilization of organic solid waste through earthworm consumption, which converts the material into worm castings. Vermicomposting is the result of the combined activity of microorganisms and earthworms.Microbial decomposition on of biodegradable organic manure occurs through extracellular enzymatic activities (primary decomposition) whereas, decomposition in earthworms occurs in the elementary tract by microorganisms inhabiting the gut (secondary decomposition). Microbes such as fungi, actinomycetes and protozoa are reported to inhibit the gut of earthworms. Ingested feed substrates are subjected to grinding in the interior part of the worm's gut (gizzard), resulting in particle size reduction. Agriculture waste obtained during harvesting was collected. These organic residues were shade dried for few days and cut into small pieces. It is preferable to select a composting site under shade, in an elevated level, to prevent water stagnation in pits during rains. Make small holes on the side of pits. The organic residues were spread in the pit (6.0 x 1.0 x 0.6 m) up to 6m heights and 5 % dung slurry was uniformly distributed on the top of the organic residue sufficient to wet the surface. Over this layer another layer of organic residues was spread followed by spraying of dung slurry uniformly. This process was repeated till the spread of the organic residues 6m above the top of the pit. After partial decomposition of organic residues (attained in 15 days) the earthworms were released @ 1 kg (around 1000 worms) per 1 ton organic residues in to the bed by making holes at the top of the bed on four corners and centre of the pit. Throughout the composting process, sufficient moisture was maintained i.e. at 50 percent of maximum water holding capacity of a material. Sprinkling of water should be stopped when 90 % bio-wastes are decomposed. Maturity could be judged visually by observing the formation of granular structure of the compost at the surface of the pit. Normally after 60 days, organic refuse changes into a soft, spongy, sweet smelling; dark brown compost will be ready for collection. Harvest the Vermi-compost by scrapping layer wise from the top of the pit and heap under shed. This will help in separation of earthworms from the compost.
This was proven to be a successful venture with the first harvest after 3 months to be 600 kg. There after 2400 kg of Vermi-compost were collected in three batches. Vermicomposting proves to be a profitable source of income where B:C ratio of 2.5:1 was achieved. The farmers could sell the produce fetching them good price and at the same time they are able to use the compost for their crop cultivation.
Initially, the farmers do not cultivate vegetable because of lack of knowledge, lack of irrigation facilities and unavailability of fertilizers. The farmers of the village are small marginal farmers with small land holdings with paddy as major crop which fetches low return but with the introduction in the village, vegetable cultivation has become an important activity for the farmers and the limitations of non-availability of compost has been met through introduction of vermi-compost unit. Seeing the profitability from this enterprise with very less input and manpower required, more farmers have approached the KVK for assistance in setting up the vermicomposting unit. Through Swachhta activities vermin-compost has been produced from agricultural waste in the adopted villages of KVK and KVK farm. Swachhta activities pave the way to the people to clean their surrounding and earn income through vermi-compost.
Challenge: “Shiuli Pahari Mahila Indians group” is situated at Shiulipahari, P.O: Kharbana, Chatna, Bankura. This self-help group were mainly engaged in agricultural activity. Almost 80 per cent activities at field level were performed by the women members. The job is very much tedious and laborious. Moreover, income from agriculture is not certain here. As soil and irrigation is a constraint here, soil of this place having very low water retention capacity and without assured irrigation facility getting desired yield is beyond expectation. This resulted in very unstable and certain income. We all know, in a family income may be unstable, but expenses are very much certain. The unstable income resulted into malnutrition of the children, poor socio-economic status, lower education level of the children etc. This scenario is not very much likely for a community development block like Sonamukhi. Because of this WBCADC, KVK, Sonamukhi provided one Goat unit to this group for the empowerment of the member.
Initiative: Rural farm women possess an age-old experience of rearing and managing household livestock. The case is not different with the member of "Shiuli Pahari Mahila Indians group". But in most of the case it has been observed that they are not doing it in a scientific way. Conventional method of rearing was mostly prevailing there. Therefore, WBCADC, KVK, Sonamukhi organized 5 days training on scientific method of rearing goat or goat farming. The training schedule were comprised of : Breed Characteristics of goats for meat production, first aid, usefulness of antiparasitic drugs, dressing of wounds in injured animals, different management practices to be adopted after kidding for goats as well as kids, housing and overall management, selection and breeding strategy practices for breed improvement in goats, care and management of kids for meat production, sign and symptoms of oestrous and insemination procedures, formulation and dispensation of balanced feed mixture for bucks and does, common diseases of goats and their treatment, various contagious diseases and their prevention by vaccination, importance and economic benefit of various meat products, different method of identification in goats, castration, preparation of detailed project report for goat farming to be taken up as business, preparation of income and expenditure etc. Not only theoretical training, hands-on practical classes on each and every activity by the experts were arranged. The group members along with other farm women were taken to exposure visit to different goat rearing farm. All total 10 women members were given certified training. They were successfully trained in both theoretical and practical activity aimed at valuing the role and importance of goat rearing in economic upliftment.
Key result/insight/interesting fact: An outlay of Rs. 67,500/ after 75 per cent subsidy over total project cost of Rs. 90,000/ were given to "Shiuli Pahari Mahila Indians group‟ under RKVY-2014-15 scheme through WBCADC, KVK, Sonamukhi utilized by 2016-17. Eleven (11) number of Black Bengal goats out of which 1 was male and 11 were female, was given to them along with the unit. According to the group leader “after every six months we are getting two goat kid from one female goat”. Out of this goat kid which are male we go for castration method for them; as castrated male goat gives higher income. After getting training from KVK, Sonamukhi, we are now aware of various topic related to goat farming like: how to construct house for goat, what are the breed available in our country, which breed will be suitable for this place, how to make balance food for different aged goat, how and when the castration should be done, what are major vaccines, what is deworming, identification of different goat diseases and their treatment.
Impact: As a result of training and RKVY Goat unit Shiuli Pahari Mahila Indians group‟ gained and honed their skills which was reflected in the increased strength of goats in their possession and consisted of 1 buck and 10 does i.e; in total 11 bucks/does were being reared by them. Before engaging in the goat farming activity, the group used to earn 10000 per month, but afterwards they started earning an additional amount of rs.20000 per year from the goat unit. This is stable and extensive support for the group members‟ livelihood as stated by one of the group member Smt. Mukta Mal. WBCADC, KVK, Sonamukhi and RKVY scheme is committed in its continuous effort with its underlying objective for the social and economic upliftment of farm women/animal rearer of Bankura so that breed improvement in local goats, improvement in economic condition of farm women/animal rearer and resultant increase in meat production in different circles of Bankura will achieve the ultimate goal of development for all, as the main objective of RKVY scheme was to increase investment of public.
Lesson learned: Thus by adopting complementary goat farming along with their previous agricultural activities, the group has produced an example of mixed farming. This has proven to be an important source of livelihood for their family. As a farm women/animal rearer, agriculture produce with livestock manure, this is a peerless example of organic farming and continuous effort is underway.
SHG members at the unit
RKVY Goat unit Shiuli Pahari Mahila Indians group
Shiuli Pahari Mahila Indians group‟ Leader: Tumpa Karmakar, Contact no: 9733760574
Secretary: Mukta Mal
Treasurer: Mamoni Mal
Other members: Purnima Mal, Bandana Mal, Shakuntala Mal, Bishakha Mal, Tapni Karmakar
| Sl No. | Question to consider | Yes/No |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Is the story interesting to the target audience of the project/activity report? | Yes |
| 2. | Does the story explain what new insights the project brings? What is the main lesson learned from the story? Does the story describe a key insight on what works and what doesn’t and something that future projects could build On | Yes |
| 3. | Does the story describe the outcomes the project produced and people who are benefitting? What changes-in skills, knowledge, attitude, practice, or policy-has the project brought about and who is benefitting from these changes? | Yes |
| 4. | Does the story make a compelling point that people will remember? Does the story show how the project makes a difference to improving livelihoods and lessening poverty | Yes |
| 5. | Does the story provide an interesting fact that people will remember? For example, how yield increased, how many hectares of land could become more productive from this innovation or technology? | Yes |
| 6. | Does the story explain what kind of impact this innovation or technology could have if scaled up? | Yes |
| 7. | Does the story show which partner contributed and how? | Yes |
| 8. | Does the story include quotes from stakeholders or beneficiaries? | Yes |
| 9. | Have I provided links to other media ( journal articles, website news, newsletter, blogs, annual reports or other Programme / projects) that also feature this story? | No |
| 10. | Have I provided the contact details of people who can provide more information? | Yes |
