Great Expectations

Great Expectations

Subedar Yadav is a dairy farmer in Maudha village of Gazipur district of Uttar Pradesh, located on the border of Azamgarh district receiving cattle breeding services from BAIF’s Vizapur centre of Lalganj block in Azamgarh district. The livestock in this village is dominated by Murrah buffaloes as farmers have a good market for buffalo milk. Subedar was very fortunate to have a female buffalo calf born out of this programme which has now come into milk production and created a new record in the village by producing 18 litres milk per day in her peak. Recently, a buyer offered Rs. 72,000 for this priced buffalo but Subedar wanted Rs. 90,000 as he felt he could make more money by producing better quality heifers from this buffalo. Indeed! Even with one such buffalo, a farmer is able to attain prosperity.

From the Dark Shadows of Poverty

From the Dark Shadows of Poverty

I am Suresh Gopinath Khaire. During the worst drought in 1972, my parents migrated to Urulikanchan. After studying upto Standard V, I joined BAIF as a farm labourer and started learning about the benefits of crossbred cows I purchased a heifer from my savings and she gave birth to a female calf. In the next 3-4 years, I had 5-6 crossbred cows in milk production. I left my job and concentrated on dairy husbandry. Being landless, for successful dairy husbandry, production of fodder is essential. I negotiated for cropping of fodder with a large holder who had 10 cows. I took up the work of milking his cows at Rs.200 per cow per month. From my savings, I purchased 150 sq. metre land and constructed a house with 5 rooms and a toilet as well as a cattle shed to house 5 cows. Presently, I have 5 cows and 2 heifers. I sell 45-50 litres of milk every day to the local dairy and earn a net income of Rs.7,000-Rs.8,000 per month. In addition, I earn Rs.3,000-Rs.4,000 per month by milking cows belonging to other farmers. I am able to provide education to my children and save for the future.

Change of Fortune

Change of Fortune

Mina Rao from Nandapur village, Koraput district of Odisha, owned two nondescript cows which were able to yield only 3 to 4 litres of milk per day. After availing of the crossbreeding service of the cattle development centre at Hikimput, his fortunes changed. His milk yield improved to 8-9 litres from the new progeny. So happy was Rao with the results, that he got his animals inseminated 10 times from the centre under the Kalyani integrated livestock development programme and today, he is the proud owner of three female calves and two male calves. He now obtains a milk yield of 16-17 litres which is sold to the sweet shop at Similiguda fetching him Rs. 12,000 per month. Earlier, he had sold a female cow for Rs. 22,000 to his friend to meet urgent medical expenses. Rao is a contended man today.

Champion Woman Dairy Farmer

Champion Woman Dairy Farmer

Sushma Lakda, a woman dairy farmer from Kudu Navatoli, Lohardaga, Jharkhand, narrated her experience in maintaining a herd of 20 cows who yield 80-100 litres of milk every day enabling her to pursue the engineering studies of two of her sons and daughter in the capital city of Ranch and Steel city of Jamshedpur, also proudly stated that her children are proud of their mother’s achievements. Till 2003, Sushma used to sell Hadu (liquor made from rice) on the roadside. Her net income is in the range of Rs. 28000 – 30000 per month. Sushma has received several awards and is considered a role model in the state.

Blazing a New Trail

Blazing a New Trail

Vijaya Rani, an AI technician, operating a franchised cattle development centre in Chanamuthyreddy Gudern village in Atmakur Mandal, Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh since 2003, was conferred the “Women Achievers’ Award” by the Times Foundation, Delhi, in collaboration with FICCI – Young FICCI Ladies Organisation (YFLO) for her contribution to community development. She has been providing breed improvement and health care services to farmers of 15 villages. So far, she has performed 5321 AI, of which, 3913 pregnancies have been confirmed and 2552 crossbred calves have been born at the doorsteps of the farmers. She performs 900-1000 AI annually and earns approximately Rs. 6000 per month. She has conducted awareness programmes for dairy farmers 8-10 times in a year and 2 health camps in all the villages. Vijaya Rani has planted subabu on 16 ha o wastelands to ensure regular supply of fodder for cattle. She also functions as a resource person to train youth from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in operating franchise centres. This bold woman who is mother of three, moves from village to village on her motor cycle providing extension services at the doorsteps of farmers.

Harvest of Hope

Harvest of Hope

Jayantibhai Chimanbhai Patel’s farm in Kesargam village in Bharuch district of Gujarat was no different from many others in the vicinity. He grew cotton and pigeon pea with traditional irrigation system. He then heard about the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), at Chaswad in Bharuch. He leant about new high yielding varieties of crops, use of micro nutrients, benefits of balanced fertilisers and water harvesting from KVK. In 2001, he began to make use of drip irrigation and established fruit orchards. He constructed a check dam for water harvesting and on the advice of scientists, diversified into papaya cultivation. These measures increased his net income from Rs.10,000 to Rs.1.5 lakh per ha. He also saved 40% expenses on water, electricity costs and fertilizers and the products showed a marked improvement in quality. Through a Farmers’ club organised by NABARD, he could get access to larger and more lucrative markets like Delhi. The success of Jayantibhai has been featured in the book “’Harvest of Hope” which highlights the success stories of 101 farmers from all over the country.

Every Drop of Water Counts

Every Drop of Water Counts

The main occupation of Baldeogarh in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh, a semi-arid  region with red sandy soil and deprived of ground water, is agriculture and its allied activities.  With rain-fed agriculture and low yielding livestock, people in this area are very poor. Thus,  integrated watershed management programme was introduced in collaboration with Hindustan Unilever Vitality Foundation in 15 villages. A small dam was built. One of the farmers Pragilal says, “30 farmers are benefitted by the dam and have started irrigating their farms using diesel engine. The dam has helped in irrigating 50 ha”. He also added “every drop of water is important”. Now, he is able to take up two crops. Subsequent to the project, the second crop of wheat was also cultivated with 3 – 8 tons, yielding a net income of Rs. 28,500. After the launching of the watershed development programme by BAIF in 15 villages of Baldeogarh, the farmers decided to construct a dam-cum-bridge. Now, the vegetable growers of Janakpur and Khajrar are especially happy, as visiting Hirapur market every week to sell their produce, has become easy.

River Revival

River Revival

Garkhindi is an interior village in Parner block of Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, with 1280 population representing 256 households and 1375 ha land with agriculture as the main occupation. The average annual rainfall was 534 mm but due to scanty rainfall during the last 10 years, the villagers had to depend on water tankers for drinking water for about 3-4 months every year. Hence, a community based water management and ground water recharge in this river basin was initiated. Ghod River Revival project was initiated under Mission Sunhera Kal in 2015 which included soil and water conservation and its efficient use and sustainable agricultural production. The first step was community mobilisation, DPR preparation, micro planning, followed by river revival activities like cement check dams, repair of existing structure and sub surface barriers and recharge measures through farm ponds. Another important initiative was to promote sustainable agriculture through agri-horti- forestry and organic farming. The community was motivated right from the beginning for participatory implementation of the project thereby ensuring meticulous planning and designing, crop selection for improved agriculture and land development. Soil and water conservation was ensured through construction of stone bunds, gull plugs, contour trenches and water absorption trenches. Capacity building/awareness generation was ensured through community mobilisation camps, exposure and awareness meetings for the villagers and training of village watershed committees. Composting of farm residue was promoted by supporting 26 compost units. For encouraging conjunctive use of water, 12 micro irrigation units  were supported with 50% contribution from the beneficiary. With successful implementation, water storage capacity increased by 54540 m3. The village does not need water supply through tankers anymore. Improved cultivation of onion by using seedlings produced on raised beds, timely planting, drip irrigation and micro nutrient application, increased the yield by 22%. Revival of agriculture brought peace and prosperity to the village.

From Darkness to Light

From Darkness to Light

After her husband, a farmer, committed suicide, the responsibility of bringing up her two children came on Tarabai Baban Padol from Sonewadi Budruk village, Niphad,  Nashik, Maharashtra. She has three acres of land under irrigation with a well as her source of irrigation. Although agricultural production has been adversely affected during the current cropping season leading to distress among the agrarian community, she is coping well due to her involvement in the BAIF Navjeevan Project. Tarabai cultivates vegetables, wheat, gram and onion. She has taken grapes as a perennial crop for cultivation. She received support of trellis for grape cultivation and also installed the “Y” structure. She earned Rs.3 lakhs during 2016-17 and Rs.5.50 lakhs during 2017-18, making her a happy person who is able to support her family.

Wadi improved her Quality of Life

Wadi improved her Quality of Life

When the Governor of Maharashtra, Dr. P.C. Alexander visited the tribal development programme at Jawhar in Palghar district of Maharashtra, on October 24, 2001, his attention was drawn to a tribal woman Tulshi Rama Kinar, standing in the front row.  It was revealed that as her husband was an alcoholic, she could not enroll in the programme.  However, she managed to convince the BAIF Field team.   After a few days, the blisters caused by digging the pits, came to the notice of her husband who changed his mind.  This was three years prior to the visit of the Governor.  Today, 20 years after joining the programme, the  family  is earning  an  annual  income  of  Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 40,000 from mango, cashew and  guava  trees and  Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000 from sale of  vegetables.  Earlier, she was also selling 4 litres of buffalo milk every day and earning about Rs. 35000 to Rs.40000 annually. While one of her sons is employed with the Thane Municipal authorities, the other is employed with a private firm at Jawhar.  Wadi has enabled her to arrange a good match for her only daughter.

Wadi means business for Babanbhai

Wadi means business for Babanbhai

In early 1980’s, when Dr. Manibhai Desai, Founder of BAIF, proposed to promote Orchard Development for rehabilitation of Scheduled Tribe families in South Gujarat, all the tribal  families having one acre, were invited, provided they were willing to give up consumption of alcohol. Out of thousands, only 42 families came forward and Babanbhai was one of them. Today, he has developed over 15 acres of mango orchard on barren land newly purchased from his income from the old orchard and built a lavish cattle shed to expand his dairy business with home-born crossbred cows. He has built a new 3 storied bungalow adjoining his wadi with a modern kitchen. His granddaughter is appearing this year for final year of MSW degree. Babanbhai is earning Rs.25000 to Rs.30000 per month from sale of milk and hence the dairy animals maintained by him have proved to be an asset. He is also earning Rs. 70000 to Rs. 80000 per year from sale of his mango crop from his earlier wadi plantation which has led to the prosperity of the family and enabled them to invest in gold as well.

Factory Worker to Innovative Farmer

Factory Worker to Innovative Farmer

Babulal Dayal from Kaukheda village in Barmer, Rajasthan, was a rag picker. In 2013, he joined the BAIF-CAIRN Wadi project and planted 150 plants of ber, gunda, pomegranate, lemon, budded khejri and Apple ber on his degraded land. Realising the problems of unsafe pesticides, Babulal adopted vermicompost application. He developed a combination of jaggery, chick pea flour, desi cow dung, cow urine and sand of Vat Vriksha, known as Jeevamrit for spraying on the plants. He also developed a liquid mixture of butter milk and copper which was decomposed for seven days and sprayed as a pesticide. Presently, every ber plant is yielding 30 kg fruits and 150 plants in a season, yield 4500 kg fruits, fetching Rs. 90,000 per season. Gunda plants are expected to fruit in the near future. He has also received a buck of Sindhi breed, which was used for breeding services to local goat keepers, enabling them to produce over 450 improved kids over the last 4 years. Babulal is no longer a rag picker. Instead, he now serves as a Master trainer for KVK and other Government agencies. He has developed his own library of books and documents on agriculture to enrich his knowledge.