April 28, 2022 : 

‘Maharashtra Gene Bank Programme for Conservation, Management and Revival of Local Bio-Resources’ was initiated in the year 2014 covering over 142 villages spread over nine districts from different agro-climatic zones of Maharashtra. The BAIF Programme aims at preventing the erosion of valuable genetic resources, ensuring enriched knowledge and their conservation while being directly linked with food security, livelihood and climate change adaptation capacity of rural and tribal communities.

With an aim to document native natural resources and conserve them with the help of the local community that will ensure not just biodiversity conservation but also inclusion of traditional knowledge, the Maharashtra Cabinet approved the Maharashtra Gene Bank, a first-of-its-kind project in India.  BAIF welcomed the decision of the Government of Maharashtra to widen the scope of the Maharashtra Gene Bank Programme and continue its mission of Agrobiodiversity conservation.

April 27, 2022 : 

Dr. Manibhai Desai, the Founder of BAIF pioneered the Rural Development Movement in India. Today, it is because of his vision that 4 million families have come out of poverty through BAIF’s innovative programmes of dairy husbandry, water resources development and tribal rehabilitation and firm commitment to environmental protection, women empowerment and community health in 12 states. He also inspired thousands of youth to join the voluntary movement.  The BAIF family spread across various states paid their tribute to their Founder on the occasion of his 102^nd birth anniversary and pledged to continue his mission of Sustainable Rural Development.

The Jan Samvad (community dialogue) initiative was launched on this day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Late Dr. Manibhai Desai. The event was held at Dr. Manibhai Desai Memorial Garden at Lachhakadi. Many villagers from surrounding villages who had worked with Dr. Manibhai Desai, shared their experiences and the transformation that had taken place in their lives and that of their villages. This initiative promoted by BISLD, South Gujarat, aims at establishing a regular dialogue with the community to enable them to share their experiences, issues, efforts and aspirations and to understand their perspective towards development, suitable solutions suggested by them and resources to be mobilised. With regular engagement with the local communities, data sets of potential villages and their issues will be generated and the scope for innovation and programme development will be strengthened.

April 24, 2022 : 

The bust of Dr. Manibhai Desai, the Founder of BAIF and a close associate of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was unveiled by the President of BAIF, Mr. Bharat Kakade at the Dr. Manibhai Desai Navchetan Secondary School operated by BAIF at Chondha, Navsari district of Gujarat, to commemorate the 102nd birth anniversary of this visionary. Mr. V.B. Dyasa, Regional Director, BISLD West, Mr. Jayanti Mori, Chief Programme Executive, BISLD Gujarat, Mr. Subodh Desai, Advisor, BAIF, Mr. Abhishek Pandey, Additional Chief Programme Executive, BISLD Gujarat and other senior officials from BAIF were present on this occasion. 

April 19, 2022: A MoU was signed between BAIF Livelihoods Odisha and Government of Odisha for breeding bull production using ART and Genomic evaluation techniques in Cuttack, Odisha  in the presence of Dr. Yeddula Vijay, Director, AH & VS, Government of Odisha, Mr. Rakesh Warrier, Programme Director and Regional Director – East, Dr. Jayant Khadse, Research Director, BAIF Central Research Station (CRS), Urulikanchan and Dr. Sachin Joshi, Senior Thematic Programme Executive, CRS and other senior officials of the Directorate.

April 05, 2022: Mr. Bhabani Prasad Pati, IFS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Government of India visited the Comprehensive Community Development Programme (CCDP) cluster in Angul, Odisha.  This programme is being implemented by BISLD Odisha with the support of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd.

85 women beneficiaries of Mission Sunehra Kal, being implemented in Lunkaransar, Bikaner district, participated enthusiastically in the celebration organised at Garbedeshwar village on March 8, 2022. Sarpanch of the village, Kavita Swami, Scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendra Lunakaransar, Dr. Richa Pant and Dr. Bhagawat Singh and Smt. Poonam Mahala, Principal, Senior Secondary School and Smt. Krishna Devi from Urmul Sansthan were present on the occasion. The guests provided detailed information about various Government programmes and schemes for women, capacity building and cottage industries and promotion of kitchen gardens for nutritional security of the family. The project aims at strengthening arid farming system for sustainable development, promote NRM-based activities and Integrated Agricultural Practices and strengthen the local community through the formation of village development centres.

The event was celebrated under the HDFC-supported Holistic Rural Development Programme at Lalsot Kasbe cluster office in Dausa district on March 7, 2022 through prize distribution and participation of 36 women in various events such as musical chairs, lemon and spoon race and other competitions which were enjoyed by the participating women.

The Sustainable Agriculture Management and Development by Human Action for Nature (Samadhan) Project organised an event – Sakhi Utsav at Rajpura Dariba in Rajsamand district with successful women farmers, enlisting the enthusiastic participation of 135 women beneficiaries. The project is being implemented in 174 villages of 5 districts in association with Hindustan Zinc Ltd. Multi-sectoral interventions aiming at socio-economic well-being of the rural community are being promoted through various agriculture and livestock-based activities resulting in enhanced income and improved productivity.

Binod Bhengra, a wadi participant of the Wadi Programme funded under Tribal Development Fund being implemented at Torpa, Khunti district, Jharkhand, was felicitated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Shri. Hemant Soren on February 23, 2022 in Ranchi. Agriculture Minister, GoJ, Chief Secretary, GoJ , Agriculture Secretary,Goj and CGM NABARD,RO, Ranchi were also present.

A team of senior scientists from Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI) Jodhpur headed by Dr. Akath Singh, Principal Scientist, visited the BAIF Desert Research Centre at Barmer on February 19, 2022. The team interacted with the farmers on the improvement in productivity of harvested rainwater in traditional water harvesting structures through integration of horticulture and agroforestry system and also visited the farmers’ fields and were appreciative of the programme undertaken by BAIF. Dr. Raghvendra Dubey, Thematic Programme Executive and Mr. D.K. Tiwari, Additional Chief Programme Executive from BAIF accompanied the team on their visit.

Mr. Shrirang Dhavale, Ms. Gauri Rajadhakshya and Ms. Ipsita Das from Tata Sustainability Group and Ms. Nidhi Mendiratta, CSR Head, Ms. Mallika Sriraman, Mr. Anindya Chatterji and Ms. Swati Kolhatkar from Tata Consulting Engineers Ltd. (TCEL), visited the project villages of Dapti- Malghar in Jawhar, Palghar district on February 18, 2022 and appreciated the work taken up under the Water Management and Income Generation Programme. The programme was initiated in 2018 in Dapti-Malghar and Nawapada areas – acute water scarcity areas of Jawhar block and covers 190 families through various project interventions. So far, 180 lakhs litres of water have been harvested through pond lining activity enabling 65 wadi and 44 jasmine plots to make effective use of protective irrigation. 18 farmers were able to take up vegetable cultivation during the rabi season.

Dr. B.D. Sharma, Director, Central Institute of Arid Horticulture in Kalu, Bikaner, visited the BAIF MSK ITC Project area at Nakodeshar and Chandshar villages in Bikaner on February 17, 2022. He was accompanied by Mr. D.K Tiwari from the BAIF-ITC MSK Programme. Dr. Sharma interacted with the participants and appreciated the approach and technologies promoted by BAIF under the project. This project covers 900 families from 10 villages in Bikaner district through suitable soil and water conservation measures and integrated agricultural practices.

The exposure visit of 31 participants under the Wadi Focused Rural Development Programme supported by HDFC Bank Parivartan Initiative and being implemented by BISLD Madhya Pradesh, in 50 villages of Mandsaur district in Madhya Pradesh, was flagged off by Hon’ble Minister of Environment and New & Renewable Energy, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Shri. Hardeep Singh Dang and Shri. Sandeep Shiva, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Sitamau Division at Kheda village, Sitamau, Mandsaur on February 16, 2022. Shri Jeewanlal Patidar, Associate Programme Manager, Shri Rajjansingh Yadav, Project Officer, Shri Ashutosh Patidar and Shri Purushottam Meena (Field Team) from BISLD Madhya Pradesh were present on the occasion.

A calf rally was organized at Holladakoppalu village in Hunsur, Mysuru district of Karnataka, on February 2, 2022 to encourage the farmers to improve the health of their animals and to focus on management and care of calves, heifer and cows. 117 farmers with 278 cattle, participated in the rally. Mr. H.P. Manjunath, MLA, Hunsur inaugurated the rally. In his address to the farmers, he highlighted the significance of Animal husbandry and the impact of the ITC MSK-sponsored Integrated Livestock Development Programme on the lives of the rural families, critical aspect of animal health, role of various stakeholders and critical linkages with various line departments. Silage demonstration by Mr. Naveen, Manager Sai Silage Pvt Ltd. Chikkahunsur was also undertaken during the event. Sri. Girish, Extension Officer, Taluka Panchayat Hunsur also graced the occasion. Other dignitaries included Sri. Harishbabu, Programme Manager, ITC MSK Mysuru, Mr. Bharathkumar, Programme Officer, ITC MSK Mysuru, Dr. Lingaraju Doddamani, Asst. Director AH & VS. Hunsur, Dr. Darshan, Senior Veterinary Officer AH & VS Hanagadu, Dr. Girish, Veterinary Officer AH & VS Dharmapura and Dr. Nagarjuna, Veterinary Officer AH & VS Bannikuppe. Mr. T.B. Kumarappa. Project Leader, Mysuru Division, BISLD, Karnataka, coordinated the programme.