Collective Business Efforts by FPO in Amreli Gujarat

With an aim to ensure better income for the producer farmer by organizing them in their own cooperative, Indian Farm Forestry Development Cooperative Limited (IFFDC) mobilized 1500 farmers in Block Dhari,  District Amreli (Gujarat) and registered  “Shree Dhari Khedut Krushi Utpadak & Processing Sahakari Mandali Ltd.” under Gujarat State Cooperative Act-1961 in the month of September, 2021. Need based skill and capacity building inputs were imparted to the members through trainings and exposure visits. The Small & Marginal producer farmers are not having the volume individually (both inputs and produce) to get the benefit of economies of scale, therefore, the cooperative was encouraged to undertake collective business action for their economic benefits. 

The Dhari Cooperative (FPO) under facilitation of IFFDC started commodity trading business of Gram, Wheat, Groundnut, Extraction of Groundnut Oil and other produces and in two crop season their turnover reached to Rs 55 crores and earned about Rs 53 lakh through the commodity trading business etc. The member farmers benefited with getting 15% dividend on their shares. These efforts of this cooperative created a great example towards success of the Government of India’s Central Sector Scheme for Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs) for transforming the agriculture into business and doubling farmers income.

Initiation of Business Activities:

•        The FPO has started agri-inputs supply i.e. Fertilizers including IFFCO Nano Urea (Liquid), Quality Seeds, Pesticides etc after obtaining license from the Govt Authorities.

•        Besides the agri-inputs, the FPO is also providing agriculture Machineries and equipment i.e. Tractor, Power Tiller, Sprayers, Seed Drill etc to the member farmers to promote mechanization in agriculture.

•     The FPO started commodity procurement center for GUJCOMASOL and procured 1,01,922 qtls Gram, undertaken trading of 2,967 qtls Wheat and 266.46 qtls Groundnut from members farmers with total turnover of Rs 55.51 crore so far and earned profit of about Rs 54 lakh.

•    The FPO also initiated extraction of Groundnut oil and so far 6000 liters groundnut oil extracted which sold to the members farmers. 

SUCCESS MANTRA

•             The chairperson herself has came forward and taken interest and lead and put efforts in community mobilization, formation of Cooperative, mobilizing required funds and initiation of business activities. She has developed good rapport with the member farmers, cooperative department, govt officials, industries people etc to mobilize need based inputs.

•             The Shree Dhari Cooperative declared dividend @15% of the share for the year 2022-23 which is encouraging and attracting more and more farmers to join the FPO and become shareholders because the FPO succeed to reach at the level of giving dividend just in 2 years period of its registration.    

•             Assured market linkage with GUJCOMASOL is helping farmers in avoiding distress sale in the hand of intermediaries and local market on low prices.

LESSONS LEARNT

•  The success of the organization/FPO/Cooperative etc depends on the interest and efforts of the leaders/Board Members/Management. Further, Early returns of investment assured the farmers and induce them to become shareholders of such FPOs/Cooperatives.  

Green Factory Outlet

A well proverbial aroma compelled us to stop the car while travelling from Ratlam to Rajpura. On roadside, a small orchard and petite owner with few guava fruits displayed on a small coat created a different scene of value chain mechanism. We got some guava to consume on spot being sold at a rate of Rs 10 per Kg from the typical and only factory outlet of Mr Nanu Ram Singhad’s guava factory (orchard). Obliviously, the fruits (product) were as per our choice got directly from the trees (Machines), gave immense satisfaction. I could comprehend, why people always rush to factory outlets for purchasing branded goods on comparatively cheaper rates and also to ensure quality of the goods?

A Factory Outlet is a manufacturer-owned store selling that firm's closeouts, discontinued merchandise, irregulars, cancelled orders, and, sometimes, in-season, first-quality merchandise. Mr Nanu’s green factory outlet was not due to cancelled orders and discontinued merchandise but for fresh, first quality merchandise.

Such unorganised factory outlets can be observed at many roadside fruit orchards while journey by road. Some of the outlets are mobile as the produces are being sold by indigenous rural sales boys/girls by chasing the vehicles passes through the roads. But the mobility of these sale boys/girls is confined in the vicinity of the factory (orchard). These sale boys/girls are not salaried but they are the partners (children of the owner family) of the factory. Sometimes, these are supposed not to disclose their sales account to the Managing Director (Head of the family) of the factory but sometimes they are bound to handover all the sales proceeds to the Managing Director.

Sporadically in season or late-season, we may observe the outlets full of products while the machines are not producing but buyers used to purchase with imagination of “machines-full of fresh produces”.

The Managing Director (farmer) Mr Nanu own total 10 bigha (2 ha ) cultivated land with a tubewell for irrigating 1 ha land. In the year 2004, he was provided with 80 guava saplings by Indian Farm Forestry Development Cooperative Limited (IFFDC) under its “Western India Rainfed Farming Project” on subsidised cost alongwith technical training of fruit plantation and management. With these saplings, Mr Nanu developed a small orchard on half acre land with survival of 60 plants now able to earn about Rs 30 thousand / year. It helps in meeting substantial needs of the family and secures their livelihood. But there are some issues: -

1) Can such interventions alongwith the peculiar factory outlets can be up-scaled replicated for sustainable rural livelihoods??

2) Can these factory outlets can be crafted for the high street or special buys and typically sold through stores run by the brands themselves as in case of Merchandise includes fashion, home wares, electrical goods, cosmetics, toys, books, CDs and videos??

3) Can this concept allow an opportunity to sell fresh stock direct to the public via branded shops like Nanu’s ?? Because, Brand equity is safeguarded, while market share and brand awareness increase.

कानकुन समेल्लन

सभी को नमस्कार / प्रणाम
क्या आपको मालुम है कि २९ नवम्बर से १० दिसेम्बर २०१० कि अवधी मे जलवायु परिवर्तन के मुद्धे पर बहस तथा महात्वपुर्न निर्णय के क्रम मे एक समेल्लन > कोन्कुन (मेक्सिको ) मे आयोजित होने जा रहा है ? आइये हम इस पर कुछः ओर जानकारी प्राप्त करे: -
दिनान्क २९ नवम्बर से १० दिसेम्बर २०१० कि अवधी मे कोन्फेरेंस ओफ़् पार्टीज (कोप) का १६ वा संमेल्लन जो प्रत्येक वर्ष जलवायु परिवर्तन के मुद्धो को संबोधीत करने हेतु अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय प्रयासो पर सहमति के लिये आयोजीत किया जाता
हे, इस वर्ष कन्कुन मे आयोजीत होने जा रहा हे i यह जलवायु परिवर्तन पर यु ऐन ट्रीटी के अंश के रूप में स्थापित किया गया हे तथा इसे " यूनाइटेड नेशंस फ्रेमवर्क कन्वेंसन आन क्लाइमेट चेंज" के नाम से जाना जाता हे I
गत वर्ष दिसम्बर में यह समेल्लन कोपनहेगन में आयोजीत किया गया था तथा उसमे ४००० पत्रकारों , १२० देसों के अध्यक्षों सहित अमेरिका के राष्ट्रपति बराक ओबामा व् इंगलैंड के प्रधानमंत्री गोर्डोन ब्राउन ने भी भाग लिया i इसका परिणाम क्या रहा ?
कोपनहेगन समेल्लन का परिणाम : -
कोपनहेगन समेल्लन का कोई ठोस परिणाम नहीं निकला परन्तु एक दो- पेज का नोट तैयार हुआ जिसमे ओधोगिक देशों को कार्बन उत्सर्जन को कम करने के लक्ष्यों को सूचीबद्ध करने , सभी देशों को कार्बन उत्सर्जन का अनुश्रवण पारदर्शी तरीके से करने, कम-कार्बन तकनीकी को विकसित करने के साथ साथ पृथ्वी के तापमान में वृद्धी २ डिग्री सेंटीग्रेट से कम करने का आव्हान किया गया था i
कोपेनहेगन समेल्लन का महत्वपूर्ण परिणाम यह था की कम-ओधोगिकृत देशों के लिए १०० बिलियन डालर की राशी का एक "जलवायु परिवर्तन कोष " योजना वर्ष २०२० तक के लिए विकसित करने का निर्णय हुआ i ओधोगिकृत देशों ने प्रारंभिक तोर पर वर्ष २०१० - २०१२ तक के लिए ३० बिलियन डालर का कोष जुटाने पर सहमति व्यक्त की थी
कानकुन समेल्लन में बहस के मुद्दे : -
इस समेल्लन में बहस का मुख्य मुद्दा "जलवायु वित्त" होगा i कम - ओधोगिकृत देशों में इस राशी का बटवारा / वितरण किस आधार पर होना चाहिए? क्या "जलवायु वित्त" की यह वर्तमान राशी पर्याप्त होगी? दूसरा मुद्दा विवादित आर ई ड़ी ड़ी + (रीडाक्सन ओमिसन फ्राम दिफोरेस्तेसन एंड दिग्रेदेसन ) कार्यक्रम का हे i इसमें कम - ओधोगिकृत देशों में आर ई ड़ी ड़ी तथा अ-वनीकरण पर परियोजनाओं के लिए वितीय सहायता हेतु अंतरिम वित् की व्यवस्था करने व् इसे भविष्य में भी जारी रखने पर निर्णय पर बहस होगी I इसके साथ साथ जलवायु परिवर्तन से निपटने के तरीको व वितीय लक्ष्यों से सम्बंधित वैद्धानिक निर्देशों पर विस्तृत चर्चा व सहमति के लिए विशेष कदम उठाए जायेंगे I
अत : २९ नवम्बर से हम सबको उक्त विश्व स्तरीय बहस के प्रत्येक घटनाक्रम पर अपनी नजर विभिन्न अख़बारों , टी वी न्यूज़ , पत्रिकाओं के माध्यम से रखनी है I
मेरा प्रयास होगा की मैं आप सबको उक्त बहस से नियमित रूप से जोड़ कर रखूं तथा अपने स्तर की चर्चा प्रारंभ कर विभिन्न मुद्दों को एक गति प्रदान करने में सहयोग करूँ, आपकी भागीदारी अपेक्षित होगी I
धन्यवाद
आपका
हरीश गेना

A Terrible Night..........

The cold deep night was flourishing with the ashen moonlight and everybody dipped in warm bed with sound sleep in the village Jaswant Nagar. The hush of the night was disturbing sometimes on barking of the street dogs and with the thin screaming yell and yapping by jackals in the dense forest developed on about 70 hectares nearby the village. Since last six years, the forest has been safe shelter place for the jackals and other flora and fauna. Earlier, this large chunk of government revenue land was barren and lay discarded because it was not in use except as stand for the free grazed cattle of the village.
The rhythm of barking and screaming tuned to sound sleep of the villagers suddenly perturbed due to an un-envisaged sound “Khat Khatak ….khat… khat..”. The stillness of the woodland was getting sadden but nobody was bothered as they might thought it was something else than felling trees in the forest. The night was passing and the growing green trees were falling down on the ground. The rabble of about an hundred people was indulging in the felony.
The Jaswant Nagar Primary Farm Forestry Cooperative Society (PFFCS), District Tikamgarh (Madhya Pradesh) has been promoted by IFFDC in 1998 with membership of 47 female and 45 male. 314 hectare barren land has been allotted (not on lease) by the State Govt to the Jaswant Nagar PFFCS for development of forest and forestry activities. IFFDC facilitated and built capacity of the PFFCS members and the community for developing the bio-diverse multipurpose dense forest with 2.04 lakh plants of Acacia catechu, Acacia nilotica, Azadirachta indica, Butea monosperma, Acacia leucophloea, Dyospiros melanoxylon, Tectona grandis, Zyziphus xylopyra, Pongamia pinnata, Dalbergia sisoo, Writia tinctoria etc on three different sites of the village. The forest was protected by the PFFCS which resulted into naturally emergence of many more species of flora and fauna.
By morning the forest converted into fag ends of the incident happened in the night. All the trees altered as wood-lots departed in the village houses and buried in the cowsheds, heaps of the fodder and wooden roofs etc by the thieves. The village community had no words to articulate anyway as they were petrified with the dominant people of the village.
The Chairperson of the PFFCS was former ‘Sarpanch’ (Village Chief) of the village who whole-heartily supported the PFFCS and forestry activities. The incident happened just after the village panchayat’s election in which new ‘Sarpanch’ had been elected. The newly elected ‘Sarpanch’ was willing to be Chairperson of the PFFCS also by virtue of head of the village. But other PFFCS members were not in favour of replacing the existing Chairperson due to his contribution and dedication to the PFFCS.
It was the great defeat to the natural resource developed and nurtured by the villagers since last seven years. But at this point of time, nobody came forward for raising voice against the huge loss. The other activities of the PFFCS had also been impeded and the community members were scared to even cross the destroyed site.
In such adverse circumstances, IFFDC officials intervened and mobilised the women members of the Self Help Groups (SHG). These SHGs were promoted by IFFDC under the umbrella of PFFCS to broaden its reach to the community. A representation was given to the District Collector and Superintendant of Police by a group of 80 women members and briefed about the circumstances. After an inquiry, the offenders were taught a lesson by the police. Now, the other villagers were also extending cooperation to the women members in rescue of the spoiled situation. The PFFCS members joined their hands with the police in recovery of the theft wood from the green criminals.
Every bit of the theft wood was recovered and collected at PFFCS office within two days. The wood was sold out by the PFFCS and money generated was again used in re-planting the destroyed site. The community contributed as voluntary labour and IFFDC extended some financial help for rejuvenation of the site. Now, the shattered site again converted into the dense green forest. The real of barren piece of land took six years for converting into green forest which ruined out in a night only and again flourished as green in Six years is stuck in the mind of the community. Nobody now is even thought for recurrence the terrible real again in their village.

Endangered ‘Charas’

(May it be blend with drip irrigation technique?)

The first impression of the word ‘Charas’ usually comes in mind is the intoxicant made with opium. But, ‘Charas’ had very close relation with the farmers particularly in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, and Western Uttar Pradesh. In India, It is also known as “mohte” and it has a bucket made of leather or rubber, with a hole in its bottom which is held closed by a flap which is pulled tight by a second rope harnessed to the animals. The new generation in these states may not aware much about it because ‘Charas’ is now disappeared from the life of rural area.
‘Charas’ was the age old traditional implement/method of lifting water from the well for irrigating the farm lands. It is a leather bucket with one to two meter trunk at the lower portion called ‘Sund’. The upper portion ties with a thick iron ring (thickness of the ring is about 2-3 inches and circumference is about 4-5 feet) with four spokes. The upper portion of the ‘charas’ is joined with a thick rope known as ‘Lao’ and the ‘sund’ is attached with a comparatively thin rope called ‘Hindoriya’.
It was used in arid and semi-arid regions where water not abundantly available with a regular underground flow. A Pair of bullock fastens together at their necks with a rectangular shaped wooden hand-made system called ‘panjhali’ requires to pull the ‘charas’. Both the ropes viz; ‘lao’ and ‘hondoriya’ lash with the ‘panjali’ to pull the ‘charas’ full of water. When the ‘charas’ is dropped into well become heavy with water and the string draw become tight. The bullock pulls the ‘charas’ up by ropes over wooden pulleys. The way in which the bullock walks for pulling is a kind of ramp which allows the bullocks some mechanical advantage. The pulley fixed at the rim of the well is known as ‘Bhun’ and other 2 – 3 pulleys fixed depending on the length of the ramp are called ‘Bhunies’. The Mugal Emperor Babar minced no word while describing the ‘charas’ method of irrigation, he wrote “This is a labourious and filthy method, noting when at the end of ramp the bullocks turn back, the rope was lying in the path and it got filthy before it was dropped again into the well”. Use of ‘Bhunies’ helps in easy pulling of ‘charas’ and also prevent the rope from become filthy during the ‘charas’ irrigation process.
When the charas filled with water reaches at height as the wells rim, it rest on a stony tray, the gathering ropes slackens and water pours out for irrigation. Then, the bullocks back again in back gear to fill it with water. While pulling the ‘charas’, the farmer used to ride on the rope to increase tension because the charas is shaped like funnel and its bottom must be kept tout until the pocket is above the ground.
The ‘charas’ irrigation as usual chores had been observed in the villages during seventies and eighties but in nineties it started disappearing due to replacement by motor pumps and diesel pumps. In those days, particularly in the winter season, the newlyweds couples found in the fields for irrigating the crops. The husband and wife were not talk together publically. While operating the ‘charas’, the husband used to communicate with his wife through folk songs and the wife used to reply/communicate also through folk songs while operating hand flour mill (Chakki) early in the morning ( 4 -5 A.M.). The path-passers from other villages used to take some rest at such wells and discussed their agriculture, social and other aspects to know each other.
Now the scenario has been changed, the ‘charas’ alongwith the folk songs have been moved out. It is only in the memories of the old crop of the farming community. Instead of ‘charas, now they are being found in the queues at petrol pumps to buy diesel and at electricity office to deposit bill and making complains regarding power cut/failure.
It is an economic means of irrigation which a marginal or small farmer can maintain easily. Can it be conserve through blending the technique with drip irrigation method in the scenario of climate change??

Development of Unsaturated Green Cushion for Carbon Absorption

Out of many options to fight with the climate change, development of green cushion through afforestation all over the country with various forestry models viz Agroforestry, Silvi-pastoral culture, Agro-horticulture, community forestry, Farm Forestry, Reserved forests etc is seems to be the important option. Recently, we came to know that the existing tree cover and oceans are saturated to absorb more carbon from the atmosphere. Now, the call for raising new forests/tree covers in the virgin areas like desert in Rajasthan alongwith protection and management of the existing forests/tree covers has emerged. The new areas to be put under tree cover or forest is again an issue that where in India?
Indian eyes seem to be rerouting on deserts regions of the country. A large chunk of desert is lying vacant (without vegetation) having very few population density and about 200mm average annual rainfall. Indian desert is spread over 0.32million Sq KMs area, does not have population pressure but water scarcity is the main problem. Nature provided there the typical vegetation species to survive in the water scarce conditions which are the source of livelihood of the desert communities. Due to continuous exploitation of the so called available vegetation, many precious species of desert like Fog, Rohida (desert teak) etc are now becoming endangered. The exotic species like Accacia tortolis and Prosopis juliflora spreading either sides of “Indira Canal” through various forestry projects developed green coverage in the area but impacting adversely on the desert ecology. The integrated efforts for development of forests with indigenous species and appropriate techniques befitting to the desert area will certainly enhance the desert ecology and increase green cushion of the country and contribute into climate change mitigation in the coming future.

Green Cushion Development in Bundelkhand

The Bundelkhand region is known as rich in its history of bravery, typical culture and social system but very poor in term of economic growth, livelihood options status and development pace. Since independence, the region is being neglected by the policy makers and the planners in considering its particular needs of integrated development which may be due to many reasons but it remains far behind in comparison to the development of other regions.
Bundelkhand region is governs by two states having different priorities of developmental needs may be the one reason amongst many. Degradation of natural resources is the main cause of poverty in the region which upshot into high seasonal migration rate of people in search of their livelihood. Such migration may provide two time food to a person but not the shelters and other basic amenities which he has the right to avail.
Besides the government, many efforts have been made by the other agencies also in the direction of development of the Bundelkhand region and some of them are considerably visible, needs to upscale further to have long term impact in the region to deal with natural resources. An example of development of green cushion in the Bundelkhand region has been created by Indian Farm Forestry Development Cooperative Ltd. (IFFDC) through cooperative model.
In Sagar, Tikamgarh and Chhattarpur districts of Bundelkhand region, 37 Primary Farm Forestry Cooperative Societies have been established with legal status by organising more than 4000 landless, marginal and small farmers and farm women as members in these forestry cooperatives. These members are the stakeholders and endeavouring for conserving the degraded natural resources to develop green cushion in the area. More than 6200 hectares revenue wasteland has been now converted into lush green multipurpose forests with appropriate soil water conservation techniques having more than 38-50 lakh trees by these forestry cooperatives to caters to the needs of fuel wood, fodder, timber and other Non Timber Forest Produces (NTFP) of the rural community on sustainable basis.
The forests being managed by the forestry cooperatives are gradually converting into biodiversity hubs in the region and producing approx 5000 MT grass, reducing soil erosion about 31415 MT and sequestrating 4712 MT Carbon dioxide per year. In addition, It generated 13.53 lakh workdays employment and helped in minimising migration of the rural community.
Such models needs to be replicated and up scaled throughout the region for integrated development of Bundelkhand without considering the political and state boundaries. The Corporates having CSR mandate can contribute towards replication of such models in the areas like Bundelkhand for restoring the fragile ecology and enhance resilience to climate change.