Our latest report from the field focuses on projects in horticulture promotion and a livestock treatment camp, all with the effect of improving access to adequate food, water, and income.

With your support, efforts have continued in promoting horticulture as a supplementary income-generation activity while also helping to reduce erosion. Some farmers took interest and created demonstration plots in villages; these units have attracted interest in adopting horticulture by community members. During the last reporting period, communities implemented 40 units of 800 fruit trees Horticulture is focused on desert-appropriate fruit trees such as the ber (desert plum), goonda (a local citrus fruit), lemon and pomegranate.

A constant challenge in the project area has been widespread disease among livestock. The problem is made worse due to lack of veterinary facilities in the villages. In response, Sahyog was able to set up seasonal animal camps for check-ups, treatment and immunizations. The veterinary hospital of Lasaidya offered collaboration in this camp project. 4 such animal camps were organized in remote, interior locations of the project area.

On a recent trip to Udaipur, India, IDEX Communications Director, Gillian Wilson, visited IDEX partner Sahyog Sansthan to learn how rural communities are adapting to climate change and mitigating its impact.

Heera Lal Sharma, the founder and Executive Director of Sahyog was my guide. Heera Lal knows the area around Udaipur well; he was raised here, and understands the importance of sustainable agriculture methods.

Sahyog encourages vermiculture, a composting method using earthworms to create rich, organic soil. Sahyog has started a number of vermiculture projects and provides training and funds to initiate vermiculture. The soil produced enriches the land, fertilizes crops, and improves the soil’s ability to retain moisture. Even during drought years, crops grown with soil from vermiculture produce greater yields.

I met with three Self-Help Groups. In each case I saw how fulfilling water needs was the priority. Sahyog does this in two ways; they renovate wells and they build bunds or berms to control the flow of water and irrigate crops.

During the monsoon, soil becomes waterlogged, collapsing the walls of the well rendering it useless. Sahyog works with SHGs to renovate wells. They insist that the SHG contribute at least 25% of the costs, plus labor. Sahyog and the local government fund the rest. Sahyog’s goal is to build relationships between communities and government and ensure everyone is a stakeholder in the renovation.

To improve crop irrigation Sahyog analyzes the terrain and identifies the best location to build bunds. Bunds are dams, usually foot-high mounds of earth and small rock that run the width and length of fields. They are multi-purpose and slow the flow of the rainwater and minimize erosion by containing the topsoil. But the dams are carefully constructed to allow water to seep through the rocks, and onto other communities. This method of water harvesting ensures nothing is wasted.

With your support IDEX has funded a number of such projects. At Bharave Village, I was shown the newly renovated well and bridge across the fields. The bridge also operates as a levee during the monsoon. Women and children pointed happily at the well and told me they could now drink fresh water.

I was really impressed by everything Heera Lal showed me. Then we went to the community of Kundai, which completely blew me away. At Kundai there are no incremental changes. This community has completely adopted sustainable agriculture and managed biodiversity without looking back.

Since climate change has begun to take effect, rain has become more irregular. Farmers used to rely on local weather patterns to know when to plant their crops. But climate change renders this knowledge useless. At Kundai they have learned simple, yet effective meteorological practices. They monitor and collect data on rainfall, temperatures and wind and share this with both their local community and the Indian government.

I was introduced to Deepak who lives in Kundai; he showed off the benefits of the program, such as the renovated well, the irrigation channels strategically placed around fields and the diversity of the crops. Kundai farmers are growing plump eggplants, bright chilies, leafy greens, wheat, barley and much more. Close to the well, bamboo and sugar cane were growing. The crops are enough to feed families in Kundai while the bamboo and sugar cane help pay for their children’s schooling.

Kundai is in year three of a five-year project. This was the first year the community had been able to plant their crops. Despite the monsoon in 2008 bringing just half of the expected rainfall, crops were flourishing Deepak was very happy at what they had accomplished so far. It meant he did not have to leave the family and migrate to Udaipur or Delhi to look for work. The family could stay together. His daughter clung to his hand, clearly delighted to know her father was not going anywhere.

Migration is a growing problem. As crops fail, people must move to look for work to feed their families. It was clear to me that sustainable agriculture is not just good for the planet, but also for families and communities who practice it.

Like many IDEX partners, Sahyog works to improve the livelihoods of rural communities. A focus on resource management and sustainable agriculture has helped people better prepare and surmount the growing threats of food and water crises. Water harvesting, vermiculture, and organic agriculture offer viable ways for communities to adapt to, and mitigate, the impact of climate change.

Donate to Sahyog now, through April 28 and in honor of Earth Day (April 22) GlobalGiving will match your donation at 50%. Please share your support of these families with your family and friends.

Through Sahyog’s support and training, 10 new farming families have initiated organic vermicomposting (essentially, fertilizing with worms) on their crops. Sahyog already has 8 well-functioning worm composting units and these new ones are proving to be successful as well!

Vermicomposting units eliminate the need to purchase expensive fertilizers and boost profits as a result. Sahyog also provides technical support in applying the compost to the crops. Using organic fertilizer has both short and long-term benefits for the crops and the participating families.

Vermicomposting helps to rehabilitate the land, which is an extremely important issue in this area. Over the last few decades, the combination of intensifying droughts and deforestation has caused the quality of soil to become extremely degraded. Over time, crop yields have worsened. Improving the soil through this organic method is an effective and sustainable way to conserve the environment and ensure that farming families can grow enough food for themselves and for income.

Sahyog continued it’s impressive growth in 2008, adding sixteen new Self Help Groups in eleven villages. Sahyog currently works with 91 Self Help Groups with a total of 1,320 members, combining for a total savings of $39,632. Forty of these groups are reaching the stage of self-management. Self Help Groups are enabling rural communities to improve their environment and agricultural production, generating long-term, sustainable self-sufficiency.

Over the past year, Sahyog has successfully renovated a total of 33 old wells. The wells are now in full operations and 122 families in 13 villages have access to safe drinking water.

The work involved in renovating wells required construction of parapet walls and lining the irrigation channels.

The wells are the major source of drinking water but they also provide water for irrigation and are critical to the success of crops. The annual monsoon rains replenish the wells, in time to provide water for irrigating the spring harvest.

Thanks to the renovation of wells, farmers will have access to water for irrigating their crops and their family and community members will have access to drinking water.

Since the last progress report, Sahyog Sansthan has been assisting participating communities to increase their income through their horticulture and vermicompost units, a few of the families have already earned an income with these units.

These efforts were carried out in the following way:
•   Sahyog provided training on horticulture and vermicompost to 80 men and women in the village of Bharav. Experts from the College of Technology and Agri-engineering, Agriculture Department in addition to Sahyog’s staff imparted the training.
•   Sahyog offered training in crop production and management to 35 men and women in the village of Bharav, imparted by agriculture experts and the Sahyog team.

As a result:
•   13 families have shown an interest for horticulture and vermicompost.
•   Two vermicompost units were established in the last couple of months in the village of Bharav. A total of 1,120 kg. (2,469 lbs.) of vermicompost was produced; out of which 510 kg. (1,124 lbs.) will be used for this season’s crop and 570 kg (1,257 lbs.) will be stored for the next crop. The 2 families who own the units have sold a total of 40 kg. (88 lbs.) of vermicompost.
•   Organic farming is becoming more practiced in this village.

Sahyog recently carried out an evaluation site visit to families who had received horticulture units in the past two years. During this period, Sahyog has supported 106 families by providing training on planting fruit saplings such as gooseberry, lemon and mangos. Since the past two years has received a good amount of monsoon rain, most of the saplings have survived and are growing. The following results came about:

1) Gooseberry and Lemon: about 68% of what was planted in the past two years has survived
2) Mangos: 83% of mangos planted in the past two years has survived
3) Last year, Sahyog planted 15 saplings to grow coconuts, which have all survived and are currently growing.

Natural Resource Management
Sahyog Sansthan worked with 157 families to support their implementation of a variety of sustainable agriculture, soil improvement, water conservation and livestock management techniques in order to improve crop yields, increase income and protect local ecosystems.

The following results were achieved:

•   66 women were trained in organic agriculture-related subjects such as crop management, horticulture plantation, livestock development and dairy management.
•   Sahyog worked with local families to construct 3 water harvesting structures serving 28 families and 16 hectares of land where potable water accessibility was not available. Now with the access to year-round potable water, the 28 families can harvest good crops every Spring (Rabi) and lessen the food insecurity in these villages.
•   Sahyog assisted 16 families to construct stone checkdams and fencing for soil and water conservation to regenerate 8 hectares of pastureland for animal fodder. Checkdams are successful in retaining the monsoon rains and replenishing the groundwater table. More water available ensures better crops and more time for other activities, which then translates to greater revenues for farmers and improved livelihoods for all.
•   63 members of 7 SHGs were supported by Sahyog for dairy activities. Sahyog facilitated the purchase of 63 cows of good breed for each SHG member. Currently, the milk being produced by these cows are being sold to milk collection centers.
•   42 farmers planted 1,050 saplings of desert-appropriate fruit trees, including lemon, mangoes and coconut seeds.
•   This year, Sahyog trained 5 communities on vermiculture (worm composting). In addition to 3 vermiculture units established in 2005, 8 new vermiculture units are currently being used for improving crop yields. In one particularly successful example, farmers from the villages of Ghodahti and Bharave have not only used the compost in their agriculture but have also sold 350 kg. of compost and worms to fellow farmers in nearby villages.

In order to promote organic farming, Sahyog Sansthan is encouraging its members to farm units of vermiculture. Vermiculture is the management of worms. It defines the thrilling potential for waste reduction, fertilizer production, as well as an assortment of possible uses for the future. Vermiculture enhances the growth of plants that provide food along with producing prosperous and financially rewarding fertilizer.

The worms are accountable for a variety of elements including turning common soil into superior quality. Worms facilitate the amount of air and water that travels into soil. They break down organic matter and when they eat, they leave behind castings that are an exceptionally valuable type of fertilizer.

In the past three months, Sahyog Sansthan has supported the farming of 4 units of vermiculture. Some 10 farmers in Ghodaghati village have shown interest to start new units. Sahyog plans to support them in the upcoming month.

The pastureland developed in Patliya village in India has benefited people and they harvested 6000 bundles of grass (6000 kg) this year. This is being used for their cattle. This is essential as an animal's diet can have a profound influence on the nutrient content of its products. Grass-fed cows will tend to produce leaner meat with healthier fats such as omega-3 fatty acids. At the same time, harvesting grass minimizes soil erosion and reduces leaching (the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil, due to rain and irrigation).

During this reporting period two new pastures have been identified in Godaghati and Manpuriya Ka Guda village for development. The plans are being finalized for implementation. The work will be carried out in May and June 2007.

Sahyog Sansthan is promoting their vermicompost program, as part of promoting organic farming in their communities. Vermicompost is the end product of the breakdown of organic matter by some species of earthworm. Vermicompost is a nutrient-rich, natural fertilizer and soil conditioner. The earthworm species that is used for vermicompost adapt to the special conditions in rotting vegetation, compost and manure piles.

The organization has facilitated the initiative to start four vermicompost units in Ghodaghati and Bharave villages. Vermicompost is being produced and being used for Rabi (Fall) crops.

Discussions are currently being held in the village meetings, where 10 farmers will be identified to participate in vermicompost training to build 10 more vermicompost units.

Since December 2006, Sahyog is working with 66 SHGs with 1,026 members of which over 70% are women. In their latest report, Sahyog has coordinated six monthly project meetings from July to December 2006. The average attendance has been 50 men and women. These meetings provide opportunities for SHG members to discuss savings and loan repayments, to share experiences and to also raise issues that concern their communities.

Sahyog has also facilitated, at least, six trainings for 60 to 100 participants in income-generating skills, organizational skills, SHG management and microcredit. Sahyog’s staff also received training to improve their project monitoring skills and document management.

In their natural resource management activities, Sahyog is in the process of constructing four water harvesting structures. They are currently performing a feasibility study for seven proposed sites for these structures. Sahyog is also preparing an action plan to develop fencing and soil water conservation measures for 20 hectares of land. Sahyog has also promoted horticulture among its members and in December 2006 a total of 61 families have planted 857 Aonla trees (Indian gooseberry), 704 lemon trees and 19 mango trees.

During the last six months, Udaipur received more rainfall than average, which caused damage to crops, houses and irrigation wells. Also people became infected with diseases on a large scale. Sahyog decided to implement mobile treatment camps in remote villages by mobilizing support from the health department and other agencies.

Based in Rajasthan, in northwestern India, Sahyog Sansthan works with tribal groups in the most arid regions of the state. Those regions are ones that had rich forests and productive land conducive to agriculture and livestock rearing but which have deteriorated since unchecked logging began when India gained independence in 1947. As the forest dwindled, soil erosion, and the loss of water and rainfall, among other issues, intensified. Sahyog has been working with communities to redevelop land through organic fertilizing methods, water harvesting, and planting of trees. To date, Sahyog has assisted communities to reclaim some 1,000 hectares of land that now serves as an ongoing source of food production when managed sustainably. Soil regeneration projects are supported through community investments of cash and donations of labor, combined with investments by Sahyog and its funders.

Other activities include sustainable horticulture and livestock rearing initiatives – activities run by women. Strategic purchases are made with loans issued from women’s Self Help Groups, which save collectively. In total, approximately 250 communities have been served with Sahyog’s assistance.

Activities conducted by Sahyog Sansthan:
•   Self Help Groups (SHGs) – assistance with formation and management of SHGs. SHGs are typically composed of 15 – 20 women per group for the purposes of fostering collective savings and loan issuance at affordable rates for income-generating purposes.
•   Soil improvement programs
•   Water harvesting structures
•   Livestock rearing
•   Two health education camps for preventative care and treatment

Self Help Groups (SHGs)
Sahyog assisted 49 existing SHGs to strengthen their management systems, while assisting with the formation of 20 new SHGs. Trainings included records management, bank linkage development, and monthly leadership meetings for SHG representatives to exchange ideas to increase effectiveness. Regrettably, 10 SHGs of the 49 existing SHGs have become defunct over the year.

Water resource development
Four water-harvesting structures were constructed serving 53 families. Those families now have year-round potable water, saving families (especially women) the labor associated with gathering water from long distances, sparing families of water-borne disease for all concerned, and gaining reliable irrigation for small-scale horticulture projects.

Pastureland development
Sahyog assisted 42 families to construct stone checkdams and fencing for soil and water conservation to regenerate 26 hectares of pastureland for animal fodder.

Horticulture promotion
60 farmers in 10 villages planted 1,725 saplings of desert-appropriate fruit trees.

Vermicomposting
Two trainings on vermiculture were offered to two communities. Vermiculture is the use of earthworm pits for organic soil fertilizing.

Livestock rearing
Sahyog offered two animal treatment and management camps in two villages serving 717 animals. Members of SHGs were able to purchase 50 good breed animals. Two milk collection centers were set up. The cooperative centers provide a reliable avenue for the members to sell their milk and get the right price (based on the fat content). The cooperative then pasteurizes and packages the milk at their central plant and sells it at nearby urban centers.

A complete update of the progess so far is available in the document "Update from Sahyog Sansthan".

Attachments:

• Update from Sahyog Sansthan (DOC)