Overview of Project

South Odisha Development Initiative (SODI) is a networking of 7 likeminded NGOs (Madhyam Foundation, RCDC, OPDSC, Pragati, Harsha Trust, Pradan, and Chetna Organic Farmers Association) having track record of successful interventions in South Odisha. Madhyam Foundation, Bhubaneswar is the Convener of SODI network. The six NGO partners of SODI network, such as Madhyam Foundation, RCDC, OPDSC, Pragati, Harsha Trust and COFA initiated a project with the financial support from National Rural livelihood Mission (NRLM), Government of India and Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT), Mumbai to implement a Mahila Kishan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) programme for improving the livelihood security of 13, 200 women farmers (including 1200 landless farmers) of Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri. This region, dominated by tribal population and located adjacent to each other, is one of the most backward pockets of the country. NRLM provided 75% of the project cost and SDTT supported balance 25% project cost.

The main focus of the project is to ensure food security of the target group, enhance household level income and promote strong, vibrant community based institutions of the women farmers for improving their collective bargaining power vis-à-vis the government and the market forces. For achieving this, we plan to undertake a host of activities such as soil health improvement, seed treatment, seed production and seed preservation, SRI cultivation, cultivation of pulses, millet, vegetable cultivation and backyard nutrition garden, (yam and tapioca) promoting organic cultivation, creating a cadre of local community service providers, promotion and strengthening of SHGs and co-operatives of women farmers, capacity building of women farmers etc.

Madhyam Foundation a legal holder of the project would receive fund from NRLM and Tata Trust and then channelize to respective partner NGOs. A robust monitoring system would be set up to collect data in a uniform manner and a Peer Review would be introduced to ensure quality in implementation and promote cross learning among partners.

RCDC, as a member of SODI network is implementing Mahila Kishan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) for livelihood security of 2200 women farmers of Muniguda and Gunupur blocks of Rayagada district, Odisha.

Goals

Improved life quality of women farmers and their households in south Odisha

Vision of Success

Ensure a life with dignity through promotion of context-specific livelihoods and empower community based organizations in enhancing their collective bargaining power vis-à-vis the State and the market forces.

Project Area

• District : Rayagada
• Block : Muniguda and Gunupur
• Gram Panchayat : Sagda, Puttasingh, Jaltar, Talna (Gunupur Block) and Kumudabahali and Telengapadar (Muniguda Block)

Total Budget

Government of India NRLM provides 75% of the project budget and SDTT Mumbai supports 25% of the project cost.

• Total Budget : Rs. 2, 85, 37,695
• Support from NRLM : Rs. 2, 14, 03, 271.25
• Support from SDTT : Rs. 7, 13, 4, 423.75

Specific Intervention

• SRI : 2,000 households having less than 2 acres of land.
• Vegetable Cultivation : 1,000 household having less than 2 acres of land
• Pulses : 1350 household having less than 2 acres of land
• Millet : 1333 HH having less than 2 acres of land
• Tuber Crop : 2,200 (2000 small and marginal farmers and 200 land less families)
• Goat Rearing : 200 land less households (having land less than 1 acre or having only homestead land.)

Project Results

• Context-specific sustainable livelihood practices promoted by harnessing existing resources
• Food security ensured for all the targeted households by the end of the project period.
• Household level income increased at least by Rs. 15,000 – 20,000 per annum at the end of the project period.
• 70% - 80% Kharif crop and 30% net sown area of Rabi crop protected at all targeted household level.
• 70% - 80% of eligible targeted households accessed MGNREGA and other Food and social security schemes of the government.
• Self-managed and self-owned community based institutions( SHGs and Co-operatives) created and collective bargaining power of all targeted women farmers vis-à-vis State and market enhanced significantly
• A strong cadre of 44 Community Resource Persons becomes available at local level for providing handholding support to women farmers.

Some Key Project Outputs

• Profiling of 2200 rural women farmers (small and marginal farmers/tribal/scheduled caste households) will be done.
• 183 producer groups will be promoted & strengthened
• 2 nos of producer cooperative   will be registered
• 2000 Mahila Kisan will undertake paddy cultivation through SRI
• 1000 Mahila Kisan will be promoted vegetable cultivation with organic ways
• 200  land less a Mahila Kisan undertaken backyard goat rearing twice
• 44 no of CRP will be undertaken training on promotion and effective management of producer groups
• 44 no of CRPs will be trained on integrated training on backyard goat rearing
• 44 No of CRPs will be trained  on Integrated Framing on millet cultivation
• 44 No of Para CRPs will be trained  Integrated Framing on improved practice of Pulses cultivation
• 2 sets of computer will be supported to 12 cooperative (one each)
• 2 nos of soil testing kits will be supported to 12 Producer organization
• 2200 women famers will be supported with seeds of Tapioca & Yam
• 2000 hand hoe will be supported as drudgery reduction tool
• 2000 improved sickle  will be supported to 5500 women farmers as drudgery reduction tool
• 2000 organic manure & pesticides  preparation kits  supported to 1200 Mahila kisans
• 12000 hand wider  supported to 12000 Mahila Kisahans as drudgery reduction tool
• 2200 hand sparayers will be supported to each Mahilakissans as drudgery reduction tool
• 1000 women farmers will get grant support  to create “O” energy cool chamber
•  334 Madva  wider will be supported to 167 SHGS @ 2per each group as drudgery reduction tool
• 8 soil testing kits will be supplied
• Rs.15000/- grant  support will be made to each producer group
• Base line survey will be done for 2200 women farmers
• End line survey will be done for 1100 women farmers
• One midterm evaluation will be done(independent evaluation study)
• 20 public information disclosure  will be made (wall painting, wall construction and painting of information board & hoarding)
• 3 no of Social audit will be organized   three years