[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]ENHANCING LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES IN ECO-FRAGILE MOUNTAINOUS TRIBAL AREAS
(Enhancing Livelihood Opportunities in Eco-Fragile Mountainous Tribal Areas through Improved Agricultural Package of Practices in Low Volume and High Value Organic Crops of Pulses & Spices in Rainfed and Irrigated Pockets of Selected 10 Villages in Kalsi and Chakrata Blocks of District Dehradun of Uttarakhand)
BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT
The project will demonstrate the viability of agricultural system through improved scientific package of practices in selected low volume and high value organic crops in Tribal villages of Kalsi and Chakrata Blocks of District Dehradun of Uttarakhand by adequate pre and post harvest scientific package of practices in protected cultivation of organic Pulses and Spices to be grown on farmer’s fields in irrigated as well as rainfed conditions.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
• Improve the living standard of community/women and reducing drudgery through cultivating high value crops in compact area.
• Up-scaling small and marginal Tribal farmers for organic cultivation in open and poly house condition, post harvesting and value addition for better prices.
• Establish 10 demonstrative poly houses in selected villages for raising nurseries for selected crops and 90 poly tunnels to each beneficiary to get quality planting material available at appropriate growing period.
• Establish the seed bank and agro service centers in the project villages for providing agriculture inputs to the farmers.
• Demonstrate and disseminate the good agriculture practices for organic farming by establishing 90 vermi compost pits and developing bio pesticides and insecticides.
• Establish technical support system for value addition such as sorting, grading, processing, packaging, branding and marketing through formation of CBOs/SHGs.
COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT
Under the project, 10 SHGs will be formed in 10 villages covering nearly 90 tribal families/women for cultivation of pulses and spices. They will be given training and exposure for production and value addition and also for savings and funds management. Similarly, the training on polyhouse fabrication and maintenance will also be imparted through installing demonstrative polyhouse in each village. The beneficiaries will be given partial assistance for installing their own polyhouse/polytunnel and will be supplied high quality new varieties of seeds and planting material.
The market linkages will be made with nearby mandies viz. Sahia and Vikas Nagar. Farm gate assured market will also be provided by HIFEED by developing backward and forward linkages with external marketing agencies like TRIFED, Mother Dairy, and Corporate Retailers etc. Meanwhile the pulses and spices grown under organic conditions will be accredited through Uttarakhand Organic Commodity Board (UOCB) for making value addition in terms of prices. In addition, the farmers will be provided training on cleaning, grading, packaging and storage for all crops to make value addition of commodities.
The programme will ensure the 50% of total produce will be reserved for seed purpose. Therefore the better/higher prices will be guaranteed through (i) cultivation under organic practices and (ii) sale of produce for seed purpose.
TARGET AREA AND TARGET GROUPS OF THE PROJECT
The targeted area of the project is limited to 10 villages of Kalsi and Chakrata Blocks of District Dehradun. The target groups/beneficiaries are comprised the more vulnerable groups which constitute mainly of the Schedule Tribes with the objective of assisting them to move out of poverty.
FUNDING AGENCY
The project is funded by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, New Delhi.
COST OF THE PROJECT
The project was sanctioned by DST during the year 2014. Total cost of the project sanctioned by DST for three years was Rs. 22,48,000.00
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