“Once I was a labourer at other’s field, now I am an employer for 10 workers at my own field and my family is now getting 100% organic food and children are getting the education they always admired.”

-Dwarika Ji, Kailash Nagar Village, Bahraich of Uttar Pradesh farming

“Once I was a man who used to beat his wife and children after getting drunk and I did several such things that made sinful chapters in the history but I am now a proud farmer who has grown the crops that got awarded with a State level award “Kisan Utpadakta Samman Puraskar” for extraordinary production which has set a benchmark in the area in the matter of quantity of crops produced in a small amount of land”.

-Geeta Prasad from Nai Basti Village.

Thanks to the ‘Swavlamban’ Initiative

‘Swavlamban’, is a program by the NGO DEHAT. While working exclusively with the vulnerable and deprived community, DEHAT has found that for more than 80% families, agriculture is the only way to transform their lives. Yet somehow these families cannot make it due to lack of technical knowledge, financial aid, and the support of government stakeholders. Many did not know such communities exist. Believing that good farming techniques and government stakeholder’s support can completely change the lives of thousands of children, DEHAT came up with this innovative solution called ‘Swavlamban’.

Facts and Figures of Crisis:

‘Swavlamban’ is active in a block consisting of 11 villages. These comprise of 4 Tribal villages, 4 Forest Villages, and 3 revenue villages of Mihinpurwa block in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh. The total population of these villages is 8754. There are 991 families of 7 forest villages of Traditional Forest Dwelling communities in the area deprived of all kind of citizen rights.

What the ‘Swavlamban’ Initiative addresses

Lost institutional sources of livelihoods: Sources of livelihoods and all became closed due to the forest and wildlife protection acts. Availability of wages : They are unable to work throughout the year. About 25% of the target group is of Turmeric and Chili cultivators. But due to lack of a marketing facility, they are forced to sell the product at just 30-40% of the market rates. Agriculture and agriculture-based wage : The women of Dalit and other backward communities generally work as agricultural labour. This daily wage work is not available regularly. At peak harvest season, they have at most 15-18 work days. This goes down further when it is not crop season. Since they have a little land holding, they are unable to produce rice and wheat through the entire year. The men also work in the fields. During the off-season, they find temporary jobs in the towns nearby. They are deprived of opportunities for starting alternate means of livelihood at the local level. The nearest “Artificial Insemination Center” for cattle is located at a distance of 70 km in Nanpara. Lack of marketing links for milk and vegetables No access to credit facilities, irrigation facilities, Govt. Agriculture and Horticulture Schemes Organic Manure

How does ‘Swavlamban’ work?

DEHAT has identified and adopted 1000 farmers who were having less than average land holdings or were using other’s farm.

‘Swavlamban’ aims to improve the livelihoods of farmers like Geeta and Dwarika and their families through progressive farming that decreases input costs, increases production, connects them with financial networks, and takes full advantage of government assistance.

Swavlamban targets the problem of poverty in a context where as many as 80% of families survive by means of subsistence farming. Advanced farming practices with the help of progressive government schemes offer farmers the promise of better standards of living. But, in remote and underprivileged communities agriculture workers are still not reaching their full potential. Swavlamban seeks to educate farmers about these practices and government programs in order to propel them towards a future of dignity and a better living for them and their families.

Consistent and adequate income empowers individuals and creates a better home environment where children are more likely to experience all of their rights.

Core Strategies

Change in traditional practices and farmer’s behaviour, decreasing drudgery, input costs, and losses. Develop local agriculture experts within the community. Inter-sectoral coordination. Maximum leverage of Govt. agricultural and horticultural schemes directly to the farmers. Connect with financial networks.

Steps Adopted

Vegetable and spice growing: Growth of 22 varieties of vegetables with scientific techniques like raised bed nursery, line sowing, use of homemade micro nutrients and pesticides, etc. Promotion of cash crops: Promoted with value addition. Turmeric, Chili, Banana are the main cash crops being promoted. Fruit cultivation: Introduced tissue culture Banana farmin…