Sustainable Agriculture India Project #6265

Teaching Sustainable Agriculture to Youth

by VOICE Trust

Teaching Sustainable Agriculture to Youth

Project Report | Jan 24, 2013
"Biodiverse Agri Trainings 1500 Youth Project#6265

By Jecintha | Managing Trustee

Implemented By: VOICE Trust, a non-profit social service organization from Tiruchirappalli District,

State of Tamil Nadu, India.

Collaborated By: Global Giving, Washington D.C., USA.

Supported By: Friends of Earth in India, USA and Worldover.

Special Activity from October 2012 to January 2013

Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India said in his Victory Speech in 1947: “EVERYTHING ELSE CAN WAIT BUT NOT AGRICULTURE”.

But, today, more than one third of agricultural lands are sold for other than agricultural purposes as seen from News clip of The Hindu Daily of January 17, 2013 (Scanned and attached).

It is not only fertile farmlands that are being sold but also the rainfed drylands (over two thirds of cultivable land in India) are up for quick sale in VOICE work villages. VOICE Trust has been cautioning stakeholders about this grave danger.

Efforts to save agriculture is continuing through Project #6265 under Global Giving – VOICE Trust collaboration from October 2010. This is possible only because of supports from Friends of Earth in India, USA and Worldover. A big “THANK YOU” for your help and cooperation.

VOICE Trust is now concentrating on Plant Protection through Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Efforts are on to move to Integrated Farming Systems (IFS). Specific steps are taken in Chilli Crops for effective pest control (Photos of IPM in Chilli in Thuraiyur Area are attached).

But, it is not easy to continue SAVE AGRICULTURE Programs without your support. Hence, VOICE Trust appeals to you for specific supports fund here below:

Strengthening Youth in Agriculture in 150 work village of VOICE Trust through Working Capital supports to 150 Youth Groups at Rs.5000/- per village (around 100 US $).
Introducing IPM (Integrated Pest Management), ICM (Integrated Crop Management) and IFS (Integrated Farming Systems) at Rs.20000/- per village (around 400 US $).

N.B.: 1. Other supports what VOICE Trust had asked for in September 2010 Open Challenge are continuing to apply besides the above specific needs. More needs are there too like equipments and Team Transportation facilities for SAVE AGRICULTURE Programs.

2. But, right now VOICE Trust is not able to even meet the basic expenditure for the project, because there are no regular supports from most of you. It will be difficult to manage Project #6265 from February 2013.

Hence, VOICE Trust wants to know from you what your decision to continue supports for Project #6265. Please let us know whether VICE Trust can continue Project #6265 from April 2013, the new Financial Year for people in India. Kindly inform your views.

With Best Wishes,

Yours sincerely,

(Mrs. A. Jecintha)

Attachments:

2 Attachments

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Oct 25, 2012
Followups with 2 women under Project #6265

By Mrs. A.Jecintha | Managing Trustee, VOICE Trust

Greetings from VOICE Trust.

After winning the Global Giving September 2010 Open Challenge, VOICE Trust started to impart Biodiverse Agri Trainings to Youth in 150 work villages.

After completing the coverage of over 1500 Youth in the first year. Now, the focus in on Follow-up Encounters to strengthen agriculture as a viable economic activity and also as a nature centric creativity to save agriculture. To start with, there are 2 case studies:

1) Ms. Mekala of C.R. PALAYAM Village, Mannachanallur Union, Trichy District. State of Tamil Nadu, southern India: Rotation of crops adapted. During Kariff Season, paddy is grown. During Rabi season, blackgram, pulses and millets grown. For 8 months in a year, there is cropping. She is happy to work in the field and earn her livelihood. She has 2 months for summer ploughing and seed treatment. The rest of 2 months, she concentrates on village festivals and social functions (Photos attached).

2) Ms. Bhuvaneswari, Thidir Nagar, Siruganur Panchayat, Trichy District: Low input agriculture techniques followed by her by growing short duration fodder crops and ploughing them back into the soil for enhancing soil fertility. She is saving increasing expenses used by others for fertilizers. She says that such natural manures enhance large scale multiplication of beneficiary microorganisms. (Photos attached)

3) The International Conference on Biodiversity held in Hyderabad, India was referred to rural Youth for emphasizing the need for more serious steps to survive agriculture through Biodiversity Conservation. (News Paper clippings scanned and attached).

Special Note: It is a difficult task to attract Youth into agriculture. VOICE Team is fighting for this important activities. Hence, your help is sought after through Global Giving.

Yours affectionately,

(Mrs. A. Jecintha)

Managing Trustee/ VOICE Trust

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Jun 18, 2012
Consolidated Report on Project#6265

By Mr.A. GREGORY | Project Director

Consolidated Report on Project#6265

(“Bio-diverse Agri Trainings to 1500 youth every Year”)

for the period ending May 2012

Introduction:

VOICE Trust is a non-profit social service organization (NGO) from Trichy District, State of Tamil Nadu, India.

Registered in 1985.
Approved by Government of India under FCRA.
Tax exempted under 12A and 80G.

Focus activities are Eco farming, environmental protection and empowerment of disadvantaged people including Disabled without any discrimination.

Background for Project 6265:

Mrs. A. Jecintha, Managing Trustee of VOICE Trust got introduced to Global Giving. VOICE Trust was included for 2010 September Open Challenge. 69 Donors contributed $ 4135.

Justification for Project 6265:

Agriculture is the lifeline for all in the community by giving food for all, by enhancing environment for all and by providing employment for over half of population.

But, modern trends are leading to stopping of agriculture due to increasing cost of production, decreasing yield cum economic returns and lack of work force.

The major problem is alienation of youth from agriculture. Hence, VOICE Trusts proposal to Global Giving for training 1500 youth every year in Bio-diverse Agriculture.

Activities so-far:

200 youth introduced to Bio-diverse Agri Trainings in November 2010.
665 youth imparted skills in Bio-diverse Agriculture in February 2011.
93 youth in 2 villages, (Siruganur and Sanamangalam) in March 2011.
1295 youth given agri trainings from April to July 2011 in 15 Villages.
Concentrated on 647 youth in Sikkathambur, Kottathur Villages in August 2011.
Continued agri trainings for 742 youth in 8 villages from March 2012 onwards.

Why agriculture?

Agriculture is needed since it gives food for all, protects environment for all and provides jobs for half of population.

What agriculture:

Multiple cropping can achieve climate adaptation by using Bio-diverse Agri Techniques.

Bio-diverse Agriculture means:

Growing many species both for food needs and for environmental protection.

Role of youth for continuing agriculture:

Youth have the vigor to pursue agriculture with skills in biodiversity conservation. Youth power alone can sustain agriculture in modern times.

Training for youth in Bio diverse Agriculture:

Works stared in October 2010 following selection of VOICE Trust in Global Giving September 2010 Open Challenge. So far 3642 youth have been trained in Project #6265.

A great project has been started Happy to inform you that 3642 youth have been trained in 2 years of project. Thank you once again for your timely help.

Appeal for supports from July 2012 onwards:

Another 1500 youth will be trained in Bio diverse Agriculture from July 2012 to June 2013. We need your help to meet following expenses:

Cultural Programs to convince farming communities for continuing Bio- diverse Agriculture in 150 villages. $ 60 per village is needed.
Honorarium and Travel Allowance for 2 Staff (1 Man and 1 Woman) at $ 300 per person per month.
Administrative expenses at $ 150 per month for program managements.

ONLY WITH YOUR HELP THIS PROJECT CAN CONTINUE. PLEASE DONATE NOW.

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