Teaching farming to over 1,000 families in India

In January, one of our trustees, Yasmine, travelled to Kolkata to witness the impact of our Agri-Management programme at first hand.  Yasmine joined our board of trustees in the UK in May 2017 having recently retired as Chairman of Shell Companies in India (click here for biogs of all our trustees) and this was her first opportunity to visit the field team in India and meet some of our farmers.

At the board meeting following her visit, she gave this account to her fellow board members:

"When you sit around this table and try to imagine what life is like for some of the world's very poorest people, it's hard.  I'm from India so have been to rural villages before and this visit brought it all back to me - these are really, really poor people. And yet, a simple programme like ours can change their lives considerably.  Not by our standards but in rural Bengal these small changes make a big impact.  Having access to a private toilet for example, or electricity.  Seeing our farmers get access to these things really puts what we are doing into perspective. For me seeing is believing. I have to say, seeing the impact of the AMS farming programme was absolutely amazing. I cannot stress it enough. I could see the fields that had been subject to chemical fertilisers compared to the ones our farmers are working, using the techniques we have shown them, with organically produced fertilisers and pesticides. And the vegetables in those fields were healthier and bigger and growing faster. It was there, in front of my very eyes. 

Back in the office in Kolkata, we had many discussions about how we can commercialise the programme so that our farmers are able to sell their wonderful produce for the best prices, locally and in new markets further afield. The team in India are investigating a few possibilities including working with a supplier in Delhi who has set up a business to deliver Bengali products to the diaspora there. This is a very exciting development. I’m confident that we can link our farmers to a supply chain like this to build their business for long-term sustainability.”

As the year comes to an end, we have been reflecting on the outcomes of the programme and the impact it is having on the lives of our farmers.  The best way to tell the story of AMS is through the voices of our beneficiaries and the team who are working with them.  Here is what they have told us in 2017:

AMS teaches good farming practice and helps increase crop yield

Monajat: “I have definitely seen an improvement in yield and my input costs are down too.  All this means extra money for the whole family and a better life for our children which makes me very happy.”

Learning how to make cheap bio-pesticides and fertilisers is better for the soil than expensive chemicals.

Keyamat Ali: “I am cultivating a small piece of leased land. Farming is my only source of income and I have large family to provide for, with two school age children.  I registered with Shivia so that I could learn how to reduce my farming expenses and produce better quality outputs (onions, gourd and aubergines to date). I am definitely seeing good results compared to previous years and have learned how to make bio-pesticides.  My ambition is to become the proud owner of a small piece of land one day and send my children to a better school if I can so they receive a good education for their future.”

Increased income and more spending choices

Pradip: “I am managing to save more money since joining AMS.  I have learned how to reduce my farming costs so my profits are up.  I bought my wife a sewing machine and she has started her own tailoring business. Thanks to the Shivia team for helping us change our lives!”

Providing a better education for children

Yanus: “My harvest has increased by 20% and input costs are down by 25%. I can use this extra income to pay for my children’s education and now they will have a better future.”

Access to banking and finance for the first time

Rabin: “I registered for AMS and now I am a member of a Farmer Interest Group.  We have saved money into a group bank account and have a loan to pay for a water pump for our paddy field.  This would have been impossible on my own.”

Empowering women farmers to earn their own income

Serina: “I have joined an all women Farmer Interest Group with 15 members.  We opened a bank account and have started saving every month so we can invest in our joint enterprise. My family and community have shown great respect for me and I feel very proud of everything our group has achieved as a result of the AMS programme with Shivia.”

Job satisfaction for our team

Tapas Das, Livelihood Service Provider: “When I see the families I am working with become uplifted in society I feel immense joy and pride. There is no other job that could compare with this!” 

AMS helps subsistence farmers to become part of the larger agricultural community, increasing food security for a rapidly growing population

Joe Rao, General Manager: “In my view, the greatest impact we have achieved this year has been in Agri-Management Services, by linking our farmers to new government programmes.”

Thank you for supporting this project and helping to make a real and permanent difference to the lives of so many people.

The Team at Shivia