Jeypore: In the hilly village of Kadamguda in remote Lamtaput block of Koraput district, the farmers used to depend upon the monsoon rain to grow their crops, but very often left high and dry. But now the scenario has been completely changed and there has been quite inspiring transformation in the lives of farmers. It’s because of successful execution of farm pond project under the supervision of members of women self-help groups (WSHGs) of Mission Shakti.
The WHSGs have played a pivotal role in making the farm pond programme successfully and enable the farmers to reap its benefits. The income of farmers in Kadamguda village under Kumargandhana GP have now tripled and they can now take three crops (Kharif, Rabi and Zaid crops) in a single year in their land.
Kadamguda village is located in hilly terrain with the history acute shortage of irrigation water to grow rabi and zaid crops. The farmers had to desperately look for monsoon rain for growing vegetables and Kharif rice.
In order to address this pressing problem, the farm pond project was launched in the year 2019-20 under the MGNREGS by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment and executed by Directorate of Soil conservation and Watershed Development with the support of WSHGs of Mission Shakti Department.
Farm ponds were planned to implement in a cluster to solve the irrigation water problems with minimum land use and budget and maximum area can be brought under irrigation. Initially, a patch of 30 acres was selected to bring under irrigation area with eight farm ponds (10*10*3 M) at the cost of Rs. 75000 per farm pond.
Two WSHGs – Banadurga SHG and Barsa SHG from the Kadamguda village were engaged as ‘Site Supervisors’. These SHGs supervised excavation of 18 farm ponds on the lands of 18 farmers, with project cost of Rs 13.5 lakh. They executed the assigned job within the stipulated time and generated 4950 person days and received supervision charges of Rs 55, 770.
The farmers are now able to cultivate three crops (Kharif, Rabi and Zaid crops) in a single year. A variety of standing crops, such as ginger, sweet potato, bitter gourd, ridge gourd, cauliflower, eggplant, tomato, arum, elephant yam, chilly, carrot, broad beans, beans, lafa bean, maize, turmeric, tapioca, papaya etc. can be seen in a mixed cropping pattern in the village.
The mixed cropping pattern of farming system able to gives income round the growing seasons in addition to integrated system of pest management. The farmers are now selling vegetables at Koraput Market, Nandapur Market, and Paliba Market to earn income from their crops, says Bhabani Shankar Kalo, Project Director Watershed cum Deputy Director Soil Conservation.
The income of the farmers has been at least tripled with the farm ponds intervention, he adds.
The supervision charges paid to WSHGs has also empowered their institution to activate again as a group to undertake various livelihood activities, says Koraput Collector Md Abdaal Akhtar.
The WSHGs have also motivated the farmers to implement farm pond based integrated farming system (IFS system) at their farm ponds so that more income from the IFS system can be obtained.