Annual Report 2016-17

ANNUAL REPORT 2016-2017

Samaj Pragati Sahayog

Village Jatashankar, Tehsil Bagli, District Dewas Madhya Pradesh 455227 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. SPS Theory of Change ...... 1

2. Water Management ...... 5 2.1. Watershed Management ...... 7 2.1.1. IWMP-8 (Kamlapur), Bagli Block, Dewas District ...... 7 2.1.2. IWMP-2 (Nanukheda), Bagli and Sonkatchh Blocks, Dewas District ...... 8 2.1.3. IWMP-12 (Bhikangaon), Bhikangaon Block, Khargone District ...... 8 2.2. SPS in Melghat ...... 9 2.2.1. Overview ...... 9 2.2.2. Presence of Samaj Pragati Sahayog (SPS) in Melghat ...... 9 2.2.3. Outcome of the Technical Support Programme ...... 10 2.2.4. Achievements of CFT ...... 11 2.2.5. Challenges faced by SPS as a CFT in Melghat ...... 13 2.2.6. Future Plan of SPS in Melghat ...... 13 2.3. Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) ...... 14 2.4. Participatory Ground Water Management (PGWM) ...... 16

3. Agriculture Programme ...... 19 3.1. NPM Agrictulture ...... 21 3.1.1. Soil Improvement ...... 23 3.1.2. Seed Trials ...... 24 3.1.3. Crop Diversification and Horticulture ...... 24 3.1.4. Land Use Planning ...... 24 3.1.5. Kisan Sammelan ...... 25 3.2. Key Challenges ...... 25

4. Crop Produce Aggregation ...... 27 4.1. RamRahim Pragati Producer Company Ltd. (RRPPCL) ...... 29 4.1.1. Financials of RRPPCL ...... 29 4.1.2. Procurement and Partners ...... 29 4.1.3. Process and Infrastructure Upgrades ...... 30 4.1.4. Awards and Recognition ...... 31 4.2. Outreach ...... 31 4.3. Future Prospects ...... 31 5. SHG Programme ...... 33 5.1. Summary Indicators of SHG Programme ...... 35 5.2. SHG Federations ...... 35 5.2.1. Progress ...... 35 5.2.2. Pragati Mitra Software ...... 37 5.2.3. Literacy Programme ...... 37 5.2.4. Bulk Purchase of Kirana ...... 37 5.2.5. Gram Sabha Meetings ...... 38 5.3. Challenges and Prospects ...... 38

6. Livestock Programme ...... 41 6.1. Overall Summary ...... 43 6.2. Details of Programme Activites ...... 43 6.3. Large Animals ...... 44 6.4. Goat Rearing ...... 45 6.5. Poultry ...... 45 6.6. Veterinary Care and the Paravet System ...... 46 6.7. Challenges ...... 46

7. Health and Nutrition ...... 47 7.1. Introduction ...... 49 7.1.1. Summary of Work Done ...... 49 7.1.2. Mid-day Meal Scheme ...... 53 7.1.3 Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) ...... 53 7.1.4. Targeted Public Distribution System ...... 54 7.1.5. Laadli Laxmi Yojana ...... 55 7.1.6. Rashtriya Parivaar Sahayata Yojana ...... 55 7.1.7. Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram ...... 55

8. Kumbaya ...... 57 8.1. Kumbaya Producer Company Limited ...... 59 8.2. Progress of Kumbaya during 2016-2017 ...... 60 8.2.1. Mesh ...... 60 8.2.2. Grant from Dasra ...... 60 8.2.3. Capacity Building of the Team ...... 60 8.2.4. Human Resource ...... 61 8.2.5. Design Development, Prototypes, and Pattern-making ...... 62 8.2.6. New Machines ...... 63 8.2.7. Retail Partnerships ...... 63 8.2.8. Newspaper Bags and Emerald Heights School ...... 63 8.2.9. Fabric Sourcing ...... 64 8.2.10. Exhibitions ...... 65 8.2.11. Internships ...... 66 8.2.12. Online Presence/E-Commerce ...... 67 8.2.13. Financial and Inventory Management ...... 67 8.2.14. Local Exhibitions ...... 67 8.2.15. Visit by Fabindia ...... 67 8.2.16. Key Indicators ...... 68 8.2.17. Training and Production ...... 69

9. Community Media ...... 71 9.1. Film Production ...... 73 9.1.1. Films Produced by SPS Community Media ...... 73 9.1.2. SPS FD Film Fellowship ...... 74 9.2. Film Dissemination ...... 75 9.2.1. Film Screening ...... 75 9.2.2. SPS Films to Mitigate Drought in Maharashtra ...... 78 9.3. Campaigns and Reaching Out to Children ...... 79 9.3.1. Save Vindhyanchal Campaign ...... 79 9.3.2. Connecting with School Children ...... 80 9.4. SPS Films at Film Festivals ...... 81 9.4.1. Peace Builders International Film Festival ...... 81 9.4.2. Voices from the Waters ...... 82 9.5. Capacity Building Workship for Media Team ...... 82

10. Research and Policy Advocacy ...... 85

8.1. Kumbaya Producer Company Limited ......

11. Data Management ...... 89

THEORY OF CHANGE

1 2 SPS THEORY OF CHANGE

SPS believes that location-specific watershed development combined with low-cost, low- risk agriculture, other nature-based livelihoods and women-led institutions can result in sustained higher incomes and empowered communities. This approach arrests distress migration towards the metros and liberates the rural poor from the clutches of usurious moneylender-traders. Our central mandate is the empowerment of India’s most disadvantaged people – women, Adivasis, Dalits and the poor, which we believe contributes to strengthening our fragile democracy at the grass-roots. To address India’s long-standing problems, we need to graduate to this alternative development model based on the principles of equity, sustainability and people’s empowerment.

For this we have worked for the last 3 decades in a region that typifies the most difficult problems of India and created a live demonstration at scale of the way such a change could be brought about. Our focus has been on finding sustainable ways of ensuring water security, which provide the foundation for livelihoods and economic growth. We have tried to address the crisis of Indian agriculture by evolving an alternative low-risk and low-cost approach, reducing dependence on chemical inputs. We have also attempted to work out alternative livelihoods, which reduce the dependence of people on agriculture. We believe that all this work will not go anywhere unless it is based on a strong institutional platform. In our view, persistence of poverty in India owes a great deal to the absence of powerful institutions of the poor.

Without such institutions, those living in remote tribal regions are vulnerable in 3 different ways:

• They remain dependent on usurious moneylenders who make it impossible to get free of the debt trap, condemning them to a vicious cycle of poverty.

• They are unable to enforce accountability of government systems which are meant to serve them but become another source of exploitation, given their non- transparent and non-accountable functioning.

• They are unable to take advantage of the possibilities opened up by the market. A solitary small and marginal farmer has no chance when confronted by powerful forces in the market, whether as consumer or producer.

Finally, we believe that only a strong set of partnerships with communities, PRIs, people’s representatives, government, academics, corporate, media and other NGOs can make civil society action truly powerful in India. The problem has many dimensions and hence solutions have to be multi-pronged, layered on top of and complementing each other, and scalable. They should have strong convergence with government programmes and should be able to leverage public investments. SPS has been working with this theory of change for the last 25 years.

3 4 WATER MANAGEMENT

5 6 2.1. Watershed Management

SPS is the project implementing agency for three Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) projects, two in Dewas district and one in Khargone district. IWMP is Government of India’s flagship programme on water conservation and management, under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD).

Of the two projects in Dewas district, IWMP-2 (Nanukheda) is nearly complete and at its closing stages. The two ongoing projects are IWMP-8 (Kamlapur) and IWMP-12 (Bhikangaon).

TABLE 1

IWMP-2 IWMP-8 IWMP-12 District Dewas Dewas Khargone Block Bagli Bagli Bhikangaon Gram Panchayat 8 8 5 WSD Code 2D3E7m1, 2D3E7v1, 5D3B5d1, 2D3E7m2, 2D3E7v2, SD3BSd4, 2D3E7m3, 2D3E7v3, SD3BSd5, 2D3E7m4, 2D3E7v4, SD3BSd7, 2D3E7v5, SD3BSd8, SD3BSc6

Villages 13 17 11 Total Area 5491 6035 4560 Population 10851 14626 2117 Water Storage (cum) 289460 1025715 48000 Total Budget 65892000 72420000 54720000 Utilised 38322000 16479000 4183876 %Utilisation 58.16 22.75 7.65%

2.1.1. IWMP-8 (Kamlapur), Bagli Block, Dewas District

IWMP-8 (Kamlapur) has been under implementation since 2012-13. Kalisindh river is the main river draining the area under IWMP-8 around Kamlapur village. IWMP-8 has a total area of 6035 hectares, which includes the 5 micro watersheds, 8 Gram Panchayats, and 17 villages. A total of 65.68 lakhs have been spent on the watershed development works. The various works undertaken can be summarized as follows:

• Contour Trenches and Contour Bunds: In Karondiya village, as part of Ridge Area treatment, contour bunds of 1674 running metres were constructed, with an expenditure of Rs. 1.85 lakhs. Contour trenches of 3028 running metres were constructed with an estimated expenditure of Rs. 3.13 lakhs. • Gabion Dams: Total of Rs. 4.15 lakhs were spent in the construction of 8 Gabion structures. These structures were intended for soil conservation and protection of siltation in the structures created down- stream. • Farm Bunding: Farm bunding of 24586 running metres at a cost of Rs. 9.42 lakhs was carried out on fields of 121 farmers across 8 Gram Panchayats. • Stop Dams: A total of six stop dams were constructed in four Gram Panchayats, Polay (2), Kanjhar (2), Kamlapur (1) and Gopipur (1). A total of Rs. 52.29 lakh has been spent on constructing these dams, which will have a storage capacity of around 60,000 cum, to irrigate 39 hectares for 27 farmers • Exposure Visits: With the support of Hindustan Unilever Foundation (HUF), we took farmers on an exposure visit to the nearby watershed locations. This created enthusiasm in these farmers motivating them to construct farm ponds in their own farms. 7 2.1.2. IWMP-2 (Nanukheda), Bagli and Sonkatchh Blocks, Dewas District

IWMP-2 (Nanukheda) has been under implementation since 2010-11. IWMP-2 has a total area of 5491 hectares, which covers 8 Gram Panchayats and 12 villages. A total of 3.05 crore have been spent so far on the project. The various works undertaken can be summarized as follows:

TABLE 2 No. Works Units Numbers Cost (Rs. Lakh) 1. Contour Trenches Running metre 3028 3.13

2. Contour Bunds Running metre 1674 1.85

3. Boulder Checks Nos 102 2.03

4. Gabion Structures Nos 10 5.89

5. Farm Bunding Running metre 257315 14.56

6. Farm Ponds Nos 12 18.36

7. Earthen Dams Nos 15 65.23

8. Stop Dams Nos 23 198.49

Total 304.56

2.1.3. IWMP-12 (Bhikangaon), Bhikangaon Block, Khargone District

In year 2013-14, we initiated IWMP-12 project in Khargone district, which is being implemented in Bhikangaon block. The watershed is located in the catchment area of Veda, one of the important tributaries of Narmada. Avar Nadi, a tributary of river Veda, is the primary drainage basin of IWMP work. Under the project, we have so far constructed 5 earthen dams, 4 stop dams and 90,000 running metres of farm bunding.

In the initial phase of IWMP-12, the village community did not put much faith in the project team. They were sceptical of the utility of constructing small structures and did not appreciate benefits of activities like field bunding. The project team had to put in a lot of effort in convincing the community about the useful- ness of watershed works. We started gaining confidence of the community with the initiation of Entry Point Activities (EPA) under IWMP and also by using funds received from HUF for water conservation. The team put in a lot of effort in ensuring the quality of watershed works and also ensured that timely payment for works was done. Through our consistent efforts over the last two years, the local community is now enthusiastic about the watershed programme and is actively participating in it. The demand for work now comes from the community, especially in the context of the severe drought last year in the area. Watershed works have had a significant impact in terms of reducing the out-migration of persons from the villages. The team has focused on capacity building of the community in areas of watershed, SHG, and agriculture. During 2016-2017, a total of 927 people benefitted by participating in training & exposure activities.

The team faced various administrative challenges in approval of AS and TS from the ZP due to irregular fund flow, changing order and circular of implementation of watershed works. 8 The community has been dealing with delayed payments from the government, and to build trust in such a place is a challenge. There were other challenges such as political issues during implementation of work, dealing with local newspapers, and RTI information seekers, preparing and training field level team, trust building around PFMS system and task rate basis, and delay in payments due to demonetization.

2.2. SPS in Melghat

2.2.1. Overview

The district Amravati is situated between 20°32’ and 21°46’ north latitudes and 76°37’ and 78°27’ east longitudes in the state of Maharashtra. The district occupies an area of 12,235 km². The district is bound by Betul District of Madhya Pradesh to the north, by the Maharashtra districts of Nagpur to the northeast, Wardha to the east, Yavatmal to the south, Washim to the southwest, and Akola and Buldhana districts to the west. The northern part of the district is known as Melghat, famous for its tiger reserve. Melghat covers two blocks, namely Dharni and Chikaldhara and a part of Achalpur, with River Tapti and Gawligadhi as the primary rivers. There are 354 villages and 116 gram panchayats in Dharni and Chikaldhara blocks, and the population is 242647.

The sex ratio of the two blocks is higher than the country average with 962 females per 1000 male in Dharni and 952 females per 1000 males in Chikaldhara according to 2001 Census. 76 per cent of the population are scheduled tribes with Korku, Gond and Nihal as the major tribes. Agriculture is the main livelihood for the inhabitants of these blocks. Being small and marginal farmers, almost all the families are also dependent on wage labour with 54955 families registered with job cards under MGNREGA in the blocks. The crop pattern is mainly rain-fed with soybean, cotton, wheat, pulses and gram as the main crops while farmers close to the rivers grow sugarcane and paddy.

The topology of the area is undulating and is situated on the Deccan Traps with layers of solidified flood basalt rocks making up its geology. Black soil makes up 40 per cent of the soil while muram and mixed soil make up the other part of the area. Also, Melghat area is known for the highest under-five mortality rate, especially malnutrition-related deaths in Maharashtra. The common causes of mortality and morbidity among infants and children are neonatal sepsis, birth asphyxia, low birth weight, diarrheal diseases, respiratory tract infections, protein energy malnutrition, and malaria.

2.2.2. Presence of Samaj Pragati Sahayog (SPS) in Melghat

SPS was invited to Melghat by Mr. V. Giriraj, then Principal Secretary EGS, Government of Maharashtra (GOM) in 2011. The initiative was through a partnership of Civil Society Organization with the State Government. Since then, SPS has been a strategic partner to the Government of Maharashtra. From December 2011 to May 2014, through Technical Support Program (TSP), a formal arrangement was prescribed wherein support would be provided by SPS to the existing implementation structure in the two tehsils (Chikhaldara and Dharni) of Melghat region under MGNREGA. This involved a training of the Panel Technical Officers in Bagli, Madhya Pradesh. Following from this a two member technical team was stationed in Melghat to provide hand holding support through a series of trainings, workshops, worksite support and assistance with direct implementation. Later, SPS continued as Cluster Facilitation Team (CFT) in Dharni block. The project is in effect from June 2014 and will end in May, 2017.

The Melghat region of district Amravati, Maharashtra is situated on the Deccan trap with mostly basalt rocks forming its geology. The rainfall varies from 1100-1200 millimetres per year, most of the water is lost to the rivers. 9 To reduce run-off, construction of watershed structures like continuous contour trenches, farm ponds and loose boulder checks along with the digging of wells have been taken up in Dharni and Chikaldhara blocks of Amravati district.

Though these activities are extremely important for the region, the implementation is extremely is weak and thus the impact of the work has not had the desired impact. One of the major reasons for implementation being very weak has been lack of human resource with adequate technical knowhow at the implementation level. Secondly, very little attention has been paid to planning and community participation. Recognizing these shortcomings in the implementation of MGNREGS works, the government of Maharashtra invited SPS to lend support to the newly appointed technical officers in Melghat.

2.2.3. Outcome of the Technical Support Programme

Through the period of technical programme, the technical team of SPS stationed in Dharni has successfully been able to bring significant changes and has helped in improving implementation of the watershed development activities under MGNREGA in Melghat region through capacity building and direct implementation. Between 2011 and 2014, the SPS team in Dharni has conducted 65 trainings, meetings, and workshops for over 50 technical officers and rozgar sewaks. Apart from providing capacity building and technical support to personnel engaged in implementation of MGNREGS related activities in the two Tehsils the SPS team has also adopted 10 panchayats where all the activities being advocated for the region are taken up for construction on a pilot basis and the field officers from the rest of the region are brought to these villages for onsite training and exposure. This entire effort has resulted in all the Panel Technical Officers being able to prepare to plan, design, prepare estimates and take up construction of all the structures. Over the past few years, 4 types of structures were being undertaken namely construction of roads, loose boulder checks, farm ponds and continuous contour trenches under MGNREGS. These activities helped in creation of large scale employment in the region but technically these interventions were inappropriate in many ways and therefore did not yield the desired results.

Based on the 12th plan document, the operational guidelines 2013 provided for creation of Cluster Facilitation Teams (CFTs) that would address gaps in MGREGA implementation at the Block. The members of the cluster facilitation team have demonstrated expertise in the following areas: • Soil and moisture conservation • Agriculture and allied/livelihood activities • Community mobilization • Expertise in preparing estimates, doing measurements and assessing quality of assets.

The pilot was done in 250 most backward blocks of the country. These 250 Blocks were identified by the state governments as per the following criteria: 1. Poor human development indicators 2. Tribal population 3. High population of SCs 4. Poor connectivity 5. Active presence of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) or Community Based Organisation.

Five key intervention activities of the CFT Project as per the CFT Guidelines issued by the MoRD are: i) Demand generation and registration ii) Participatory planning exercise iii) Capacity building and training iv) Assistance in preparation of estimates v) Timely payment of wages.

10 CFT, Dharni contributed towards better implementation of NREGA in the block, focusing on the following activites - • Capacity building of NREGA functionaries through training and handholding support – - Training of PTOs in site selection, estimate preparation, work allocation (with proper layout and measurement), help and hand holding support to the block implementing agency in planning of works. Based on this planning, shelf of works is prepared. - Hand holding support to Rozgar sevak and mates to work allocation, measurement, and also support in building their capacities for better implementation of NREGA works at ground level. • Community Mobilization – Capacity building of community through information and knowledge dissemination about NREGA provisions and NREGA works through - Village Meeting, Site Meeting, Rozgar Diwas and Gram Sabha. • Facilitated discussions between the community and the NREGA functionaries in case of conflict between them. Model estimates of all watershed work prepared by CFT. • Regular follow up with the implementing agency regarding delay in muster generation, delayed payments, and other issues related to the implementation NREGA work.

2.2.4. Achievements of CFT

TABLE 3 Overall Achievements of CFT Programme in Melghat

Total No. Activity Expenditure on Person Days Quantity Of Labour (Rs) Generated Work Discrete Contour 1 Trench (DCT) 34106751 192534 1056 Ha 2 Farm Pond 641528 3791 7 No. 3 Gaad Kadhne 7824405 45274 36 No. Loose Boulder Struc- 4 ture (LBS) 4630343 27214 107 No. 5 Van Talav 583629 3353 6 No. 6 Talav Nutanikaran 4942681 29132 13 No. 7 Dhura Mati Bandhara 17681599 101687 1142 Ha 8 Well Recharge 8204 44 2 No. 9 Cement Bandh 157476 819 3 No. 10 Jali Bandhara 142628 847 3 No. 11 Diversion Drain 1185697 7049 207 Ha Trench-cum-mound 12 (TCM) 5648705 32650 14 No. 13 Miscellaneous 142509 845 2 No. Total 7,76,96,155 445239

11 TABLE 4 Year wise NRM activities by CFT, Dharni

Year 2014-15 Year 2015-16 Sr. Person Person Expenditure Quantity Expenditure Quantity No. Activity Days Days Gen- on Labour Of Work on Labour Of Work Generated erated 1 DCT 9684303 57627 323 Ha 24422448 134907 742 Ha 2 Farm Pond 583744 3472 6 57784 319 1 3 Gaad Kadhne 4817713 28666 26 3006692 16608 10 4 LBS 3927184 23331 101 703159.3 3883 6 5 Van Talav 306614 1824 2 277015 1529 4 Talav Nutani- 6 4284148 25495 11 658533.1 3637 2 karan Dhura Mati 7 9429243 56109 627 Ha 8252356 45578 515 Ha Bandhara 8 Well Recharge Nil Nil Nil 8204 44 2 9 Cement Bandh Nil Nil Nil 157476 819 3 10 Jali Bandhara 142628 847 3 Nil Nil Nil 11 Diversion Drain 1185697 7049 207 Ha Nil Nil Nil 12 TCM 3388046.9 20163 7 2260658.9 12487 7 13 Miscellaneous 135408 806 1 7101 39 1 Total 37884729 225389 39811427 219850

TABLE 5 Person Days of Employment Generated in Dharni

Dharni 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 SC 17470 21891 26176 30260 ST 452307 589665 821576 882335 Women 209366 296459 419188 465773 Total 513961 681960 949662 1047338

Persondays Growth

12 Shift in focus of NREGA work from Gram Panchayat (GP) level to Village level: Case of Babaidhana Village - NREGA was not opened at the village level. All NREGA works were concentrated at the Gram Pan- chayat i.e. Ranapisa. Almost the whole village used to migrate to other places in search of work. Due to the consistent efforts from SPS CFT MGNREGA, Dharni from August 2015, for the first time NREGA work got started here on 4th February 2017. Similar efforts have been made in other Gram panchayats also.

Appointment of GRS in Hardauli and Pohra: There was no GRS in Hardauli gram Panchayat since 2014 as the GRS himself migrated and his works were mismanaged by other PRI members in his absence. No public work was taken under NREGA during this period. Consistent effort was made by CFT at different levels of administration and many rounds of village meetings to appoint a regular Rozgar Sewak, so that NREGA work could be implemented in a better manner in this Gram Panchayat. Finally, GRS in Hardauli and Pohra was appointed on 15th August 2016, and since then the NREGA work got restored.

2.2.5. Challenges Faced by SPS as a CFT in Melghat

1. Apathy and Non-cooperation from Block & District administration side: Throughout the project period, the onus of coordination and communication about issues in NREGA implementation was put on CFT. The mechanism for coordination at block and district level set by MoRD coordination i.e. Block Coordination Committee (BCC) and the District Coordination Committee (DCC) was almost dysfunctional. There was no support or cooperation from officials and PTOs, with the exception of very few officials. 2. Fund Release not on time: CFT had to face fund crunches throughout. The funds had not been released on time. For instance, the fund for the second year (2015-2016) is still pending. 3. No initiative taken by administration for the convergence of NREGA and NRLM despite several initiatives by the CFT.

Dharni 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2.2.6. Future Plan of SPS in Melghat SC 17470 21891 26176 30260 ST 452307 589665 821576 882335 Women 209366 296459 419188 465773 From May 2017, SPS is intending to work in Dharni through Village Social Transformation Mission (VSTM) as a co-partner of Hindustan Unilever (HUF). VSTM, initiated by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, will Total 513961 681960 949662 1047338 converge government efforts with activities undertaken by corporates under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Act. Existing corporate activities will be supported by existing government schemes and administrative machinery. Meanwhile, the government will incorporate corporate best practices, technical expertise, and insights.The mission will reform the 1000 worst affected villages (by drought or other social challenges) in Maharashtra into model villages by 2018, creating a model for replication in the process. This model will then be replicated across the state. In the first phase (2017-2018) eight Gram Panchayats and twenty four villages have been selected from Dharni block.

As per the Planning Commission backwardness index based on 5 parameters (percentage of persons primarily dependent on agriculture, female literacy rate, households without access to electricity, households without drinking water and sanitary latrine within the premise, and households without access to banking facilities), out of a total of 5955 sub-districts in the county, Dharni has a backwardness ranking of 1452 and Chikaldhara of 1560.

Within the 355 sub-districts in the state of Maharashtra, these blocks are ranked 13th and 14th respectively. Furthermore, within the 14 blocks of Amravati district, Dharni and Chikaldhara are the most backward. There have been focused government and non-government interventions in this area, including those on implementing MGNREGA.

13 In addition, the past years of experience working in the Melghat region has helped SPS to realize the dire need for an intervention to combat the abject poverty and backwardness of the area through many sustainable livelihood interventions. It will include integration of different programmes like agriculture, livestock, institution building, and capacity building of government functionaries for strengthening the governance system.

2.3. Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM)

One of the major goals of irrigation management in the country is to raise water use efficiency. Given that nearly 80 per cent of our water resources are consumed by irrigation, an increase in water use efficiency of irrigation projects by 20 per cent will have a major impact on the overall availability of water, not only for agriculture but also for other sectors of the economy. It is estimated that the water use efficiency averaged over 30 completed major and medium irrigation projects is about 38 per cent. 9 out of 30 completed irrigation projects have water use efficiency of less than 30 per cent (12th Five Year Plan, Vol. 1, p. 150).

Among the factors explaining the low water use efficiency levels are poor maintenance of canal and distribution network, siltation of canals, breakage of lining in lined canals, distortion of canal sections due to siltation or collapse of slopes, leakages in gates and shutters, etc. Absence of a strong mechanism to ensure equitable distribution of water within the command have also contributed to low irrigation efficiency. Cases of over-irrigation due to non-availability of control structures in the distribution system have also been reported. In this context, there have been discussions on transferring irrigation management into the hands of the community.

Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) is a major effort in this direction. SPS has recently initiated some work in this area during the current year in Mahigaon village of Bagli Block, Dewas district.

Mahigaon Irrigation Project (MIP) began in April 2002 and ended in March 2004, wherein the canal length is 4.85 km—covering Mahigaon, Borkheda, Kanad and Semligaon. The total command area of the Mahi- gaon Irrigation Project is 488 ha in Rabi and 130 ha in Kharif. Water Users Groups have also been created under this project. The committee which manages these Water Users’ Groups was constituted in 2016.

1. PIM work started under MIP in September 2016. This was a challenging task as the only canal available was of a minor size and it’s structure was inefficient as it resulted in the flooding of the nearby crops during Rabi season which destroyed the crops. The main idea behind the formation of Water Users’ Group is that the farmers get the responsibility and opportunity to manage the water from the canals and resolve related issues unanimously. The various responsibilities of the farmers, according to rule 1999 are:

• To promote water sharing among Water Users Group and equitable distribution of water among them.

• Appropriate maintenance of the canals, and construction of water course and field channels.

• To increase the productivity of the farm through judicious use of water

• To protect the environment.

• To inculcate the idea of collective ownership towards canals among farmers and increase the involvement of women in the canal works.

2. To inculcate the idea of collective ownership towards canals among farmers and increase the involvement of women in the canal works.

3. Awareness drive at the Gram Panchayat Level: An awareness drive was conducted by SPS in the command area of MIP which include 4 villages. The committee of Water Users’ Group and villagers were active participants of the drive. Pico film screenings were used to inform the viewers regarding various details related to canals such as good canal structures, responsibilities of Water Users Groups, Irrigation Department and other villagers.

4. Meeting of Water Users Groups: Monthly meetings of the Water Users Groups have been scheduled. Various issues such as repair of the canal structures, budgeting of various works, methods of removing silt from canals, rules regarding construction of new canals, etc. are discussed in these meetings. A total of 7 such meetings have successfully taken place till June 2017.

5. Training of farmers in command areas: 42 village farmers have been trained so far in PIM. Various details regarding the head of the committee of Water Users Groups, members, responsibilities of each of them, etc are also provided to them in such trainings.

6. Visit of DSC Ahmedabad to Mahigaon: A one day visit was organized by DSC Ahmedabad at MIP. The team from DSC had meetings with the Water Users Groups committee regarding how PIM can be practiced, the challenges associated with it, and how to resolve it. The team also visited some of the ongoing projects and gave suggestions for improvements.

7. Visit of Mahigaon’s farmers to DSC Ahmedabad: For training of PIM, a team from MIP visited DSC Ahmedabad, wherein they visited the farmers who had worked in the command area of 48000 ha under 192 villages for PIM.

8. Construction of water course and field channels: 12 farmers in Mahigaon proposed construction water course and field channels in 29.68 bigha to the Water User Group committee that was forwarded to SPS for support and guidance. The farmers provided a cheque of Rs. 10,000 which was deposited into the account of the women farmers group thus formed. But the government intervened and said it’ll get the work done. A team of engineers and officials from government visited the site and promised to prepare a plan. Dialogue of SPS with the district headquarters is still on.

9. Construction of check dam in Semlikheda village: Farmers of Semlikheda in coordination with SPS organized a meeting wherein they discussed about utilizing water from the canal in the village. A plan to irrigate 115 ha of land was created and a survey was done which illustrated that 164 ha of land could be irrigated through pipe lines. This work has been approved by the Gram Sabha and Forest Department.

10. Proposals for crop water budgeting: There have been proposals for crop water budgeting under MIP’s command area.

Some of the major challenges faced by PIM in Mahigaon are:

• Constant need to coordinate with irrigation department: MIP and SPS need to constantly maintain good relations with the irrigation department for PIM as a lot of times their approval is required to work in their command areas. • The total command area is 618 ha but presently only 450 ha are being irrigated. Also, there is no outlet to the main canal and the farmers need to draw water through siphon. • 40 per cent of the farmers get water for irrigation from rivers or streams. There are no water course or field channels. • Seepage has been found in many of the canal works.

15 2.4. Participatory Ground Water Management (PGWM)

Samaj Pragati Sahayog’s participatory groundwater management (PGWM) program works with communities to strengthen water security through infrastructure development and the creation of comprehensive water sharing plans, thus working to preserve water resources for future. As rains are becoming more and more unpredictable and surface water is drying up, farmers are increasingly relying entirely on groundwater for water for drinking and irrigation. Moreover, people continue to drill new borewells at alarming rates search- ing, often unsuccessfully, for any possible water. Many villages are currently sitting at a precarious balance of groundwater use and recharge rates. These villages could soon face severe water security crises if the scales are tipped any further. Thus, the exploitation of groundwater poses a significant risk to the lives and livelihoods of the people.

To prevent over-exploitation of groundwater, there is a strong need for demand-side management of water in addition to augmentation of supply through watershed programmes. Groundwater is recognised as a common pool resource, which exists in what is in hydrogeological terms called an aquifer. These hidden aquifers are permeable underground rock layers that can hold and transmit water. An aquifer is inherently a social and physical entity and never static. Thus, any abstraction of water through a borewell or a dugwell will affect the aquifer which belongs to several people. Thus, it becomes very challenging for people to realize how much their actions affect this ‘invisible’ resource.

Groundwater use in India has followed a unique trajectory. In the tribal belts, there are millions of small, marginal farmers who each act as independent water users, each depending on groundwater for their personal livelihoods. The vast number of users makes policing infeasible, as it would be impossible to regulate millions of users. Additionally, this recently acquired access to groundwater is extremely essential and crucial to sustain their lives and livelihoods. For these reasons, groundwater in India must be managed in a participatory manner on a community scale in order to preserve the natural resource while still ensuring water access to those whose lives depend on it.

SPS’s participatory groundwater management program works to curb water demand by facilitating water sharing agreements among farmer groups, which stipulate water saving measures to be practiced by all the users. The farmer groups, which governs and manages the use of groundwater, comprise of women farmers of the area, who are also part of the Self Help Group programme. The program aims to educate people and encourage them to view groundwater as a shared and finite resource that needs management by the community in order to prevent over-exploitation. The PGWM program specifically focuses on mobilizing people to take charge of their own water situations; SPS strives to simply educate and provide technical and financial support and to allow the people to take charge in completing projects and forming agreements. These agreements, coupled with physical infrastructure development, help in ensuring quality water for drinking and irrigation for these small marginal farmers.

The PGWM program works in tandem with other SPS initiatives such as the Health and Nutrition, Sustainable Agriculture, and Livestock programs. The PGWM water sharing agreements are incorporated into much more comprehensive three-year plans that encompass aspects from many of these initiatives. Additionally, the water sharing agreements themselves include stipulations such as planting kitchen vegetable gardens, installing toilets, and using non-pesticide management practices which reach much further than simply conserving water. Since, these initiatives feed into livelihoods, health and nutrition of the farmers involved, they help in strengthening the functioning of the group.

PGWM programme is a result of an extensive study of the aquifers of this area. Detailed aquifer mapping exercises that were carried out earlier have helped in classifying these areas into groundwater typologies. Specific protocols were then developed for each of these typologies. The groundwater management plan that is made for the villages incorporates insights from the aquifer mapping studies and the management protocols that are specific for that village.

16 Although each of the three current PGWM projects has the same end goal of improving water access and implementing water saving practices, each project has been carried out in an entirely unique way.

The three villages that the program is working with thus far—Kali Ratdi, Deonalya and Sewanpani—all have different hydrogeological and ethnographic backgrounds and face differing levels of concern regarding water availability. Therefore, it was evident from the beginning that a “one size fits all” solution to water management could not be applied to these three villages. Instead, SPS is treating each village as an independent project, working with the villagers to determine which interventions and sharing stipulations are the most applicable to the specific location.

These pilot projects initiated in early 2016 in 3 villages has witnessed participation and involvement of 67 farming families with total landholdings under the project being 64 Hectares. Having thus set up these project ares, the program worked with the farmers on implementing the groundwater management plan. SPS facilitated meetings with the water use group in order for them to decide the crop plan for rabi season. Low water intensive crops and less water consuming varieties of crops were introduced and promoted to regulate demand for agriculture water. Some of the farmers also adopted drip irrigation practices in kitchen gardens to conserve water. Soil fertility enhancement, preparation of bio-pest repellants, integrated land use planning with promotion of fruiting trees, kitchen gardens, fodder, toilet construction were key highlights of the work that was carried out in the first year of the project. The agriculture produce from these farmers, some of whom reside in interior villages, was aggregated by Ram Rahim Pragati Producer Company Limited (RRPPCL) which fetched them competitive prices The farmer groups meet regularly to review, monitor and execute the groundwater management plan. They also share the expenses incurred during repair and maintenance of the infrastructure.

TABLE 6 PGWM Work Details Villages under PGWM Program 3 Total Farmers Involved 67 Total Landholding under work (Hect- ares) 64 Total Project Expenditure (Lakhs) 10.7 Community Contribution (in %) 32

17 18 AGRICULTURE PROGRAMME

19 20 3.1. NPM Agriculture

Nearly five decades ago, Indian agriculture took a turn towards an input –intensive path, which led to some dramatic increases in productivity in some areas and crops. We know now this as the Green Revolution, which has since then become the leading paradigm of agricultural development in India. Built on the powerful link between national safety and food security, the Green Revolution model firmly established a manner of conducting agricultural science practice in India. Green Revolution, by design, was aimed at raising productivity of land through an intensive use of hybrid and high yielding varieties of seeds, chemical fertilisers, and chemical pesticides.

Since irrigation was the kingpin of the Green Revolution strategy, resource flows concentrated on irrigated areas and irrigated crops. The remarkable performance of the Green Revolution model was made possible by the improvements in pump technology, which supported rapid expansion of area irrigated by groundwater. Along with expansion in irrigation, consumption of chemical inputs in agriculture also showed a substantial rise. Indeed, yield improvements would not have been possible without them. Fertiliser consumption increased from 0.79 million tonnes in 1965-66 to 26.75 Million Tonnes in 2015-16. Consumption of chemical fertilisers increased from 5.76 kg/ha in 1965-66 to 173.1 kg/ha in 2013-14. Similarly, consumption of chemical pesticides went up from 24,000 tons in 1970–71 to 56,000 tons in 2015-16. Green Revolution, thus, changed the chemical basis of Indian agriculture fundamentally and moved it along a high-cost, high-input path.

Intensive use of synthetic chemical inputs in agriculture has been supported by the growing volume of subsidies handed out by the government. For example, the fertiliser subsidy in India has grown exponen- tially during the last three decades from a mere Rs 60 crore in 1976–77 to an astronomical Rs 61,000 crore in 2009–10. A major share (65 per cent) of the fertiliser subsidy goes into four crops (rice, wheat, sugarcane and cotton), which have a large part of their cultivated area under irrigation. There is enough evidence to show how intensive use of synthetic chemical fertilisers leads to soil degradation and decline in soil health. Soil organic matter, the key element in maintaining soil health has been neglected in the Green Revolution paradigm. Soil organic matter plays a critical role in maintaining soil health by improving its biological and hydrological properties. High doses of synthetic fertilisers has contributed to low organic matter incorporation in the soil, which is the primary reason for soil degradation and loss of fertility.

Chemical pesticides are mainly used in crops like cotton, chillies, fruits and vegetables. The liberal and continual use of pesticides has disturbing consequences on the farming system, particularly due to the development of resistance, resurgence of insect pests and decline in population of the natural enemies of pests. In order to minimise crop loss, farmers aggressively adopt self-defeating practices such as increasing either dosage or frequency of pesticide application, regardless of its effects on environment, health and socio-economic conditions of the community. Residues of pesticides remain in the soil or get incorporated into the food chain with lasting consequences. We have documented evidence of the ill-effects of endosulfan sprays on cashew in Kerala and the “cancer express” train in Punjab that carries victims of pesticide pollution to the medical capitals of the country. We also know of several cases of pesticide residues leaching into the groundwater system and polluting drinking water sources. Hence, it is clear that excessive use of chemical pesticides causes harm to soils, the groundwater system, human and animal health and the local environment.

Non-Pesticide Management (NPM) Agriculture is a paradigm that has come up as an alternative paradigm to the high input chemical agriculture in India. Four crucial aspects of this paradigm can be listed as follows:

• This paradigm follows the path of knowledge-based agriculture (as opposed to input centric agriculture) and uses the shades of local knowledge and materials in management of soils and crop pests. • This approach focuses on regeneration of natural ecosystems and integrated management of agriculture as a living system. Healthy, living soils is the crucial element in the whole system as it is well-known that crops grown on healthy soils are less prone to pest attacks. 21 • NPM approach uses locally available inputs (like cow dung, cattle urine, weeds, herbal extracts like Neem etc.) and hence gives farmers greater control over their inputs. • It also follows a community-based approach in managing pests by empowering communities to identify incidence of diseases and pests, analyse the problem and find their own solutions to the problems.

NPM as a farming practice has been adopted by roughly 4000 farmers who are currently working with SPS across 5 locations. Implementing NPM practices offers significant economic benefits but also because it is more sustainable. Farmers who have been practicing NPM for around 5-6 years have learnt from their own experiences and examinations of the gradual benefits accrued from moving away from chemical pesticides such as the improved health of the soil, lower input cost, lower ecological damage and better health. The overall outreach of the programme at on 31st March 2017 is given below (Table 4):

TABLE 7 Overall Coverage of Agriculture Programme

Villages 87 Farmer Groups 268 Farmers 4232 NPM Farm Area (ha) 4607 1. Soil Improvement Method Farmers Bhu NADEP 274 Pakka NADEP 77 Four Pit Vermi-Compost 32 Sanjeevak (Liquid Manure) 620 Tank Silt Application 86 Weed Compost 346 Total 1435 2. Crop Variety Trials Crop Variety Red Gram (Tuar) PRG 176, TJT 501 Groundnut TG 37A TKG 21, TKG 22, Sesame (Tilli) TKG 308 CSV 17, CSV 23, Sorghum (Jowar) CSV 27 3. Tree Plantation Activity Farmers Fruiting Trees Plantation 181 Gliricidia Plantation 655 Bamboo 1659 Pomegranate 2 TOTAL 2509

22 The major NPM crops are wheat, Bengal gram, green gram and red gram. The objectives for the NPM move- ment were to encourage farmers to grow crops without chemical pesticides, create a unique identity for the produce and link these small producers to markets through aggregators. Now, farmers associated with federations have sold crops like maize, soya bean, Bengal gram, green gram and red gram to aggregators like Ram Rahim Pragati Producer Company Ltd and Safe Harvest Pvt. Ltd. Crops under our NPM program have been certified. Recently our NPM Chana and Wheat sent to TUV India Pvt. Ltd. have cleared 149 pesticides tests.

In order to keep NPM agriculture sustainable, our focus is also on providing efficient extension services to farmers. Some of focus areas are soil fertility enhancement, integrated pest management practices, land use planning, seed varietal trials and demand management of water, promotion of millets and vegetable production. The package for enhancing soil fertility consisted of Pucca NADEP, Bhu-NADEP, vermin-composting pits, and liquid manure structures. Local indigenous techniques like Neemark, Paanch patta kada, soybean tonic, pheromone traps made easily with available resources on farm are encouraged. In order to make these interventions sustainable in the longer run, extension services (drums, utensils, storage containers) are provided to NPM farmers.

Promoting micro-enterprises through SHGs for production and sale of bio-pesticide carries a lot of promise as many farmers have come forth to participate in such an entrepreneurial venture. Horticulture and plantations play a huge role in augmenting farm incomes. As farmers see benefit in plantations they have been growing gliricidia, different types of fruit plants including mango, guava, pomegranate, lemon, drumstick etc. Kitchen gardens made it easy for farmers to grow seasonal vegetables in their backyard reducing their market dependency. In some places, such gardens are also irrigated through drip lines directly minimizing the quantum of water consumed.

TABLE 8

Farmers Covered under NPM Programme

LOCATION 2015-16 2016-17 Bagli 232 433 Punjapura 430 787 Udainagar 1573 1898 Kantaphod 145 408 Barwaha 527 706 Total 2907 4232

The overall activities under the NPM Agriculture Progarmme in 2016-17 are summarised below:

3.1.1. Soil Improvement

The agriculture team is involved in promoting soil health as an important part of overall agricultural practices. Lifting tank bed soil and applying it on farms is one such practice and in an important affirmation of these practices, close to 100 farmers approached SPS and requested that tank bed soil from the nearby lakes be made available for their farms. This demand arose after the advantages of this practice were observed by those farmers with whom we had worked earlier, in the form of improved yield. The team also focused on extending agri-practices such as fruiting-trees plantations along the bunds on the farm boundaries along with adoption of plants like turmeric, ginger, etc. to supplement and diversify farmer incomes. These practices are expected to provide a continuous cash flow for the farmers throughout the year in between harvests. 23 Activities aimed at increasing soil fertility have been an area of focus for the agriculture team. Soil samples of various farmers were sent for testing in order to determine their quality. This is planned to be a regular exercise through which we can map the increase or decrease in fertility depending on the fertilizer application in the same field over the years. Silt application from ponds was also undertaken with a few farmers in order to transfer fertile black soil to less fertile farm fields. A major component of soil improvement is the use of compost-generating structures such as Bhu-NADEP, Sanjeevak, etc. In the last year, the agriculture team reached out to 1435 farmers for soil improvement interventions (Table 4).

3.1.2. Seed Trials

The agriculture team has been conducting participatory crop experiments to inculcate demand management through crop water budgeting and promoting low water-consumption crop varieties. As on date, 122 varieties of 15 crops have been screened of which 60 varieties have been found to be suitable for promotion in these regions. The team has been training community resource persons on participatory tools like crop water budgeting to facilitate effective utilization of water. The recent trials on water saving practices were based on increasing the water-productivity by optimizing sowing patterns, irrigation methods and crop varieties. Conducted in three locations with around 40 farmers, each of these methodologies has shown improvement in terms of water saved.

This year the focus was on promoting pulses and millets. They provide a more nutritious, secure and profit- able alternative to the highly risky soybean crop. For the past 2-3 years the farmers have been suffering crop failures in soybean due to either excessive or deficient rains. Therefore, a lot of farmers have willingly shifted to pigeon pea (tuar), maize and sorghum (jowar) cultivation. Ram Rahim Pragati Producer Company provided seeds for maize, pigeon pea, sorghum, black gram (urad) as well as trial seeds for tuar, jowar, sesame (tilli), and groundnut. The following varieties were given for trials.

3.1.3. Crop Diversification and Horticulture

Farmers were encouraged to spare a small portion of their land to plant fruit bearing trees and plant at least 25 trees. This is a step towards encouraging mixed cropping wherein the local farmer shall not remain dependent on just one type of crop and shall be assured of an income all year round. A lot of farmers agreed to have such a mini-orchard for which a properly measured layout was given to them on their fields according to which all the trees need to be planted. The farmers have dug out pits and the trees shall be planted as soon as monsoon sets in. Gliricidia nurseries were also prepared across locations by farmers so that with the onset of monsoon the gliricidia plants can be distributed for plantation. Gliricidia acts as a very good source of green manure. A total of 65,000 plants were prepared in the nurseries.

3.1.4. Land Use Planning

Under the LUP programme, farmers are encouraged to optimise land use in order to augment farm income. In the last year, 32 farmers have used LUP options and by planting fruiting trees, spice/herb crops and vegetables, maintaining poultry farms, etc. During the summer months, most farmers are dependent upon the market for vegetables for home-consumption. Although they have to bear the cost of purchasing vegetables, they have no choice as very few of them have access to reliable sources of water during the summer. For these farmers, maintaining a kitchen garden helps cut down on costs and they are useful as well because they also use up waste water from the house. During the current year, the agriculture team worked out a local-enterprise model with the farmer groups to ensure the availability of organic fertilizers and bio-repellents.

24 The farmer group procured the storage barrels for the organic preparations and the farmers contributed in the preparation stage as well. As a result, for the channa crop during the rabi season a total of 325 farmers were able to produce 270 litres of panch patta khad, 80 litres of chutney mixture, 240 litres of chaach mixture. At Rs 15/litre, the total profit was Rs 13,725 and the agriculture team ensured that those who used the organic products received a subsidy. Another key action point for the agriculture team is to connect the deserving with government welfare programmes that might be useful to them. In this regard, the team has worked with the community and government officials to get multiple beneficiaries registered in the past year:

TABLE 9 Linking Farmers with Government Programmes

Number of Programme Activity Farmers PMKSY Drip Irrigation 14 Pipeline Extension Distribution of Pipelines 23 Distribution of Seed Pack- Seed Distribution 172 ets Crop Registration Linking to Various 120 during Kharif Schemes Crop Registration Linking to Various 140 during Rabi Schemes PMFBY Crop insurance 130

3.1.5. Kisan Sammelan

The April-June quarter was reserved for holding kisaan sammelans in Kantaphod and Barwah location. These functions were organized to build stakeholder relationship and to further this purpose the chief guests of this event were agriculture scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK), Agriculture Development Officers, officials from horticulture department etc. The theme of these functions was to promote organic and non-pesticide methods of farmers. The guests addressed the farmer community on adopting low cost NPM techniques especially on their winter crop like pheromone traps and T guards to take care of pest attacks. A small exhibition was also set up where different stalls showcased organic pesticides likeneem kadha, panch- gavya made by the local farmers. In a similar vein, jowar utsav was organized in Bagli location to promote millets consumption in the staple diet of farmers.

3.2. Key Challenges

One of the central mandates of the agriculture programme is the promotion of NPM (non-pesticide management) farming through changing cropping practices, eschewing chemical pesticides and the farm-level production and use of organic fertilisers and pest-repellents. As this is a counter-intuitive process in an area where a majority of the farmers heavily use chemical pesticides, the idea of NPM farming is generally met with strong opposition initially. Farmers were unwilling to trust NPM farming methods and preparing the organic pest repellents required efforts from the farmer’s side. They were however willing to use the finished products in their farms. Instead of asking each farmer to prepare their own organic repellents, the agriculture team identified a few farmers who prepared the final products in large quantities so that the rest of the farmers could simply buy it from them. 25 Since many farmers found it difficult to collect cow-urine (an important ingredient) at the required quantities individually, 4-5 farmers in each village erected a cow-shed which simplified the process.

One other area of concern for the agriculture team was that farmers did not clean and grade the final produce before selling it to RRPPCL (the FPO set up by SPS for commodity aggregation) which resulted in poor quality of procured grains and subsequently, lower prices. These gaps were communicated to the farmers who were shown the difference in prices due to the drop in quality. This helped build an understanding of the importance of quality control at the farm level.

26 CROP PRODUCE AGGREGATION

27 28 4.1. RamRahim Pragati Producer Company Ltd. (RRPPCL)

A major challenge facing small and marginal farmers in India is getting a good price for their produce, especially when they go to the market in isolation. With this in mind, SPS facilitated the setting up of the RamRahim Pragati Producer Company Limited (RRPPCL) in 20 The year 2016-17 was a crucial test for RRPPCL on its ability to survive and sustain after being exposed to large price volatility in agri-commodity markets in the previous years. The dedicated team of the programme worked hard to optimise operations and for the first time RamRahim reported profits for the financial year 2015-16. For 2016-17, the objective of the programme was to further stabilize RamRahim with a sustainable business model to accrue higher profits. At the end of the year, the team observed a gradual success in its efforts and consequently, increased profitability.

4.1.1. Financials of RRPPCL

TABLE 10 Financial Status of RRPPCL, 2016-17

Particulars Amount Total volume of grains / seeds procured (quintals) 7684 Total volume of grains / seeds sold (quintals) 6575 Revenues from operation* (Rs) 1,69,02,493 Net Profit* (Rs) 3,53,146 *provisional figures

4.1.2. Procurement and Partners

SAFE HARVEST

• The financial year of 2016-17 witnessed the completion of RamRahim’s forward contract with SafeHar- vest for supplying NPM Wheat and NPM Chana. During the Zaid season, NPM Green Gram seeds were supplied to members, and all of the produce (328 quintals) and resulting produce was brought back for supply to SafeHarvest in June 2016. The farmers were assured minimum support prices, the benefits of which was most evident in the case of green gram where the programme paid Rs 67/kg based on the assured MSP even when the local markets had crashed to Rs 50-55/kg. • In March 2017, the programme continued its strong partnership with SafeHarvest as a market outlet for NPM Wheat and NPM Bengal Gram. The producer members were offered prices on the lines of the Indore mandi, minus the transportation cost, at their doorstep, and the focus was again on quality control. By the end of March 2017, RamRahim had aggregated : TABLE 11

Quantity NPM Produce (quintals) Vishal Chana 1180 JG11 Chana 115 Desi Chana 103 Purna Wheat 419

29 • All the produce was cleaned and graded in the in-house cleaning and grading machinery that had already been installed. • RamRahim and SafeHarvest jointly arrived at a unique arrangement to reduce logistical costs by milling channa to dal. RamRahim team helped SafeHarvest find a reliable miller in Indore, and all the milling was completed there before being transported to SafeHarvest’s Hyderabad hub. The whole process was monitored by both the RamRahim and SafeHarvest teams, a highly informative experience for the former as an opportunity to get acquainted with the intricacies of the milling processes as a method of climbing the value-chain ladder.

OTHER PARTNERS

• In November-December 2016, RamRahim worked on procuring Maize, with ties with institutional players for better business terms. The strategy adopted for Maize was a strict focus on quality control and day-to-day trading without any long term storage. Consequently, partners agreed to deal with RamRahim in favourable terms, and offered us premiums over existing market rates. RamRahim first tried to leverage on these and argued for softer business terms with Godrej Agrovet (one of the large maize buyers). Godrej Agrovet agreed to waive off the cash discount and RamRahim was able to supply around 300 quintals of high quality maize. After internal projections by Godrej Agrovet predicting a general price-fall however, the transaction was closed. This prompted RamRahim to search for other institutional partners.

• Shri Shakambari Impex based in Indore decided to deal with RamRahim in favourable terms by offering us the best prevailing price and by waiving cash discounts as they preferred our company for its strong focus on quality control. All in all, RamRahim procured and sold 4251 quintals of Maize.

• As part of an exploratory pilot on value added products, RamRahim decided to manufacture poultry feed for the captive market of SHGs at a cheaper-than-market-rate using local Maize. 58 quintals of poultry feed was produced in the process, and it was well received for its quality as it led to the same poultry growth rate as with those poultry fed on other higher priced feed procured from the market.

• In procuring red gram, RamRahim experimented with tapping the captive market of urban SHG members when other institutional ties did not work out. Though the quantity of transaction was small (49 quintals), it demonstrated a sustainable demand for good quality NPM commodities even among low-income, urban SHG consumers.

4.1.3. Process and Infrastructure Upgrades

The programme is now planning to adopt the collection-centre model for procurement to reduce operational costs incurred for central warehousing and local transport. While this worked well in case of pulses (which were of low-volume in nature), challenges were faced in case of high-volume cereal crops like maize where farmers preferred convenience of doorstep procurement.

In March 2017, the commodity aggregation programme installed centralized cleaning and grading machinery on lease to RamRahim and its members. The machines (an Agrosaw brand grader and gravity separator) have a capacity of 1.5 tonnes/hour (approx.) and have been installed at Baba Amte Kendra Godown. They will be transferred to SPS’ dedicated warehouse in Bagli once the facility is ready.

These machines allow for separation of dust, chaff, etc. from procured grains, and also their separation into 3 grades. The machines can be used for multiple commodities by simply changing the sieves. Immediately after installation, RamRahim used these machines to clean and grade NPM Chana and NPM Wheat for its deliveries to SafeHarvest. 30 In this particular case, the contracts were structured such that RamRahim was to be incentivised / penalized to the extent it deviated positively / negatively from the quality specifications, and with the help of the machinery RamRahim could finally realize higher margins. These machines are expected to consistently help farmer-producers realize higher margins in the market in the coming years.

4.1.4. Awards and Recognition

In a joyful moment for SPS and RamRahim, Ms Chinta Bai Tregram, Director, RamRahim won the Annual Women’s World Summit Foundation (WWSF) Award for Rural Women Leaders after being shortlisted as one of the final nominees. The award was presented to her in a felicitation ceremony attended by women from all over Dewas on 15th, October, 2016. Apart from the certificate by WWSF, the award also carried a cash prize of US$ 1000. She was awarded for her relentless fight against the challenges thrown up by the rural, patriarchal society, and her strong leadership of RamRahim. The award is sure to buoy her to work harder for her fellow women and will encourage others to follow her footsteps.

4.2. Outreach

In January 2017, SPS and the commodity aggregation programme decided to bring together academicians and practitioners working on Farmer Producer Organizations across India on a common platform to share their learnings in order to form a coherent advocacy base. This was realized in the National Conference on Farmer Producer Organizations organized jointly by SPS and IRMA at the IRMA campus on February 2-3, 2017.

The conference involved 60 participants from numerous FPOs, promoting agencies, donor agencies, financing agencies, cooperative agencies along with distinguished academicians. There were a total of ten sessions covering:

• Contemporary challenges of FPOs, • Managing the FPO ecosystem, • Issues of managing new generation collectives, • Embedding sustainability in agriculture and FPOs, • Operation collectives of agribusiness collectives, and • Financing FPOs

A separate session for rural management students on ‘Challenges and opportunities in managing producer-collectives’ was held in the auditorium on 2nd February. Participants from across the country shared their unique experiences and also built a consensus on common issues such as operations, financing, and policy support.

4.3. Future Prospects

The programme has come up with a concrete 3 year business plan with clear financial projections, and the profit projected for the year 2016-17 has been met satisfactorily. Recognising the importance of capacity building of producers, leaders, and staff, RamRahim has also finalized a plan for Capacity-Building as part of its overall business plan, which is being gradually operationalized.

31 One of the biggest challenges for RamRahim has been to survive in a high-volume-low-margin agri-commodity aggregation with razor thin margins and high price risk. While steps such as futures platform and forward contracts are being used to mitigate this risk, it still doesn’t cover all the traded commodities. Small but sure footed pilots for value addition have been included in the business plan to explore high-margin avenues, and have already been rolled-out.

A priority for RamRahim has been raising member equity for RamRahim for the following reasons:

• Helping RamRahim weather challenges • Increasing net-worth • Increasing member stake

The company undertook multiple rounds to raise equity which brought in significant member contributions and some grant support. Consequently, the paid-up equity of RamRahim has increased from Rs 20,00,000 at the end of March 2016 to Rs 39,02,740 at the end of March 2017.

32 SELF HELP GROUP (SHG) PROGRAMME

33 34 5.1. Summary Indicators of SHG Programme

TABLE 12 SHG Programme- Overall Indicators

PROJECT COMPONENTS MARCH 2016 MARCH 2017

Number of Districts 2 2 Total no of Blocks 7 7 Total no of villages 463 480 Total number of towns 15 15 Total no of SHGs 2511 2714 Total no of Clusters 137 152 Total no of Federations 4 6 Total no of SHG members (families) 38980 40981 % of SHGs linked with Banks / FIs 87% 90 No of SHGs receiving repeat loans from banks/FI 1167 1220 Total amount of Bank/FI loan disbursed (Rs.in crores) 134.4 250.55 Total Savings (Rs. In crores) 31.03 36.00 Average savings per member 6044 6495 Total loan outstanding (Rs.in crores) 60.26 73.47 Average Size of loans per SHG (Rs.) 179467 193618 Loan Recovery Ratio 95% 95% Corpus (Rs.Cr) 40.23 47.19 Bridge Finance outstanding (Rs.Cr) 3.03 3.09 Total no of individual SB A/c opened 31345 33563 Total No. of Insurance (Members Insured) Jeevan Mangal 6311 5861 Total No. of Bank Linkages 1619 1840 Contribution of SHGs towards SHG Programme (Rs. Crore) 1.35 1.56

5.2. SHG Federations

5.2.1. Progress

• Two new federations, Punjapura Pragati Samiti and Dewas Mahila Pragati Samiti, were registered in September 2016 under the Madhya Pradesh Society Registrikaran Adhiniyam, 1973. This was a major achievement for the SHG team.

• Punjapura Federation held its first General Body Meeting (GBM) during January 2017. The Federation at present consists of 141 groups with 2130 members across 26 villages 15 panchayats. The inhabitants of Punjapura are mainly small farmers, daily wage earners, and a significant tribal population. The major programmes that are running in the area are SHGs, literacy programme, agriculture, commodity aggregation, livestock, and the health and nutrition programme.

35 • It has also initiated the village development plan in the Borpadav panchayat after having received the letter of invitation from the panchayat. The Samiti will extend technical support and assistance to the panchayat in executing government schemes such as MGNREGA, ICDS, SBA, etc. The work has already begun under MGNREGA with five composting structures

• On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Mandaleshwar panchayat along with the Janpad Workshop Maheshwar conducted a ‘Job Fair’ which was attended by 350-400 SHG members. Companies such as Maral Overseas Ltd., Kasravad, BOI, Pratibha Syntax Ltd. etc. had come for recruitment. The Branch Manager of NJGB, Mandleshwar was also invited and in his speech he lauded the SHGs started under SPS for being prompt with their transactions. On a later date, he specially invited 300+ SHG members to an event organized by the NJGB branch in Mandaleshwar. The manager finalized raising the CC limit to Rs 1.78 crores and the chairperson of NJGB assured the members that their bank would provide continued financial assistance.

• The SHG programme has extended its coverage with APPI support and is currently working with 7047 member-families across 3 locations (Satwas, Bhikangaon and Balwada). 621 women-led SHGs which have been organised under 25 clusters have achieved savings in excess of Rs 3 crores over which they have availed loans above Rs 6 crores. During the last six months, the SHG team has worked with the SHGs and has helped open 5000 bank accounts for the members. The SHGs have also raised a corpus amount of 6.2 crores in the past six months. The creation of bank accounts, instituting the practice of saving and providing access to formal credit, is essential in reducing the dependence on local money-lenders for the families covered under this programme.

• Kantaphod Pragati Samiti and Punjapura Pragati Samiti have begun holding meetings, field visits and cross-learning events under its Integration Plan which seeks to empower the Federation members to direct and oversee the programme activities in their respective locations.

• SHGs helped get LPG connections in the name of SMCs in Kantaphod location for making mid- day meals in the schools. So now, 11 schools in Kantaphod location have LPG connections. Our attempt is to help get as many gas connections as possible as it significantly reduces the burden of collecting firewood for cooking.

• Cashless and Mitaan less meetings: Bagli Cluster 1 conducted its first cashless meeting in April and training for a mitaan-less meeting was conducted in both Bagli 1 and 2 clusters. A mitaan-less training was also conducted in Hatpiplya.

• Intra-location cluster level trainings and competitions are being organized for members during monthly meetings. Apart from discussing different issues related to the SHG programme small quizzes and tests are conducted to make the sessions more interactive and fun for the members.

• Women from Satguru Pragati Samuh in Maheshwar were linked to the Chief Minister’s Swarozgar Yojana under which 10 members would receive training for 6 months in traditional handloom weaving. Another round of training will commence after 6 months to further skill the women in weaving different kinds of cloth and designs. They will be registered as weavers in government records and will be given preference for different government schemes related to handloom. They have also received free insurance coverage through this programme. For this, the group has received Rs 78000 out of which Rs 500 will be given to the trainees for their monthly expenses, and the remaining will be spent on material bought for training, etc.

• 3800 women participated in the annual Aam Sabha meeting conducted by Bagli Pragati Samiti

36 5.2.2. Pragati Mitra Software

“Pragati Mitra”, the software used by the SHG programme, has facilitated reduction in programme costs over the past three years, reduction in duration of meetings which has led to 2 meetings per mitaan in a day, and elimination of manual book-keeping. The earlier figure of 15-20 SHGs per mitaan has now been revised to 25-30 SHGs per mitaan, which means 450-500 members/mitaan. This has resulted in a saving of Rs 65 lakh per year. The software has been developed for data consolidation. Now it also has member-based SMS alert facility intimating them about meeting dates, personal transactions, etc.

5.2.3. Literacy Programme

A four day long Literacy Camp was organized by Satwas and Bhikangaon SHG offices for their SHG members this quarter, which gave women in different stages of learning an opportunity to build on their skills and learn how to read, write, and do basic calculations from scratch. This also gave an impetus to our night school programme as new night schools have come up in areas where a substantial number of women have shown an interest in starting classes. It also provided a platform for the women to get government recognized certificates for 3rd and 5th grade reading and writing abilities, especially those who have never had any formal schooling. Maheshwar’s team led the way in this endeavor and registered several women from their location for this certification.

Night Schools have started in Kantaphod location with a total of 34 women attending the classes, along with 1 Night School in Bheekupura with 12 students, and 1 Night School in Khategaon with 14 students. A 10 day literacy camp was conducted with women from the Jatashankar cluster in Bagli location and 3 day camps were organized in Khategaon, Maheshwar, and Hatpiplya. All camps saw great participation from the women which helped give a great boost to the literacy programme. They regularly attended classes and they were able to pen down their thoughts for the first time in the form of letters that they would write at the end of the day. The following day the classes would begin with women reading out the letters they had written the previous day, in front of everyone.

5.2.4. Bulk Purchase of Kirana

Our SHGs have blazed a trail in collective purchase of essential items of consumtion, which ensures high quality along with low price for their members. In 2016-17, 4662 SHG members across 11 locations collectively purchased basic items like dal, rice, ghee, sugar, tea, edible oil, bathing soap, and washing soap worth Rs. 1,73,49,876 as described in the table given on the next page:

37 TABLE 13 Location Amount Members

Kantaphod 2284047 697

Bagli 1106213 394

Dewas 328237 147

Kannod 2741555 776

Barwaha 1978546 472

Hatpipliya 422262 103

Khategaon 6157981 1213

Maheshwar 1309744 550

Punjapura 879171 265

Udainagar 87472 27

Satwas 54648 18

Total 17349876 4662

5.2.5. Gram Sabha Meetings

• The Gram Sabha of 14th April saw active participation of our women. SHG members from Ratatalai in Punjapura location demanded the construction of toilets and the setting up of a village level warehouse for storing grains. Both these demands have been recorded by the Panchayat and are being followed up by the programme. The Gram Uday se Bharat Uday initiative of the government saw 3 day gram sabhas being held across all panchayats. Teams from Bagli and Kantaphod locations worked closely with a few selected panchayats where the people wanted our help in planning various development activities and conducting village level surveys to bring more schemes to the people.

• 60 members from Maheshwar location attended the Gram Sabha held on Republic day, wherein they discussed leveraging government programmes like Nal Jal Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awaaz Yojana, Swachch Bharat Abhiyan, etc. and tracking the progress of the activities that had been finalized in the previous gram sabhas.

5.3. Challenges and Prospects

The proliferation of micro-finance in urban areas like Bhikangaon has directly challenged our SHG programme. Due to the easy availability of micro-financing options with the added benefit of availing large loans within 2-3 days, it is a seemingly attractive choice for many. They borrow from multiple micro-finance companies simultaneously, but the limit on borrowing ensures that they are not able to pay back the large loans that they have availed. As a result, they indulge in borrowing from the SHG that they are a part of - fulfilling the loan of one micro-finance company, borrowing from the third, etc. On top of this irregular financial behaviour, they do not make efficient use of the loan amount.

38 Also, unlike our holistic SHG programme, micro-financing companies only have a monetary component and do not offer a social platform for addressing important grievances and do not act as a means of social mobilisation for the members. The SHG in Balwada location relieved four members from the clutches of a micro-finance company that had started seizing items from houses of these members by helping them pay off their loans to the company, by borrowing from the SHG.

The emerging future directions of the programme are listed below:

1. Operation will commence in two new locations: Sanawad & Lalkheda in Khargone District. 2. Technological overhaul of the SHG programme – increasing efficiency during meetings with the help of lapbooks and thermal printers. 3. Conducting two SHG meetings in every group each month by the end of 2017. 4. SHG member CIBIL record checking and loan appraisal will be operationalized at Rs. 20,000 above loan. 5. Focused work on modifying the SHG rules for a set up in Bhikangaon with a high distress migration rate. 6. Work will start soon with weavers in Maheshwar with the help of the Kumbaya team. 7. New programme indicators will be introduced in the SHG programme for better analysis. This was necessitated by the fact that the cumulative data does not reveal the general health of the programme at the micro-level. 8. Contribution of SHGs/Federations towards the running cost of the programme is slated to be around Rs 1.60 crores for the next financial year. 9. Two locations, Kannod and Khategaon, will be starting the livestock programme soon. 10. Performance-based salary incentives will be introduced across the programme. 11. As a pilot project, we are initiating an integration of programmes in three villages; two in Punjapura location and one in Kantaphod location.

39 40 LIVESTOCK PROGRAMME

41 42 6.1. Overall Summary

TABLE 14 Livestock Programme – Overall Indicators

1 Total Number of Small and Marginal Farmers Introduced to 2133 Sustainable Dairying 2 Total Number of SHG Members Introduced to Sustainable Dairy- 1359 ing 3 Average Milk Collection per Day (Litres) 3298 4 Total Number of Village Dairy Co-operatives 32 5 Number of All-Women Milk Marketing Co-operatives Devel- 29 oped 6 Number of Vaccinations Done (Large Animals, Male and Fe- 16495 male) 7 Number of Vaccinations Done (Small Ruminants, Male and 1200 Female) 8 Number of Vaccinations Facilitated (Poultry) 15400 9 Number of Paravets trained 7 10 Number of Community Members Trained as Vaccinators 4 11 Number of Health Camps Conducted 18 12 Number of Poultry Producers in the Poultry Programme 450 13 Average Number of Birds Sold per Producer 85 14 Number of Households Participating in Goat Rearing 0 15 Average Number of Goats Sold NA 16 Number of Community Resource Persons Trained in Goat 0 Rearing

6.2. Details of Programme Activities

The families participating in the Livestock Programme (LVS) are those engaged in livelihood activities such as cattle rearing, goat rearing, poultry, etc. The aim of the LVS Programme is to reduce the mortality rate of the animals and poultry and maximise production. In order to keep the livestock healthy, the LVS team undertakes various activities such as vaccination, de-worming, treatment camps, etc. There is also a team of para-vets, trained by two veterinary doctors. This team provides healthcare to the animals of the area.

There are a number of benefits that are provided by the Livestock team:

• Health-related activities: In order to keep the livestock healthy, the LVS team undertakes various activities such as vaccination, de-worming, treatment camps, etc.

• Shelters: The LVS team provides assistance in building suitable shelters for animals and poultry. It is one of the areas where least attention is given by the owners. Information is imparted by the team about how to keep animals and poultry in hygienic, well-constructed shelters where they will be most comfortable and healthy, thus resulting in an increase in their efficiency.

43 • Nutrition and balanced diet: Large cattle’s food, mineral mixture, goat feed, liver tonic, mineral bricks, chicken’s feed (including pre-starter, starter, liver tonic, etc) are provided under the promotion of balanced diet activity. Fodder seeds are provided such as those of Napier/Elephant Grass, bajra, jowar, etc. according to season.

• Selection of breed: Promotion of desi breeds and improvements in breeding take place in the valley villages. Artificial insemination is being used to improve breeding in big cattle, while in-breeding is being prevented under the reproduction programme. Under poultry, desi, satpuda, and kadaknath varieties are being worked upon.

• Market: Livestock programme’s beneficiaries have been provided with various market linkages. Locations have also been provided with weighing scales to measure their animals for sale in the market. Federations at Punjapura and Udainagar have been provided access to Bagli, Dewas, and Badwah for poultry sale.

• Capacity Building Programmes:

1. Artificial insemination training, 2. Paravet training, 3. Professionals’ training, 4. Poultry supervisor training, 5. Facilitating government schemes and work

6.3. Large Animals

Dairy Programme:

• Under the Dairy Programme, the LVS team has played a crucial role in improving the breed of large animals such as cows and buffaloes and also improving the milk production by working on nutrition and care of these animals. • In order to increase milk production from desi cows, we have worked with 58 beneficiaries so as to take care of pregnant cows. From 3 months before the birth of the calves till 2 months after the birth of the calves, the cows were well fed so as to ensure good milk production.

Reproduction Programme:

• 18 health-camps for preventing infertility in big cattle were conducted and free treatment was provided. In Udainagar, 28 cattle were treated for infertility, and their follow-up was done twice after it. In the follow up it was found that 16 of them had gone into heat and 9 of them were pregnant. 31% of infertile cattle have become pregnant. Such camps are important and should be conducted in Bagli and Kanta- phod too. • Desi breeds are being promoted and artificial insemination is being used to improve breeding in big cattle. In-breeding is being prevented under the reproduction programme.

Nutrition (Mineral Content):

Due to milking of the cattle, the mineral content in their bodies reduces which could lead to the inability of animals to go into heat, decrease in strength of digestion, resultant decrease in milk production. To tackle this problem, mineral bricks are provided for these animals. There has also been increase in demand from the beneficiaries. 44 Market Linkages:

• Livestock programme’s beneficiaries have also been provided various market linkages. Eg: milk federations under Bulk Milk Cooler (BMC), Bheekupura, have been provide linkage to the Indore Milk Union. • In summers, milk production had been 300 litres per day and hence the transportation costs were increasing. For BMC and other milk producing federations to function, LVS team held constant discussions with the Indore Milk Union, as a result of which transportation costs were increased from Rs.0.72/l to Rs.1.85/l and actual cost of Rs.2/l was compensated.

6.4. Goat Rearing

Shelter:

• In order to promote goat rearing, as the investment is relatively lesser than for big cattle, and with good returns, we primarily worked on the construction of shelters and improvement in nutrition. • Pucca shelters were made for 18 beneficiaries with big animals, and bamboo shelters were made at a height of 3-5 feet for goats. This gives the space for animals to sit comfortably and makes the place relatively hygienic for them as the urine and faeces slides down the shelter structures. • Urine tanks were also constructed outside the sheds.

Nutrition:

Traditionally, the goats were given household feed. However, after the LVS programme team started providing Godrej Goat Feed, wherein the costs are shared by the beneficiary (25%) and SPS (75%), the weight of the goats has improved considerably and production has also increased. The costs are now shared on 50- 50% basis.

Market:

For the beneficiaries to get the right money according to the weights of their goats, locations have been given weighing machines that have empowered them with knowledge of their cattle, hence increasing their negotiating power and decreasing the chances of getting cheated.

6.5. Poultry

Shelter:

Under the poultry programme, we’ve worked on improvising the shelters, working on breeding, and improving the supply chain connectivity for the participating families. We constructed night shelters with the cooperation of the participating families. In these shelters, we also provided medicines to avoid diseases in addition to liming and kerosene smearing of shelters.

Breeds:

Poultry farming was started by SPS in 2012 with the distribution of satpuda desi. Looking at its success, government started the kadaknath project, and 215 beneficiaries were provided with free poultry shelters and 40 chicks. Presently, desi breeding is being done there. Varieties such as desi, satpuda and kadaknath are also being worked upon. 45 Market:

All the poultry owners used to sell their produce in the nearby markets, which meant the supply was more than the demand. Hence, they did not earn adequate money. In order to tackle this, poultry was sold from SHG to SHG and from village to city. Poultry producers of UPS, PPS, and KPS sold their produce in Dewas, Bagli, and Badwah.

6.6. Veterinary care and the Paravet System

Veterinary Care and the Paravet System: The Veterinary Care and paravet system is the backbone of the LVS programme. It primarily involves capacity building activities, such as the ones mentioned below:

• Artificial insemination Training, Bhopal: The training was provided for 2 months to 3 paravets from Udainagar, Pipri, and Kantaphod locations.

• Paravet Training: Monthly trainings of two days are undertaken for all paravets.

• Professionals’ Training: Professionals of the Livestock programme were taken to various location visits such as Alwar, Lucknow, Vishakhapatnam, etc. where they gained a lot of exposure.

• Poultry Supervisor Training: Four poultry supervisors were sent to Vishakhapatnam where they gained insights regarding poultry farms in gardens, night shelters, etc.

• Facilitating government schemes and work: Provision of vaccinations from doctors, free distribution of kadaknath chicks, free animal shelters, etc. are done in coordination with the government.

6.7. Challenges

• Breed improvement programme: To convince beneficiaries to diversify breeding by mating cattle from different families or buying other good breeds was very difficult. Finally, for mating, the cattle was rotated across villages.

• Making silage in bag: The beneficiaries produce just enough or less than the required feed for their cattle. Convincing them to make enough silage in the bag has been a big challenge.

• Inability to meet the yearly plan: Pits were dug at places of 30 beneficiaries but due to unavailability of Azolla seeds, they couldn’t be planted. Lack of resources such as lack of space in the garden meant inability to introduce poultry farming to the targeted beneficiaries.

• Breeding bull programme was not carried out this year as last year the good breeds were either sold or not well kept which failed in achieving the aim.

• With the support of Acharya Vidyasagar Yojana and Indore Milk Union, 6 cattle were supposed to be distributed but due to lack of schemes, it didn’t happen.

46 HEALTH AND NUTRITION

47 48 7.1. Introduction

The Health and Nutrition (H&N) Programme is primarily concerned with reforming the current state of health and nutrition in children and pregnant women, and evolving solutions to long-standing health problems such as malnutrition and anemia, in consultation with local communities. This programme is currently operational in 2 blocks, Bagli and Kannod (which covers 231 villages) in coordination with four federations (Bagli, Udainagar, Kantaphod, Punjapura) and certain SHGs located in Satwas. The programme seeks to include the participation of the community-members in the implementation of various government schemes related to health and nutrition, thereby increasing accountability while simultaneously empowering these communities. The programme also focuses on empowering panchayats, reducing the incidence of child marriages, shutting down alcohol shops, etc. The main focus is on building dialogue and consensus between communities and government functionaries.

7.1.1. Summary of Work Done

TABLE 15 Current Status and Outreach of H&N Programme

Location Total No. of Nagar No. of Gram No. of No. of SPS SHGs No. of SPS sup- Villages Panchayats Panchayats SHGs providing Supple- ported SHGs providing mentary Nutrition included in H&N MDM to Anganwadis un- training and other der Sanjha Chulha activities Scheme Bagli 56 27 17 12 181 Udainagar 53 20 19 15 110 Kantaphod 39 2 22 24 19 223 Pipri 13 8 5 5 49 PunjaPura 25 15 10 9 145 Satwas 45 1 18 185 Total 231 3 110 75 60 893

TABLE 16 Achievements of H&N Programme at a Glance

Scheme Bagli Udainagar Kantaphod Pipri Punjapura Satwas Total No. of villages surveyed for potential beneficiaries to be 56 53 39 13 25 45 231 covered under food related schemes- No. of Nagar Pancha- yats surveyed for potential beneficiaries to 2 1 3 be covered under food related schemes- No. of schools monitored for improvement 79 67 62 42 51 69 370 in MDM quality 49 Improvement in MDMS in Prima- 58 39 43 20 17 177 ry Schools (no. of schools) Improvement in MDMS in Mid- 21 13 17 08 10 69 dle Schools (no. of schools) Social Audit of MDMS (no. of schools cov- 9 8 22 39 ered) Social Audit of MDMS 294 162 381 837 (no. of people present) No. of schools where meeting with the School Management 56 20 68 24 21 236 Committees (SMC) have been done to strengthen SMCs. No. of SHG participants in MDM train- 17 17 24 58 ing No. of SHG women trained in running 41 52 85 178 MDMS No. of Training Pro- grammes conducted 2 2 4 for SHG Mitaans in MDMS No. of SHG Mitaans 20 11 31 trained in MDMS No. of ICDS centres (Anganwadis) monitored for improvement 62 51 51 29 32 59 295 in the delivery of different services No. of ICDS centres (Anganwadis) where improvement in the 62 42 45 13 10 172 delivery of different services achieved No. of villages surveyed to ascertain levels of malnutrition 56 53 39 13 25 10 196 among children U-5 to generate baseline information No. of towns surveyed to ascertain levels of malnutrition among 02 - - 01 03 children U-5 to generate baseline information

50 No. of villages where measurement of weight of children in the age group of 6 56 53 39 13 25 10 196 months to 5 years was done to identify mal- nourished children No. of children weighed (in the age group of 6 months to 5 7926 6264 6935 2609 2497 537 26768 years) to identify mal- nourished children No. of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) children identified during weight measurement exercises in 495 739 171 411 290 20 2125 the villages whose performance is regularly being followed upon by the SPS team No. of children with SAM admitted to Nu- 39 41 68 16 15 185 tritional Rehabilitation Centres (NRC) No. of villages covered under promotion of Best Practices to reduce the levels of 56 53 39 10 10 168 malnutrition among the children in the age group of 6 months to 5 years No. of mothers and fathers involved for the promotion of Best Practices to reduce the 1025 565 515 83 61 1224 levels of malnutrition among the children in the age group of 6 months to 5 years No. of SAM children whose levels of malnutrition were upgraded 62 93 120 56 36 367 due to promotion of Best Practices No. of Anganwadis where meetings with Matri Sahayogini Sami- 59 29 45 22 18 tis (MSS) have been done to strengthen MSS. No. of MSS meetings 136 71 66 28 21 322 organized

51 Improvement in the functioning of MSS 40 12 15 4 5 76 (Nos) No. of SHG Mitaans trained in Sanjha Chul- 16 11 27 ha scheme. New ICDS centres 3 02 05 opened New ICDS centres pro- 2 04 1 06 posed No. of FPSs Monitored 13 11 08 6 9 12 59 No. of families benefit- 2 1 16 19 ed under NFBS No. of eligible families under NFBS whose applications are in the 1 3 11 15 process of being sanctioned No. of old people ben- 54 18 96 18 186 efited under IGNOAPS No. of Bank Accounts opened for IGNOAPS 54 37 10 97 beneficiaries No. of new Job Card 64 64 Applications submitted No. of poor families who have received 72 04 1 77 DDAUY Cards No. of villages/ward where meetings with 56 53 39 12 10 170 pregnant women have been done. No. of pregnant women involved in the 701 338 546 98 57 1740 meetings Women benefited un- 549 509 553 273 347 2231 der JSY Follow up with eligible 1110 736 2783 403 394 5426 JSY beneficiaries No. of Health Camps 3 09 1 13 organized No. of pregnant women who participated 23 99 9 122 in the Health camps No. of LLY applications in the process of get- 63 18 50 131 ting sanctioned No. of LLY applications sanctioned (sanction 25 128 153 latter )

52 7.1.2. Mid-day Meal Scheme (MDMS)

The implementation of the MDMS scheme is being monitored closely in 370 primary and secondary schools spread across the 231 villages in which the H&N programme is operational. This year:

• Two SHGs in their respective villages (Kakadpura, Patelpura) tackled the non-delivery of ration and mid-day meals in the primary schools. The mid-day meals weren’t being served for the past six months in these villages. Our team worked on the ground in building awareness among the community about the regulations to be followed under MDMS. They collaborated with the SHG members to prepare cooked food for the children. This has proven to be very successful.

• This measure was also taken by SHG women in primary and secondary schools of Rampura. After holding a discussion with the gram sahayogis, SHG members were informed about the regulations regarding mid-day meals. The issue was resolved in the Janpad panchayat after which the meals were delivered according to the prescribed rules.

• The lack of an anganwadi in one of the mohallas in Sevanya village, Bagli, forced villagers to travel more than a kilometre to reach the nearest anganwadi. It also meant that the children attending the local school were forced to sit in the kitchen shed which was poorly constructed and in a dangerous condition.

• The delivery of mid-day meals in 33 primary and secondary schools in Kantaphod have been brought under the supervision of the local SHGs that are involved in preparing the cooked mid-day meals according to the MDMS regulations. As the use of firewood posed a health hazard in these schools, the local SHGs have bought LPG cylinders through the SMCs in 12 schools. Meals are now being prepared using these cylinders and this has ensured better health standards in the schools.

• The lack of drinking water sources was a major problem in primary schools in 3 villages (Jojakpura, Birjakal, Tatukedi), all of which had managed to run on water borrowed from nearby houses. The hand pumps in these schools were no longer functional and the SMC members had tried to repair it many times. However, no aid was offered by the Public Health and Engineering Department. The SMC members were mobilized by our team and they presented their grievances to the department functionaries. Members of the community also stepped up with their demands after which the PHE officials repaired the hand pumps, making available drinking water for the schools again.

• In Nimlay, Kantaphod, the delivery of the mid-day meals in the primary school is being handled by Ganga Maiyya Pragati Samuh. Based on the prescribed regulations, three cooks were responsible for preparing the meals. However, the cooks had not been paid their wages since Novermber 2015 and every demand for their wages had been met with promises of prompt payment in the coming months, a promise that never materialized. Consequently, they approached the Sarpanch of the SMC and presented their grievances. When the Sarpanch and the Janpad members accosted the teacher, he made excuses about the non-availability of the relevant cheque book and that a fresh one had to be issued by the bank. However, the teacher did not release the payments for the next few months either. The village Sarpanch promptly raised a petition to his superiors apprising them of the events and the teacher’s conduct, after which the workers’ wages were released.

7.1.3. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)

• Anganwadi centres are mandated to provide six types of health and nutrition related services to children, pregnant and young women, and adolescent girls. These services which fall under the Integrated Child Development Services scheme are designed to ensure the complete and all-round development of the intended beneficiaries. The delivery of these services is being monitored by the Health and Nutrition team in 231 villages covering 295 anaganwadi centres. 53 • Major challenges are being faced by the anganwadis in 83 villages spread across Pipri, Punjapura, and Kannod locations in Bagli block, which are in a deplorable state. The most common problems faced were:

1. The anganwadis were not operational 2. The workers would not be present in the anganwadi and would spend their day working at home 3. The workers were unwilling to carry out the delivery of services in the angwandis such as nutritional meals, rations, etc. 4. The workers had turned the anganwadi centre into their private residences

• It was no surprise that the incidence of malnutrition was high in these regions, especially in Pipri and Punjapura, where weight monitoring of the attending children had not been conducted for many years. The rise in malnutrition has been compounded by the Women and Child Development department’s continued denial of the worsening state of affairs.

• The anganwadi centres in areas where our team has been working for many years now are progressing on a more positive note. Essential services such as weight monitoring, delivery of nutrition meals to children, vaccinations, health check-ups, doctor referrals, etc. are being regularly conducted.

7.1.4. Targeted Public Distribution System

Under the Targeted PDS, each beneficiary family is entitled to receive food grains at Rs 1 per kg and the members must receive 5 kg each. The families benefiting from Antyodaya Anna Yojana are also stipulated to receive a minimum of 35 kg of food grains periodically. The H&N team, in league with the community members, is monitoring the operations of the TPDS scheme in 59 ration shops. Although this has resulted in better delivery of services to the beneficiaries, the ration shops in certain villages in Pipri, Punjapura, and Satwas are operating poorly due to various reasons such as non-linkage with aadhar card, not issuing patrata parchis for the beneficiary families, etc. Some of the highlights are:

• Since the past 4 years, the ration shop in Ambapani village had been dysfunctional in spite of repeated efforts by the SHG women • Mulchand’s father (residing in Neemkheda) had been issued with a patrata parchi but ran into multiple difficulties in receiving rations. After many attempts to engage the panchayat to solve the issue, he placed a complaint on the 181 hotline on the advice of our team in Udainagar. The Tehsildar in Udainagar promptly redressed the grievance and the family was issued its patrata parchi within a fortnight after which they started receiving their stipulated rations. • In Sindrani village (Kantaphod), the food security committee held a meeting wherein the members informed that the allotted ration shops were intentionally shut down due to which they were not able to receive their ration. They decided to raise the issue in the next Jan Sunwani through the ambit of the Samiti. When the shopkeeper was informed of their decision, he immediately sought the aid of the local leaders and arranged for a meeting with the group. He assured them that the ration shops would be open and requested them to not raise the issue in the Jan Sunwani. The members relented and the beneficiaries are now able to avail their ration supply from the shops without any problems.

54 7.1.5. Ladli Laxmi Yojana

• Ladli Laxmi Yojana is a scheme introduced by Government of Madhya Pradesh with the objective of improvement in young girls’ educational and economic status, and to bring about a positive change in social attitudes towards birth of female children. As part of the programme, the government has mandated that a National Savings Certificate worth Rs 30,000/- be drawn for the first two female children. On the ground, the current practice is to draw up a certificate worth Rs 1, 00,000/- after the girl completes 18 years of age. The beneficiaries receive periodic remuneration drawn from the interest accrued by the NSC upon passing 5th, 8th, 10th and 12th grade examinations.

• Under this scheme, Muskan, a resident of Jinwani village, Kantaphod was supposed to receive Rs 2000 after successfully passing her 5th grade examinations. However, the officials did not release the money and kept postponing the remuneration with unconvincing excuses even after multiple requests by both the family members and the local anganwadi staff. When our team went to resolve the issue, they realized that the officials were not aware of the procedures to be followed for releasing the fund. Although the family members immediately raised the issue during the ‘Gram Uday se Bharat Uday’ campaign, it was still of no avail. After a few months went by, the team held a futile meeting with ICDS officials. Finally, a complaint was placed on the 181 CM helpline via the beneficiary. A few days later, the entire amount was sent to the beneficiary’s bank account promptly.

7.1.6. Rashtriya Parivaar Sahayata Yojana

• Under the RPS programme, any family whose daily income is categorised to be below the poverty line, will receive Rs 20,000. upon the death of the primary earning member. The H&N team was instrumental in raising awareness about this scheme as a consequence of which 11 families from Kantaphod successfully availed the benefits of the scheme with the help of the team. One among them was Phullu bai from Jinwani village, Kantaphod, whose husband Gopal had recently passed away. With the help of members of the H&N team, she applied for the RPS scheme. Although her application was accepted, she did not receive the remuneration. This state of affairs continued for a few months even after many assurances of prompt payment from the Sarpanch. The same situation continued even after the issue had been raised in the Janpad panchayat. During the Gram Uday se Bharat Uday campaign in April, our team members approached the District Officer who finally pushed the Sarpanch to release the payment. After a week, Phullu bai finally received the remuneration that she was legally entitled to under the RPS scheme.

7.1.7. Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram

The RBSK programme is aimed at early identification and intervention in the case of serious health conditions in children under 18 years of age. Many grave health conditions are picked up due to the frequent health check-ups mandated for children under the threat of malnourishment. These children come under the radar of the RBSK government team, which then sets out to rehabilitate the identified children. Guddu, a resident of Kheda village, Kantaphod, came to the notice of the the H&N team members during a health check-up conducted for pregnant women. He was immediately referred to the RBSK team as he weighed merely 1.58 kg with clear signs of severe malnourishment. The child was immediately rushed to Dewas in one of the Janani Suraksha ambulances and after 4 courses of plaster bandages, the operation was successfully conducted. 55 56 KUMBAYA

57 58 8.1. Kumbaya Producer Company Limited

The second Annual General Body meeting of KPCL was held on the 17th of September 2016 at the Neemkheda Bhavan. It was a momentous occasion where all the producers Neemkheda, Bagli, Satwas and Jatashankar locations met to talk about how to give shape to an institution just born. How should KPCL, primarily a small company of women artisans and people of disability, begin anew, and with no money? The main points discussed were how to make each producer a shareholder in the company, increase the number of shareholders, increase their equity over time, and build their capacities such that their participation as owners of the company leads to better performance and accountability from their employees - the managers and supervisors of Kumbaya.

Producers and team members at Neemkheda Bhavan during KPCL AGBM

Ms. Sini Jolly presented the Accounts Statement for 2015-16 to the members and outlined the immediate issues facing KPCL - how to transfer the assets built over the years by Kumbaya in Samaj Pragati Sahayog to KPCL, and build capital by applying for long term low-interest working capital loans. There was also the need to change the directors and promoters. Some directors and promoters had to be replaced as they had left. The others are mainly men. At the time of incorporation, most of our women producers did not have ‘acceptable’ proof of their identity. In most cases, the names, signatures, and dates of birth of our women producers (indeed, as of most women in our area) did not match on their Aadhaar Cards and Pan Cards. The urgent task before us was to get the Aadhaar Cards and PAN cards of all our producers regularised to be able to take over as directors and promoters.

Imagining a new organisation means that women come into the decision-making process and participate much more. Getting to know each other, building a sense of ownership, holding each other and the management accountable, with the producers taking on more responsibilities, involving themselves in other activities of Kumbaya besides stitching were actively discussed. The urgent need to improve productivity and bring down administrative costs was emphasised.

In a year where there were no large orders to work on, it was decided that there would be continuous production of patchwork products with fabric waste. Earlier, there would never be enough time to build up an inventory of our most innovative and valuable designs in patchwork, that are always in demand. KPCL made its first purchase and first sale in October 2016. This meeting also marked the beginning of the first film on Kumbaya by SPS Community Media. KPCL secured its first loan of Rs. 4 lakhs on the 21st of September 2016 from Rang De. This loan came at a critical time when we had no money in hand to buy raw material. It was used for purchasing fabric and raw material and helped start the cash flow in KPCL. After a moratorium of 6 months, the loan needs to be repaid in four quarters with an amazing interest rate of just 5%. 59 Rang De is a non‐profit that connects funders and social enterprises to provide low cost long and short term loans. As an Impact Partner of Rang De, Kumbaya was invited to the Rang De Impact Confluence in Bangalore on the 16th and 17th of March. Over the two days, 38 leaders and members of rural communities from community-based organizations came together to discuss work in the development sector and learn from each other. Through this experience, Kumbaya was able to connect with and learn from many organisations working on livelihoods on a larger scale:

• Aagor Daagra Afad which is a women weavers’ organization set up by the Action North East Trust (ANT) in Assam that uses the rich weaving tradition of the tribal communities to make contemporary products like garments, upholstery etc. • Desi, a leading organization in Karnataka doing advocacy work around handloom and naturally dyed fabrics while working closely with rural artisan groups. • Chitrika, an organisation that supports weaver co-operatives and producer companies in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. • Urmul Trust that has been working with desert communities in Rajasthan supporting livelihoods from dairying to weaving.

8.2. Progress of Kumbaya During 2016-2017

8.2.1. Mesh

Maximising Employment to Serve the Handicapped (MESH) has been an important retail partner for Kumbaya in the last three years. On the 3rd and 4th of October 2016, MESH held a network meeting in Kodaikanal with representatives from 17 producer groups with which they work. We participated in this meeting and learned about the products, costing, marketing and communication strategies of other groups like us.

8.2.2. Grant From Dasra

Once again, Kumbaya received a grant for capacity-building from well-known philanthropists Mr. Amit Chandra and Mrs. Archana Chandra this year, routed through Dasra, an organisation that connects philanthropists and organisations working for the poor to enable social impact investment. It cannot be emphasised enough how much this grant meant, how critical it was in enabling us to continue our work. The grant was for building the skills of our producers and key team members in production, operations management, exposure to craft exhibitions and urban markets, centers for textile and design development. It also allowed us to employ new executives, and much more.

8.2.3. Capacity-building of the Team

In April 2016, members of Kumbaya team visited Delhi for an exposure visit hosted by Creatnet, a high-end fashion export house for major global brands. Executives of Creatnet guided our team through a tour of its export houses, garment manufacturing factories, printing units, and raw material markets. This was a highly informative opportunity for the team to explore high-end industries, their technologies and their quality standards.

60 Members of Kumbaya Team During Creatnet Visit

In a week-long visit, the team visited three large-scale factories. In the first three days the team gained a broad understanding of resource-optimization on the factory-floor. On the fourth day of the visit, the Kumbaya team attended a presentation detailing Creatnet’s operations, strategy, and also interacted with the executives of Creatnet in an effort to learn about the nuances of catering to the high-end fashion market. The visit ended with exploring the market for quality raw materials. The learnings acquired through the visit have proved to be useful in increasing the efficiency of our production process. Some of the focus areas are:

1. Optimization of the process of pattern making and their upkeep 2. Fabric parameters and their inspection 3. The advantage of assembly line production and improving efficiency 4. The process of cost effectiveness and cost cutting 5. Different kinds of high-speed machine and their supporting equipment 6. Industrial tools and equipment and their utilization in Kumbaya 7. Reporting and formatting systems 8. Sourcing of raw material and ensuring quality 9. Process of production planning and shipping 10. Industry standard quality parameters

8.2.4. Human Resource

We had an extraordinary addition to our team this year. Daniela Castillo came back all the way from Philadelphia to work with Kumbaya for a year! A student of Architecture and Design, Dani had interned with Kumbaya for 6 weeks, three years ago, under the Centre for Advanced Studies on India, UPenn’s fellowship program. She had promised to come back then, as she felt her work here was unfinished. She joined Kumbaya and worked on a wide range of issues - writing proposals and articles, from product design one day to artwork for our retail stores another, teaching patchwork at the production centres to being the most popular salesperson and model at major exhibitions at Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai, creating social media content, flyers, posters and post-cards, and being a star player at the Bagli All Girls Football Team. Most of all, Dani finally launched the beautiful new Kumbaya website which she had started creating three years ago.

After the exposure visit to industrial garment manufacturing units in Delhi, we realised that to accelerate the capacity-building of the local team to execute orders to the standards required for mainstream garment fabrication, we will need to hire professionals in apparel technology with significant work experience. With Createnet’s help, we hope to find part time or full-time consultants who could work with us here. 61 A glimpse of Kumbaya website

More people are required at every stage to ensure better quality and efficiency from the teams, and each person’s productivity has to be improved significantly for us to be cost effective. The search is on for such people, through hiring agencies and word of mouth. From the initial feedback, it seems that the salaries are too high for us to be able to afford and that the fact that we are located in a rural area, working on a much smaller scale, is a deterrent.

Yet, at the end of the year, we were partly successful. Rizwan, a master craftsman in ari embroidery and zardosi, who has worked in the export industry for over fifteen years, has joined the Kumbaya team and will strengthen the skills of our embroidery artisans at Satwas.

8.2.5. Design Development, Prototypes, and Pattern Making

Our sample master, a local boy personally trained for over 15 years, suddenly resigned in late September, leaving Kumbaya without a dedicated person for sampling, and an endless list of incomplete work. Overnight, Kumbaya was left without new styles right before a major sales season and other upcoming events.

This was actually a miracle in disguise and drove us to innovate on existing patterns, experiment with different ideas, and utilize the skills of our producers. On a couple of occasions, members from the Jatashan- kar center held ‘sampling’ days at our production centers, which ended up in multiple samples for a kitchen range, new newspaper bags, and fabric envelopes. We also involved 3-4 producers of our Bagli Bhavan at the Jatashankar center for sampling work. We even pulled out patterns of older designs to be reimagined into new styles.

However, the most important outcome was being able to get our patterns done by masters in Delhi, thanks to help from Createnet. We prepared 4 tech packs of new styles we wanted. Initial patterns were made, samples were stitched and tried for fitting, and the pattern was graded in 6 sizes by computerised grading. All within a week, at a fraction of the cost and time that it used to take with our erstwhile in-house master. Following are some of the new experiments we tried for 2017 - a swing dress, with and without sleeves; a ladies kurta converted into dress; a long dress with a drop waist and gathers, a flared dress with straight hem instead of a curved one; a maxi with sleeves, an apron wrap dress, peplum tops; travel duffel bag, small pouches, two new styles of newspaper bags, chindi applique, and new patchwork designs from waste fabric. Of these the number of prototypes that were launched as products are:

62 1. Jekyll and Hyde Boat Neck Dress with Narrow Sleeves 2. Boat Neck Pleated Dress with Narrow Sleeves 3. Flared Top Ruffle Sleeve 4. Relaxed Fit Dress Ruffle Sleeve 5. Panel Button Down Dress 6. Patchwork Potli Bag 7. Patchwork Tote bag 8. Potli Sling Bag with Pom-Poms 9. Fabrinewspaper Envelopes and Gift Bags 10. Patchwork Apron 11. Patchwork Pot holder 12. Patchwork Trivet 13. Patchwork Oven Mitts 14. Patchwork Table Mats 15. Patchwork Table runner 16. Jackets 17. Recycled plastic table runners and table mats 18. Patchwork palazzos 19. Swing Dress 20. Wallet with Chindi Applique 21. Sling bags with Chindi Applique 22. Kimono Bath Robe, in printed cotton and white and black

8.2.6. New Machines

The beginning of March was marked by the purchase of new high-speed sewing Jack machines from Indore. New machines will be installed at the Jatashankar, Bagli, and Neemkheda centers. With the exciting purchase of these new machines, we hope to further build the skills of our producers, increase their productivity and earnings, and introduce different kinds of fabric and other material for production.

8.2.7. Retail Partnerships

‘Serenity’ in Bangalore - we reconnected after a gap of a few years and also held a special trunk show to publicise our presence at this exclusive store. Kumbaya showcased some of their designs in the shop’s dedicated exhibition space where team members were able to have meaningful one-on-one conversations with the interested customers that visited. We also began working with ‘A Few Good Things’ in Kochi, ‘Urban Weave’ in Delhi, ‘Gangstura’ in Jodhpur and ‘Remade in India’, Bangalore. ‘Remade in India’ is a small retail shop strategically located right opposite the Fab India Store in Indiranagar that focuses on selling upcycled products made from waste. Here, our patchwork products, bedcovers, cushion covers, bags and folders do well.

8.2.8. Newspaper Bags and Emerald Heights School

It was our signature stitched newspaper bag that brought in 110 students of Emerald Height School, Indore, to the Kumbaya Neemkheda Centre on 13th June 2016 and led to a small order. One of the faculty had discovered the newspaper bag at an exhibition in Indore and wanted the students to learn about our work on recycling, conservation, and sustainability. The students and our producers enjoyed meeting each other. We organised a small exhibition of our products for the students, where many of our producers experienced first-hand, the joy that products stitched by them bring to others. 63 Mr. Siddharth Singh, the director of Emeralds Heights School was interested in Kumbaya’s file folder and random patch tote bag for an upcoming international conference in Emeralds Heights. And so, we received an order of 100 file folders and 100 custom made tote bags – all because of one Kumbaya newspaper bag.

8.2.9. Fabric Sourcing

In our search for fabric this year there were 3 very important developments. We found fabric from Malkha in Andhra Pradesh, from Desi Trust in Karnataka, and discovered other traditional Dabu block print fabric families in Bagru and Jaipur, Rajasthan. Fabric is our clay, the material we drape and mould and give shape to for our styles. Kumbaya has always been committed to using fabric woven or embellished by India’s craftsmen, who create magical khadi and handloom weaves, hand block prints, kalamkari, and natural dyes. Although we use all kinds of cotton fabric to remain diverse, fluid, and affordable with product design, customer preference and markets, our heart lies in traditional Indian fabric that employs millions of skilled artisans and innumerable innovative technologies, that can come back to vibrant life if we strongly commit ourselves to them. At Kumbaya we especially work with Indian weaves and prints and western styles.

Malkha and Why We Buy It

Kumbaya has been associated with Malkha since the beginning, and would have been one of the first spinning units had there been resources at that time. The Malkha initiative started in 2003. Malkha stands for a decentralised, sustainable, field-to-fabric cotton textile chain, with a vision to be collectively owned and managed by the primary producers – the farmers, the ginners, the spinners, the dyers and the weavers. The Malkha way of making cotton cloth is an alternative to the present industrial model where ghettoization of the worker and pollution of nature is the norm. Malkha is an attempt, the first in modern history, to make yarn specifically for the handloom, to rid the artisanal textile chain of its dependence on large spinning mills that distort the small-scale, village-based nature of handloom cloth making. The Malkha process explores technology that responds to the needs of primary producers, does away with unnecessary and wasteful processes in its journey from plant to cloth, is ecologically sensible, and least damaging to the intrinsic properties of cotton. The Malkha fabric reflects its heritage in its distinctive texture, drape and feel as the contemporary standard bearer of the Indian handwoven cotton textile tradition.

Desi Trust and Why We Buy From Them

Kumbaya was able to connect with Desi Trust at the Rang De confluence. Desi means indigenous but is also an acronym for Developing Ecologically Sustainable Industries. Desi and Charaka Trust are sister organisations that are women centric. The Charaka collective is formed by local women and is completely run by them. Together, the trusts are one of the largest producers of naturally dyed handloom fabric in the country today with over 32,000 metres of fabric produced per month. They strongly believe in reviving traditional practices of natural dyeing and hand operated processes to ensure least ecological impact and lesser dependence on machinery, promoting rural enterprises by providing alternative means of livelihood to villagers and augmenting their income in ecologically sensitive areas, striving for minimum ecological impact due to adoption of methodologies that are least damaging, ensuring that the products are priced fairly for both the producer and consumer to make them affordable. The profit is shared among all the workers. The natural dyes are extracted from locally available by products of farming and are available in abundance in the nearby area. Indigo, Pomegranate, Myrobalan, Kasimkari, Arecanut juice, Jack wood and other natural materials are used for dyeing of yarn. The water used for dyeing is treated and reused to water plants. There are no harmful chemicals used in the entire process, thus making this environmentally friendly. The fabric is hand woven and the entire processes uses very less electricity, making this economically viable and sustainable. According to the Handloom Reservation Act of 1985, there are 11 varieties of products that are reserved to be woven by Handloom like Dhoti, Towels, Sarees etc.

64 Desi is committed to reviving the tradition of Handloom weaving by engaging the traditional weavers to produce these again, giving them a sustained, year round income through weaving. The traditional handloom weavers have lost their livelihood and moved away from their profession to become labourers. Desi aims to give them a decent livelihood to keep alive their traditional skills .

Bagru and Jaipur

We have been sourcing Dabu or mud resist block prints from R.K Derawala, one of the oldest Chhippa families in Bagru for many years. This year during our exhibition at the Jaipur Literature Festival, we searched for other printers and found the family in Bagru whose prints were of high quality and who were reliable. In Jaipur we found Yogeshji, who owns Dastkar Prints and has a large prolific business of all kinds of fabric - from Dabu, Indigo and Shibori, to bright Sanganer prints, ‘Gota work’, and Chikankari embroidery on block prints! It was fascinating to spend the day with him in his inner city residence warehouse cum factory in the heart of Jaipur. As we entered through a small wooden doorway on a narrow lane, we could not have possibly imagined that we would step into a large courtyard surrounded on all sides by large halls full of printing tables, and then have to crane our necks up to see four more floors of worksheds like these!

8.2.10. Exhibtions

The exhibitions that Kumbaya participated in: TABLE 17

Sales from Exhibitions Name and Location Dates Sales Amount Percentage of Total Sales 4th to 10th Kala Ghoda Festival, Mumbai Rs. 5.20 Lakhs 10.04% February 2017 1st to 15th Dastkari Haat Samiti, New Delhi Rs. 4.68 Lakhs 9.03% January 2017 30th November A Hundred Hands & Intel to 9th December Rs. 3.34 Lakhs 6.45% Offices, Bangalore 2016 13th to 15th July Pause for A Cause, Bangalore Rs. 1.99 Lakhs 3.84% 2016

23rd to 26th Pause for A Cause, Bangalore Rs. 1.85 Lakhs 3.57% March 2017 24th September Dastkari Haat Samiti, Chennai to 2nd October Rs. 1.68 Lakhs 3.24% 2016 18th to 23rd Jaipur Literature Festival, Jaipur Rs. 1.27 Lakhs 2.45% January 2017 30th & 31st NGO Expo, Mumbai Rs. 0.98 Lakhs 1.89% August 2016

22nd to 23rd Pause for A Cause, Pune Rs. 0.66 Lakhs 1.27% June 2016 65 31st August to Pause for A Cause, Kolkata 2nd September Rs. 0.64 Lakhs 1.24% 2016

2nd and 3rd Pause for A Cause, Indore Rs. 0.51 Lakhs 0.98% December 2016

15th to 17th Pause for A Cause, Hyderabad Rs. 0.46 Lakhs 0.89% February 2017

4th to 5th June Ashoka University, New Delhi Rs. 0.26 Lakhs 0.50% 2016

25th and 26th Pause for A Cause, Powai Rs. 0.20 Lakhs 0.39% February 2017

Total Rs. 23.72 Lakhs 45.78%

Kalaghoda in Mumbai this year was again a high point, with sales of over one lakh rupees a day. This was in sharp contrast to the exhibitions organised by A Hundred Hands in Bangalore and Dastari Haat Samiti in Dilli Haat, where we were given even worse locations than the year before for our stalls, inspite of being members for more than six years and paying premium participation fees.

A lot of hard work, time, and resources go into each exhibition that we participate in. Given the experience in the last couple of years, we are reconsidering some of the exhibitions we regularly visit. We are also going to do a feasibility study to be able to utilise our time and money better next year.

For Kumbaya, exhibitions are not only about sales. They are sites for intense learning where our designs are evaluated, our local teams become more aware of customers, styles, markets, prices, salesmanship, crafts, culture and get an opportunity to travel to different parts of the country by train, bus, cars, and flights. Visibility at exhibitions is also about building our brand as a company that designs for social impact – standing up for women and people of disability.

8.2.11. Internships

This year Kumbaya hosted two interns. Rabia Marici from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, who worked with the Media Team on a Kumbaya Film. Shampa Saxena from Srishti Insti- tute of Art Design and Technology worked on product design - incorporating patchwork on our apparel, working with the artisans among our Self Help Group women, developing design concepts based on their skills, like weaving lampshades with date palm leaves, stitching with plastic waste, and so on.

66 8.2.12. Online Presence/ E-Commerce

Apart from being a non-profit web based social imitative that supports low-income individuals and enterprises by providing cost efficient loans, Rang De also runs an online retail store named Habba.org, which helps NGOs and individuals to showcase their products online. Kumbaya is now online with Habba. It was a big moment when we got a letter from Amazon offering us space with them. The Kumbaya team has started a preliminary discussion with representatives from Amazon and will be studying the affordability and viability of their shared model.

During our Dilli Haat exhibition in January, we were also approached by Jaypore, a well-known on line store and curator of craft brands.

8.2.13. Financial and Inventory Management

Kumbaya has finally found Abhinesh Mishra, a suitable person for the position of Accountant and Financial Officer. Hopefully, this year we will have real time data about the status of our enterprise required to make day to day decisions and an overall business plan. Overtime, we intend to make our team of managers and supervisors understand data, accounting, and cost coverage.

8.2.14. Local Exhibitions

In January 2017, Punjapura Pragiti Samiti held their annual general body meeting and producers from the Neemkheda center set up a stall and sold products. This was the first time Kumbaya products were being dis- played and sold at a large SHG assembly by the producers. After this initial experience, Kumbaya set up stalls at other events. On the 14th of February, the Bagli Pragiti Samiti held their annual general body meeting, and producers from Neemkheda and Bagli production centers participated. On the 28th of February, Kantaphod Pragati Samiti held their annual general body meeting, and this time, producers from all three production centers came together.

After three successful events, Kumbaya set up a stall and participated in a Women’s Day event in Haatpiplya on the 8th of March. Participating in these events is a great way to display the work of Kumbaya locally and allow the producers to gain experience in interaction and sales.

8.2.15. Visit by Fabindia

The end of the year was a very big moment for Kumbaya. At the end of March, Ms. Manu Hasija, the head of Fabindia Overseas, Madhya Pradesh, visited Kumbaya Jatashankar and Neemkheda centers with her col- league, Mr. Mukul. They saw the wide range of our products and appreciated the work being done in a rural area like ours. They took some pictures of our products to show the field visit report to their head office in Delhi. We hope to take this conversation forward to get orders from Fabindia. It was very reassuring to hear from Mr. Mukul that they were also committed to helping Kumbaya improve the capacities of our local team, as well as guide us in sourcing raw materials from Indore.

67 8.2.16. Key Indicators

The following are some indicators from the financial year 2016-17:

Total sales in this financial year was Rs. 51.80 lakhs.

The list of orders done and retail shops supplied are as follows:

TABLE 18 Sales from Retail Stores

Percentage of Organization Sales Amount Total Sales Maya Lifestyle Boutique, Mysore Rs. 8.85 Lakhs 17.08% SPS Neemkheda Campus and Local Sale Rs. 6.68 Lakhs 12.90% Kriti Eco Boutique, Pondicherry Rs. 4.95 Lakhs 9.56% Serenity, Bangalore Rs. 0.99 Lakhs 1.91% Eco Tasar, New Delhi Rs. 0.88 Lakhs 1.70% A Few Good Things, Kochi Rs. 0.87 Lakhs 1.68% Emerald Heights School, Indore Rs. 0.78 Lakhs 1.51% Sasha Shop, Kolkata Rs. 0.64 Lakhs 1.24% Sunseal, Bangalore Rs. 0.63 Lakhs 1.22% Mesh, New Delhi Rs. 0.60 Lakhs 1.16% Urban Weave, New Delhi Rs. 0.49 Lakhs 0.95% Gram Bharat, New Delhi Rs. 0.38 Lakhs 0.73% Eka Lifestyle, Bangalore Rs. 0.34 Lakhs 0.66% Last Forest, Tamil Nadu Rs. 0.25 Lakhs 0.48% Axis Bank Foundation, Mumbai Rs. 0.18 Lakhs 0.35% Vishal Enterprises, Mumbai Rs. 0.08 Lakhs 0.15% Gangsutra, Jodhpur Rs. 0.08 Lakhs 0.15% Dusty Foot Production, Delhi Rs. 0.06 Lakhs 0.12% Total Rs. 27.73 Lakhs 53.55%

The list of sales through online stores is as follows:

TABLE 19 Sales from Online Stores

Percentage of Online Stores Sales Amount Total Sales Habba, Bangalore Rs. 0.30 Lakhs 0.58%

Craftisan, New Delhi Rs. 0.05 Lakhs 0.10%

Total Rs. 0.35 Lakhs 0.68%

68 8.2.17. Training and Production

TABLE 20 Trainings and Production

Number of Producers at Neemkheda, Bagli and Satwas 5 Centers

Number of Trainees Trained at Neemkheda, Bagli and 9 Satwas Centers

Number of Pieces Produced at Bagli and Neemkheda 9498 Centers

Number of Pieces Produced at Satwas Center 3443

5877 Number of Patches Made by Differently-abled Producers (Including patches for 195 bedcovers)

Number of Patches Produced at Satwas Center 880

Rs.11.46 Value of Patchwork Products Made out of Waste Lakhs Rs.15.80 Value of Patchwork Products Sold this Year Lakhs

69 70 COMMUNITY MEDIA

71 72 9.1. Film Production

9.1.1. Films Produced by SPS Community Media

SPS Community Media produced the following 10 films this year:

• Vindhyachal The film “Vindhyachal” is a video campaign, an appeal to keep the mountain ranges free of any toxic and non-biodegradable waste. Vindhyachal, the long series of mountain ranges in Central India, situated at the north of the Narmada River, is the home of vast biosphere housing rich plant and animal life. It is the life support of the people in the Narmada valley. But in the recent times, visitors and passers by, for whom it’s merely wilderness, have started littering the area. Large amount of plastic gargage, even medical waste, dumped in the mountain range are not only hazardous for the birds and animals, but can also contami- nate streams and rivers that originate in the Vindhyachal, even reaching the Narmada! “

• NPM Soybean Tonic The film shows the process of making organic plant tonic out of soybean to be used in crops, particularly vegetables, for growth enhancement in an organic way.

• Phang This is part of a documentation project on local cuisine as an important source of nutrition. ‘Phang’ is a seasonal wild creeper that sprouts during the monsoons, the leaves of which are an important source of nutrition. Traditionally an integral part of the local cuisine, it is now slowly disappearing from people’s diet. The film affirms the goodness of this easily available local food.

• Well Monitoring: Aquifer Mapping - Part 2 The film explains the process and importance of well monitoring to correctly map aquifers in a watershed.

• Well Pumping Test: Aquifer Mapping - Part 3 The film explains the pumping test as an important aspect of determining the aquifer characteristics like specific storage, yield, storativity, transmirssivity, draw down rates, flow rates, and water quality.

• Takarvan Groundwater Story Takarvan, a small village in the Beed district of Maharashtra faces acute water crisis. A team of young people and the village council, with the help of ACWADAM, design watershed works under NREGA to revive ground water tables, specially keeping in mind the local hydrogeology.

• Jowar Gatha ‘Fox tail millet is prescribed for the lactating women’...‘Sorgum is very soothing for the tummy’… women spontaneously talk as they nurture their millet crops through the kharif season. Verities of lustrous crops interspersed with luscious culinary art bring alive the collective memory of the stories of millet even as the farmers speak of its dying practices. Jowar Gatha (Millet Stories) is an attempt to revive millet not just for the food value or the taste, but to recreate food security and sustenance of agriculture in the impover- ished tribal hinterlands of Madhya Pradesh.

• Punjapura SHG GBM A video report on the highlights of first GBM held by Punjapura Pragati Samiti (SHG Federation) after their formation.

• Bagli SHG GBM A video report on the highlights of the first GBM held by Bagli Pragati Samiti (SHG federation) after their formation. 73 • Paanch Pattiyon Ka Mantra (Magic of Five Leaves) Sumanbai, a farmer in a remote tribal village in Madhya Pradesh, has found a low cost, environment friendly alternative to toxic pesticide for her crops. She is one of the 4000 farmers who are practicing No Pesticide Management (NPM) farming for a safe and sustainable environment.

9.1.2. SPS FD Film Fellowship

In addition to in-house production, a new venture for SPS Media this year has been the Film Fellowship project in collaboration with the prestigious Films Division (FD), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. FD is the premier documentary film-funding agency in the country. It was established in 1948, documenting the social, political, and cultural changes of the country through films for the last 69 years. This year, FD, for the first time is offering film fellowships to independent filmmakers across the country through NGOs under the 12th plan scheme. SPS is one of the 4 NGOs selected by FD to undertake this project. SPS expressed desire to focus on commissioning films from the north-eastern region of India at which FD readily agreed as it falls in the line of current government policy. Under this project, SPS opted to produce 9 independent films – 2 documentary films of 26 minutes and 7 short films (fiction and non-fiction, including animation). SPS made an open call for proposals from independent filmmakers across the country through national dailies, social media, and other networks. An overwhelming 167 proposals were submitted for SPS out of which 9 were selected and 5 of them are films on northeast of India.

Selected 26 min documentary film proposals: TABLE 21 Filmmaker & Title Brief

Maibam Amarjeet Singh “Sibung” tells the story of Leishichon and Danny Jajo who run a tea shop near an illegal logging Station. The film delves into the conflict of survival “Sibung – The Generous against the policies which are in place for making our ecosystem Land” sustainable and the helpless compulsions to carve out an existence.

Tarun Bharatiya Are Men truly disempowered in Khasi matrilineal system prevalent in Meghalaya and do they need to be liberated? “Boys Will Be Boys”

Selected short film proposals up to 5 minutes (fiction, non-fiction, and animation):

TABLE 22 Filmmaker & Title Brief

To those fishermen who remember what natural fish tastes like, eating a batch of empty fish cans leads to the discovery of a tremendous factory ship that is converting all the fish in the Aditi Chitre sea into fish cans. The juggernaut has special eyes that spy large schools of fish from far and wide, and it can cast a net large “A Can of Fish” enough to swallow them all. Soon there will be nothing left for the fisherman, who fling their ropes into the ocean and set off to sabotage the ship.

74 12 elephants die trying to break a wall that has appeared enroute their traditional migratory corridor – a path they have followed for eons, blocked with this new construction. With no gap along Imrana Khan the wall made by Numaligarh Refinery ltd. in Assam, the elephant herd every year desperately tries to find its way. Can this “ Untitled (Man Elephant thoughtless human action be reversed? Can we start looking at Conflict)” landscapes and habitats as belonging to all living systems?

The short story will capture the impact of human action on an elephant herd, and how another group is trying to find a solution.

‘Fireflies’ is a documentary film that tells the story of Meira Paibis Johnson Rajkumar in Manipur. The film documents the struggles of these groups of “ Fireflies” women who fight againt the odds for peace and justice in the male dominated and conflict-ridden society of Manipur.

Mainak Guha

“ The Land is Yours A farmer’s struggle to grow crop on a cemented land. Again”

Year after year, Spiti valley brings harsh winters upon the residents Munmun Dhalaria of its remote, cut-off villages. In these trying times, local women “In the Name of Shen” do everything it takes to protect the year’s calves from the elusive Shen (snow leopard).

Every morning, women from various tribal villages of Jungle Prantik Basu Mahal walk up the Ayodhya Hill to collect leaves from the Sal tree and weave plates out of them that are sold in local markets at “Jungle Mahal” a nominal price. A mythical tale from this region unfolds as the women are seen engaging in their daily mundane activities.

Through Phandeo Kithan, an unintentional fisherman, we see the Yapangnaro Longkumer aftermath of what a dam does to a people. Farmer by ancestral “The Story of a River” ties, he is now reluctantly wading into waters that frighten him, to make a living.

9.2. Film Dissemination

9.2.1. Film Screening

SPS Media helps all SPS work through film screenings in various forums. A total of 2477 screenings were facilitated in 393 villages, showing 84 films on various topics.

• 80 screenings were through our People’s Mobile Cinema – open-air screenings in the villages where on the average 300 audiences watch the films in every screening.

• 2326 screenings were done in interactive sessions in small-targeted groups like the SHGs, Farmers’ groups, Livestock practitioners’ groups.

• 71 screenings were part of training classes for partner organisations from across the country as well as for capacity building workshops for SPS team. 75 Topic: Agriculture (21 Films)

List of Films:

• Achhi Fasal Aur Keet Roktham Ke Prakratik Tarike • Bhoo Nadep • Bio Gas • Chara Mar Dawa Me Kisaan Ka Anubhav • Gliricidia- Green Manure • Kitchen Garden • Mix crop • Nadep Compost • Neemark • Plantation • Safe Earth • Sanjeevak • Satyamev Jayate - Toxic Food • Seed For Sowing • Seed Germination • Seed Treatment • Sitaram Kaka Gajab Andaj • Soil Fertility • Talab Me Machhali • Vermi Compost • Weed Compost

Topic: Livelihood (8 Films)

List of Films:

• Care of Pregnant Buffalo During 3 Month Before Parturition • Desi Gai se Aamdani • Ghar Ki Murgi Sona Barabar • Hamari Apni Dudh Dairy • Main Aur Meri Bakri • Pure Saal Hathi Ghash • Teekakaran • Vaccination HS

Topic: Watershed and MGNREGA Films (17 Films)

List of Films:

• Boulder Checks • Earthen Dam • Farm Bunding in MNREGA • Gabion Structure • Hamari Nahar • Khud Nahar Sambhaalenge • Kiyadhar Gaon Ki Safal Kahani • Malipura Baandh • 100 Days

76 • Plantation in MNREGA • On farm Interventions (Khet Talab or Palabandi) • Pumping Test • Ridge Area treatment • Rojgar Gruarantee Se Sthayi Sampattiyo Ka Nirman • Wathershed Intervantion Basic Principles • Well Monitoring • The Road Back Home

Topic: Nutrition and Health and Sanitation (20 Films)

List of Films:

• Complete your child’s immunization cycle at the nearest health facility • Dudh Kela Karyakram • Growth Monitoring - Monitor your child’s growth by having them weighed every month • How Immunization Protects • Institutional Delivery • Juwar Utsav • Poshan Nutrition Series Introduction • Proper nutrition for mental development Essential for a growing child • Soyabean Se Dudh • Surjana • Take a Pledge to Prevent Malnutrition • Tetanus - All pregnant women & infants need to be immunized against tetanus • Aakhir Kab Tak • Hygiene – The Way of Life • It’s in Your Hands • Jina Isi Ka Naam He • Koun Banega Samjhdar • Samajhdar Koun • The Story Of Cholera • Subh Vivah

Topic: Self Help Groups (SHG) and Women’s Collective Films (8 Films)

List of Films:

• Apna Bazar • Arzoo • Kisano Ki Ram Rahim Producer Company • Pathshala • Sath Sath Sashakt Hath • SHG LPG Gas • UPS & KPS GBM • Nari Sangh

77 Topic: For Children (8 Films)

List of Films:

• Balance • Bhago Bhoot • Blue Umbrella • City Lights • Ek Asha • Fining Nemo • Red Balloon • Tare Zameen Par

Topic: Environment (2 Films)

List of Films:

Apna Barjhai Ghat Vindhyanchal

9.2.2. SPS Films to Mitigate Drought in Maharashtra

A set of five films on watershed interventions, produced by SPS in 2007, were extensively used in Maharash- tra to mitigate droughts this year. Aamir Khan’s Paani Foundation (http://www.paanifoundation.in/) had dubbed these films into Marathi language and used them in the villages in order to mobilise the community, to motivate and train them in decentralised watershed management as a scientific solution to drought. These films describe very simple, low-cost methods to address the problem of water – methods that can easily be used by local people, utilising locally available natural resources. Each of the films illustrate the creativity and meticulousness involved in fine-tuning the interventions to match the immense diversity of nature, demystify the seemingly complex technical details of location, design, and construction of watershed structures. This approach constitutes a new paradigm of development that does not seek mastery over nature but grows organically from the soil, achieving environmental regeneration, livelihood security, and people’s empowerment - all in one stroke.

Following are the five films:

1. Ridge Area Treatment (Contour Trenches & Contour Bunds) 2. Loose Boulder Checks 3. Gabion Structures 4. Earthen Dams 5. On Farm Interventions (Farm Bunding and Farm Ponds)

This set of five films, produced in 2007 with the financial support of Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, has been part of all our training programmes for the last 10 years at Baba Amte Centre for People’s Empowerment, training watershed practitioners, and students of water studies from across the country.

All these films have also been nominated in several international film festivals on water and environment. One of the films - Earthen Dams won 2 prestigious international film awards: 78 • Magna Mater Award - the highest award given to the best film of the festival across all categories at the 25th International Agro Film Festival in Slovakia in October 2008. • Water awards - the highest award given to the best film on issues associated with water in Cine Eco, 14th International Environmental Film Festival, Portugal.

9.3. Campaigns and Reaching Out to Children

9.3.1. Save Vindhyachal Campaign

The Vindhyachal Campaign story has been a true exemplar of how films, art, and media can help to connect with people and bring about change. This is the second year of the campaign.

The Barjhai ghaat, the pristine Vindhyan range that separates the Narmada valley and the Malwa plateau, is a magnificent natural wonder and a life support for the region. This mountain range is the catchment area for the Narmada River and many other streams around, a home for many wild animals, birds, and vegeta- tion. But in recent times it has been seen that passers by have been littering the ghaats. With the coming of plastic in our lives in a big way, most of the litter is plastic which is non-biodegradable, and therefore a huge hazard for the forest, river and water system, and of course the wild animals who may consume this plastic unknowingly. The amount of non-biodegradable litter has been alarming during the Kavad Yatra, an annual pilgrimage in the month of Shravan (July-August) where thousands of devotees walk across the Barjhai Ghaat on their pilgrimage from Narmada river, carrying holy water to the Shiva temple at Ujjain. It’s been observed that plastic disposable glasses and plates are extensively used on these occasions and the trash is invariably left behind in the forest itself. Through short films, SPS Community Media launched a campaign to connect with the Kavad Yatra Sammitis, screening films and discussing the issue. The dialogue and the screening began months prior to the days of the pilgrimage, constantly reiterating the fact that disregard for the forest and the mountains will eventually destroy the river system and the Narmada river itself – a river that is con- sidered holy by all the pilgrims. The Narmada sentiment helped connect with the pilgrims and the response was hugely positive - the pilgrims not only co-operated - not littering around, using bins for the trash - but also consciously decided to avoid using plastic disposables. Due to the campaign, no plastic waste was seen scattered in the ghaats even after thousands of pilgrims crossed, unlike in the past several years. Last year, the first year of the campaign, we collected 20 kgs of plastic over a stretch of 60 kms, which was taken to a recycling plant in Indore. And this year, the second year of campaign, the pilgrims left just 2 kgs of plastic waste over a stretch of 100 km.

The Barjhai campaign is also addressing the monkey menace at the ghaat. Due to the trend of people feeding them at the ghaat, the monkeys have not only become dependent on humans for food but are turning feral and attacking commuters on the road. Environmentalists strongly forbid feeding wild animals because they soon lose their natural foraging abilities and become solely dependent on humans.

These issues were brought to the notice of the Forest Department, who supported the campaign and were willing to join it. To spread the issue of clean Barjhai and to discourage feeding of wild animals, we organized an Art for Environment workshop in collaboration with the Faculty of Fine Arts, MSU Baroda. Three students from FFA were invited for the artwork. During the workshop it emerged that since the buses were the most regular pliers, they could be the best carriers of the campaign. A bus proprietor agreed to join in the campaign and allowed us to illustrate these stories of cleanliness and letting the monkeys be in their natural state rather than feeding them and making them human dependence. The painted bus was flagged off by a gathering of eminent persons from Bagli town and Barjhai village at the Barjhai ghaat where a pledge was taken to protect the ghaat.

79 Another important aspect of the campaign is the involvement of young students through out. Apart from the students of FFA, Baroda, working on the Art for Environment Workshop, an animation sequence on the hazards of toxic plastic in the environment was created by a student of Contemporary Art Practices, Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore. This sequence was part of the film used for the campaign. The Sports and Environment Club of Bagli also joined us during the campaign – the members of this club are school and college students.

9.3.2. Connecting with School Children

The most exciting engagement this year has been connecting with school children.

Plastic Hazards and Water: Campaign in Schools on Waste Management

The media team connected with school children through a campaign on waste management with special focus on how plastic waste contaminates water, both on the surface and underground – rivers, stream, wells, etc. Plastic waste is hazardous as it is non-biodegradable and virtually every piece of plastic that was ever used still exists in the environment in some shape or form. Plastic is hazardous because it is made of toxic chemicals. This was brought to discussion through our film ‘Vindhyachal’ which explicitly articualtes the issue. The film was screened in 20 schools - 14 were government run schools and 6 private schools.

The World Around Us: Workshop with Students from One Star Public School (OSPS)

SPS Media organized a month long workshop with the children of One Star Public School (OSPS) during the monsoon months - Kit ki Kahani (Story of Pests) - an experiential enquiry into the kinds of insects that affect the crops that are sown during the kharif season. The project was assigned to an intern, Suneet Singh Puri, a Post Graduate Diploma student of Liberal Studies, Ashoka University, Sonepat. Suneet took guidance for the project from Ramit Singal, an environmentalist and wildlife conservationist.

One Star Public School (OSPS) is situated in Pandutalab village in Bagli tehsil of Dewas district. This is the most backward part of the tehsil, where 90% of the people are tribal. OSPS was started by Swargeeya Shri Ramlal Devda Smriti Education Society, a group of young and idealistic tribal youngsters, passionate about bringing education to poor children in our area. They began this dream by pooling their own meagre funds, and with the goodwill of the local community. SPS has been supporting the school since 2009. The workshop was conducted for children of the age group 10-15 years. The objective of the workshop was to observe and document insects in the kharif crop. The approach of the workshop was interactive and involved fun-filled sessions in the fields as well in as classrooms.

Activities

• Documentation process: i. Sketching ii. Photography iii. Data collection

• Field Work i. Observe insects in 2 kinds of farms – farms where pesticide is used and farms where no chemical inputs are used. ii. Collect insects and observe them to study their life-cycle

80 Documentation process began with a workshop on basic sketching techniques, still photography, and data collection. The aim of the workshop was to provide an exciting platform to explore the children’s creativity. The students were provided with a notebook each, along with stationary to be used in the fields for data collection and documentation. Two point and shoot cameras were provided to photograph the insects in the fields. A set of field rules were created in order to maintain a standard protocol of safety and optimize -effi ciency in the time bounded nature of the project.

The children were divided into four groups: earth, water, wind and sunlight. They were assigned a set of fixed responsibilities in their teams, which changed every other day so as to provide equal opportunity to all. The teachers were inducted into the field visits. Each group was assigned a teacher to assist them in data collection.

The scope of identification of insects was narrowed to friend and foe insects. This was to become a basic parameter to distinguish the insects from one another and lessen the gaps in communication with the students. This parameter of distinction became a pivotal point to emphasize the importance of every little creature that resides in our delicate ecosystem.

The everyday observation of the fields, insects, documenting them, and presenting them to the group led to understanding the significance of every little creature that exists on Earth. Interactive sessions also brought out interesting facts of life in and around the area. The discussion on the variety of crops sown in their farms ended with a list of 31 crops, which came as a surprise even for the teachers.

Learnings

• The children learned about the solar system, the earth, seasons, elements to sustain life, plants as autotro- phs, food cycles, and balanced ecosystems. • They observed the lifecycle of an insect from a caterpillar to a moth/butterfly • They observed bees collecting nectar and in turn pollinating flowers • They observed earthworms and learnt the importance of fertilizing the earth • They found insects even in farms where pesticides had been sprayed – learnt that pesticides does not protect the crops from pests. • They learned the harmful effects of pesticides - pollution caused to soil, water and air due to over usage of pesticides and weedicides • They observed that non-pesticide farms were a host to a number of species of pests • Learned about the benefits and importance of non-chemical farming through observation and the guidance of farm experts from the SPS Agriculture team • Learned about pheromone traps and moth screens/insect traps. • Learned to distinguish between friend and foe insects • They were taught how to use a camera • They learned about data collection and various methods of observation

9.4. SPS Films at Film Festivals

SPS films were part of two film festivals this year:

9.4.1. Peace Builders International Film Festival

Our film Apna Bazar was screened at Peace Builders International Film Festival at India International Centre, Delhi, in the month of October, 2016. The festival celebrates women’s immense role in conflict resolution in their own diverse, and often complicated contexts within their families, communities, and countries. 81 The festival presented documentaries, animation and fiction films that shed light on women as builders and keepers of peace from countries across the world – Sri Lanka, Yemen, Tibet, India, Argentina, Afghanistan, Paraguay, Iran, Sweden, Nigeria, Pakistan, Canada, USA, South Korea and Indonesia. Apna Bazar represents the strength and potential of women’s collectives even in the most disadvantaged areas – story of our women’s Self Help Group (SHG).

SHG has evolved into the grassroots economic and social platform addressing relevant agendas pertaining to rural women and their everyday life. Bulk Purchase is one such programme through which the women’s collectives have been able to access better consumer goods, bringing quality products at lower price while ensuring food security for the members.

9.4.2. Voices from The Waters

Malipura Baandh and Nagar aur Pani, Phir Wahi Kahani, two of our films were screened at the 10th Interna- tional Travelling Film Festival- “Voices from the Waters” held at Bangalore in November 2016. The festival was organized by the Bangalore Film Society to raise understanding, awareness and a sense of urgency about water crisis. ‘Voices from the Waters’ provides a platform to showcase work from emerging and amateur filmmakers from around the world, showcasing the concerns and effects of the crisis surrounding water. Voices from the Waters is an annual international event dedicated to the exhibition of non-fiction documentaries. Each year the Bangalore Film Society welcomes filmmakers and film lovers from around the world to Banga- lore for a three-day festival on documentaries. Over 100 screenings with discussions, panels, and hospitality are spread throughout the day. The festival provides a healthy environment and space that nurtures conversation between activists, media, artists, film-makers, scholars, students, and the audience.

Malipura Baandh unfolds how the engagement with people through the process of filmmaking helps resolve conflicts in water sharing. Series of small earthen dams were constructed in Sevanpani, a drought prone village in Central India in 2002, bringing irrigation and much needed respite from distress migration. Malipura is one such dam that provides water through the year, thereby acting as life support for the entire village. But the story gradually begins to change. In 20016, as the water level in the earthen dam steadily goes down in the hot summer months, the resentments and undercurrents amongst the users begin to rise. The protocol to stop using the water directly from the dam after a certain level has been violated. How does the process of filming the undercurrents help resolve the predicament?

Nagar Aur Pani, Phir Wahi Kahani is a film made by local filmmakers from Bagli. Trailing the story of water crisis in Bagli in Central India, this film typifies the situation of as many as 5698 small towns in the country that are dependent on groundwater.

9.5. Capacity Building Workshop for Media Team

The strength of SPS Media is that local people from the villages have been making films – they not only understand the issues of the area well, but also connect immediately with the people. They have learnt filmmaking from scratch at our studio in Neemkheda village – from story telling, handling of the camera and computer, to editing films. The team is constantly learning and evolving to articulate local stories more eloquently. Periodically, workshops are organized by established visiting filmmakers from the industry. This year, two eminent film professionals came over to Neemkheda village to conduct workshops.

82 Audio Post-Production

SPS Community Media organised a weeklong workshop on basic film soundtrack mixing and music and ambience track recording. Shri Asheesh Pandya, a renowned sound engineer from Delhi, conducted this workshop. Asheesh Pandya has a post-graduate Diploma in Cinema, specialisation in Sound Recording and Sound Engineering from the Film & Television Institute of India (F.T.I.I.), Pune, India. He has been a freelance sound recordist and sound designer with experience of working in films since 1988. He has been teaching as visiting faculty at National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, School of Convergence, New Delhi, Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts and Communication, New Delhi, Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Ban- galore, State Institute of Film and Television, Rohtak, Haryana, Wigan & Leigh College, New Delhi.

Film Ideation and Editing

Sankalp Meshram, an eminent filmmaker, conducted a weeklong workshop on Film ideation & Film Editing in Neemkheda village. Meshram has a post-graduate Diploma in Film Editing from the Film & Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, 1993. He has been working as a Film Professional in the Mumbai Film and Television Industry since 1994.

He has been the Dean and head of department of the editing department of the Digital Academy, Mumbai, since 2006. He is a member of the Academic Councils of both FTII, Pune, and SRFTII, Kolkata. He has also been visiting faculty at Whistling Woods, Mumbai, since 2007.

Awards:

He is the winner of three Indian national awards:

• National Award for “Best Editor” in 2001 for ‘Lokapriya’ - a documentary on Indian popular music. • National Award for “Best Feature Film for Children” (as Director) in 2005 for ‘Chhutkan Ki Mahabharat’ • National Award for “Best Film on Art & Culture” (as Producer & Director) in 2012 for ‘Lasya Kavya – The World of Alarmel Valli’ • Winner of the IDPA Award in 2007 for “Best Film Editing” (Riding Solo to the Top of the World).

83 84 RESEARCH AND POLICY ADVOCACY

85 86 Research and Policy Advocacy

There is an increasing awareness now that water resources in India are severely under the threat of degradation and overuse. The focus of water resource development in India since independence has been on intensifying utilisation rather than on protection of this scarce resource. The focus has remained on building more and more large dams on rivers and extracting more and more groundwater, without any concern for river or aquifer health, or for sustainable and equitable management of surface water or groundwater. This situation clearly shows the need to bring an ecosystem perspective into our water management and governance, which explicitly recognises that water is a finite substance in nature; that human interventions such as overuse and pollution can have harmful effects on the quantity and quality of the resource, adversely affecting drinking water and livelihood security of the people of India. This alternative framework sees water in its natural state as essentially a common pool resource, to be used equitably by all. Such a comprehensive and systemic view is needed to tackle recurring droughts, floods, and other water-related problems. Both, the current mode of thinking and the institutional framework (laws, regulatory structures etc.), need to be re-engineered or reformed to suit this new and emerging framework.

In this context, Dr. Mihir Shah, Secretary, SPS, chaired 2 Committees set up by the Ministry of Water Resources, GoI on:

1. Restructuring the CWC and CGWB 2. Drafting the National Water Framework Law and the Model Groundwater Bill

The Committees held country-wide consultations with various stakeholders. The report on restructuring CWC and CGWB tried to articulate such a new framework in India’s water governance. The report suggests some of the most far-reaching reforms in India’s water sector since independence, reforms that successive governments have failed to undertake. In view of these and other fresh challenges faced by a rapidly urban- ising and industrialising economy like India, in an era of climate change, the report seeks to put in place a paradigm shift in water management. The shift required can be summarised as follows:

1. Suiting our interventions to the contours of nature: Rather than command and control, our attempt should be to appreciate and apprehend the enormous diversity that characterises this nation and plan our interventions accordingly. 2. Governance based on partnerships: Governance is not the sole responsibility of governments. We need to form partnerships where all primary stakeholders get involved in the collective and participatory water governance. 3. Multi-disciplinarity: Understand water from a multi-disciplinary perspective. 4. Multidimensionality: Understand the multi-dimensional aspects of water, embodied in the National Water Framework Law. 5. Breaking the silos: Take an integrated view of water so that the current hydro-schizophrenia can be overcome. 6. Demand management and sustainability as a central focus: Rather than seeking to endlessly augment supplies of water, the focus must shift to effectively managing demand. 7. Emphasis on equity in access to water. 8. Transparency and easy access to water information. 9. National Water Framework Law: The draft NWFL provides an essential corrective to British Common Law by building upon the public trust doctrine enunciated by the Supreme Court, whereby the state at all levels holds natural resources in trust for the community.

The book co-edited by Mihir Shah and PS Vijayshankar, titled Water: Growing Understanding, Emerging Perspectives (Readings on the Economy, Polity and Society), was published by Orient Blackswan, Hyderabad & Delhi in April 2016.

87 This collection of essays, all previously published in the Economic and Political Weekly between 1990 and 2014, reflects the multi-dimensional, multi-disciplinary character of water, and spans the disciplines of Hydrogeology, Sociology, Economics, Political Science, Geography, History, Meteorology, Statistics, Public Policy, Energy, and Ecology. For decades after independence, Indian planning ignored the need for sustainability and equity in water resource development and management. There was just one way forward, that of harnessing the bounty in our rivers and below the ground, and this strategy had almost completely unquestioned acceptance. It was only in the 1990s that serious questions began to be raised on the wisdom of our understanding and approach to rivers. Around the same time, the sustainability of our strategy of groundwater development under the Green Revolution also began to be interrogated. This collection of papers brings out the emerging new understanding of water as well as the critical issues facing water sector today. Academics, government officials, feminists, activists, development workers, planners—all find a place in this collection.

88 DATA MANAGEMENT

89 90 Data Management

As part of the ongoing work, SPS has been collecting data regularly from different programmes, and these datasets form part of the larger database potentially at the disposal of the organisation. The manner in which data is collected, managed, stored, and analyzed could bring out important insights about the evolution of the organisation and its programmes. While the data collection exercise has been going on for many years, there has been no systematic integration of the different datasets of the organisation. As a result, each programme maintains records of its participating families, while there may be significant overlaps of these families with those of other programmes. In other words, while there could be convergence of different programmes for the same family, these programme details are not integrated in a common data platform. As a result, it becomes difficult to find both - the spread (outreach) and the depth (layering) of our programmes. Since it is the synergy of programmes that brings out a significant change in the life and livelihoods of the participating households, the database is unable to capture the operation of this synergy.

In order to streamline the data management of the organization, we decided to structure the data available in an organized fashion by making a common unique database which has beneficiaries across different programmes. The aim is to identify the depth of the impact of SPS on the households touched, which would help us further plan our programmes henceforth. A pilot project was carried out at Bagli location, considering 5 villages, namely Ambapani, Dangrakheda, Koopgaon, Jatashankar, and Sewaniya Khurd. ABF Data of the past year was used as the base database and Samagra ID was used to uniquely identify each household beneficiary. The mitaans belonging to particular villages were asked to identify the programmes that each household has been associated with, i.e Watershed, SHG, Agriculture, Livestock, Health and Nutri- tion, and Kumbaya programmes. This led to the creation of a comprehensive database wherein overlapping beneficiaries were uniquely identified and mapped to each of the programmes they are associated with. This exercise needs to be repeated across various locations so that we move towards an integrated database. After the initial mapping, we would like to hold a training session for the data entry operators to manage the data in a similar way at each of the locations. We would like to delve into activity based mapping under each programme to be more specific in terms of the skills provided and costs invested.

The final objective is to come up with an integrated organisation-level database, Pragati Samanvay, inte- grating all programmes and including all details of the participating families. By querying this database, we will be able to get details of the participating families at their household level, so that we can trace the entire history of the family, including their loan cycles, agricultural production, non-farm diversification, and participation in other programmes of SPS. It will also help us view the spread of the programme, locate the areas where work is now concentrated, and the locations to which work can be expanded in the future.