WELCOME TO FARMERS ORGANISATION FORWARD

WHAT WE DO

SUSTAINABLE RURAL LIVELIHOODS

80% of the people in the region live in remote rural areas far from (formal) markets, and depend mostly on subsistence agriculture, livestock rearing, forest produce and wage labour for their livelihood. 84% of the farmers are small, marginal farmers with two hectares of land or less, of which only half is fit for cultivation. Agriculture in the region is mostly rain-fed with only 23% of the cultivated area under irrigation.

Promotion of Millet Cultivation and its consumption

All our initiatives to improve the conditions for farming, the amount of farmland that is cultivable, the variety of crops and agricultural yields have improved the lives and livelihoods of women as well as men. Afforestation interventions give women the ability to collect fodder to use on their farms, or to sell at the market.

Farmers in the region generally use traditional or indigenous methods but are adopting unsustainable practices, for example high use of chemicals and diversification to include quick cash-return crops. These and other indigenous farming methods are becoming unviable as they are leading to low productivity and increased land and water degradation. Farmers also face increasing variation in climate and weather patterns which can result in crop loss. The challenge is to make agriculture more resilient, thus sustaining food production and possibly giving farmers some income, without causing further damage to the environment.

Livestock rearing is another dominant livelihood activity practise by most families in the region. Nearly all families own small and large ruminants, including goats. Tribal communities also rear ‘country’ chickens (desi birds). For these families, keeping animals represents a means of saving to protect against crop failure or family crisis.

FORWARD works with farmers to enable them to utilise their farmland in the most efficient manner with the best possible agriculture practices. To utilise existing farmland to its optimal capacity, following watershed or ridge-to-valley treatment, soil and water conservation activities are undertaken to ensure the fertility of soil and enhance moisture. Irrigation facilities are also provided through water recharge, and water pumping and distribution systems, to ensure a constant supply of water for crops. FORWARD provides a community-based agri-extension service through trained agriculture workers called “Krushak Sathi” who acts as facilitators to encourage farmers to adopt the best agricultural practices in relation to grains, pulses and vegetables, fruit trees and livestock. Using the Farmer Field School approach, regular farm demonstrations and training programmes in production enhancement techniques are conducted (including preservation of seeds through community seed banks, preparation of nurseries and organic fertilisers, sowing methods, weeding and hoeing, harvesting and storage).

INCOME ENHANCEMENT

84% of the farmers in rural parts of our work area are small and marginal farmers including small fish farming groups earning only about INR 13,000 (USD 185) annually from agriculture, livestock and fish farming. The outputs from agriculture, livestock and fish farming are usually less than the state and national averages. As a result, after their family’s consumption, farmers are left with little or no surplus for sale to enhance their income.
A recent survey states that 30-50% of all agriculture-dependent rural households in this region are facing indebtedness. Even after a good harvest, it is a challenge for a farmer to earn any meaningful income without connectivity to markets. Not only do most farmers live far from markets, but they also have little understanding of how they work. Furthermore, they sell their produce as individuals and not as a group, which would help to achieve economies of scale.

FORWARD works with farmers to increase their income by identifying critical areas in the farmers’ value chain and providing solutions. FORWARD uses its community-based agri-extension service model, through trained agriculture workers called “Krushak Sathis” and agriculture experts, to support these farmers at every stage of the production cycle to ensure best results
FORWARD works along with the community groups and federations that we help to enable them to aggregate farm produce in order to achieve economies of scale, enabling farmers to receive a fair price at current wholesale prices and to benefit from these organisations’ expertise in rural agri-business developments in the region.

Through this intervention, FORWARD aims to increase the prosperity of the rural farming community by enhancing their entrepreneurial capabilities through links to training and credit and by giving them access to fair markets, without the need to travel long distances.
Two of FORWARD’s income-generating interventions deserve a special mention. Combined Fish, Duck and Horticulture in Kujang block, started promoting with the support from National Agricultural Bank for Rural Development (NABARD), Bhubaneswar as an initiative to help 101 small women fishers improve their income by promoting fish, duck, duck egg, banana, papaya, green leafy vegetables, sweet corn etc. for sale

CREATING PLATFORMS FOR WOMEN

To allow women to come together and voice their concerns, FORWARD has created an array of platforms for women. These include Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Women’s Federation. More than 1500 women are associated with these platforms. In addition, FORWARD has ensured that women are represented on all Village Development Committees promoted by FORWARD.

To increase the power and reach of village SHGs, we have encouraged successful groups to form clusters (consisting of 8-15 SHGs from neighbouring areas), and federations so that issues of interest to members can be discussed and often resolved at a higher level.

In the operational areas, women often have no say in decisions regarding the finances of their family. They have always worked to contribute to sustaining their family – whether in the fields or by doing work paid for by the government under MGNREGA. But they have had little or no control over where the family money goes. Women who have been deserted or forced to leave the matrimonial home commonly have nothing

Financial independence for women is life-changing, giving them the ability to make independent decisions for themselves and their family. Since the SHGs’ creation, over 500 women have been given access to affordable credit and saving schemes. As a result, SHGs have accumulated more than INR 10 lakh which is available to support women further. Evidence from the SHGs has shown that 84% of SHG loans were used for expenses related to health, education, debt repayments and livelihoods.

With limited income, families are forced to borrow to pay for healthcare (emergency or otherwise), social obligations (such as a child’s wedding) or investment necessary to increase or safeguard the family’s livelihood (e.g. buying better farm equipment or land, putting in irrigation, setting up a brick-making business). In the area we work in, where banks are generally far away, largely unsupportive and daunting to rural, especially tribal, people, credit is often only available through moneylenders who target tribal women and offer credit at extortionate rates (frequently 60-120% p.a., with crippling monthly payments).

As a response to these problems, FORWARD has helped women to set up Self-Help Groups in the villages. These allow women to save regularly and receive credit which is controlled collectively with their friends and colleagues at a much more affordable rate (1-2% monthly).

Climate Change resilient Millet Cultivation

Promotion of Milet Cultivation in Tribal Areas (Tiring) Mayurbhanj

Addessing the issue of Manourishment among children of the age group of 0-5 years

Facilitation of Joyful learning among 210 tribal children in Gudari, Rayagada district, Odisha, India

WASH activities at Sijuput Slum in the outskirt of Bhubaneswar Capital City

Safe Drinking water, Swage sytem and Concrete Cement Road at Sijuput slum, Bhubaneswar

It is a Non-Government Organisation registered under Society Registration Act - 1860, FCRA-2010 & 12 AA (2) $ 80G of the I. T. Act, 1961.

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Contact us

Registered Office: At. Limaliguda, PO: Jaltar, Via, Gunupur, District-Rayagada, Odisha-765022
Liasoning Office: Mahaveer Enclave, 201, Gajapati Nagar, Bhubaneswar PO: Sainik School.Khurda Odisha-751005
Field Office: At: Rayatasahi, PO. Jhimani, Via: Kujang, District Jagatsinghpur, Odisha-752424

+91- 9437943642

forward.secy@gmail.com

What We Do