Project

To develop sustainable livelihood mechanisms for pastoralists, herders, and weavers- Bajaj Finserve Active Bajaj Finserve Active

To develop sustainable livelihood mechanisms for pastoralists, herders, and weavers. Background Livestock is the most important sub-sector of the Indian agricultural economy, playing a multi-faceted role in providing livelihood support to the rural population. Livestock contributes 4% of the national GDP and 26% of agriculture. India has more than 577 million smallholders, comprising landless, small, and marginal farmers, of whom the majority of households rear livestock as a mainstay or complement to crop production. Rajasthan is the only state where farmers' income comes from animal husbandry rather than crop husbandry, thanks to an existing integrated farming system model that combines agronomic and forage cultivation in identified resource-constrained zones in the country. In the harsh and bleak regions of rural Rajasthan in the Thar Desert, the URMUL Group of Organizations has been innovating models for inducing community-driven socio-developmental changes by devising programs, strengthening them, sustaining them, and finally handing them over to communities. URMUL’S work is guided by the spirit and trust placed in people’s capabilities to bring about much-needed social change with their own efforts. Most of our work is focused on vulnerable and marginalized sections of society - women, children, and farmers, including pastoralists and herders. In this context, URMUL aims to develop pilot management of pastoral routes, ensuring the management of inputs like water, fodder, and veterinary health, as well as supporting services for the safety and social upliftment of pastoralists in selected clusters of traditional routes. Project Description: To ensure the sustainable livelihood mechanisms of herders, pastoralists, and weavers through improved strategic interventions for these stakeholders. For the goat and sheep herders, the project designs a goat bank to promote livelihood through goat milk and wool by providing better fodder and improved animal husbandry practices. Through CPR and CFC intervention, the pastoralists get grazing land and shelter for their herd. Meanwhile, the project prepares skilled artisans/weavers to work on wool products by generating livelihood for them and the herders. The project is linked to the sustainable idea of taking forward the intervention by the FPO and various collectives made up of these beneficiaries. Summary of Quarterly Progress FIELD MOBILISATION AND FOUNDATION TRAINING: Strengthening and developing the community liaison to accelerate the creation of self-help groups (SHGs) and common interest groups (CIGs): During this quarter's planning phase, we worked on selecting the project team and villages for the project's implementation in the districts of Sikar and Bikaner, respectively. The field team has worked on participatory rural appraisal for community outreach and has made connections with the need-based beneficiaries, including pastoralists, herders, and farmers, among other women farmers as well and brought them together through frequent field meetings. Through various social media platforms like news reports and YouTube video news, their clear ideas and participatory activities in community meetings were reported, bringing the project's activities to a wider audience and encouraging the participation of beneficiaries. The field staff was trained through the three-day orientation and Cornerstone training to fundamentally establish the basic 12 principles of the foundation stones, which they will give to the proposed bunches in ongoing bits of sessions in the execution stage. The objective was to upskill on-field collaboration, they have been prepared and acquainted with additional strategies and abilities, and with that, they can confer new methods and work on the nature of work and local area activation. 23 identified villages from the Fatehpur (Shekhawati) and Lunkaransar block villages were linked. Our emancipatory approach combines evidence-based research and ethnographic study and has been grounded by a few research fellows' visits and participation in the project areas CORNERSTONE TRAINING: To build the capacity of pastoralists for common supportive actions, we conducted a three-day cornerstone training in various villages; we have now imparted this foundation training to eleven groups in Fatehpur. Through this foundation course, we imparted training to the women farmers, making them aware of the significance of the self-regulated group. Developing women into collectives, building their capacity, training them on financial literacy, saving, banking, etc., and providing them with opportunities and seed money to start their self-sustained livelihood activities. How microfinance can bring about change in their lives and how our current small reserves can grow into massive reserves through gathering and ensuring self-sustenance. Pepa Devi told people that "the money saved is given to a needy woman, and the same money is given to the woman with interest over time and then gets deposited." Information on commercial goat rearing to improve the economic condition by raising better goats through fodder management, nutrition, and housing. ANIMAL HEALTH CAMPS AND LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT TRAINING: In Kalu and Kelan villages, we conducted two village-level animal health check-ups, and two vaccination camps were held in the Lunkaransar Block. We could vaccinate 2500 animals. Sheep and Goat medicines were circulated for nothing to 25 families, and they were told that the items fabricated by the milk maker were scattered on the lookout. The camp was geared toward making an effort to work on livestock well-being, capture the different occurrences of normal infections, and recommend better health practices. The camps were joined in and helped by a group directed by Dr Amit Saraswat and Dr Abimanyu Singh, along with the project team. With information about the project to develop a sense of micro-entrepreneurship amongst the herders and artisans, Nodal Officer Mr Rewantram Jaipal, also briefed them about the various value chain innovations under the project to the herders. A veterinary official, Dr Abhimanyusingh Siyag, got the sheep and goats inspected and inoculated. He prescribed to the rearers that sheep and goats ought to receive available immunizations occasionally before they become ill, and alongside this, inoculations ought to be given to the small ruminants against such infections so as to prevent epidemic outbreaks. Giving information about animal health insurance, Live Stock Assistant Khayaliram from Kalu Chikitsalaya said that the fibre of the sheep in the area is attractive, strong, and of excellent texture, which is a means of livelihood for many people. While distributing information to all cattle farmers about wool-based products, the project coordinator FORAGE MANAGEMENT: Plantations have a significant impact on the environment because of their high nutrient content, drought resistance, and other attributes. planted throughout the CPR regions. Clay pot irrigation and native grass hedging to protect the soil ensure better growth for the animals that browse and graze on our pasture land. Several of the plants taken in July are now flourishing. Weeping in the presence of our herders and livestock on the move for green forage, we have planted approximately 250 saplings of Mulberry, Moringa, Arareca, and other trees. The program team carefully selected the fodder trees and grasses that sheep and goats consume and grow. These include: Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana) Khejri (Prosopis cineraria) Moringa (Moringa oleifera) Sewan grass (Lasiurus indices heard) Daman grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) Vegetable hummingbird (Sesbania grandiflora) Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) Azolla (Azolla pinnata) The variables considered in the design of the fodder species are: To develop a transitional vegetation type desert grassland and prairie agroecology. Access to livestock-specific good quality, nutritious fodder grasses, and trees. Proper upkeep of the nutritious indigenous fodder for animals adhering to the toxicology of plants. Selection of fodder grasses and trees that require minimum maintenance and supervision. Natural vegetation and drought-resilient and frost-resilient species play a significant role in ensuring forage for animals in arid areas. To provide an alternative source of fodder other than the Agriculture farm residue of Cluster beans, Pearl millet, and Groundnut stubbles. To improve animal productivity and fecundity with improved green forage intake, organic mineral mixtures, etc. WATER MANAGEMENT: Finding suitable water sources along the pasture routes is crucial for pastoralists. On the route, the program included remodelled community-owned water structures like ponds, traditional water structures, and water tanks. The area is fed by rain but gets very little rain. It is critical that the five seven constructed water structures are fully utilized to meet the needs of the pastoralist. The number of water reservoirs that must be built for each CPR. A clay pot micro-irrigation approach has been provided to manually irrigate the raised plantation. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND WOOL VALUE CHAIN: Under the Wool Product Development and Wool Value Chain, we have identified nearly 58 beneficiaries in terms of market linkage for the raw products of fibre and processed/dyed wool thread. We work with them to design various wool-based products directly at the source. This will give regional recognition to textiles that will have a distinct identity. At Kelan, we have almost managed to provide 40 pastoralists in the region with a means of subsistence by purchasing a 500 kg quantity of wool fibre from them. Together with other team members, we are boosting the value of natural fibres and ensuring income security for the women artisans and herders at the same time through skill development and training. Using a novel technique, the interim design team created distinct designs for 52 units of dhurries and 82 handwoven designer cushion covers dyed with indigo and natural dyes. We place a particular emphasis on assisting rural and residential women pastoralists, herders, and farmers in learning, among other things, how to spin fine woollen threads for yarn, handloom weave, crochet, and knit, giving them dignified means of subsistence in society. Because of their quality and designs, handicrafts are expensive and luxurious. This way people will get exposure to the market. Highend-demand in weaving could become a source of dignity for the community and help to achieve the goal of social development as a whole. We were able to train the women artisans effectively and encourage them to form women-led common interest groups so that they could sell and profit from their well-crafted goods. In the Rajasar cluster, we collaborate with two women-led SHGs, the Laxmi Self-Help Group and the Dali Self-Help Group. These women are experienced in product development and have run the cluster on their own. The Desi Oon exhibition in Delhi recently featured their work. In the next two weeks, two of our young pastoralists will attend the Center for Pastoral Youth Conclave. MARKETING LINKAGES: Rangasutra, Abhivyakti at URMUL Trust Bikaner, Vasundhara Gramotthan Samiti URMUL Setu, Loonkaransar Urmul Marusthali Bunker Vikas Samiti (UMBVS), Pokaran Triveni Kala Sangam Exhibitions, New Delhi, etc. The following items were sold at the Delhi event (by the pastoralists): Kala Sangam, Desi Oon, 52 dhurries, cushion covers with traditional designs, woollen cloth, 125 pieces, wool kashida, fabric. Setu (18 kg) wool thread was sold at the exhibition.