Nirman Odisha

Millet-based mixed cropping at Dupi (Tumudibandha Block, Kandhamal), as facilitated by NIRMAN.

The experimental learning plot established in our Tumudibandha Block field area (Kandhamal district) with support from The Hans Foundation . Initially it has accommodated 27 locally used paddy varieties collected from 5 district. The objective is to supply seeds to 500 farmers.

#Greenprosperity-1 : Some snapshots from our Dasapalla field area ... The #vegetablegardens have been promoted under the project support of Karl Kübel Stiftung für Kind und Familie and Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) . SOUMYENDRA ROY

Glimpses from the 2-day training programme for master trainers on #valueadditionandmarketing, organized by NIRMAN at Tumudibandha, with support from The Hans Foundation .

Line department officials visited yesterday one of our #IntegratedFarmingSystem initiatives at Pilipaju(Dasapalla, Nayagarh dist.), alongwith the experimental learning plot of paddy seed diversification. These initiatives have been supported by SWISSAID .

Dissemination workshop for the Smart Skill project was organized yesterday at Bhubaneswar, sharing the findings & outcomes of the project with NABARD - National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development #watershed project partners and community-based organizations. The project focused on enhancing the skills of rural communities, particularly strengthening the #VillageWatershedCommittees(VWCs), and the event highlighted the project's successes, challenges, and best practices.

COMMUNITY FORESTRY CAN BE TRULY EFFECTIVE IN FOREST & BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION: SCIENTIFIC STUDY Forest management & conservation was formalized in India during the colonial era, and since then there has been a perception that only the Forest Department can conserve & manage the forest, and not the people. In fact, such a belief system has so strongly established itself that despite several successful examples of #communityforestry initiatives in Odisha and elsewhere, there has been a veiled attempt to not allow the forest conservation & management rights to the deserving communities despite a clear mandate for the same under the #ForestRightsAct2006. Now, a preliminary scientific study commissioned by NIRMAN, a leading NGO of Odisha, has provided technical evidence that dedicated communities can effectively conserve the forests & biodiversity without much technical ado & financial bearing on the state excheqor. The study findings were presented in the State-level Workshop on Community-led Approach to Conservation & Livelihood, organized on 26th September at CYSD, Bhubaneswar in presence of community representatives, NGO representatives, other stakeholders, and eminent resource persons like Dr.Aravinda Behera, IAS(retd.) and Sri Ekadashi Nandi. Botanist Dr. Hemanta Kumar Sahoo presented his findings of the floristic study at select sample sites of Nayagarh & Rayagada districts, and shared how in terms of technical terms like the total basal area of trees and Shannon-Weiner diversity index the status is comparatively and generally better in the community-managed forests than in the forests not under community management. On the other hand, zoologist Miss Amrita Pakrashi shared how the faunal study at the same sample sites also found encouraging results. Like, the bird River Lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii), a Near Threatened species of the IUCN red list, has been noticed in the community-based forest conservation areas of Dasapalla. The experts present in the workshop appreciated the study, but recommended to improve the methodology and expand the sample sites for a more comprehensive & credible conclusion. Mr. Prasant Mohanty, Executive Director, NIRMAN accepted this suggestion and assured of its implementation in the next round of the scientific study. This scientific study was supported by Paul Hamlyn Foundation . IUFRO - International Union of Forest Research Organizations FAO IUCN  

State-level Consultation Workshop on Strengthening Farmers' Producer Organizations(FPOs) organized yesterday at Bhubaneswar....

Photo of the day !! One of our project participants of the Kiapadar GP of Thuamul Rampur Block in the Kalahandi district, embracing her vegetable crops while she herself is embraced by the lush & productive greenery. With NIRMAN's intervention the vegetable crop diversity in the local practice is now almost 4 times of what it used to be earlier (just 2-3 types). The initiative is supported by The Hans Foundation .

Looks like some (agricultural) wilderness ? Not unlikely ! Two of our project participants in the Dasapalla Block in their mixed crop fields. Karl Kübel Stiftung für Kind und Familie and Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)