Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network

Exciting update! Over the last two days, we (Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network) have officially registered National Pastoral Youth Federation (NPYF) as a Society under the Indian Society Act in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. This is an important initiative that aims to bring voices of Pastoral youth to the forefront. Experiences from different states were exchanged embracing the diversity in Pastoralism. This youth alliance will play an important role in supporting the enumerators for the Pastoral Livestock Census (for the next 4 months) ensuring inclusive enumeration of Pastoralists across the country which will be the first official record of Pastoralists in India. The Federation further hopes to work towards recognition and sustenance of Pastoralism as a practice. #pastoralists #pastoral #livestock #diversity #livestockcensus

In India, a census is conducted every 10 years to gather population data, and a livestock census is conducted every 5 years. Livestock census in India has been carried out since 1919-20. The previous livestock census took place in 2019, and the Indian government has now embarked on the 21st livestock census in 2024. The counting process commenced a year ago, and the actual counting began in September, expected to continue until December. Subsequently, the collected information will undergo processing for 1-2 months. #pastoralCensus2024 #Livestock

Celebrating 25 Years of WASSANIndia 🎉 WASSAN's North Coast, Andhra Pradesh region successfully concluded its 2-day Regional Consultation on September 25th and 26th, 2024.  Over 70 participants, including NGOs, CSR representatives, FPOs, government officials, and WASSAN team members came together to celebrate our collective journey. Together, they acknowledged the impactful initiatives carried out and expressed a strong desire for long-term collaboration and upscaling different models. Shri. P.V. Suryakumar, Former Deputy Managing Director of NABARD, graced the occasion with his presence and shared valuable insights on WASSAN's 25-year journey. All our long-standing partners and participants were felicitated, recognizing and being grateful for their significant contributions. Devullu of Sanjeevani NGO, Bhudevi of CAVS (her daughter received) and N Sanyasi Rao were specifically felicitated expressing our heartfelt gratitude for our decade long partnership. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the North Coast team for the successful event. 🎉 #WASSAN25Years #AgroEcology #Millets #Watershed #ChemicalFreeAgriculture #WomenEnterprises #CommunityEmpowermenet #Rainfed #Fisheries #BackyardPoultry

WASSANIndia is delighted to share that the Regional Celebration Event of Rayalaseema Region commemorating WASSAN's 25th Anniversary was a deeply nostalgic and resounding success on September 21, 2024. In partnership with NGO partners from Rayalaseema region, we celebrated this milestone by reflecting on our journey, achievements, and lessons learned. The event provided a platform for discussing future plans of nurturing and bringing prosperity to rainfed landscapes and communities while also exploring potential collaborations with our partner organizations. The evening festivities included a cake-cutting ceremony followed by an appreciation ceremony. We honored our NGO partners with mementos, recognizing each of our invaluable contributions to the work in Rayalaseema. We extend our sincere gratitude to the entire WASSAN team for their tireless efforts in making this event a memorable occasion. Please watch the Photo Slideshow giving a glimpse of the celebration event. #WASSAN25Years #Rayalaseema #RainfedLandscapes #Communities

WASSANIndia and Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network , in collaboration with their core partners, organized a two-day “Training for #CMSS Fellows on #DataCollection from #Cropdiversificationblocks” on September 9-10, 2024, at #Mahonag, #Mandi District, #HimachalPradesh. The training was structured into two segments: 1. Classroom-based learning and 2. Field exercises, facilitated by Resource Experts Soumik Banerjee and Samadhan Bangale. A total of 26 #participants from organizations such as Mount Valley Development Association @RTDC, @SPSS, @KarsogFPC, @SRDA, and @PahadTrust attended the training. The program focused on examining seeds and plants in the field and utilizing passport data from CDBs for crop characterization. The field activities included group tasks such as measuring plant dimensions and recording detailed observations of plants and grains to aid in classification. Participants also discussed the practical application of this data in drawing insights from field observations of plant growth stages. A notable activity involved weighing 1000 grains to demonstrate the performance variations across species. The training further emphasized the significance of pollination methods and growth cycle indicators in crop development. #workshop #event #agriculture #vegetables #pulses #crops #knowledge #practicalwork #characterization #foxtailmillet #Frenchbean #fingermillet #buttonrajma #experience #linkedinpost #postoftheday National Coalition for Natural Farming

Welcome to the August Edition of the Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network E-Newsletter! 2024 🌟 Dear Colleagues, We are happy to present our latest e-newsletter, containing updates from AUGUST 2024! This month, we are excited to present the compilation that offers glimpses of the concerted efforts made during AUGUST 2024. You will find the most recent updates of our events, workshops, and activities by several collaborators of the RRA Network spread across different regions of the country. This edition features: ✨ Recent events, workshops, activities & initiatives These experiences might offer valuable insights for you. If you’re interested in collaborating, we’d love to hear from you! Please reach out to the RRA Network. We'd like to encourage you to share your activities and achievements with us for inclusion in the next edition of our e-newsletter. Click the Link to read the E-Newsletter of August 2024: https://lnkd.in/g98Wh5bG 📧 Write to us at www.rainfedindia.org

🌾 Strengthening Seed Systems through Training in #Himachal Pradesh 🌱 From September 9 to 10, 2024, the Working Group on Seed Systems - Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network (RRA Network) organized a two-day training program in Mahunag, Himachal Pradesh, for Community Managed Seed Systems (CMSS) Fellows from Himachal and Uttarakhand. The event brought together 26 participants, including SHG women from 7 CSOs, to enhance their skills in characterization data collection from Crop Diversity Blocks (CDBs). The program combined one-day classroom sessions with hands-on field visits to focus on traditional crops like finger millet, foxtail millet, milk Rajma, and French beans. Under the technical guidance of Mr. Soumik Banerjee, participants learned the importance of accurate data collection for traditional crop varieties and how to implement it using standardized formats. This initiative strengthens seed systems in rainfed regions, helping farmers make informed decisions for resilient farming. #SustainableAgriculture #CommunitySeedSystems #CropDiversity #RRAN

🌾 Strengthening Seed Systems in Bundelkhand 🌾 A three-day training on data collection from Crop Diversity Blocks (CDBs) was held from September 4 to 6, 2024, in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh. Organized by the Working Group of Seed System under the Bundelkhand RRA Network, (Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network ) the training was attended by over 20 participants from various institutions working in rainfed agriculture across the region. Key highlights: 📚 Theoretical knowledge on the importance of timely data collection and monitoring key crop parameters. 🌾 Field visits to CDBs in Panna and Chhatarpur districts, where participants gained hands-on experience in data collection from traditional paddy, moong, sesame, and Kodo crops. 🌱 Focus on implementing Community Managed Seed Systems (CMSS) to reduce farm losses and improve resilience in farming systems. The training highlighted the value of planting traditional and improved crop varieties in CDBs while using data-driven approaches to enhance seed selection and strengthen agricultural practices in the region. The training also emphasized the implementation of Community Managed Seed Systems (CMSS) to reduce farm losses, improve resilience, and promote the use of traditional and improved crop varieties. #WGoSS #RRAN #Agriculture #SeedSystems #Bundelkhand #RainfedFarming #CommunityFarming #SustainableFarming #DataCollection

The author of this piece, which was posted on the India Water Portal, is Rajesh Kumar Pradhan (RAJESH KUMAR PRADHAN), a Young Professional with the Watershed Support Services and Activities Network (WASSANIndia) in the Kendujhar area of Odisha. A women's self-help organization in the Kendujhar district of Odisha has introduced nutrient-rich millet-based diets for preschoolers as part of the integrated child development scheme to combat malnutrition. #millets #malnutrtion #womeninitiative

🌾 **Participatory Varietal Selection for Amaranthus under Crops4HD in West Bengal**  A Participatory Varietal Selection (PVS) event for Amaranthus was held in the last week of August in Kultali Block, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. The event was organized by WASSAN India, Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network in collaboration with Lokamata Rani Rashmoni Mission. The event saw the participation of around 60 farmers (33 male, 27 female) from 3 Gram Panchayats and 2 Blocks. Dr. Sukamal Sarkar, Assistant Professor in Agronomy at RKMEVRI, led the session. Farmers selected AM 09 (White Katwa) and AM 10 (Bannuru Dantu) as their preferred Amaranthus varieties, expressing interest in purchasing seeds for these varieties. Dr. Sarkar emphasized the importance of conducting basic nutritional profiling tests, including vitamin C, protein, sugar, and flavonoid content, which will further inform the farmers. He also suggested incorporating phenotypic stress parameters in data collection and recommended formalizing collaboration with RKMEVRI through an MoU. This event is a vital step in promoting informed seed choices and enhancing crop diversity among the Farming Community. #RainfedIndia #Crops4HD #ParticipatoryVarietalSelection #Amaranthus #SustainableAgriculture #WestBengal