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| West Bengal - Activities |
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Sankrail
A Systematic Rice Intensification (SRI) programme was introduced a year ago in Sankrail. SRI was implemented in 127.5 acres of land during the kharif and 280 acres of land during the summer season. Over 700 farmers were covered by the SRI programme. All of them derived considerable financial benefit from the new cultivation technique. Several farmers were motivated to adopt this method of paddy cultivation. To overcome the shortage of labour during the peak season, ACF introduced the farmers to low-cost agricultural tools such as cono-weeders, grubbers and markers.
ACF took up a new initiative called organic SRI in the reporting year. For this trials on 3 acres land has commenced in Bahira village, where vermi-compost pits have been constructed in the fields. The pits are enriched with vermi-compost and neem. Farmers actively participate in these organic cultivation trials, the results of which are expected soon. Vermin -compost pits were constructed for the benefit of the farmers and technical training and exposure visits were organised to build their capacities so that they can cultivate their own vermin compost.
In a new initiative, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) was introduced in 2009-10 with technical assistance from BCKV Agricultural University. The initial focus was on creating awareness through field demonstrations. Pheromone traps were introduced for the 1st time. These are eco-friendly methods of pest control that we hope farmers will adopt in the long run.
Several farmers turned to aquaculture as an additional source of income. Fish like Rohu, Catla and Mrigal were cultivated. Contribution towards stocking fingerlings, water quality management and feed management was shared equally by ACF and the farmers. The latter were trained in scientific methods of fish cultivation by experts.
For skill training, courses are being offered by ACF for village youth. Three courses are currently being offered– Computer Basic, Computer Hardware and Maintenance, and Mobile Repair. Personality Development and Spoken English courses were started recently at the request of the students. Seventy percent of our students are either employed by the industry or are self-employed once trained.
Many health camps were organised for the villagers in the year where basic medical care facilities were made available to them. Paediatric health camps were conducted for the children and gynaecological camps were organised for women. Further , eye check up and cataract screening camps were also held organised.
The targeted intervention programme for truckers that ACF is carrying out in association with Apollo Tyres Foundation is gaining momentum. The programme addresses symptomatic as well as asymptomatic management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The focus of the programme in on behavioural change communication, condom promotion, diagnosis and treatment of STIs and counselling.
ACF has been awarded management of an Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) by the West Bengal State AIDS Prevention and Control Society. Several STI clinics were organised in the year and many cases of STI were detected. Educational support by way of books, school bags and uniforms was provided to 20 children of HIV positive individuals through a tie-up with “Howrah Network of Positive People”, a network of HIV infected people in Howrah.
Naba Diganta, ACF’s non-formal school continued to provide primary education to the children residing in the slum adjacent to Sankrail Railway Station. In 2009-10, 20 students who were transferred to government primary schools were provided with support to help them cope with mainstream education. Fifteen students are expected to switch to mainstream education in the coming year.
ACF supported 20 schools to improve their infrastructure by providing new classrooms, proper seating arrangement for the students, drinking water facilities and playgrounds. Renovation and white washing of school buildings were also undertaken. A few students from the lower income strata were supported by way of books and other educational materials by ACF so that they could pursue their education. These students were selected jointly by ACF, the school authorities and the Panchyat.
Three adult education centres were added recently, taking the total number of centres to 8. Beneficiaries and resource persons at these centres are members of the women’s SHGs. More than 200 women attend the literacy classes in these centres.
Our interventions in women’s empowerment focused on institutionalising the SHGs, building capacity amongst the SHG members and improving their socio-economic conditions. Twenty-eight SHGs were formed last year. Sankrail now has 86 SHGs in operation. SHGs regularly undergo training in areas like book keeping, developing linkages with other institutions and marketing of products. Visits to other NGOs working with SHGs are also organised.
In the area of income generation, SHG members who were producing mushrooms in their households were given training on mushroom cultivation. Besides the local markets, efforts are being made to help them tap the retail sector in Kolkata. Two SGHs involved in aquaculture were trained in scientific methods of cultivation. Several other SHGs have found pickle-making to be a good source of income.
In rural infrastructure development, the renovation of 2 ponds was completed with community participation. The erstwhile seasonal ponds will now be perennial and will be utilised for fish cultivation in the coming year. Five tube wells were installed and village pathways were developed in Chaturbhujkathi and Dhulagarh (East) in the year 2009-10. Besides these, public places like cemented pond ghats, burning ghats, and toilets were also developed.
Farakka
Although agriculture is the primary source of income for the villagers in Farakka, they continue to follow age-old agricultural practices that fetch lower yields. Lack of technical knowledge and awareness of modern practices has resulted in increased costs, depleted soil fertility and poor crop quality. To tackle this problem, farmer to farmer training programmes were organised on vegetable production, soil management, use of fertilisers, organic farming, integrated pest management and systematic rice intensification (SRI). Visits to the Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Godda, Jharkhand, Pulse and Oil Seed Research Station and farms of the Comprehensive Area Development Cooperative (Government of West Bengal). Farmers were given the opportunity to interact with scientists and learn about modern techniques of crop management.
Almost 200 farmers took to SRI in 2009-10. The SRI yield was 7-8 quintals against 5-6 quintals via traditional cultivation. With such evident benefits, the SRI project is set to grow. Vegetable cultivation was also promoted which offered an additional income. Women’s Self Help Groups(SHGs) are also involved in the agriculture programme and members of different SHGs were given vegetable kits, which they used in their kitchen gardens.
Animal husbandry and aquaculture programmes were undertaken side by side with agriculture. Vaccination camps were organised with the support of the Animal Husbandry Department. The aquaculture programme included training of farmers on about netting, measurement of temperature, pH, and plankton counts.
A skills training institute has been established in Farakka to generate alternative employment opportunities for unemployed rural youth. The institute imparts skills on computer hardware and software, mobile repair, electrical fittings, air conditioning and electronic repair and maintenance, driving, tailoring and masonry. Through these courses many persons were trained in 2009-10.
Villages are severely lack access to quality health services and to make healthcare easily available to the villagers, ACF along with the Block Medical Health Office organised regular health camps, health awareness camps and first aid training programmes. These interventions benefitted 3500 households in 2009-10. Specialised camps for blood donation, thalassemia, and asthma were conducted in collaboration with the Health Department and various local clubs. In the year eye screening and surgery camps were organised jointly with Lion’s Club, Farakka, in which over 1500 patients underwent check ups and over 300 were identified for cataract surgery.
Under the sanitation project 100 low-cost toilet blocks were constructed in 2009-10. Wall paintings and IEC materials were given emphasis as awareness generation tools on health and sanitation. To provide safe drinking water to more than 600 families, 12 hand pumps were installed.
A community centre was established in Talipur village. The Panchayat provided government land, a toilet block and a rig bore tube well for the centre, which will serve as a cultural hub and a venue to carry out capacity building activities in the region. A library was opened in Syed Nurul Hasan College. This establishment will have a book bank that will enable needy students to prepare for their examinations. A 350 metre long boundary wall and 2 new classrooms were constructed in New Farakka High School. Two hundred and fifty students of Saraswati Shishu Mandir School for Children (I-IV) at NTPC were benefitted by the completion of additional toilet blocks. A 500 metre long concrete road was built in Kendua village. Bathing ghats were put up in these two villages, as also in the feeder canals of Khairakandi and Ballalpur villages. In Tildanga Station near the Ambuja Cements Plant, a drinking water supply system with bore well and a 1,000 litre overhead tank was installed to serve platforms 1 and 2.
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