District: Thrissur

Block Panchayath: Ollukkara

Gramapanchayath: Nadathara

Kerala has its own agricultural heritage and Thrissur can claim a better portion of it. When we talk about the agricultural heritage of the district, Nadathara is the name which we can’t replace or avoid. Still there are hundreds of people who took farming as their life. Vegetables are the important crop of the area in which bitter guard has its own place. Nadathara is even famous for its own variety of bitter guard called Nadatharapaval.

Molly Sebastian, a member of migrated Kottayam based agro-family who deviated from the field after she got married to a family which was not much into farming. But later she realized that the meager income of her husband is not sufficient for a successful life which gradually drags them to debts and poverty. In a situation which she realizes that their life is slipping out of them due to these issues and landed into a situation that she needs to do anything and was ready to. At that point of time she takes the call of her life which was there in her blood that of a farmer. When the Kudumbashree NHG comes with the solution for initial investments she was full-fledged for the call primarily in 1998. The initial lone of 5000 from NHG drives her to the present situation of a proud farmer, she recalls.

As per Molly her success was visible when we can see her husband who is unaware of what farming is, was with her as a great support. She gradually gets more income and her standard of life rises and then she is able to do farming on leased land up to 8 acres in 2000. Late she happened to know about the Kudumbashree policies on leased land farming and with the help of then CDS Chairperson Mercy Gopi got financial assistance in 2008, she gained more confidence. Later she registered with Sneha JLG group and started working which made her to be selected as master farmer of the Panchayath. This also raises her farming capacity like bitter guard in 12.5 acre, pea in 2.5 acre, plantain, and some other vegetables in another 2 acres. If we fall in with a small margin loss too, Kudumbashree is there to support and makes sure that we are not falling down with incentives and interest free loans she added.

Her dedication and skills got showcased in 2010 she is successful in the winter farm school for vegetables at Agricultural university, Thrissur. As per Molly if you have a mentality and health to work, farming is always the best option for you. Later her group was following rain fed system, so she will work only for 6 months. But by that time they were able to gain sufficient profit for the year. By bitter guard itself they can make around 50000 profits. Now they are doing farming for one full year. She was a regular face in all farming related events in the district. Till the date she got around 466713 rupees as incentives from Kudumbashree.

Her hard work and dedication was felicitated by Krishibhavan by giving her the best farmer award in 2000, 2008 and 2013and by the government of Kerala by giving Mahilashree award in 2012. She gives all the credits for the almighty to change her life. But we can say without any doubt that these are the success of the hard work, confidence and dedication. She claims with a pride tone that all the best moments of her life like career and education of children, their marriages and even their own house are the sweat from the farm. The pleasure and satisfaction which we get from the farming is always different, she adds.

District : Thiruvananthapuram

CDS: Malayinkeezhu Grama panchayat

JLG: Samrudhi

President – Sathi K

Secretary – Manju Chandran

Members – Anila Kumari, Priya

Samrudhi is a registered JLG unit in Malayinkeezhu Grama panchayat in Nemom block in Trivandrum district.

The JLG unit was formed by 4 female members. The dream what they saw was prosperity in the community which led them to put the unit’s name as samrudhi. The unit started by cultivating banana and vegetables in the land of one of the unit member. The first attempt was a failure but they learn new lessons from that failure which give them immense confidence to do it again.

The unit took 5 acres of land for lease in Malayinkeezhu panchayat. They took a loan of Rs 2 lakhs from Central Bank of India which helped them to do the cultivation. They learned how to cultivate paddy and that was a new beginning to Samrudhi. They used water from nearby stream. During the last March – April, they feared that the drought would affect their cultivation. But that was not a big challenge for the unit. During the drought period there will be no water in the nearby wells and the paddy cultivation by this group made a drastic change for that situation. For this new venture the unit got big support from the locality itself. They got all support and assistance from Kudumbashree district mission and Malayinkeezhu grama panchayat.

As part of Haritha Keralam initiative made by the Government of Kerala, harvest festival conducted in their paddy field. They are doing sales in an amount less than that of the market price through kudumbashree weekly market, monthly market and festivals as well. This JLG unit has been selected as the best unit in Malayinkeezhu panchayat. Through the unit, employment has been guaranteed for 2000 labour days.

Paddy cultivation in 5 acres of leased land was a big success by the unit. As of now the harvesting has been done for 2 times. The total need of vaykol for the cow farmers in that panchayat has been fulfilled by this unit’s paddy field. The coordination, dedication and confidence helped them to succeed in the area where they tried to find their living and the unit members are very happy to do paddy cultivation to feed the malayalis with their own rice which has been cultivated in their own land.

The cultivation was doing without using any pesticides. The harvesting in the paddy field has been celebrated as “Kannikoythu - 2017” which was inaugurated by Haritha Keralam Mission Vice Chairperson Dr. T. N. Seema. Samrudhi unit is expecting a new food culture that will come in the future. The unit’s entire endeavors are to make the people healthier.

In Thrissur district there is a small village named kattor and is not a farming area but some of the people do farming in small scale. Majority of the people lived their with animal husbandary activity.

In Kattor Gramapanchayath a JLG named sayoojyam started cultivation in 2010.There are four members in the group and a lady named Sulochana is the leader of the group .she is a cancer patient but she works hard for the well functioning of the group.They do farming activity all over the year and do farming all the crops.Rice,Banana,Vegetables ,Tuber crops are cultivated by this group.In 2010 they started cultivation in 1.5 acre vegetables and the organic vegetables are sold at sight .As the need of organic vegetables increases they take more fallow land and now they cultivated in 6 acre. They get all the help from panchayath and block.Land preparation is done by MNREGS and seeds are collected from Agriculture department. This year they do fallow land cultivation and get 22kg rice from 75 cent . As they are interested in farming activity they come all the trainings and make organic manures and fertilizers in their own home.

Sulochana is now a role model for all farming groups inthis panhayath .she is survive from cancer due to the farming . she engaged majority of her time in farming and other social activities. She do cattering work also .their

life goes better now and they earn money for their better life.

District : Pathanamthitta

CDS : Chittar

JLG : Drishya

Drishya JLG group is successful in carrying out multiple farming method at the hill stations of Chittar GramaPanchayath from Ranni, Pathanamthitta district. Crops like Banana, Tapioca, Yam, Colocasia and other vegetables are cultivated in 5 acre of land. Lease land is used for cultivation purposes.The main issue they were facing was the attack of wild animals and that remained without any solution as the farm was nearby the forest area. Still the group members Sudhamani, Smitha Sasi, Geetha Gopi and Hima Mohan maintains to work and bring there cultivation to success level.

Department of agriculture provided paddy seeds for the upland cultivation of paddy ( Karanel Krishi). This was used for the means of trail farming in 2 acres of land and this group was able to do it successfully. The group members are happy as this type of paddy farming is not harmed by wild animals.The land for the cultivation of paddy was prepared by the help of MGNREGS.

The JLG members are from families in which they practiced farming and cultivation in traditional ways. Smt. Sudhamani is the group leader and as well as holds the position of CDS member and Master farmer. After the formation of JLG group, they were taking a loan of 1 lakh rupees per year for 4 years. Interest Subsidy and Incentive was obtained from Kudumbashree District Mission.

This group following the traditional farming practices as well as the training obtained from the MKSP program.

The main thing in the success of their farming was the interest in agriculture and moreover that was the main source of income. Hardwork and unity in their work will defenitly bring bright colours to their successful farming.

Cowdung and other animal wastes are used for fertilizers in cultivation. Since they are practicing organic way of farming, the yields obtained has a great demand in the market,people buy crops directly from the farm during the harvesting time.

Along with cultivation they also practiced animal husbandary which included cow, goat and hen. Hence they were able to used animal waste like cow dung and all for using it as organic fertilizers and also the products like milk and egg also made there extra earning in farming.

The group members are extremely happy as this multiple farming provide an extra income and organic vegetables to their family and others.

• District : Wayanad
• CDS: Meenangadi
• JLG: Kripa
• Crops: Vegetables, Paddy, Banana

Awards

• Best Master farmer award from Kudumbashree
• Best Farmer award from Panchayat
• Best JLG Award, Wayanad

There is one in crowd of millions who are most phenomenally worked and to set an example for others. Smt Jerry a farmer from Meenangadi Panchayat, Wayanad district belongs to an ordinary family. Even in her hardship she worked very hard to earn a better life. Her major support is her family. She is inspired by her father, a farmer and gets motivation from her husband. Her children also support her to be in success.

Mrs Jerry, started farming from 2008 onwards in her 10 cents of land which is now expanded up to 1 acres of land and also have 350 grow bag. She is a member of Kudumbashree. At present she cultivates a variety of crops which include fruits, vegetables, flowering plants, trees and more. Fruits such as banana, papaya, jackfruit, mango etc, vegetables such as carrot, beetroot, lettuce, brinjal, snake guard, ash guard, cucumber, chilli, okra, beans, onion, coriander etc and spices such as ginger flourish in her farm.

She imports a variety of high yielding seeds like pumpkin, tomato and lettuce from UK. Apiculture, Mushroom cultivation, Poultry farm, Quail rearing and Guinea fowl rearing are the other important activities.

Papaya jam and jackfruit chips, grape vine, mushroom cutlet, pickles of different flavours, amla legiyam are processed for sale. She also sell high quality vegetable seedlings. Being a JEVA member, Jerry gives a training class of budding, grafting, layering and vermicompost preparation to young active farming aspirants. She looks after a vegetable farm in a convent which is nourished by differently abled inmates. She receives financial support from Kudumbashree, Krishibhavan and Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA).

District : Ernakulam

Name of JLG : Kripa

Total No. of Members : 4

Name of members : Eliyamma Ouseph, Mary Poulose, Thankamma Sreedharan, Eliyamma

Panchayath : Vengoor

Kripa JLG is one of the inspiring group among the collective farming groups in the district. Because these four members were aged above 50. They started the farming in 2004-2005. Before that they were doing some unskilled works for their livelihood but it has no sufficiently met their needs. The idea of collective farming arise during the NHG meeting then they decided to start the farming in that area because vengoor panchayath is concentrated in agriculture area. Then they formed Kripa JLG which include Eliyamma Ouseph, Mary Poulose, Thankamma Sreedharan, Eliyamma. They were finding the land for lease. At that time the concept of lease land farming is not munch familiar among the community so they faced difficulty in getting the land.

After a long search for lease land they got 2 acre land for lease they started ginger cultivation in the first phase it got good yield and profit. That result gave the confidence and enthusiasm among the group. Gradually they get more land for lease and then they extended the cultivation in 8 acres of banana, pineapple, Tuber crops. Their income and living status will improved gradually in addition to that they started cow rearing goat rearing etc.

They gave motivation to others for starting collective farming in the Panchayat. Panchayath level appreciations CDS level appreciations also got to this group. Krishi bhavan also supported. Many times they got Kudumbashree loan and Incentive. They were active members in all classes conducted by kudumbashree and CDS.

District : Kozhikode

Name of JLG : Oruma

Total No. of Members : 5

Name of members : Beena Madol, Radha, K, Sarojini, Cheeru P.V, Beena k

Affiliation number : G110307/03/10/16

Block : Kunnummal

Panchayath : Velom

Total area of cultivation: 12 acres

In this era all commodity products have many sort of poisoned arrows mainly in vegetable cultivation. Through this phrase from Velom panchayath, a bestowed village in Kozhikode district, a group of ladies including 5 women who gathered and think about organic farming. We know in every aspect of group is mainly lay on one hand that is Beena Madol, who is the master leader of this massive group, and they perpetually think that there is no use to be idle and round on the cabin of kitchen in their houses, after all ladies shows us how to get empowered by one and each through Kudumbashree, Kudumbashree cut the right path towards them.

This group was formed in 2010 and they were concentrating in goat farming. Then they decided to expand their work in vegetable cultivation also. Presently they are cultivating banana in 2.5 acres of land, rice in 5 acres, turmeric in 2 acres, elephant foot yam in 2 acres, vegetable in 50 cents which they are getting ready to extend to 5 acres. They will start cultivating rice in 12 acres of land from next season. Vegetables they are cultivating include bhendi, brinjal, cowpea, snake gourd, ash gourd, bitter gourd, chilli, amaranth etc. For all these crops they are using high yielding variety seeds only. In addition to that they are using biocontrol agents like Pseudomonas and Trichoderma, organic manures like vermicompost, neem cake, cowdung slurry, farm yard manure, EM compost, fish and fish amino acid, jeevamrutham etc. They are much aware about the new techniques in agriculture sector and they are practicing it in the field. For integrated disease and pest management, they use different types of traps, cultural practices, biofertilizers, tobacco decoction, papaya leaf extract etc. In addition to this, they are using Red ant, Oecophylla smaragdina in their field to manage the insect pests in cowpea which is an indigenous technical knowledge in Malabar area. It is a proven augmentative biological control. This group is running a goat farm very successfully in which they are following broiler goat farming method developed by KVK Peruvannamuzhi. They are experts in mushroom cultivation, dairy farming, poultry etc also.

Support from Kudumbashree:

Kudumbashree District mission has sanctioned and disbursed area incentive and interest subsidy eligible to them which helps them to improve the farming activities.

Awards received:

Aspi research and development foundation- National award for est vegetable farming group- second best group – 2012, Velom Krishibhavan- Best JLG award - 2012, 2013, Best master farmer- Beena Madol-2013,Velom Panchayath- Best JLG award - 2015, Kudumashree District Mission - Best JLG Award in ‘Nattupacha’ Pre onam market 2017

District : Idukki

Name of the JLG: Bhagyashree

Total number of members: 4

Name of the members: Tessy Joseph, Sindhu Vijayan, Danny george and Seeja Shaji

Block: Idukki

Panchayat: Mariayapuarm

Four women farmers named Tessy Joseph, Sindhu Vijayan, Danny george and Seeja Shaji, from Mariyapuram village, were interested in farming, and were doing farming individually as their own till 2010.They had no enough land and some let the land fallow as they didn’t have enough funds to invest on the land and also all the work had to be done almost single-handedly. At the time NABARD has introduced interest subsidy schemes and incentive, put forth the condition that to register as Kudumbashree JLGs. These four people registered as Bhagyashree JLG in 15 October 2010 with UID number MGP/II/ 752 at Mariyapuram panchayat of Idukki block.

After registered as JLG they started to cultivate at an area of 0.5 acres with crops tapioca and beans. For the capital investment they took loan of amount 100000 from IDCB bank, Vazhathoppu branch for the purposes like land leasing, buying motor etc., The major initial constraints were weather aberrations, shortage of water, lack of scientific knowledge about organic farming etc., they overcame the difficulties by avoidance of high water requiring crop like rice in upland, water sheds are made for water harvesting, adoption of the use of green manure and vermi –compost as well as adoption of organic disease and pest management technics. When they started growing in large scale, neighbouring vegetable vendors came to know about their produce and quality of the vegetable grown in the field. Hence the vendors came to their place and purchased the produce.

They value more in producing healthy food and living a healthy life, than making money out of farming. With this objective in mind presently they are cultivating, tapioca and banana in 1 acre area, turmeric- 10 cents, coleus and yam- 10 cents, grow bag cultivation 60 in number, organically.

Trainings provided from Kudumbashree were very helpful in gathering new scientific technologies in agriculture. Interest subsidies were provided for loan amount of total 4 lakhs, JLG incentive was provided. Also the outlets for produce are provided as nattuchanda.

Bhagyashree received best JLG award for the conduct of pre onam markets.

Alappuzha District

Pandanad CDS

Products: Organic Fertilizers and Pesticides

WE, Shobha Pramod, Sharika Omankkuttan, Ajitha Sajeesh, Bindhu Sunil and Rajitha Ajith are the 5 women entrepreneurs who are stepping up to show as we have the appetite, skills and vision to take a shot at scaling our young venture Haritham Organic Fertilizer Unit. We are the members of different NHG groups from Alappuzha District in Pandanad CDS. Our turning point was the training class conducted by Kudumbasree at Mulakkuzha, Chenganoor block on the topic Production of Organic Fertilizer. Before going to this training, we were not aware of most of the organic farming activities and also about organic fertilizer, but after the session we learned more facts regarding the relationship between land and farming. After the training we were all set to start our own new venture. The passion for success made us a together; even we were from different NHGs.

At the initial stage of setting up of the unit each of us invested Rs. 1000. This investment was made realizing the fact that if the required expenditures could not be allocated together or could not afford to pay the money if required for further development. In the initial phase, we have encountered minor difficulties but now we are capable of overcoming those proficiently and made our way better. Now we have a better market and we were able to earn RS 25000 within a short span of time. We charge the price based on the current market rates. We are all in an effort to move on with the latest innovations and extend our market.

Members with us are NREGA, when the unit becomes even more advanced; they are even ready to give up the job in NREGA inorder to glorify the unit. Apart from selling to Kudumbasree JLGs, we are also marketing throughout the district. We are also collecting and distributing cow dung powder and urine.

India consumes 500 lakh tonnes of chemical fertiliser and 320 lakh tonnes of indigenous fertiliser every year. But the organic route is still a faraway dream in India. It can only begin when the chemical distribution lobby is broken and group like Haritham get all the support they need for going green.

Name of the JLG: SURYA PRABHA

District : Kollam

Total number of Members: 5

Name of The Members: Reena, Deepa, Lali, Sheela, Ambili

Block: Chadayamangalam

Panchayat: Kadakkal

Total Area of cultivation: 4 Acres

Major crops: Rice, Banana, Tubers, Tapioca, Vegetables

Success Wheel of Determined - Surya Prabha - an example for many

Surya Prabha JLG is now a real exemplary evidence for determination, hard work and team spirit. They aimed mainly on the wasteland farming and organic agricultural practice. They always strive hard to provide healthy and pesticide free food materials to the families and the society. They started their first step in a 25 cent land with the plantain and beans as primary crop with tapioca as a support crop. Soon they could found the results of their hard work and could harvest their yield. They could sell their plantain for 55 per kilo grams and it boost their confidence and self respect. Again they plant the Yam (Chena) and taro (Chembu) as Intercropping and this too seems to be beneficial and economical.

With the support of the nearby cattle farmers, they could procure the bio manures and could use these for the additional manure need and also to yield a higher result. They seek the support from the District Mission, Kollam to receive machineries to make their work simpler and the machines included the Paddy seeder, weed cutter, sprayer and so on. With the support of these machineries, they spread their cultivation into another 30 cent. They planted paddy on these 30 cents. These machineries simplifies their human effort and also it appeared to be financially viable for them as it reduce the expenditure as wages to a great extent.

Despite being a support to their livelihood and the family, they provide an additional helping hand to the society and for other who are passionate in doing agriculture. They provided the support as lessons and new seedlings to whoever genuinely approached them and they inspired others to produce the healthy and uncontaminated vegetables and also to use these pure things and spread the message for the same. Apart from these, they also have started poultry, diary and fish cultivation in a small scale, likely to extend to a large scale one. They also do bee keeping obtaining high quality, authentic honey. They also look forward to start a diary farm and also to produce value added product out of milk.

The success story of Surya Prabha is a model for the upcoming farmers as it clearly depicts how a strong will can transform the life of poor women to a real example. This is the way where the nature interacted with the life of humans. It shows that everyone can contribute their part to the success of one’s life and what is needed is a dream- a dream to make a mark in the future to come. Surya Prabha, as its name rightly say create a Light in the Darkness of the lives of many and also show the light to a society by leading a path to the Nature friendly, sustainable practice to follow in life.

Support from Kudumbashree

They received support like area incentives, production incentives, bank linkage, interest subsidies and training which help them to improve their farming activities. They sell their products in Kudumbashree weekly market, VFPCK, open markets and Krishi Bhavan Markets.

Awards

Received Kudumbashree best JLG award in 2015, 2016. Best JLG award from Grama Panchayat.