First of all, we need to think that there is a solution.
Most of us think that there is no solution to many of our problems. But the ‘Wise’ have always advocated that every problem has a bigger opportunity.
That implies a ‘solution’. 🤡🤡
‘Opportunity’ is bigger than a solution. Right?
I think so. Why?
Here is the story.
Story of Bandhavgarh.
The Famous Tiger Reserve.
There was no fence around the tiger reserve.
So people from the fringe villages walked in to the core areas often.
And there were many tiger encounters.
Many were tiger-killed. 😭😭
They needed to go to core area in search of food.
Because they were food insufficient.
Whatever food they grew, could sustain them for only 3 months.
Click the link below to download the Report.
It gives you an inkling.
The obvious solution was to find out alternative sources of livelihoods.
Road and communication facilities were bad in 2011.
“It will be an achievement even if you reach there safe!” 🤣🤣The MD told me.
I reached safe, and well.
I enjoyed the train journey and then the khatara bus 🚌 journey from the station.
I saw inefficient agriculture practices when I reached there.
Ladies were in Ghunghats, not to speak to outsiders.
I spoke to the KVK scientists if they could provide a training.
They refused saying that it is too deep in the forest area where I worked.
They would prefer conducting a training at the Block office.
I wondered as to how to bring the ladies who were hardly out of their homes.
At best they could go to the forest!!!
And that was for food.
What on earth was a training?
They were bewildered.
Then I had a breakthrough.
I mobilised the ladies.
And the Gents, because of the ladies.
I trained them with practices that would be more productive.
I taught them tricks which we call as ‘organic practices’.
Click the link below to download the Report.
It gives you an inkling.
Fast forward in 2015, these ladies had formed a federation that had Rs.56 lakhs in their corpus.
They could get appointments from the District Collector in 10 minutes, whenever required.
🥧They received 17 awards.
🌮The then Chief Minister of Gujrat Mr. Narendra Modi, awarded the farmer delegation which we sent to Gujrat to attend a Farmer Conference (Krishak Sammelan) in 2013.
🍟They got into the District governing Board.
🌭They had broken the Mustard production record of Madhya Pradesh. The max-min production was 24-12 qntls per acre.
🥠They could utilise the schemes for Tribal to have 3 phase electricity lines at 90% subsidy.
🎆🎆🎆🎆We managed to enhance livelihoods manifold!!!
Click the link below to download the Report.
It gives you an inkling.
The food-scarce pocket became food sufficient within 4 years time.
“Why do you need the project anymore?” quipped the person from the funding agency.
She was watching the long queue of farmers outside the ‘Society’ to sell their surplus produce.
The point here is, a solution was devised for that pocket.
So can we not devise customized solution for farmers at each place?
Can we allow them to formulate the policies which will be beneficial for them?
Can we support and accept their decisions?
Click the link below to download the Report.
It gives you an inkling.