The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), established as an autonomous body in 1929, celebrated its Foundation Day on July 16th, 2024. While agriculture is entering the technology revolution in India, there are various communities especially tribal farmers deprived of various needs for improved and allied livelihood practices. AROEHAN collaborates with farmers and different institutions to integrate farmers’ needs like spheres of crop production, orchard plantation, livestock management, and goat rearing, among other practices. On ICAR’s 96th Foundation Day, AROEHAN conducted a study tour for farmers of Jawhar to Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Kosbad Hill, Dahanu.

Senior Scientist Dr. Vilas Jadhav briefed farmers about Krish Vigyan Kendra (KVK) which is an integral part of the National Agriculture Research System (NARS) that aims at the assessment of location-specific technology modules in agriculture and allied enterprises, through technology assessment, refinement, and demonstrations. Subject Matter Agronomy Specialist Mr. Bharat Kushare talked about utilising modern technology for lower cost of rice production and gave information on nursery cultivation, tray rice, mattress steam, and modern machinery.

Mr. PV Wartha, Farm Manager at KVK, elaborated on techniques like the token method of paddy cultivation, Saguna Rice Technique, Derm Method, Benefits of mulching paper planting – which can help retain moisture in the soil, which reduces the need for irrigation. Mr Ashok Bhoir, PA of Soil Science, gave instructions about orchard plantation, and the farmers were also briefed about bee-keeping for honey production and poultry farming by Mr. Uttam Sahane- an entomology specialist.

KVKs have been functioning as a Knowledge and Resource Centre of agricultural technology supporting initiatives of the public, private, and voluntary sectors for improving the agricultural economy of the district and linking the NARS with the extension system and farmers. 35 Farmers from Nyhale and Borale Gram Panchayats of Jawhar benefitted from AROEHAN’s expedition to Kosbad’s KVK.

Water scarcity is an issue in Mokhada taluka for decades. Despite the heavy rainfalls, the water does not get contained in the ground due to steep hilly terrains and the light soil. This has led to migration of families after monsoon season for income opportunities in towns and cities. An Adivasi farmer Prakash was concerned about their generational tradition of migrating as he had 8 people in his family including his mother, wife, and 6 children. Although he owned 13 acres of agricultural land, the land was becoming barren. With his family, he started growing rice, finger millet and similar paddy crops in monsoon. Just like other farmers, he had to migrate with his family for around 7-8 months to earn wages as labourers. He managed to secure further employment for his family by working in a brick kiln. While both Prakash and his wife worked at these kilns, the health and education of their children was getting neglected. 

In the year 2020-21, Prakash started to participate in AROEHAN’s initiatives for village development. Prakash not only looked out for himself and his family but also motivated other people in village to participate in health, education, good administration, water, and agriculture programs organised by AROEHAN.  Prakash had a penchant for enabling the tribals, who were dependent on traditional agriculture labour, to cultivate perennial crops in their own land. Prakash and other farmers got to witness the vegetable and orchard cultivation by farmers from other villages in Mokhada through the farmer study tour conducted by AROEHAN in 2021. 

This served as inspiration for Prakash and 13 other farmers of Dolhara for orchard planting under the guidance of AROEHAN. A small farm pond was excavated in the field of each of these farmers pre-monsoon to solve the water issue after orchard planting. It was then covered in plastic, allowing the rainwater to collect there and irrigate the fruit trees over the following 7-8 months. The farmers were provided with orchard plants and cultivation kits by AROEHAN. Although, this was not sufficient to prevent migration all together. There was a need for a sustainable water resource throughout the year. A dam was constructed at the time near the village but since the construction was new, local’s use was prohibited. Prakash pursued to resolve this matter with the help of AROEHAN’s activists and local farmers. This matter was taken to the district level and with regular follow up, they got the permission in March 2022 to draw the water. With the help of AROEHAN, water was lifted with the help of a 7.5 HP pump by constructing a solar system of 10 KW capacity at that place under the ASHA project. Water was taken from the dam to a high hill with the help of a pipeline and water was delivered to the fields of all 15 farmers through a distribution tank. 

After the water reached the farm, Prakash started cultivating different crops in his farm, including fruit trees, beans, vegetables. Prakash got Rs 30000 in just 4 months from vegetable income in the first year of cultivation. Prakash decided to build a house on the farm as he noticed the prevalence of stray animals while farming. The most expensive part of house construction was buying bricks. Prakash made 50,000 bricks in the month of December to February by building a brick kiln on the farm with the help of his family using the water that came through the pipeline on the farm. Out of these 17000 bricks were used for his own house and the remaining 33000 bricks were sold in the village, from which Prakash got an income of Rs 2,10,000. Prakash bought other necessary things for the house with the money received.

Along with other landless women in the village, Prakash’s wife established a self-help group. For this people to start a business Prakash gave half acre of land on his farm. The land was used for turmeric cultivation and mango grafting under AROEHAN’s guidance. Revenue of Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 7000 were generated from turmeric and mango grafts respectively. The group’s female members are pleased that the landless families are obtaining respectable employment in the village itself as a result of Prakash’s admirable desire to work with everyone.

AROEHAN organised an exposure visit for the adolescent girls of Mokhada to the Zilla Parishad Collector’s Officer in Palghar. Visits such as this are instrumental for the growth of tribals as it gives them a chance to connect and learn about environments that are different from their own. 27 out of 37 girls visited Palghar City for the first time. They also built a platform for themselves to voice their concerns about their communities in front of Federal Government Employees and hope to remedy the overlooked issues.

We were greeted by Extension Officer Govind Dhanga who gave brief information about different departments in the building. We visited the Education Department where the education minister and deputy education minister of the department addressed the group. They informed about initiatives like Manav Vikas Mission through which girls can get free bicycles if they don’t have transportation means to schools, free bus services, etc. The girls raised a question that there aren’t Zilla Parishad schools beyond 7^th grade in their areas. That has stopped education for most of the students and also increases the risk of child marriages in their hamlets. The minister retorted that they had been given the go-ahead to open high schools in a few tribal villages and that operations would begin gradually.

We visited the Mahila Vs. Bal Kalyan office, where the Extension Officer, Anganwadi Chief, and District Programme Officer Praveen Bhusare were present. The activists and attendees voiced their concerns which has been affecting their communities. Grievances about child marriages still occurring, Amrut Aahar not being given in all Anganwadis, lack of access to government programmes, and school closures were brought to light. They requested them to personally visit isolated hamlets and review the situation. We met with Zilla Adhyaksha Prakash Krushna Nikam and COO Bhanudas Palve who originate from tribal areas. Lastly, the group mobilised at AROEHAN’s Palghar Project Office for a session by Aakruti Kendra from Boisar. The girls were explained about the importance and scope of Self-Help Groups and different kind of organic products that have emerged from tribal areas to the city.

Adolescence is a tender yet complicated period of growth. Teenagers go through major physical and emotional life transformations and are often oblivious to how they can react to these changes. It is necessary to provide them with complete knowledge about their growth and the growth of their peers to help them grow into empathetic and capable adults. AROEHAN held a three-day workshop on ‘relationships’ in Kosbad, Dahanu facilitated by AABHA -Arogya Bhan Collective Association. Relationships with self, friends,peers and adults were explored in this interactive three-day camp.

The workshop kickstarted with grounding techniques by trainers. Facilitator Dr. Mohan Des sang the song ‘My Yard is the Rhythm of the Tree’ which described the importance of the tree of life. After some warm-up exercises, the participants were opened to varieties of activities to understand complex topics like prejudice about genders, toxic behaviour, different emotions, needs and desires, the human body, evolving relationships, sexual health and the role of mobile phone and media in this day and age.

The participants performed skits based on the experience of children growing up, discrimination between boys and girls in sports, the importance of voting and societal myths around menstruation. Adolescents crave junk food and are often vulnerable to toxic substances like nicotine, drugs and alcohol. The trainers talked about the effects of such substances on the body and how to avoid them. The dialogue was then opened to social norms and discrimination based on gender. From clothes to their perceived roles, several gender biases were addressed. The body anatomy and process of reproduction through male and female bodies were explained using visual aids by facilitator Shruti Bhide. This was followed by an open discussion about the nature of relationships, different sexual orientations, genders other than male and female, the difference between sexual and romantic relationships, consent and care, contraception, incorrect representation of sex in media. Myths and truths about all topics were thoroughly discussed.

Adolescence is a vital time in any individual’s life. The learnings here lay the foundation for becoming an adult. Not all the information learned in this workshop can be relatable for each individual. However, it is necessary to understand human nature to live a full life and embrace each other as a human before our differences. As Dr. Mohan Des said, the conversation can sometimes get uncomfortable but he has never seen anyone get bored of it.

The lack of gainful employment in and around the place of residence has forced villagers to migrate all these years. Conditions surrounding the migration process can increase the vulnerability to ill health, poor sanitation, socio-economic crises, school dropouts, and exploitation. Recently, our Health team visited 97 of many tribal families that migrated from our project areas post-monsoon.

Upon reaching the place, we found 47 people living in plastic tents by the roadside. For sanitation, there were outdoor bathrooms and toilets, and well water for drinking purposes. They do not have job security and they work as per the availability of work at different places. No one knew about the Anganwadi center or schools nearby. It is likely that mothers and children do not get the necessary vaccinations and also children drop out of school because of migration. When we interviewed women, they expressed satisfaction with the work, in spite of several disadvantages, as they received daily wages for this work. Despite applying for MGNREGA in the past, they did not get work opportunities within their village.

Through AROEHAN we try to leverage schemes like MGNREGA, PESA, and Forest Rights, as well as allied livelihood opportunities to ensure their sustenance within the village. We also ensure the good health of the community with our various health initiatives, including monitoring the health of children and counseling mothers. Due to migration, it becomes difficult to keep track of their circumstances, thus, increasing their vulnerability to various health and socio-economic issues.