Goal of the project: Achieving sustainable livelihood and nutritional security in malnourished Satpuda ranges in West and central India.

Purpose/Objective of the project:
? Demonstrate sustainable livelihood practices through :
a) mix cropping,
b) value addition to traditional natural resources such as wild edible plants etc.

? Demonstrate nutritional security through mixed vegetable Kitchen garden.

Project Outputs

? 5 technology transfer clubs will be established.
? Demonstration of soil and water conservation and mix cropping practices on 23 acre land.
? Protective irrigation through 1 community tank and 1 community based lift irrigation.
? Based on this model, develop micro plans soil and water conservation activities along with crop management for 10 nearby villages.
? Set up women led for value added micro-enterprises based on local natural resource.
? Set up 100kitchen gardens in 6 villages.

Major activities:

? Setting up technology transfer clubs.
a) mobilize farmers to setup technology transfer clubs.
b) Establish linkages with NABARD for official recognition to clubs.
c) Setup institutional norms for running the club.
d) Organize training and exposure visits for club members.
e) Implement technology transfer activities like demo units of improved varities.
f) Introduce new machines, pest control technologies.
? Soil and water conservation and mix cropping practices on 25 acres land.
a) Identify 23 farmers Dhanaje village through TTC.
b) Develop plan for soil and water conservation activities on 1 acre land of each farmer. The proposed activities are In Situ soil and water conservation technology. It includes land leveling, bund formation, contour sowing, and vegetable bund etc.
c) Develop plan for cropping system. It includes crop selection according to soil depth, inter cropping system, crop, rotation, multiple cropping systems.
d) Setup one community tank and one community lift irrigation system.
e) Develop water management mechanism for sharing and conservation of water. Document the experience.
? Four value added micro-enterprises established.
a) Four SHGs will be selected from core villages.
b) Value addition will be done in following produces:
* Amchur from wild mango,
* mahua butter fat,
* Udid Dal (Black gram) and
* Ground Nut/other oil seed.
c) training of SHGs for value addition
d) setup required facility.
e) develop market linkages for selling of products.
? Setup 100 kitchen gardens in 6 villages.
a) Organization has developed 2 kitchen gardens and tested it with 2 household. The experiment shows that the household is harvesting vegetables for self consumption upto march-april. The system experimented will be scaled up.
b) Pilot phase will be carried out with same 25 families.
c) A study has been carried out to identify family requirement of vegetable intake. Based on the study a model of kitchen garden and required micro-irrigation system will be developed.
d) This model will be implemented in the backyard of a house. Family women will be in-charge of this activity.
Based on first years experience scaling up will be done in other villages.

? Micro planning of 10 villages based on above experiements.
a) Based on above experiences, develop a model of agricultural practices for small farmers and
b) Carry out planning exercise with 10 villages based on above models and experiments and develop plans to be financed through NREGS. Tribal sub-plan and other locally available government support schemes.