Environment sustainability and poverty alleviation are the MDGSs followed by this project while it is line with Environment Ministry policies. Biodiversity conservation
Greening of their gardens and cultivable lands and self sufficiency in foods and better income all add up to a transformation of members of the community who were project participants building sustainable livelihoods.
Replication of project activities
Other non participating villagers are eagerly watching and say they too would like assistance to join this group in sustainable home gardening. The .Palath sabha ( Provincial council ) is very impressed with this work and has initiated a comiteee consisting of the water board, land ministry and other relevant ministries to replicate this project for 200 more persons of the Dabavinna govijana seva organization ( this same community).
Project sustainability
Rehabilitation of the land towards its original state and reemergence of the dried up springs which supplied water for cultivation of the farming community is the most sustainable feature of this project. They stood together for the common long term benefits and resisted authority and convinced a state department ? FD to hand over the land to the community for management and agreed not to replant pine which was the cause of all the trouble. The project activities such as organic cultivation and use of home made pesticides and fertilizer helped make their actions even more organized giving a new lease of life to the environment. The collection and sure market facilities in Kandy ( Bio Foods) provide guarantees to continue with these sustainable methods of cultivation which bring long term benefits on the health and economy of the community.
Capacity - Building Component
Self sufficiency in food and learning to prepare their own fertilizer and pesticides building capacity also helped save unwanted expenses on the earlier mentioned. Being happy to eat healthy food and supply same to family and friends and having a ready market for earning were all incentives for this venture. Goods are sent to Kandy and Badulla and transport charges are minimal while their purchases and needs from the big cities are brought in free of transport charges.
Inovative Financial Mechanisms
Society supplies credit to members. A revolving fund has been established. The organization runs a sales outlet in Bandarawela for both organic and other produce and a minimal charge of Rs. 1/- is charged for this service per Kg when sold and only Rs.1/- fro transport bringing in a steady profit income and this too goes to a trust fund.
Policy Impact
The FD policy of pine cultivation on degraded sloping lands was impacted on and they had to give into the community taking over to restore land and grow analogue forests with plants indigenous to the area.
Gender Focus
The collective action against re-cultivation of pine involved both men and women. The organic home gardens are run and cared for and managed mostly by women. The organization and committee that trains the people in these methods though predominantly male show no gender bias whatsoever in passing on training and knowledge to community members.
Planning non gef grant
The coordinating committee set up by the provincial council will also seek and provide funds for expansion of this project. The World Bank?s IFARD project national leader has already visited the project and is very happy and is planning to fund it for expansion of the activities and positive outcome.
Planning gef grant
There is a very definite need for this and plans are under way for this. The success of the project so far is very encouraging and has received much publicity and encouragement to expansion.
Notable Community Participation
This project is a shining example of community participation and collective action and successfully transforming harmful action of authorities and taking over the activities to their own hands and all this happened through non violent collective action. This was special as they did not even think of personal gain and came together in hundreds for the common good first to put a slop to negative action and then to be actively involved in restoring the land to near original state of over 30 years ago in a very short time span. (around one year).
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
Uva Praya Guvan Viduliya (regional radio station) has come to the village and interviewed people and broadcast a program form there itself. Mr Athula of the organization has done two 45 minute programmes on the radio about the project. More time will be allocated in the future ? 10 minutes before the Buddhist sermon by the very popular and revered monk of a monastery in the area ? Ven Amithananda. This monk is an advocate of organic cultivations and has 42 monasteries managed by him around Sri Lanka. `Happy Green? is an organization affiliated to these monasteries ( Mahamevuna) working on sustainable agricultural methods with the adjacent communities. Their first training of 10 members will be done on situ at the Welikadagama Farm organization by the committee members.
Project Results
? Reemergence of the natural streams in the micro catchment area at the summit of the reforested hills.
? Self sufficiency in vegetables, fruits and food crops for the 25 framers and income from the excess with a steady market provided by sales outlet in Kandy -`Bio Foods?.
? Marked reduction in the use of agro-chemicals. All farming house households in the project having natural compost sites and maintaining make their own liquid fertilizer and natural pesticides experiencing beneficial results- better taste and bigger size (carrot /beet).
? The participatory map making of the status of the cultivation and their progression provides a point of reference.
? Bio gas for fuel saves money and effort.
? The project has been filmed and is available for learning and replication.
? Forest protection ? a halt to robbing, setting fire, firewood removal.
? Women can buy their own needs ? eg. Scissors for sewing from 1st harvest
? Multi cropping which is less susceptible to pest attack.
