MahilaKisanSashaktikaranPariyojna (MKSP)

Celebration of World Soil Health Day

Date: 5th December, 2015.

Venue :

At. TalukaPanchayatBhavan, Varahi, Block :Santalpur, DistrictPatan.

At. Cohesion Office, Rahpar Block, Kutch.

Supported by :

Gujarat Livelihood Promotion Co. Ltd. (GLPC)Patan and Kutch

Organisedby :

Cohesion Foundation Trust (Santalpur&Rahpar Field Offices)

Background :

Cohesion Foundation Trust, is a “Project Implementing Agency” – PIA

implementing ‘Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojna’ with the support of

Gujarat Livelihood Promotion Co. Ltd (GLPC) and National Rural Livelihood

Mission. (NRLM) in Rapar, Bhachau taluka of Kutch District and Santalpur taluka

of Patan District with 10000 women farmers. The main objective of the

programme is skill enhancement through capacity building, income generation,

reducing the cost of cultivation and thereby increasing productivity, promoting

sustainable agricultural practices and convergence with different departments for

improved livelihood of the women farmers.

Why Soil Day :

As we know the soil is the skin of earth. Soil is the main component of ecosystem,

as it serves as physical and chemical support of lifein our planate. Soil is the

natural resources that is the basis for production of food, fibers, fuel and

medicines. Soil is involved in the cycle of water and elements and in man of the

transformations of energy and matter of all ecosystems. So, soil is most important

for our life as well as our earth and we should save it.

Participants and Resource Person :

Patan :-

Rameshbhai (APM-Mission Manglam),Mary Sebastian and Rajni M.K

(KUDUMBSHREE – NRO), Hiteshbhai (Agriculture Department – Radhanpur),

Mukeshbhai (Taluka office - Mission Manglam), Yogeshbhai (MGNREGA-Block

Office), Pinki Patel, Dharmendra Prasad and Cohesion Team, Women farmers,

CRPs.

Kutch :-

JaswantbhaiPandya, Kanubhai Patel, HansabenGadhvi, Dayabhai, Kiranben,

Tagabhai, VipulDekavadiyaand Jethabhai. (Cohesion Team), Women farmers,

CRPs.

Detailed Report :

This Day was celebrated by Cohesion Foundation Trust on 5th December, 2015 at

their both the field offices at Rahpar in Kutch and Varahi (in Santalpur) block of

Patan District with the support of GLPC District and Taluka Team. The day was

celebrated with various activities like display of IEC material related to organic

pest and fertilizer like jivaamrut and amrutpani. In this way the programme was

initiated with registration process and a local song “મારા વારસામાાં આવી લીલી

વાડી....”, “I got the green farm as inherent” and event was inaugurated.

Now Smti Pinkiben (Block Coordinator – MKSP), welcome all the participants with

the round of introduction of the member present, and greeted the participants,

women farmers and CRPs and initiated the programmeand share the importance

of the day for celebration and welcome Hiteshbhai on dais for his presentation

on the importance of the soil day celebration.

Importance and Need for the Soil Day Celebration : ShriHiteshbhai shared about

the importance of soil to sustain our livelihood. Further he also shared that land is

important for agriculture without land agriculture is not possible. Today our soil

and land is very much diluted with chemical fertilizers, the upper surface of the

land became very tough. Therefore to overcome this situation, adoption of

sustainable agricultural practices is the only solution to revive our land and

survive our future generation to come.

Now Pinkiben, invited Mukeshbhai to come and share about their importance of

use of organic pesticide and fertilizers.

ShriMukeshbhai very clearly stated that now the day came for us to preserve and

care for three mothers. Number one MATA, “Dharti Mata”, from where we are

just accumulating every thing and not giving anything back, even the crop is found

to be cut from their deep root. So we need to learn to give back to the land. The

another MATA is “Gai (Cow) Mata” for whom we are least bothered and that in a

near future our next generation will see her “Photo” on the wall. The third MATA

is “Our own Mother”who gave birth to us, inspie of having 6 children, mother is

left to live alone and nobody takes care of her in her old age time. Its our

responsibility to care of all these three “MATA”.

Now, Rameshbhai was invited to share about soil day and an important scheme

of “Micro Entrepreneur Consultant” MEC and shared that this is very important

scheme where the skill oriented training is provided to the competent children

and will be able to earn for their livelihood. For this KUDUMBSHREE an

organization is appointed as a nodal organsiationfor providing this training.

Presentation from Cohesion Staff :

ShriSendhabhaiThakore :He shared about the importance of drip irrigation

technology and how it is helpful for our soil and land in rain fed area. It is one of

the important tool as a water saving technology and at the same time crop

productivity increases with low cost inputs. He also shared about the schemes of

the government and subsidy provided for adopting this drip irrigation technology.

ShriDashrathbhaiPatel :He shared about the importance and formation of vermin

composting. This increases the fertility of the soil, soil becomes soft, provides

required nutrition to the crops. This can be done by digging a pit of 1 mt. length

and width.

ShriRambhai :He shared about the organic method of controlling disease and pest

in the crops. He basically talked about the disease that attack in wheat and cumin

known as “Kadio and Charmi” in Gujarati. To get rid of such problem, he shared

that we use very costly spray from market but now it is not required if we adopt

this technique and we can prepare this at our home itself. He shared that we just

need (Leaves of limda, GauMutra, Leaves of Aankda, Leaves of Dhatura, Hing,

Bhangro, Thor) take all this in same proportion and keep in a plastic can for

fifteen days. After 15 days that spray can be used on this disease and we will

surely be benefited.

ShriDayabhaiGabu :He shared about the preparation of organic fertilizer called as

“MADHYAM KHATAR”. The preparation of this fertilizer is very simple. We just

need to take wet waste and then make a bed of waste and then sprinkle water

and then put cow dung and waste and then waste in this way four layer to be

prepared. The layer can be 1 to 1.5 ft. and sprinkle water and “Madhyam” khatar

needs to be sprinkled. This must be done under a tree shade and after 25 days

this can be taken away in four parts as per requirement.

Experience shared by Women Farmers :

Sr. No.

Women Farmer Village Sustainable Agricultural

Practices Outcome

1 ThakoreTakhubenAmratbhai

Jorawargadh “MADHYAM” fertilizer prepared and applied in cumin crop and shared their experiences

This practices is being implemented by 4 other women farmers in the village.

2 ThakoreTakhubenRaghubhai

ઠાકોર તખબેુન રઘભુાઈ

Varahi Formed “MADHYAM” fertilizer, organic pesticide, AmrutKhatar and shared her experience.

Can be used by any one in their Kitchen Garden. No cost of chemical fertilizer

3 SutharJashibenDineshbhai

સથુાર જશીબેન દદનેશભાઈ

Limgamda Shared experience on “MADHYAM” Khatar, organic pesticide and application on cumin.

Adopted by two other women farmers of village.

4 ThakoreRamiben

ઠાકોર રામીબેન

KORDA Shared experience on “MADHYAM” fertilizer and applied on Rajko (fodder crop), cumin.

Adopted and teach to two other women farmers of village.

5 HarijanPamibenRavabhai

હરીજન પમીબેન રવાભાઈ

Vauva Shared experience on “MADHYAM” fertilizer, organic pesticide and applied in seed treatment.

Other 3, women farmers learned about this and adopted.

Distribution of Soil Health & Soil Fertility Map Certificate to the farmers :

Five farmers are provided with the “Soil Health & Soil Fertility Map” certificate to have

importance of soil testing and other farmers can adopt this practices of getting their

soil and its health getting mapped and take benefit of the same.

Participants :

In the function total 125 women farmers and CRPs participated in Varahi Soil Day

celebration at Santalpur block and 45 women farmers at Rahpartaluka of 28 villages.

Conclusion :

This day is a very important day that enable us to be sensitive towards one of the

important source of livelihood we are dependent on. It is our moral responsibility to

keep our soil and land healthy for our new generations to come. Therefore it is now

compulsory for all of us to adopt sustainable agricultural practices because this is the

only option we have if we want to make our soil healthy forever.

Photographs of Varahi (SantalpurTaluka) Patan :

Hiteshbhai (Agriculture Officer) from Radhanpur sharing importance of World Soil

Day Celebration

Rameshbhai (APM-MKSP) DRDA-Patan sharing about Micro Enterprise Consultant –

MEC Schemes of the Governement

Ms. Dishaben sharing about experience and challenges faced in implementation and

mobilization of community and motivated them towards adoption of

“Sustainable Agriculture Practices.

Women Farmers sharing their experience on Sustainable Agriculture Practices

Photographs of Rahpar Taluka, Kutch :

Mr. Kanu Patel sharing about programme, importance of the soil day celebration.

Mr. JaswantbhaiPandya sharing about vermin compost and its importance.

Mr. Tagabhai sharing about the importance and preparation of compost fertilizer.

Mr. DayabhaiGabu sharing about “MADHYAM” fertilizer preparation and its

importance.

Soil Certificate Distribution :

News Paper