Page 53 - Annual Report

1 NO
POWERTY
PROJECT ALIGNS
WITH SDG

Undeterred, the project team persisted, guiding the
farmers through tele-conferencing.
The farmers harvested the crop; the Cooperative
facilitated the marketing, and grading of the
Potato seed grading produce was encouraged. Initially purchasing
25 quintals, the Cooperative targeted local mandis
How the humble potato which were facing shortages during the lockdown.
Later, the Cooperative started buying 25 quintals
proved to be a saviour daily, storing the potatoes in the Kesharwala Mandi
Parishad storage centre (Govt has allotted this Mandi
Even as the nation went into lockdown due to and good agriculture practices (GAP), and collective to the Cooperative to run it), at no extra cost,
Covid-19 in 2020, the farmers of Baandal Ghati in action for collection, grading and marketing. before selling.
Uttarakhand were harvesting the rewards of 51 women Self-Help Groups were formed, federated Initially, the Cooperative purchased 26,430 kg of
self-reliance. as Baandal Ghati Swayat Sahakarita, registered potatoes for `4.5 lakhs, and sold them at the
Situated about 30 km north of Dehradun, Baandal under the Uttaranchal Self-Reliant Cooperative Act mandi for `5 lakhs. With an expense of `35,000
Ghati is one of the prominent vegetable growing 2003. With 402 households joining as members, a on transportation, the net profit was `15,000.
centres in the Garhwal region. However, although Community Facility Centre (CFC) was set up at Although a small start, this initial success
agriculture and livestock rearing are the main Maldevta market, supplying quality seeds, manure, encouraged the Cooperative to purchase potatoes
occupation of the farmers, they have always faced a fertilisers and pesticides, all procured by the from other districts too and sell them to various
lack of quality seeds, manure, fertilisers, pesticides Cooperative according to the members’ needs. mandis, helping farmers to earn good profits.
and other critical inputs. Farming was mainly But the greatest success of the Cooperative was in The farmers of this cluster delight in their newfound
rain-fed and there were no organized marketing creating a value chain for potatoes during the self-reliance as they express their gratitude: “We are
channels, despite the proximity to the state capital. lockdown. thankful to the Cooperative and CFC for providing
Price realisation was woefully low due to the quality seeds, ensuring access to the market and
existence of middlemen since long back. The farmers had placed an order for 60 quintals of arranging storage for our produce in difficult times;
potato seeds, as potato cultivation in the region had
That is, until 2019, when seeds of new hope were long been hampered by the lack of quality seeds. we will now take production to the next level!”
planted in the valley. The Cooperatives progressed in their business and in
The CFC purchased and distributed Kufri jyoti
The Himmotthan Society, an associate organisation variety seeds to the members, and by May 2020 the FY 2020-21, their total turnover from agri-business
of Tata Trusts, with support from The Hans crop was ready to be harvested. But that is when and input supplies was `42 lakhs.
Foundation, initiated a programme, motivating the the nation went into the pandemic induced Indeed, the future looks even more fertile in Baandal
farmers to form a Community Institution Structure lockdown. Harvesting and marketing the crop Ghati, as the Cooperative is now planning to
to provide quality seeds and inputs, and to enhance became a challenge. promote the production and marketing of
production through introducing improved varieties off-season vegetables as well.

ANNUAL REPORT 2020-21 46