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Assists tribal farmers to develop fruit orchards in the rural Tamil Nadu
Native Medicare Charitable Trust (NMCT) along with The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is helping tribal farmers develop fruit orchard. Farmers are provided support with saplings, water storage facilities, fencing and plant maintenance. “Referred as Wadi project, the main aim is to convince tribal farmers to continue with agriculture activities on their land instead of selling it off. We have been largely been successful in our endeavor as 250 farmers are now sticking with farming and have experienced monetary success too,” highlights Mr. A.S.Sankaranarayanan, Managing Trustee, NMCT. The organization is located at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Wadi project was started in 2012 with responsibility to develop fruit orchard in 50 acres farmland. “Presently, we take care of 750 families under the project. The 250 farmers developing the fruit orchards are the land owners. We add 50 acres land every year to our area of operations along with monitoring the progress in previously managed farmlands,” he adds. Primarily mangoes, sapota and goose berry trees are given to the farmers for planting in their fields. “Areas having threat of wild animals get more goose berry trees.”
NMCT supplies saplings for free and later takes all measures to ensure the tree grow well. “Farmers’ lands having problems of wild animal chaos are provided with non lethal electric fencing. If there is no electricity at the farmer’s land then we provide them with diesel run pumps within the allocated budget with us. To cope with the water scarcity we have arranged for farm ponds. In all circumstances we make certain the trees grow well,” he shares.
In addition organization ensures farmers takes up chemical free farming practices. To facilitate it they have given calves and sheep to 300 families so that it is hassle free to meet the fertilizer requirements. “We provided five calves or set of 5 females + 1 male sheep to different families. Now the herd and flock size has increased substantially and they are having good stock of manure.”
Speaking of long gestation period in fruit trees, Mr. Sankaranarayanan says, “Farmers are recommended to grow vegetables as inter-crops. It helps them in earning a regular income for initial years till the fruit trees starts yielding. Few months back some of the farmers stared growing flowers and it has turned out profitable.” NMCT in association with NABARD have formed farmers club for these tribes. “Through the club they are able to sell their farm produce that is the short term crops,” he clarifies.
Next step is to set up a value added processing plant. “We shall collect the produce from these tribal farmers and process it at the centralized processing plant. The products will be sold in the villages as well as nearby cities. It is an attempt to make the life of farmers stable financially as well as enhancing the green cover in the rural Tamil Nadu,” asserts Mr. Sankaranarayanan. The ownership will be held with the farmers club as producers’ company. “It is in association with another Madurai based NGO. We will be taking care of overall managing and guidance.”
“Our main objective was to curtail down the sale of farming land and we have been successful 100%. Most of the fruits orchards are developing well while few require some attention which were are providing. Soon there will be a remarkable change in lives of these farmers who earlier were just trapped in intense poverty!” he concludes.
Contact details:
Native Medicare Charitable Trust,
5/39,Kalappanaickenpalayam,
Coimbatore – 641 108.
Tamil Nadu,
India
Phone: 0422 - 2401747 / 2402735
Email: info@nmctngo.org
Web: http://www.nmctngo.org/
Native Medicare Charitable Trust (NMCT) along with The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is helping tribal farmers develop fruit orchard. Farmers are provided support with saplings, water storage facilities, fencing and plant maintenance. “Referred as Wadi project, the main aim is to convince tribal farmers to continue with agriculture activities on their land instead of selling it off. We have been largely been successful in our endeavor as 250 farmers are now sticking with farming and have experienced monetary success too,” highlights Mr. A.S.Sankaranarayanan, Managing Trustee, NMCT. The organization is located at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Wadi project was started in 2012 with responsibility to develop fruit orchard in 50 acres farmland. “Presently, we take care of 750 families under the project. The 250 farmers developing the fruit orchards are the land owners. We add 50 acres land every year to our area of operations along with monitoring the progress in previously managed farmlands,” he adds. Primarily mangoes, sapota and goose berry trees are given to the farmers for planting in their fields. “Areas having threat of wild animals get more goose berry trees.”
NMCT supplies saplings for free and later takes all measures to ensure the tree grow well. “Farmers’ lands having problems of wild animal chaos are provided with non lethal electric fencing. If there is no electricity at the farmer’s land then we provide them with diesel run pumps within the allocated budget with us. To cope with the water scarcity we have arranged for farm ponds. In all circumstances we make certain the trees grow well,” he shares.
In addition organization ensures farmers takes up chemical free farming practices. To facilitate it they have given calves and sheep to 300 families so that it is hassle free to meet the fertilizer requirements. “We provided five calves or set of 5 females + 1 male sheep to different families. Now the herd and flock size has increased substantially and they are having good stock of manure.”
Speaking of long gestation period in fruit trees, Mr. Sankaranarayanan says, “Farmers are recommended to grow vegetables as inter-crops. It helps them in earning a regular income for initial years till the fruit trees starts yielding. Few months back some of the farmers stared growing flowers and it has turned out profitable.” NMCT in association with NABARD have formed farmers club for these tribes. “Through the club they are able to sell their farm produce that is the short term crops,” he clarifies.
Next step is to set up a value added processing plant. “We shall collect the produce from these tribal farmers and process it at the centralized processing plant. The products will be sold in the villages as well as nearby cities. It is an attempt to make the life of farmers stable financially as well as enhancing the green cover in the rural Tamil Nadu,” asserts Mr. Sankaranarayanan. The ownership will be held with the farmers club as producers’ company. “It is in association with another Madurai based NGO. We will be taking care of overall managing and guidance.”
“Our main objective was to curtail down the sale of farming land and we have been successful 100%. Most of the fruits orchards are developing well while few require some attention which were are providing. Soon there will be a remarkable change in lives of these farmers who earlier were just trapped in intense poverty!” he concludes.
Contact details:
Native Medicare Charitable Trust,
5/39,Kalappanaickenpalayam,
Coimbatore – 641 108.
Tamil Nadu,
India
Phone: 0422 - 2401747 / 2402735
Email: info@nmctngo.org
Web: http://www.nmctngo.org/
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