Recently Naandi on Press

Date:27/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/27/stories/2008062753980500.htm
Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad Naandi Foundation-APSIDC to revive 87 LI schemes
Special Correspondent
HYDERABAD: Naandi Foundation, a voluntary organisation, has said that 87 lift irrigation schemes in five districts will be revived under a joint initiative with the AP State Irrigation Development Corporation.
At a press conference here on Thursday, Neena Ambre Rao, National Director-Livelihoods in Naandi Foundation and G. Chandrasekhara Reddy, MD of the corporation, said it would constitute Phase-Two of the programme launched in 2003.
Mr. Reddy said the initiative was started in 2003; post an APSIDC survey that identified 632 schemes for revival at a cost of Rs. 20 crores.
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Naandi signs pact with APSIDC
BS Reporter / Chennai/ Hyderabad June 27, 2008, 0:30 IST
NF livelihoods national director Neena Rao said registered farmer societies would manage and run the lift irrigation schemes, both financially and technically.
NF, in 2003, was given 65 lift irrigation schemes. It secured the required funds from Sir Ratan Tata Trust. The foundation will encourage the farmers for new cropping patterns and switch to 2-3 crop cycles per year as against one.
In all, NF will be involved in making about 60,000 acre drought-prone land into cultivable land through lift irrigation revivals.

Date:27/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/06/27/stories/2008062751621100.htm
Naandi Foundation to revive 87 lift irrigation schemes
Our Bureau
Hyderabad, June 26 Naandi Foundation, a voluntary organisation announced the extension of a revival scheme of lift irrigation (LI) projects to five more districts in Andhra Pradesh.
About 87 LI schemes would be taken up for revival in the five districts including Prakasam and Guntur, under the new scheme, according to Ms Neena Ambre Rao, National Director-Livelihoods, Naandi Foundation and Mr G Chandrasekhara Reddy, Managing Director and Vice Chairman, AP State Irrigation Development Corporation (APSIDC).
According to Ms Rao, the foundation, which provides safe drinking water and sanitation, child rights and sustainable livelihoods, was allotted the task of reviving 65 LI schemes in Anantapur, Khammam, Krishna, Kurnool, Mahbubnagar, Medak districts in the year 2003.
"Looking at the success in the first phase of projects that were allotted APSIDC had entrusted the fresh task in Phase Two of the project. The USP of Naandi was empowerment of the local community and bringing in a sense of proprietary among the villagers," Ms Rao told newspersons.
Mr Reddy said that the initiative to revive defunct LI schemes had started in 2003, post an APSIDC survey that identified 632 schemes for revival at a cost of Rs 20 crores.
"Though the amount was sanctioned, the initiative did not go ahead as well as planned because of the restructuring of the corporation that saw it stripped of personnel," he said.
Mr Reddy also said that under the circumstances, it was then decided that the public-private partnership would be ideal, a belief that was found correct later, given the fact that an impact study established that annual net agricultural income per household grew by 85.3 per cent and distress migration to urban areas had reduced by half.
"In many of the areas where LI schemes were revived, local committees were formed. We have also entered into annual maintenance contracts with local mechanics for keeping the pumps and motors in running condition," Mr D.V. Rau, Project Manager-LI said.
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Naga Queen is in Kolkata

Might be surprised !why, the Naga Queen has to travel from her beautiful valley to the crowded Kolkata. Organic Pineapple is the answer to this query.

Nagaland, a region in the Northeast of India has got enormous potential in terms of agriculture and with the initiative of Government of Nagaland and Naandi foundation it has achieved a way towards showcasing its potential in the market.

Organic farming- an initiative by Naandi to preserve and protect the sustainability of environment took Pineapple cultivation as its first initiative in Northeast. The endeavor of the Self Help Groups(SHG) and the farmers in particular have paved the way towards an attempt to achieve sustainable livelihood.

Thanks to Naandi who brought Keventers- an agro-based group having 125 years of experience who will be helping Naga Queen to reach the market with proper returns.

Unlike the King variety of Kerela which has enormous market in Hyderabad, Naga pineapple which has been labeled as 'NagaQ' has got its advantage in terms of its quality which is far more superior than others. In addition to this, it is organically grown and also a SHG involving Naga women makes it different from others.

The harvesting of the pineapples are done extensively by the farmers and is taken over by the women SHG who in turn gives to Keventer for marketing . Keventer here plays a crucial role where they do three types of marketing which includes
1. Direct to home(DTH)
2. Retail Marketing .
3. Distributing to Mandis.

They institutionalize the DTH process where they have links with Spencers and Metro.

Thus, Naga Queen with the help of Keventer reached Kolkata 's renowned Mechhua market . Earlier pineapple from Siliguri used to reach this market,now its time for us to wait and watch the kind of competition NagaQ throws on Siliguri pineapples and whether our Naga farmers and Women SHG gets their edge in terms of true incentives.

There are even plans from Naandi to utilize products like Ginger, Naga chilli's and also most attractive Passion fruit in the days to come,so hope NagaQ settle down in Mechhua market and makes it sweetness omnipresent.

One,Two, Three and now Eight........LI schemes renewed

This is not a simple arithmetic but this is a count of Naandi's effort to empower the local community and also to bring the sense of ownership to the lift irrigation(LI) project which was otherwise defunct.

Just a small flashback,it was 1997- the villain in the white screen was water. The irrigation system that was constructed to bring water into the farmer's field became defunct. The condition of Appu Raattaiah,an old farmer of Lachicigudem village became pathetic. Every year the yield in his field started dwindling from eight bags of maize in 1995 to four bags in 2003. Appu became debt ridden and even planned to migrate for some alternative jobs in the nearby towns which will fetch him a meager amount.

The days of hunger and the deplorable picture of the farmers has been coloured through an initiative of the revival of defunct LI schemes.Here comes 2007, and Naandi has more to celebrate when a farmer with a same story as Appu,named Chimpiraiah displayed his State bank of India passbook and said-' I'm the first person in my family to be without a single debt today,i have paid them all off,and I 've even begun to save.'

Naandi is behind this pride today and there are lot more stories in this area that speaks about the benefits they received from the revival of the defunct pumps.

Naandi, which is the only NGO in Andhra Pradesh to revive the defunct LI schemes since 2003,has now been recently alloted 87 additional LI schemes including two new districts namely, Prakasham and Guntur in addition to the previous six schemes.

The Executive Engineers of Andhra Pradesh State Irrigation Development Corporation (APSIDC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with Naandi foundation in March 2008 for the second phase of the LI project.

The new cropping patterns for optimum utilisation of water,assisting farmers to switch to 2-3 crop cycles per year are the greatest USP's for Naandi's success in the LI project . A full strategic environment friendly project which have reduced the distressed migration rate half in 2007 and also the net agricultural income per household increased by 85.3 percent deserves an applause.

Financial stability of the farmers,ownership building,water management has now become synonymous with the Lift irrigation projects.

Wankedi Wonder's - It's a Farmers Day

Considering the indulgence of modern cotton production process into chemical fertilizers,genetically engineered seeds and the controversies around it, Naandi foundation's attempt to champion the cause of eco-friendly, Organic cotton is certainly a bold step that will be observed closely by all those connected with this business.

With the aim of promoting organic cotton cultivation and providing a better market linkage for the farmers in Wankedi region of Adilabad district, Naandi entered into partnership with AOFG India in the month of December 2007. Naandi Foundation is implementing the project by building capacities of 1,058 farmers in 50 villages covering 3,110 acres of organic cotton production land.

As a part of the project in Wankedi, Naandi held the first General Body Meeting on 21st May'2008. The participation of 1300 farmers from 63 villages in the meeting made it a gathering to be remembered forever.

Wankedi, a name which is not very familiar even to the smart Google search engine got highlighted by the press coverages it received from the local Andhra dailies. It was indeed an aheivement for the Naandi team to make such a gathering possible in its very first meeting in an otherwise, very remote and secluded place like Wankedi.

The main objective of the General Body Meeting was to throw light on issues such as Zameen (works with farming communities in India ) share holdings, 2008-09 Business plan,Fair trade Labelling Organizations International(FLO) expenditure details of 2006-07 and most significantly Organic farming activity plan of 2008-09and also on Naandi's activities with the farmers .

The meeting was attended by Mr. Gijs Spoor, CEO Zameen ;Mr Dileep Kumar, Manager AOFG organic certification ; Dr. Neena Rao , National Director – Livelihoods ,Naandi; Mr D V Rau , Project Manager -Lift Irrigation ,Naandi and local ZPTC member Mr Shyam Rao.

While speaking on the occasion Dr.Neena Rao urged the farmers to turn to organic farming by being part of Naandi's initiative. She explained that Naandi has been helping 50,000 small and marginal farmers to accrue additional income by creation of market linkages and farmer's cooperative societies across the country. Dr Rao, said, "Eventully(in the long run), organic farming practices will fetch more profits. She also shared Naandi's experiences with Araku coffee and pineapple cultivation in Nagaland.

Mr. Spoor announced the achievement of the farmers in the crop season of 2007-08 in terms of their profit margins and also offered them the proposal of investing into Zameen's ginning mill in which the farmers showed great interest.

Wankedi project-an attempt by Naandi to revitalise, infuse change and dynamism in Organic cotton production will surely be an agent of change