Natural Regeneration to Sustainable Utilisation:
TARAgram Pahuj
 

Most predictions indicate that the world is heading towards an economic, environmental and social catastrophe. TARAgram is today an appropriate technology resource and training centre for the people of Bundelkhand located in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh. The setting up building material centres, a pilot handmade paper unit, and a biomass based gasifier unit of Development Alternatives in a rural area has today evolved into a model for creation of livelihoods in the villages in the vicinity of the centre.

The Beginning of TARAgram Pahuj, Jhansi (UP)

The pace of development has undergone a manifold increase and made an effective impact on the lives of the people in a reasonable span of time due to TARAgram near Orchha, and the Technology Resource Centre at Block Niwari, District Tikamgarh (MP). These DA centres, where alternatives and solutions to the local problems are identified with the involvement of local communities to address the critical issue of sustainable livelihoods, are based on local resources and technological innovations.

The DA group set up development services for the rural community at TARAgram Pahuj in Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh, based on the lessons learnt from the interventions in the Madhya Pradesh part of Bundelkhand.

The centre formally started in January 2007 to promote the sustainable livelihood mission for the rural sections of society. The initial activities in this centre were primarily organised by mobilising the community on land and water management and total sanitation issues and formation of community institutions in the form of women SHGs in Badagaon and Babina block in Jhansi district.

At the Campus

The entire campus of TARAgram Pahuj, is spread over 7.5 acres of land. The technologies envisaged here are micro irrigation techniques, agro forestry models, enhancing the soil fertility through green manuring, the JAL TARA water purification system, roof water harvesting, solar-based irrigation systems and plant nurseries. These solutions were derived from surveys conducted to assess the local resource base and the needs in Bundelkhand part of the UP while searching for a suitable location to multiply the initiatives for sustainable livelihoods. A core team was immediately formulated, consisting of multidisciplinary staff from DA.

The guiding theme was ‘Regeneration to Sustainable Utilisation’ and to improve the livelihoods of the underprivileged. Some of the first efforts were aimed at rejuvenating the existing land use pattern, water service delivery, water quality monitoring, and strengthening community institutions. This also led to training of the workforce on land and water management practices, formation of SHGs, and creating linkages with stakeholders to strengthen the service and delivery to the rural area.

The women groups were trained on leadership development, drudgery reducing techniques, and enhancing thrifts and credit habits by organising women SHGs.

Seeing is Believing

The available land in the campus is being utilised to demonstrate different agricultural and water management-related activities for creating awareness and organising training programmes for the nearby farmers and the community groups. The demonstration effects of the different activities enhance and improve upon the existing skills through trials and experiences. The stakeholders were facilitated through exposure visits where they could see and learn from the different social and technological interventions.

After witnessing the demonstration of the drought-resistant variety of wheat (Lok 1) and mustard (Pusa Bold) crops cultivated in the middle of December, the farmers adopted these measures in their own fields. The farmers expressed confidence after understanding the firsthand information and utilisation of water in the cropping system.

Experiments were carried out with the sprinkler system for irrigation in the Pahuj campus for proper utilisation of water resources for wheat and mustard crops. This activity also helped the team in mobilising the local farming community to understand the process and create a demand of water conservation practices through this tool.

A farm pond was developed in the campus as a water mangement technique . The excess water from near by canals was used to fill this pond. This is now utilsed to enhance the cropping intensity by water management.

Reaching Out

On the establishment of TARAgram Pahuj, in the heart of Bundelkhand, the local community, particularly the women are very excited and wish to participate in the development interventions. Within a year, over 100 women SHGs, covering more than 1200 households, are ready to bring about a desirable change in the collective behaviour to participate in the mainstream of development activities. Even more village representatives (Sarpanch) have approached DA in order to initiate similar activities in their villages.

Involving the local community groups in the development services for water and sanitation is gathering steady momentum. The beneficiaries are primarily women and children. The public-private-community partnership (PPCP) has demonstrated the sustained use of water. The participatory approach adopted to enhance the adoption of the development interventions is also being recognised by other stakeholders.

The Government departments and elected representatives of the villages express their participation in DA’s water and sanitation programme. The regional media has also highlighted the inauguration and opening of this centre.  q 

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