PROMOTION OF INSTITUTIONS:

Women is one of the deprived sections of the society play an important role at home, in the livelihood space, the cultural life of the community they live in and at large the future of society. But they largely excluded from decisions making processes and their personal needs and views are ignored.

Strength of an organisation is known to everyone therefore, in order to address the issues faced by women SHG’s have been formed. Under the project 751 SHGs have been promoted in Yavatmal and Babulgaon block of Yavatmal district covering 8063 families. The SHGs have raised bank credit amounting to ₹ .123 lakhs till March, 2019. Micro-enterprises such as goat rearing, poultry, grocery shop, flour mill, sewing, vegetable selling, etc were started by 159 women entrepreneurs.

IRRIGATION INFRASTRUCTURE CREATION

Indian agriculture is a gamble with the monsoon. Nearly, 88 % of the total cultivated areas are rain fed and therefore the fortune of agriculture fluctuates with the monsoon pattern. Vidarbha and Marathwada Region has been combating agriculture distress and it also fall under suicide prone area of Maharashtra.

In recognition of the seriousness of the erratic behaviour of precipitation and natural calami-ties like drought bringing instability to our agrarian economy it is considered essential to adopt location specific measures to overcome the water stress condition. It is in this context that water conservation\ harvesting measures with suitable cropping are evolved as the right strategy to overcome the vagaries of monsoon to a great extent.

There are a good number of ways to conserve the rain water and utilize the same during the distress periods so as to provide lifesaving irrigation to the crops. Widening of River and Stream and thereafter construction of series of check dam, Construction of Farm pond\Farm pits are some interventions among the best alternatives for conservation and harvesting of rain water, especially in the water stressed village of the Vidarbha and Marathwada Region.

ART has been created irrigation infrastructure development at community and individual level.

1. 1. Zero Energy Diversion Based Irrigation Model
2. 2. Bodi Phad Model
3. 3. Recharge Pit
4. 4. Doha Model: Stream based irrigation structure

LAND AND WATER CONSERVATIONS

Soil quality is a key parameter for measuring status of agriculture productivity as well as balance of agro ecology. Soil quality is deteriorated due to chemical farming, change in rainfall pattern, deforestation to its optimum level and need to be addressed on urgent basis to revive agriculture productivity, increase infiltration rate of rain water, established agro ecology.

Hence ART, has been implemented watershed project which includes “Ridge to Valley” perspective, which is starting from the top and coming downwards. Ridge to Valley treatment ensures that the soil erosion is reduced and the treatments at the lower catchments are protected. The area treatment divided into three parts are ridge area treatment, drainage area treatment and Land development. Ridge area treatment includes Continuous Contour Trench (CCT), Staggered Contour Trench (SCT), Forest Area Plantation, Biological Bunding, Grassland Development, Contour Stone Bund (CSB), Grass Seedlings, Small stone Gully Plug and Earthen Gully Plug. Drainage Area Treatment includes Loose Boulder Structure, Gabion Structure, Sunken Ponds, Cement Plug, Earthen Bandhara, Farm Ponds etc. Land Development Treatment includes Graded Farm Bund, Field Bunding, Water Absorption Trench,5% Model, Land Levelling, are also taken.

ART has implemented watershed project in 25 villages of Yavatmal district benefitting 3000 Farmer household.

ENHANCING AGRICULTURE PRODUCTIVITY

ART emphasizes improve food security, increase agricultural incomes and enhance farm level resilience to climate variability by augmenting soil structure through organic additions, promoting increased biological activity in the soil and adoption of appropriate cropping patterns and nature friendly crop management practices.

Major activities promotion is:

1. 1. Better Cotton Management Practices
2. 2. Evolving and familiarizing Crop PoP
3. 3. Demonstration and Promoting Shivansh Khad and Organic Farming
4. 4. Restoring Soil fertility through Dam Desiltation Programme

Healthy soils which are rich in microbial and biological fauna hold the key to improving crop productivity and coping with dry spells, abnormal and rising temperatures and pest and disease attacks. Assured water supplies results increased crop yield providing the basis for the achievement of food security and poverty reduction. ART has developed eco-friendly and climate resilient agriculture solutions those have been widely adopted by the farming community. It includes dissemination of Standard Package of Practices (PoP), promoting LEISA / Zero budget Natural Farming Practices and climate smart Agriculture Practices

Around 3,000 farmers have been helped in adopting LIESA pattern under Better Cotton Initiatives and later on for developing Producer Company.

Shivansh Khad Technology has been implemented in 204 villages of Vidarbha that reached out to 6,675 farmers. The farmers have produced over 33300 piles of Shivansh Khad and have tested in their farms. The farmers have applied Shivansh Khad in their 10012 acres of Kharif and Rabbi crops of Cotton, Soybean, Toor, Gram, Vegetables etc in 2017-18 and 2018-19 crop years.

FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SECURITIES

ART org engages with community with an objective of assuring nutritional and food security through improved package and practices. The organization is taking sincere steps in paddy and millets cultivation through crop and root intensification method where emphasis is given on seed treatment, line transplanting, seed variety changes etc. The average production in paddy is raised to 18 quintals from 7 quintal per acre as a result of which the food security of a family enhanced up to 9-10 month against 3-4 months. The improved millets and pulse cultivation along with promotion of kitchen garden caters the nutritional security of the families.

RELIEF AND REHABITATION OF SUICIDE FARMER FAMILIES

ART has run a farmer support initiative with the help of individual donors which assist women farmer to economically sustainable farming. The initiatives helped more than 1250 distressed and 125 deceased farmer families.

CORONA Crisis Support

Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) has now rampaged all over the world and the frightening calamity has influenced every individual in the world. Nobody, has ever dreamt of such a relentless virus that can infect to other human body through coughing or sneezing of affected person. Forty days have been passed after the Government has announced nationwide lockdown for prevention of spread of Corona Virus.

Situation of wage labours became worse since, nobody is able to go on work except remaining idle at home, since, no wage earning, no money in hand. On visiting some villages, we found that, many of the wage earners, woman headed family, small farmers and especially persons with disability have no food to eat.

ART mobilized donations through which 343 needy families mentioned above were provided with Anaj Kits. Apart from providing Anaj kits it has locally collected cooked food and food grains whatever possible and supplied to them. It has been reached out to about 1842 individuals from 810 families from 38 villages of Yavatmal and Akola districts up to 1stMay, 2020.

LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT

The rural non-farm economy (RNFE) is a very important sector associated with producing waged work or self-employment in income generating activities (including income in-kind) that are not agricultural but which generate income rural areas. Hence ART is believing in promoting these non- farm sector on priority that area based on available local resource and market linkages.

ART has supported 152 families through Gotary promotion, and Fishery promotion

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

1. 1. Stabilizing Kharif crop production through developing rainwater harvesting model (85%) utilizing water-in-situ irrigation mechanism in rainfed agriculture creating sustainable livelihood for tribal farmers.
2. 2. Zero energy diversion-based irrigation Method
3. 3. Green Bandhara in which no cementing material used. Build from 100% local Material.

PROJECT LOCATION

STRATEGY:

Developmental interventions are focused on enhancing income generation from agriculture, which is the principal source of livelihood. Livestock rearing is support system to agriculture provide steady additional income and therefore improve the quality of life of the rural community. Our approach is to bring change by social mobilization and building human resource. ART emphasizes research on generation of innovative technologies on natural resources and its management through conservation

and investment. ART promotes alternate agriculture-based livelihood opportunities such as climate resilient agriculture by introducing innovative sources of producing manure like Shivansh Khad , Zero Budget Natural Farming, and climate smart agriculture practices. It promotes alternative livelihood models, training community in non-farm sectors and linkages with government. Various reasons are inbuilt in declination of economy of farmers and one of it is distressed sale of agriculture produces. Even though farmers produce crops but market is not in their hands therefore, joint efforts are required to face these relentless obstacles. Market linkages and aggregation is the key and that need facilitation people’s business collectives and linking to markets. Sorting out problems one by one, which are hurdles in the way of stability of farmers will definitely help them overcoming distress and that lead improve their quality of life.

Approach to Change: