CYSD

Owing to the lockdown, in South Odisha, especially in Boipariguda block of Korapur district, the Tamarind collectors (members of Producer Group), have been facing difficulties in selling their produce in the local market. March – April is the harvesting time for tamarind. Unprocessed tamarind cannot be reserved for longer duration as there is risk of perishing and pest attack due to moisture contain. Taking the advantage, the local traders are not offering the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to the tamarind collectors. M/s. Sabujima Producer Company Ltd (SPCL) of Boipariguda, promoted with the technical support and guidance of CYSD has come forward to procure the tamarind from the local Producer Groups and its shareholders, with the MSP. In the meanwhile, SPCL has got an order to supply 10 tons of deseeded tamarind to ‘Safe Harvest’ based in Bangalore.

“We are quite hopeful that SPCL will be able to supply the targeted quantity of tamarind to ‘Safe Harvest’ on time and accrue some profit for our company, said Mrs. Mani Majhi, the Chairperson of SPCAL.

Following the outbreak of Coronavirus, nationwide lockdown declared by the Government has invited huge impact on the lives of the children. They are distracted from education as their annual examinations have been completed and new classes are suspended. Owing to lockdown, their normal movements and playing in groups have been restricted. They are sitting idle at home and barely waiting for when there will be lifting of lockdown and they will be free from the prison. If the lockdown continues further, the situation may lead them to depression.

For holistic development of the children and youths in Rayagada district, CYSD has been engaged with anout 600 children for last 3 years in partnership with ChildFund India. Considering the gravity of the situation, some innovative home-based activities are planned, like Art & Craft, creative writings – poem, song, stories and slogans to create community awareness on Corona engaging the children.  Art & craft materials including, note books, paper and pen have been distributed to the children of 33 operational villages through child clubs. Besides, CYSD team has also mobilized resources from other NGOs and local corporate houses in close coordination with Block Administration to support a total of 2165 children of Kolnara Block (GPs, like Gadiseskhal, Kolnara, Suri, Therubali, Rekhapadar, etc.) and Rayagada blocks (GPs of Kotapeta, Kontalpeta, Karlakona, Chandili and Penta) in the district. It has been decided that in every week under each segment one child will be felicitated at the Block level. The creative works of the children will be uploaded in the ‘Mo Prativa’ Programme website launched by the Department of Sports and Youth Services, Govt. of Odisha in collaboration with UNICEF.

The innovating programme has experienced a grand success in first week of its launching. Children are very enthusiastic and have expressed their ground-breaking thoughts through Art Work and Writings. Indeed, they are enjoying the lockdown period staying at home.

“I was bored sitting idle at home. The art and craft material supplied to us have inspired a lot to sketch our inventive thoughts. I am enjoying this lockdown time in painting, drawing and writing stories among friends. I am surprised, how the time passes by”, says G. Regalpadu, member of a Child Club with cheerfulness in his lips.

Covid-19 Pandemic has worsen the life and livelihoods of the people at large. Looking at the increased number of coronavirus positive cases, nationwide lockdown has been declared to break the chain of pandemic. The national and state governments’ advisories have restricted the normal movement of people and completely suspended the running of public transport facilities. Social distancing, frequent hand washing with soap and use of face mask by people is highly recommended in order to keep away from Coronavirus infections. Use of face mask has been made mandatory by the Government of Odisha. As transport facilities are affected to a great extent, availability of mask to the poor tribal people has become a great challenge.

CYSD has been engaged with Children and Youth in  Rayagada district for their holistic development for couple of years. Here, emphasis is being given for youth empowerment through imparting various vocational skill trainings to the unemployed youths and facilitating them job placements or supporting them to start their own enterprise. There are many youths who have received tailoring training, but the lockdown situation has compelled them to stay at home without any productive work.

During the lockdown, when wearing of face mask was announced compulsory, overnight masks were vanished from the local market. A group of 7 young girls, trained earlier on stitching, was encouraged by CYSD field team members to initiate stitching of face masks in bulk during this lockdown period to meet the local demand. Without any hesitation, the group was agreed to start preparing masks. Accordingly, CYSD supported them with raw materials. They stitched double layered masks out of cotton cloth – easy to wash and can be used multiple times at a cheaper rate in comparison to the single coated masks available in the market. Considering the material and labour component the rate of each mask has been fixed at Rs.12/-. Within a week’s time they are able produce around 1500 masks and supplied to the Kolnara Block Administration as well as to other NGOs.

“I was in quest of procuring a few masks for my family use, but could not find a single piece. Thanks to CYSD for igniting my skill and creating an opportunity for us to earn by stitching masks and meeting our own requirements during this lockdown situation”, said Ms. Baijanti Gouda in smiling face.

One of the Community Resource Persons is engaged to extend all logistics support to the group. The young girls belong to Bhujabala and G. Rengalipadu villages of Kolnara GP and Binispur village of Gadiseskhal GP and Dhakraguda village of Kotapeta GP under Kolnara Block of Rayagada district. 

“Taking into account the demands of face masks, we have planned to engage more skilled young girls of other villages in mask production work”, said Mr. Amit Mohapatra, Programme Manager of CYSD.

Coronavirus Squeezed Summer Vegetables Marketing in Koraput

The restrictions on transport movements amid the lockdown owing to Coronavirus pandemic have brought misery for vegetable farmers of Koraput district. The vegetable growers are now staring at huge losses due to total failure of the marketing network. Farmers of, Boipariguda, and Dasmantpur have been producing tones of vegetables year the round, especially during Rabi and Summer following Market Synchronised farming method through promotion of Producer Groups under agriculture production cluster programme for last couple of years. Usually, the harvesting and marketing of summer crop activities are carried out in March to May. Every day bumper harvesting of different kind of vegetable is being available with farmers in the district but takers are few this year due to the restrictions on movement of trucks.

Gangadhar Producer Group (PG), a vibrant smallholder women farmers’ collective, is working in Boipariguda block, the operational area of CYSD. “During the initial phase of lockdown, nearly for a fortnight, our members faced huge difficulties in harvesting and selling the summer vegetables. Distress sale of our produces in local market added to our miseries too, said Ms. Sanadei Mali, the President of Gangadhar Producer Group. A total of 90 members are directly engaged in the producer group for the livelihoods of their families. The producer group is being supported by Sabujima Producer Company Ltd in Boipariguda, an apex farmers’ collective of producer groups, on input procurement, establishment of Synchronised production system, including Package of Practice (POP) in vegetable, availing government subsidy scheme and market service.

During lock down, one of the biggest challenges faced by the PG members was selling of their products in market. Looking in to the problem faced by PG members, CYSD initiated dialogue with District administration and its market support agency to sell the product in urban market. CYSD judiciously convinced the district and block administration on the farmer level issues and possible solutions. Block Administration was convinced to provide required entry-pass for members as well as for vehicles to transport the vegetable from farmer’s field to Jeypore market. Both Odisha Rural Development & Marketing Society (ORMAS) and Odisha Livelihoods Mission along with Horticulture Department have been mobilized to provide necessary support on marketing of the vegetables in Jeypore market until the lockdown withdraws.  Horticulture Department and ORMAS immediately supported 20 numbers Caret (Plastic Try) to carry vegetables from farm to market. In the due time, informal assurance was given by OLM and Horticulture Department to reimburse the costs of transportation which are borne by the Producer Company.   The CEO of Sabujima Producer Company also monitoring the activities and providing handhold support to the Group on day-to-day basis.

The PG, with the transport support from the Government sources, have been continuously selling vegetables from second week of April.  On 10 April the group sold 25.80 quintal of vegetables against of Rs. 40,500/- and on 18^th April it sold 13.10 quintals at the cost of Rs. 33,000/-. “As of now, within 10 days’ time, our Group has a turnover of Rs. 3,95,475/- against sale of 197.61 quintals of vegetables”, said Mrs. Sanadei.  “After the intervention of CYSD our financial situation is now gradually improving. Without their continuous support and guidance our situation would have been worse. We are really thankful to them”, she added in cheerful face.

Similarly, in Dasamantpur block, Maa Tarini Producer Group have started marketing of their harvested vegetables in Podagada Markets for couple of days with an average income of 7,500/- by selling around 2.70 quintals a day with the support of the Block Administration.

During marketing of vegetables, the group members have been following social distancing by using masks and practicing hand wash frequently for personal hygiene and care.

The Fourm has evolved further during the last week with following clear goals and mandate:

• Offer help and relief to people affected by the global pandemic, with a focus on the most vulnerable sections of the society.
• Mediate and facilitate effective implementation of policies and measures aimed at countering the social and economic fallout of COVID 19.
• Provide real-time feedback on working of policies and State intervention on the ground.
• Identify and outline immediate policy tweaks, legal remedies and other such state action that are necessary to bridge the gaps being reported.
• Design a longer term social and economic blueprint for a post-COVID Odisha.
• Be a credible voice for people, communities and social groups in highlighting the challenges they face and the deprivation they fight.
• Facilitate participation and inclusion of all stakeholders in making of policy decisions and their implementation.

The issue of stranded migrants has been a major concern of the group for advocacy. Links to the media report- Outlook l The Hindu l Times of India

• 186 Community volunteers and Community Resource Persons (CRPs) mobilized who have been closely working with the local government (Gram Panchayat) in managing quarantine homes, community kitchen and PDS distribution.

• In addition, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) including Gaon Kalyan Samiti (GKS) and Village Water Sanitation Committee (VWSC) have been sensitized towards providing support in organization of community awareness, sanitation drive, identifying vulnerable/left out people, tracking migrants, managing quarantine centers and community kitchens at the Gram Panchayat level in close association with the local government.
• Awareness programmes organized in 587 communities focusing on social distancing, hand wash practice and Do’s and Don’ts relating to COVID–19.

• Survival Kit (dry food items) distributed to 4130 tribal households including migrant labourers, landless workers, and NTFP dependent families in Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada & Nabarangpur districts of South Odisha in collaboration with ChildFund India and Ford Foundation.
• Survival Kit to 1700 most vulnerable slum dwellers and rag pickers under BMC in collaboration with Plan India and Royal Enfield.
• Distribution of Hygiene Kit (soap, mask and sanitizer) to 3353 households and the students of 17 Ashram schools.
• Distribution of Learning Kit among 300 children in collaboration with ChildFund India to keep the children engaged in various learning activities during lockdown.

Virtual Citizen Support Centre (Jana Sahayata Kendra) has been set-up jointly by CYSD, Human Context, Health Bot and Aaina sharing information relating to Covid 19 – precautions and safety measures, access to entitlements and psycho-social counseling to the affected people. People can dial the Toll free Number 8880592592 and access benefits from the centre remaining open from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm every day.

As on 19^th April, 665 calls landed to the system, out of which 393 were related to different services: 172 were about basic information, 163 were on entitlements, 33 were relating to psycho-social counseling and 25 on virtual care.  However, 272 calls were dropped/missed/wrong option selected by the callers.

Through the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN), national food safety authorities are seeking more information on the potential for persistence of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, on foods traded internationally as well as the potential role of food in the transmission of the virus. Currently, there are investigations conducted to evaluate the viability and survival time of SARS-CoV-2. As a general rule, the consumption of raw or undercooked animal products should be avoided. Raw meat, raw milk or raw animal organs should be handled with care to avoid cross contamination with uncooked food.

Jayanti is a next-door young woman of 23 years, living in Nipaniya village of Harichandanpur Block in Kendujhar district, Odisha. She hails from a marginalized family and her husband – who is a truck driver – is the only earning member with an inadequate income to support the expenses of a five-member family. She had always in mind to be a self-dependent and support her husband and increase the household income, though she was spearheading a SHG group in her village.

Meantime, she became mother a child. Life became more hazardous with new responsibilities. When she was in quest of new opportunity and a way to get connected to the outer-world, she came to know about the Internet Saathi programme of CYSD. It was really a great moment of her life when she was offered to work as an Internet Saathi, which was the great time for her change.

Internet Saathi programme being an innovative digital literacy campaign to connect rural women with the Digital World, Jayanti was trained to use the platform. Quickly she learnt the art of connecting with the digital field. While imparting internet education to the rural women, she also started surfing different websites for livelihoods and income opportunities in rural areas. She got to know more about the remunerative vegetable cultivation and post-production management. She also mobilized the other group members of her SHG to join hands with her. The group started Organic Vegetable production. They learnt the new way of farming from YouTube and started organic manure production and natural farming. The digital connectivity also helped them know about more the demand of organic vegetables and now the SHG has started establishing linkage with organic product traders.

Now, Jayanti’s family members are happy with her getting the opportunity of learning something new, that helped Jayati lead a life with dignity and support the family in long run. The Internet Saathi helped explore the inner-quality of her. She is now an entrepreneur. She adds on an average of Rs 2500 per month in her family income. “Internet Saathi has showed me a new initiative, I wish to fly high” – said Jayanti. She is now learning multi-layer farming system from YouTube to earn more from limited land. Truly, she is one of the active Saathis in the Harichandanpur Block, also a very committed worker and passionate about her work.