Environment & Natural Resource Management

Mahabubabad District is a ‘Reserved Constituency’ for Parliament and State Assembly. More than 60% of the population in the constituency belongs to Scheduled Tribe (ST) Community, remaining 40% from other communities.

More than 75% farmers of Scheduled Tribe & Scheduled Caste communities are small farmers. They are socially and economically backward.

Also water is one of the most important resources for mankind to survive as water is used both for drinking and agriculture. So management of water resources is vital particularly in drought-prone districts like Mahabubabad.

Objectives

• To generate awareness among the community for natural resources management
• To generate awareness among the community on NPM (Natural Pesticides Management) and IPM (Integrated Pesticides Management) for agricultural development

Projects

EFFORT is implementing the following three projects in 8 Mandals of Mahabubabad District, Telangana with the support of ITC-MSK Bhadrachalam:

1) Social forestry

2) Soil moisture conservation

3) Better Cotton Initiative

These three projects are especially established for the social and economic development of small farmers belonging to Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.

1) Social Forestry Programme:

The Social forestry programme is more of livelihood and income generation to the Community. Now-a-days farmers are not in a position to cultivate barren land because of many reasons. The social forestry programme provides maximum support to the farmers to grow Eucalyptus plants and inter -cropping system.  Eucalyptus plantation is low on investment and more on profit. It yields long -term profit, but the farmers can get early income by cultivation of inter crops like chilli, cotton, jowar and Fruit Plantations. If farmers are provided awareness on agro- forestry model and given technical support, they will promote and continue with this programme. The inter crops provide both livelihood and food security. The Community people enjoy the good and healthy environment condition with this type of plantation.

This programme has been supported By ITC/MSK, Kolkata from 2010 to 2014-15. It has been implemented at Maripeda, Narsimhulpet, Thorrurr, Mahabubabad, Guduru, Kuravi and Kothaguda Mandals of Mahabubabad District.

2) Soil Moisture Conservation:

Nearly 75% of farmers are depends on ‘’Rainfed’’ agriculture and crop cultivation.  Only few of them, are having Open wells and bore well structures.

To generate financial income to the farmers,“EFFORT” providing Eucalyptus saplings with very low cost in Installment basis. Eucalyptus plants never required Cultivable lands and more Water for Cultivation.

Even though, farmers are facing hectic problems of water scarcity, to reduce the water problems “EFFORT” organization established “Water shed area “with 6 villages in Narsimhulapeta mandal.

By making Structures such as LBs, RFDs, Gabions, Farm Ponds in the identified Drains. It stores the ‘Rain Water’ in between the Structures and the Storage Water is helpful to the farmers for Agriculture and Crop cultivation those who were nearer to Structures.

As a part, to reduce the scarcity of Water “EFFORT” Organization was done “Restoration of Tank” works in Narasimhulapeta Area.

• Jungle Clearance in the Tanks. And Widening of Bund and Bund Strengthening.
• Removal of Silt from the Tanks.
• Transportation of Silt to the farmers’ fields works were done to reduce the Scarcity of Water.
• It reduces the investment of pesticides and Fertilizers, because Silt used as manure and it kills the fungus and bacteria in the fields.
• Removal of Silt will increase the Water Storage level of the Tank. It helps the farmers of around the Tank for Agriculture and Crop cultivation in ‘ Kharif and Rabi”
• Watershed works were completed in 469 Hectares upto 2016-17, and 335 Beneficiaries were benefited in only Narasimhulapeta mandal            
• 6 Tanks – Restoration works were completed from 2014 to 2017 and 250 Silt beneficiaries were benefited, in only Narasimhulapeta mandal
• Organic manure preparation NADEP Method:

In dry lands organic manure utilization helps and place a major role for carbohydrates in balance and moisture romance constant in soil for maximum days.

Mostly farmers used dry manure in rain fed lands the never implemented quality scientific method in the preparation of dry manure then, it leads to low yielding. Hence they moved to chemical fertilizers by using of chemical fertilizers land lost its naturally and sinking nature of water.

Organic manure helps to development micro- organics and to gain carbohydrates when they lost at soil erosion.

• Soil Testing:

From 2011 to 2016, Training Programmes on soil testing were conducted for farmers with the technical support of “Krishi Vigyana Kendram” (KVK) Malyala Mahabubabad. With the help of these awareness trainings farmers were motivated towards the increase of the fertility of the soil with organic manure and also to reduce the consumption of chemical fertilizers.

3) Better Cotton Initiative (BCI):

The aim of the Better Cotton initiative was to promote water management, soil management, increase of natural habitats, enhanced fiber quality and independent and respectable working atmosphere in cotton cultivation. 

IPM Practices: IPM is a process used to solve pest problems while minimizing risks to people and the environment.

Farmer Field School (FFS) 25 Units: Farmer Field School is best tool to disseminate sustainable practices in agriculture. As most agro-forestry model practice, farmers going for Cotton crop in land between couple rows, this 25 model plots for FFS is to be executed on cotton crop which will give good impact to cotton farmer community by demonstrating to produce quality cotton, reducing investment on cotton growing, best cooperative practices to get optimum yielding as well as price to their production.

Self Help group of Women with 25 Members for “Subabul Nursery” was formed (SARWEDS) by EFFORT Organization with the financial support of ITC-MSK – Bhadrachalam. The unit was registered in 2015 by Government of Telangana as Sri Anjaniya Mahila Credit Mutually Aided Co-operative Society Ltd. (SAMCMACSL), Peddha thanda, Kuravi Mandal, Mahabubabad District.

Bio -Diversity conservation programme:

We organized NEAC Awareness Campaign on Biodiversity conservation activities. We generated awareness on promotion of methods in water purification, Importance using of purified water,    removing the waste from the existing tanks, conservation of soil, controlling the erosion of fertile soil and maximum utilization of available resources in village.  We imparted knowledge on bio- waste as fertilizer (Vermi -Compost, Biogas Slurry Garbage) for the lands.  We mobilized the communities for plantation activity on the tank bund for reducing the soil erosion and maintaining ecological balance.

For this program we received grant from Ministry of Environmental & Forest / DDS for 2009-10, 2010-11,2011-12. The programme was implemented in Konijerla Mandal and Boankal Mandal of Khammam District.

Telangana State Bio Diversity Programme- Preparation of BMC Register in villages 

People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) is a need of the time. Considered an area for experts, traditionally, only ‘knowledgeable people’ conducted biodiversity surveys, documentation and assessment. With the help of such survey reports, governments designed policies. Unknowingly or consciously local communities were left out of this process. The adverse effects are tremendous: degradation and loss of rich biodiversity. We realize more than ever before, that to conserve and maintain our biodiversity heritage, we need the active engagement of those who best understand and live with it – the local communities whose lives are woven together with their natural surroundings. The PBR is an effort to actively involve this crucial stakeholder group, the local people, in owning, documenting and protecting the traditionally percolated knowledge of biodiversity.

We have experience in Preparation of Peoples Biodiversity Registers. In the year 2015-16, the Telangana Bio-diversity Board allotted 4 BMCs, namely-1. Adavimaddulapalli, Khammam Dist  2.Chandrugonda, Warangal Dist 3.Padamati Narasapuram, Khammam Dist  4.Solipuram Khammam Dist., for Preparation of Peoples Biodiversity Registers. We have successfully completed and submitted Peoples Biodiversity Registers to the TS-Bio -Diversity Board within the time.

Make a Donation