To create awareness of CAIM project and to boost the participation of community in during the early stage of DPR preparation process, a one day cluster level farm-women and farmers gathering was organised at cluster village Takali (Z) in Seloo block of Wardha district on 20thJuly, 2011.
Kamalnayan Jamanalal Bajaj Foundation is working as a project implementation agency in this cluster. The cluster comprised of 22 villages covering 12 Gram Panchyants. The basic objectives of the gathering was to create awareness among the end users i.e. community about CAIM project, activities to be conducted, expected benefits of the programme and role of various stakeholders in the project.
The programme was started with the lighting of lamp followed by a patriotic song by Dr. Satish Sawarkar, a resident and progressive farmer of village Takali. The introduction of guests was given by Shri. Mahendra Phate, Project Coordinator, Kamalnayan Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation.
1. Shri. Ajit Jadaav
2. Shri. Prasad Sankapal
3. Shri. Madhukar Kombe
4. Shri. Shrikant Gharote
5. Shri. Dharmesh Rangari
The programme participants were President, Vice-president of various village level committees, Members of Gram Panchayat, Gramsevak, Agriculture assistant of respective Gram Panchyat. 250 farm women farmers and landless beneficiaries in the cluster.
The following are key message delivered by Guests.
1. Ajit Jadav, Programme Manager, Kamalnayan Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation, highlighted the aims and objectives of KJBF and participation in CAIM project with special emphasis on their current activities in Wardha District.
2. In his address Shri. Prasad Sankhpal, District project Manager, CAIM project Wardha and chief guest of the programme brought to notice the rationale behind the CAIM project and its coverage in Vidarbha, besides the agriculture focus will be women empowerment, value addition, processing and marketing of agricultural produce, setting up small scale village level processing units, village institutions building and effective convergence of available government schemes.
3. Shri. Madhukar Kombe, elaborated in detail the concept of organic farming, its technology package and also shared the experiences and innovated techniques developed by farmers, judicious use of chemical fertilizers, importance of seed germination test and seed treatment with locally available materials like cow dung, cow urine and soil of ant hill.
4. Shri. Dharmesh Rangari, an expert in watershed development gave information on soil and water conservation methods, community participation, and role of women in community based organisations.
5. Shri. Shrikant Gharote, Ex Deputy director of Animal husbandry, Wardha very specifically mentioned the role of cow in agriculture, importance of conservation of indigenous breed cow, breed improvement in cow and use of panchagayya in agriculture and treatment of various diseases in human.
At the end of the event, a street play was performed by Shri. Mahesh Pawar, a well known street play artist from Ghatanji, Yeotmal and his team. The theme of street play was based on working model of CAIM project. In the street play Shri. Mahesh Pawar and his team acquainted the participated farmers with CAIM programme, convergence of funds from govt. department and activities to be carried out under the project in a very effective manner and community appreciated the same.
The formal vote of thanks were delivered to all the guests, president, vice-president, Gramsevak, Agriculture assistant and participants’ farmers ,farm women, were given by Dr. Pankaj Audichya, Agriculture expert KJBF. The whole programme was coordinated by Shri. Satish Sawarkar.
Mahendra Phate, Project Coordinator, KJBF, Wardha
