NABARD approved three more farmers club under LIFE project@Banswara

Three more farmers club approved by NABARD in LIFE project (with  SJVS-Banswara) at Kajalpada, Mundari and Nathpura. The approved farmers club inauguration would be on 18^th May 2012 and in June 2012.

Above is about the approval of Farmers club at Banswra by NABARD (also NABARD has given dates for the inauguration of the same), with this approval almost all the farmers club in the LIFE project are been approved by NABARD. At Ajmer we have already achieved this target, but at Banswara this all was not so easy….a good effort has been gone for the same

It’s an interesting change…which I feel and we all must need to feel it! It has not only change generated an impact on community but on the entire organization.

In last one year what strategy we ( Caritas India) along with the SJVS-Banswara have adopted to sort out the issue?

Proposal refinement and translation in Hindi

• Facilitated the development and application of monitoring tools and set set the LIFE project baseline with the first monitoring ( with the application of monitoring tools)
• Along with the LIFE project team ( including Project Coordinator & Field animator) refined ( based on the application of monitoring tools-set the clear cut target against the baseline) and translated entire project proposal and PMF in Hindi -which has developed clarity amongst the field staff on formation of CBOs.

Capacity building of LIFE project staff

• Sent field animator (Mr. Vijay Katara  of LIFE project to CESSS-Amravati to know more on sustainable agriculture practices.
• Caritas India Project officer facilitated the interface of SJVS-Banswara and NABARD & KVK official. This has been followed by the newly appointed LIFE project Coordinator where he has facilitated the interface between NABARD officials and community members ( this has happened first time in any of the SJVS-Banswara project villages, where NABARD DDM has interacted with the community members in their own villages)
• Did 6 comprehensive workshop with entire LIFE project staff (including project Coordinator & field animators) of LIFE project (SJVS-Banswara) on LIFE project, CBO formation, monitoring tools application, NABARD linkages, & bank linkages.
• Facilitated interface with the SJVS-Banswara and NABARD ( with support from Caritas India Project Officer)
• Visibility of LIFE project through LIFE project web page-www.liferajasthan.blogspot.com  has been shared with the NABARD DDM-Banswara and KVK-Banswara.
• Regular interaction with the LIFE project team by Caritas India project Officer ( on an average every week)
• 42 days field visit by Caritas India Project Officer to LIFE project at SJVS-Banswara in last one year.

Action taken by the newly appointed Coordinator

• Newly appointed Coordinator in last 8 months has an average field visit to around 20 days in a months and has well established his relationship with the project team ( especially field animators-participated in their tribal cultural events, rather than working as Coordinator-worked as a team members-build a good trust amongst the team for the work, shared the pain and happiness of the project team)
• Newly appointed Project Coordinator along with community members for LIFE project at Banswara did visit & interaction to NABARD DDM, submitted the formed Farmers Club approval letter and did the regular follow up for the same.
• The newly appointed Coordinator has developed linkages with the agriculture department and the department has started a framers school in one of our LIFE project village (Amblipada).
• Represent LIFE project on behalf of SJVS-Banswara at district for the promotion of organic cultivation, where LIFE project has been awarded as the 2^nd best project in the district.