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Project Name: Project Partners: Project Number: Website: |
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Pabupura Drought Mitigation Project Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti, Jodphur TH.GRA.PAB.0208 |
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The Pabupura Drought Mitigation Project was started in 2002 with five objectives which aim to bring a comprehensive development in the Pabupura area. These objectives include providing access to safe drinking water, food, and fodder for all families and also making the people of the area self-reliant and self-sustained. Thus, goals like creating income-generating opportunities for meeting the basic needs of the people, establishing gender-sensitised functional groups in the target villages for the management of resources created, and establishing functional links between village groups and government organizations were also taken into account. The project villages are located in a very remote area within the Baap Block. The target cluster consists of 7 villages, covering 395 sq. km, 105 scattered hamlets and 1139 households with a human population of around 7775. In view of the severe water problems in the area, a tube well was dug at Pabupura village. After it had been bored the Village Development Committee put pressure on the government to connect the electricity line to the tube well, which was eventually achieved. The tube well is now providing water to around 2000 animals each day.
Recent Progress: Of particular note has been the progress made by the women Self Help Groups (SHGs). In total, twenty-seven SHGs have been formed under the project with membership of 293 and total savings of Rs. 328,736. These SHGs have been linked to various income-generating activities. An intensive training on handmade paper bags was organised after which the women from at least two SHGs have decided to start their own business manufacturing environmentally-friendly handmade paper products. In addition, a study has been carried out to ascertain how the efficiency of existing taankas could be improved, after which some modification in design was suggested. People from 4 villages have been given 5 different varieties of horticulture trees including desert plum, citrus fruit, pomegranate, lemon and plum. Beneficiaries have contributed by using home made manure and natural pesticides and this is the key behind achieving a high rate of surviving plants. They have also erected fences, made from thorn bushes around the plantation areas to safeguard the plants from animals. A fodder bank near the Pabupura field centre has been also constructed for usage during times of acute shortage. Other recent activities comprise naadi (village pond) desilting, establishment of seed banks, pasture land development, exposure visits and vocational trainings of members of the SHGs and Village Development Committees (VDCs). Desilting of one naadi was carried out at Pabupura village. People from nearly ten adjoining villages use the water of this naadi for various purposes. 8.5 ha of pastureland has been developed in the village Narayanpura and 2700 local trees and grass seeds have been planted. Two seed banks have been established at Chakhu and Luna which are being managed by the respective VDCs. The seed banks are mainly for the marginalized and poor farmers and rules for their management have been drawn up. The composite seeds of locally-suitable crops like pearl millet, lentil, Gwar and sesame are stored in these seed banks. A number of vocational training sessions have been organized for SHG members on soap and detergent making, potato chips making, candle making and paper folder making. To establish functional links between village groups and government organizations, an exposure visit to the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Jodhpur has been organized for farmers who are members of VDCs and SHGs. In addition, in all the VDC training sessions and meetings, the members have been advised of the significance of government links. Many government officials attended the training sessions to pass on the benefit of their experience. A Phase 2 of the project is under development |
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Case Study Sharam Khatun : Stepping towards self-reliance Sharam is a 35 year old female resident of Pabupura village. In 2004, Sharam, with nine other women of Musalmano ki Dhani hamlet, had formed the Ramzan Self Help Group. Sharam is an expert in embroidery; she previously had a sewing machine and she would create beautiful embroidery in gold and silver threads on the duppattas and skirts of the traditional dress Sharara. A few years ago, Sharam felt excruciating pain in her joints, especially the knee. This pain forced her to give up her work and she had to sell her machine. At this point, the members of her group came to her aid; they not only gave her money from the group savings to open a shop but also supported her in meeting the cost of medical treatment. As the money was not enough at that time another SHG from the same hamlet, the ALI SHG also helped her. Together, they gave her a loan of Rs. 3500. Today, her shop is running well with a monthly profit of Rs 500-700. With this money, she not only runs her household but is also repaying her loan. With treatment, the pain in her joints has reduced; she now plans to take a loan from the bank to buy a sewing machine so that she can restart doing the work that she loves the most. Sharam is a very enthusiastic and courageous women. After attending training sessions on detergents and soap making, she took the initiative in procuring the material from the market and started making it on her own. Today, in her small shop she sells detergents made with her own hands. She has taught all her group friends how to make detergents and soaps. She is also the person who asked the GRAVIS field worker to start keeping birth control pills at the centre so that the women living in this remote area, with no other source available, could access them. Sharam has played a key role in disseminating information to other group members in her area. She is truly a self-made woman who has succeeded in living her life to the full in the remote sand dunes of the Thar Desert. |
