Progress Report
Connecting the Dots

 

Progress Report Q2 (JAS) 2018

General
  • Established permanent base near our Village Cluster for increased and regular engagement.
  • Hired IARI (Pusa Institute) trained full-time Agri resource based at the village.
  • Signed up 5 volunteers for pro-bono engagement for various streams.
  • As Rural Development Evangelist, participated as Panel Speaker at Industry Forums (CII Conference and WiFi India Summit) to bring rural development and rural awareness to mainstream “urban” discourse.
 RUJO: Rural Job Creation

Farm Sector

  • Missed the time window (June to early July) for deployment of Drip irrigation solution before monsoon season crop sowing for the identified farmers because of complex Government paperwork, necessary approvals and contract documents required for availing subsidy for Drip irrigation solution. New target to deploy drip irrigation solution is in OND quarter.
  • Inadvertent delay of few months by Rajasthan Government in finalising base cost of Polyhouse for availing subsidy by the farmers has pushed out deployment of polyhouse to OND or JFM quarter.
  • Based on testing of irrigation water conducted by IARI, identified very high Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the irrigation water as a significant problem pervasive in the village, resulting in halving grain crop yields and significantly reducing ability to grow vegetables and fruits. Researched and identified electromagnetic water treatment solution deployed in various parts of southern Europe as a potential solution for addressing high EC of irrigation water. Trial deployment is planned for upcoming sowing in October/November with couple of farmers. Based on success of the planned trial, this could be a potential solution for reducing EC and significantly increasing the yields in the villages thereby addressing a major problem faced by the farmers.
  • Identified acute irrigation water scarcity and very bad quality of irrigation water as two significant challenges faced by a very large number (few thousand) of farmers in villages in northwest Alwar and east of Sabi river. This is entirely a manmade problem, extenuated by building a dam in the north on Sabi river and development of road infrastructure that has changed the natural flow of water in the area. These have resulted in huge water scarcity in these villages in Behror, which has resulted in unbridled boring for water in these water strapped villages, which over the last twenty years has resulted in significant erosion of water table and increase in water salinity. This acute water problem has resulted in largescale reduction in farm yields, over 70% farmland in the affected villages is unused, earnings from farming are abysmally low, resulting in largescale migration to urban centres. This case has become a “perfect problem” to solve for B2Ic and will be a prime focus going forward.
  • Another key area identified for developing a plan of action is for Dry-land horticulture, specifically annuity fruit trees.
Non-Farm Sector
  • Developed Business Plan and Implementation Plan along with Usha International for Stitching Unit Production center, jointly sponsored by Usha International and B2Ic, as the first Village Business Unit (VBU) for village women at Kohrana village for deployment in OND quarter.
  • Identified manufacturing of paper plates and saucers with significant business potential as the 2nd Village Business Unit (VBU) to engage and employ village youth. Manufacturing unit, sponsored by B2Ic, will go on-stream in OND quarter.
 CODO: Connecting the Dots for Holistic Rural Development
  • Water scarcity being identified as number one problem faced by our targeted villages, all team members attended 4 days training on rejuvenation of natural water bodies (river, johad, ponds, etc.) by Waterman Dr. Rajinder Singh’s organization Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS) (http://tarunbharatsangh.in/) at their Ashram at Bhikampura village in Alwar district.
  • Engaged TBS’ expert team to survey our cluster of 6 villages to help identify potential johads (century old natural ponds for run-off rainwater storage for irrigation use) for revival. Identified 2 large dried johads at the foothills of Aravali in Banhad and Khori villages as the first two johads for revival. Design work for revival is initiated.
  • Adopted Government Primary School at Kohrana with a target to develop it as a model primary school in every aspect. A vision of the Model Primary School will be developed along with the teaching community of the school for implementation. This will entail infra beef up (class rooms refurbishment and upkeep, toilet adequacy, playground development, etc.), provision of teaching aids, student world-vision enhancement by exchange programs/excursions, and teacher development. The idea is to bring village Government schools at par with urban (Delhi/Gurgaon) Government schools which are significantly better than village Government schools to end the disparity in rural and urban Government Schools.
  • Provided Teaching Aids (Display Charts, Scientific Models, Learning Models), illustrated books and school supplies to the Primary School. This will be a regular contribution of B2Ic.
  • Identified Public Health System as an area of stock taking and research for potential support and improvement.
 TWINT: Teach What is Not Taught
  • To build a bond between the child and trees, launched “My Pet Tree” Program and provided 700 fruit tree saplings to school children in all the 5 Government schools in three villages Kohrana, Banhad, and Khori. Each student was provided a sapling of Jamun (Jambol), Kathal (Jackfruit), Imli (Tamarind) or Sharifa (Custard Apple). The growth of the trees will be periodically monitored at the end of 6 months and 12 months. At the end of the year, students with the best growth trees will be awarded INR 10,000 per village.
  • Launched regular in-person TWINT sessions with Primary School children at Kohrana Government Primary school. First set of Audio/Video TWINT modules are on Cleanliness, Woodwide Web, Soil Erosion and Water Conservation.
 KNOPRO: Knowledge Sharing by Professionals
  • Armed Forces being the first choice of vocation for village youth, organized in-person counselling session by a serving Colonel of Indian Army with the village youth for advice on preparation for army selection process. Around 40 aspirants attended the session.
  • Provided study books, past papers, preparatory publications to the army aspirants for preparing for the selection process.
  • Installed Exercise Bars in Kohrana and Utoli villages for physical preparation.
  • Conducted mock full-corp exam, a regular activity going forward, to assess preparedness.
  • Plan for establishing a permanent Study Center for village youth for competitive exam preparations is being developed.