Sustainable Agriculture in Uttar Pradesh
Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti (GRAVIS), Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Contact: Dr. Prakash Tyagi
Dates: October 2020 – September 2023
Total Budget: Rs. 17,97,300
2022 Budget: Rs. 5,99,100
The purpose of this project, which has now completed its second year, is to promote agricultural improvements and community development in five villages in a drought-prone area of Bundelkhand in Uttar Pradesh. One major part of the project involves the construction of useful structures: compost pits, khadins (low dikes) around farm fields for better water retention, fences around fields to prevent losses caused by animals, absorption and recharging pits to recycle wastewater, and nutrition gardens to produce food for family consumption. Also, two community ponds (small reservoirs) have been desilted and restored. Another major part of the project is educational: education sessions for the villagers on nutrition and water quality, assistance in establishing and maintaining nutrition gardens, and training of Village Development Committees and Self-Help Groups to promote community welfare and self-reliance. All these activities, begun in the first year of the project, have been continued and extended to new beneficiaries in the current year. In addition, GRAVIS has established community seed banks in each village, which have proved very helpful in maintaining food security.
