SAMBALPUR: In a bid to promote organic fertilisers and pesticides, the district administration has trained the members of self-help groups (SHGs) to manufacture these products under Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM).
In the initial phase, the programme has been implemented in nine villages of Bamra, Jujomura, Kuchinda and Jamankira blocks.Informing this, District Coordinator of OLM Puspashree Nayak said so far 450 SHG members are using organic fertilisers for growing flowers and vegetables in the nine villages. Nearly 600 acres of land in the four blocks are being cultivated using these fertilisers and pesticides. Women SHG members have been trained to produce organic fertilisers using leaves, chilli, jaggery, cow urine and dung. It takes 21 days to process it for use in farms, she added.
While SHG members are being encouraged to take up organic farming, these products have been distributed among the women to get feedback from them.Sources said around 14 Common Facility Centres (CFCs) are being set up in the district to provide hand holding support to these women in farming and facilitating necessary logistics and machinery like power tiller and harvester at a minimal fee. To ensure a high success rate, they are also being provided financial assistance through bank schemes as well as from Panchayat level Community Investment Fund.Though the programme is yet to reach the masses, Nayak said the SHG members are happy with the feedback they have received.