BHUBANESWAR: In a move to reduce the dependence of villagers on the forest for livelihood and bring down incidents of man-animal conflict, the Keonjhar forest division has created five vermi-villages where households will get the scope of alternative livelihood through vermicomposting.
Taramakanta. Baghinasa, Nalabilla, Aharposi and Rohiniduma have been declared vermi-villages by the division. “The vermin-villages have been created as part of the celebration of World Environment Day recently in which each of the villages will produce vermicompost on a large scale as an alternate source of livelihood,” said Keonjhar DFO Dhamdhere Dhanraj Hanumant.
He said vermicompost is an alternate livelihood that can be done with low capital investment without giving up core agricultural activities. It is effective in augmenting income of farmers and forest dependent tribal communities. At least 50 per cent of households in the vermi-villages will have vermicompost units and Mission Shakti SHGs working under Van Surakshya Samitis (VSSs) will execute it. The division hopes organic manure requirement of the district can be met through the vermi-villages.
To provide technical support to villages in this regard the division has collaborated with Gramin Product NGO and KVK Keonjhar. Besides, Prakalpa, another agency is also helping villages in preparation of micro-plans, livelihood plan and business plan, forest officials said.
To support and encourage SHG group members and villages to take up the project, the division has announced an assured buyback of organic compost at Rs 20 per kg for plantation and nursery activities in its jurisdiction. All line departments have also assured purchase of vermi-compost.