BHUBANESWAR: As cultivation of bitter gourd in 35 acre of land in Rayagada’s Kalyansinghpur block by women group under agriculture production cluster (APC) approach yielded positive results, the State government has decided to roll out the Mission Jeevika-II to ensure sustainability of the clusters in identified tribal dominated blocks.
A group of 59 women beneficiaries of Sunakhandi and Krushapatraguda villages in the block, who have taken up bitter gourd cultivation, is hopeful of an average income of Rs 80,000 per acre by the end of this month. On an average, each beneficiary has already earned Rs 25,000 from the sale of bitter gourd in local markets through farmer producers’ group of ORMAS. The farm gate price of the vegetable is Rs 30 per kg.
More than 1.5 lakh tribal households have been supported through 969 farm-based and off-farm clusters by ensuring timely access to quality inputs, introduction of better production practices, training and capacity building support and marketing assistance in a convergence mode.
“The convergence of Mission Jeevika with the APC project aims at creating vibrant farming clusters among the marginal farmer communities who are now reaping rich dividends. The new technologies introduced in the clusters have made productivity manifold and harvesting easier,” said ST&SC Principal Secretary Ranjana Chopra.
An internal impact assessment study revealed that there is a 120 per cent (pc) increase in area under cultivation by the surveyed beneficiaries compared to last year’s rabi season and 83 pc increase in area under irrigation due to project intervention during 2019 rabi season compared to previous year.
“Our aim is to create employment in tribal areas through various initiatives like providing technical inputs, seed support and fertilizers under Mission Jeevika programme for sustenance of livelihoods during the Covid-19 pandemic. The scheme guidelines have been revised to enhance irrigation coverage and emphasise mixed farming strategies,” said Director (ST) Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar.
Meanwhile, Mission Jeevika-II guidelines have been framed to strengthen its activities by creating infrastructure incidental to livelihood, off-farm clusters, marketing support and promoting community-based institutions to ensure sustainability of the clusters, she added.