Campaigns / Events
World day to combat Drought and Desertification”
17th June, 2011
The
World Day to combat drought and desertification was held at Lalithakala parishat,
Anantapur which was organised by Accion Fraterna Ecology Centre on 17-06-2011.
The UNCCD has decided in 1994
to celebrate 17th June of every year as world day to combat drought and desertification. It also declared
the decade i.e., from 2010 to 2020 as “Combat Drought and
Desertification” decade where in many programmes will be taken up for
overcoming Drought and Desertification in different parts of world.
STAKEHOLDERS CONSULTATION MEETING THE GOLD STANDARD PREMIUM
QUALITY CARBON CREDITS ON 15-09-2010
During the year 2009-10, AF Ecology Centre decided to take up a Bio-gas
project under Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). as it contributes to the
mitigation of climate change and brings additional carbon revenues to the
participating farmers for next 21 years. The biogas project supplements and adds
value to the ongoing Sustainable Agriculture Program of AF Ecology Centre. It
also helps in creating wide-spread awareness on the adaptation and nutrition of
climate change and its relevance to Sustainable Agriculture. The forests in the
district are thin and scanty and the rainfed agricultural is exclusively
dependent on monsoons. This district is considered as the driest part of Andhra
Pradesh, and the biogas project is much more relevant as it reduces dependency
on forests for fire wood and helps in livelihoods improvement of the people in
the project area.
(Click here to read more. . .)
Five
Ecology Day celebrations have been organized by Mandal Sasyamitra Samakhyas (MSSs)
& Grama Sasyamithra Samakhyas (GSSs) in the month on June, 2010 in AF Ecology
Centre Project Area. One is organised at the project level in Anantapur on 13th
June and the other four were organised in the four areas headquarters of the
project area. Celebrations took place on 22nd June in Dharmavaram, on 23rd June
in Settur, on 25th June in Kuderu and on 27th June in Kalyandurg. About 1300
farmers (About 600 women and 700 men) from 230 villages have been participated
in the district level campaign. In Dharmavaram about 800 farmers (450 women and
350 men) from 55 villages, about 612 farmers (350 women and 262 men) from 60
villages in Settur, about 700 farmers (400 women and 300 men) from 50 villages
in Kuderu and about 1200 farmers (650 women and 550 men) from 65 villages in
Kalyandurg area attended the campaigns.
(Click here to read more. . .)
TANKS’ FESTIVAL (Festival of traditional waterbodies)
Celebration of completion of 500 years of crowning ceremony of Sri Krishna
Devaraya the king of Vijayanagara Empire on July 2010
Andhra
Pradesh state Government decided to celebrate the completion of 500 years of the
crowning ceremony of Sri Krishna Devaraya – The most popular king of Vijayanagar
empire, of which Anantapur is a part. The district collector of Anantapur gave a
call to the people and public and private organizations in the district to
celebrate the occasion. He requested AF on this occasion to organize the most
important event of organizing a “Tank Festival”, as Sri Krishna Devaraya is
fondly remembered by the people of Rayalaseema, as the king who constructed
numerous Irrigation tanks and helped farmers to survive in this desert prone
district of Anantapur. So, AF organized the Tank Festival at Dharmavaram
Irrigation Tank, which is a big tank with more than 2000 acres of Ayacut. About
4500 people from the surrounding villages participated in the celebrations held
on 30th July’2010. District and Mandal level officers and officials from various
Govt. departments participated in the celebrations.
(Click here to read more. . .)
VILLAGE LEVEL CAMPAIGNS ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE (2009)
Village
level campaigns on Sustainable Agriculture are organized in all the 230 project
villages of AF, under its awareness generation and capacity development program.
The purpose is “To sensitize farming community in particular and the public
in general about; (a) the benefits of practicing Sustainable Agriculture, (b)
the hazardous effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on human beings,
flora and fauna, (c) the ill effects of mono cropping and the need to practice
crop diversity with food grains, fruits, fodder & bio-mass and (d) the need to
maintain bio-diversity etc”.
These campaigns, which are conducted twice in a year in each of the 230 project villages, are well attended by about 200 participants (About 100 men & 100 women on an average in each village. The Grama Sasyamitra Samakhyas (GSSs) are responsible for organizing these campaigns, supported by all the Sasyamitra groups (SMGs) in the village. AF staff are providing guidance and playing a supportive role in the process. During the reporting period the village level CBOs (SMGs & GSS) have mobilized their own financial and material resources for organizing one of the two campaigns in each of the 230 project villages, all by themselves!
(Click here to read more. . .)
AF’s Mandal Sasyamitra Samakhyas (MSS) organized Two Ecology Day celebrations during 2009- One in Settur area at Kundurpi on 6th June covering about 1020 farmers (About 600 women and 420 men) from 60 villages of Kundurpi and Settur mandals and the other at Dharmavaram on 13th June, covering about 1150 farmers (About 650 women and 500 men) from 55 villages of Dharmavaram and Rapthadu mandals. Samakhya members took lead in organizing the events meant for educating the people about the importance of the Ecology Day in the context of Sustainable Agriculture. They motivated the people to attend the campaign with their own travel expenditure. This is a new trend in both the areas which is a great achievement for the Sasya Mithra Groups (SMGs) and the MSS members. The participants include active farmers, conveners and co-conveners of SMGs, MSSs, NPM practitioners, Organic Farmers, Sustainable Agriculture practitioners belonging to rain fed and drought affected poor, small and marginal farming community. Project Directors of various Govt. agencies, Village Panchayath Sarpanches, MPTC members, VO leaders DWMA, DRDA and IKP staff also joined the celebrations. The MSS members of the above mandals, together with AF staff planned about the venue, awareness themes to be focused, items to be exhibited, cultural items to be presented, guests to be invited and food arrangements etc. The venues looked very colorful and lively like big festival fairs, with women and men pouring in happily, wearing eye-catching colorful attires.
(Click here to read more. . .)
AF has been playing a pro-active role in creating wide spread awareness to the labour on the rights and entitlements for the labour under MNREGA. During the year 2009-10 AF staff have organized village level campaign in all 230 villages to labour and farmers on MGNREGS. Awareness on both MGNREGS and sustainable agriculture was provided simultaneously because it was difficult to separate farmers and labour since 90% of the farmers were also working as labourers in MGNREGS. So, the village level awareness campaigns were organized jointly for labour and farmers.
(Click here to read more. . .)
FARMERS CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE on 06-03-2009
A
big conference of farmers involved in Sustainable Agriculture was convened by
the “Anantha Sustainable Agriculture NGO’s Forum” - A forum of likeminded
NGOs, involved in promoting Sustainable Agriculture. The conference was held on
06-03-2009 at Lalitha kala Parishath, Anantapur. The conference was well
attended by about 1400 practicing farmers (about 50% women farmers) of
Sustainable Agriculture from across the District and reputed NGOs like Centre
for Sustainable Agriculture - Hyderabad, AF Ecology Centre -Anantapur, Ananta
Paryavarana Parirakshana Samiti - Anantapur, TIMBAKTU Collective – C.K.Palli,
REDS - Kadiri and Foundation for Ecological Society - Madanapalle. Besides, a
number of Activists and NGO personnel, who are promoting Sustainable Agriculture
and Scientists also participated in the conference. Mr. Nammalwar a well known
organic farmer and a strong proponent of ecological farming gave the key note
address. The purpose of the Conference was to highlight the importance of
Sustainable Agriculture, formulate favorable policy recommendations and present
them to all political parties on the eve of General Elections for State
Legislature and for Lok sabha.. . . . . .
(Click here to read more. . .)
SOUTHERN REGION CONSULTATION ON “CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE” (September 2009)
A 2 day workshop has been organized by the Food and Water Security Coalition, India at Accion Fraterna Ecology Centre, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh on 25th and 26th September, 2009.
About 40 participants attended the consultation from 3 states i.e., Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Karnataka. The participants included grass root organizations (NGOs & CSOs), farmers, research & academic organisations, Government administrators. The distinguished participants included Scientists and Sustainable Agriculture proponents like Dr. Dwarikinath, Dr. Nammalwar, Dr Narayana Reddy, Sri V. Sobanadeeswara Rao etc. Scientists from ANGRAU A.P. Agri University, NDRI (Bangalore) and ecol-friendly farmers from other states also participated.
(Click here to read more. . .)
AF visited ICRISAT, Hyderabad and studied some Sustainable Agriculture models
developed for rain-fed areas.. . . . . . .
(Click here to read more. . .)
Workshop of the Empowerment & Entitlement Coalition 2009
A 3 day workshop of the Empowerment & Entitlement Coalition was held at Bhooshakti Kendra, REDS, Tumkur, from 26th – 28th June 2009 . . . .
(Click here to read more. . .)
AF
has facilitated the celebration of Women’s Day involving the women and men of
its project villages. AF together with the women leaders played active part in
organizing the campaigns. The women leaders included the active members of the
women groups, SHG leaders, Sasya Mithra Group, (SMG) IGP groups, NPM village
activists, V.O. leaders and PRIs in planning and organizing the Women's Days.
Some interested women group s from the villages took initiative in cooking and
serving lunch to the participants at the campaign. The AF staff campaigned and
mobilized the women and gave them the awareness on the Women’s Day and
encouraged them to participate in the campaigns, being held at the mandal head
quarters. Thus 6 campaigns were organized covering women from 230 villages of 8
mandals, viz Kalyanadurg, Beluguppa, Settur, Kudair, Rapthadu and Dharmavaram.
In Kalyandurg and Dharmavaram areas two campaigns each were conducted at mandal
level where as in Settur and Kudair areas one campaign each was conducted at
area level covering people from two mandals of the areas. It is interesting to
note that 20% of the total participants have been men, who participated
voluntarily and expressed their solidarity with women. . . .
(Click here to read more. . .)
Two
Ecology Day celebrations were organized during 2008, by the MMS (Mandal
Sasyamitra Samakhya) MSS is Mandal level federations of farmers practicing
Sustainable Agriculture. There are 8 MSS organised in the 8 mandals in AF’s
program area. The first Ecology Day was organized at Kalyandurg on 5th June,
covering about 1800 farmers (About 800 women and 1000 men) from 125 villages of
Kalyandurg, Beluguppa, Kundurpi and Settur mandals. The second one was organized
at Anantapur on 16th June, covering about 1200 farmers (About 500 women and 700
men) from 105 villages of Dharmavaram, Rapthadu, Atmakur and Kudair mandals. The
MSS members of the above mandals, together with AF staff planned meticulously
about Ecology Days including selection of venue, awareness to be created, items
to be exhibited, cultural items to be presented and guests to be invited etc.
The venues looked like big festival fairs, with women and men pouring in
happily, wearing eye-catching colorful attires. . . . . .
(Click here to read more. . .)
DISTRICT LEVEL CAMPAIGN ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF APREGS ON 20th December, 2007
NREGA
(National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) was passed by the Government of India
in the year 2005 in order to empower the rural laborers with a right to get
employment of 100 days per year per labor family during off season. It was
launched in Anantapur District on Feb 2nd 2006 by the Prime Minister Dr.
Manmohan Singh, and came into effect from 01/04/2006, in 200 drought prone and
backward districts in India. Accordingly the Government of Andhra Pradesh
formulated the scheme called APREGS.
During 2006-07 (ie), the first year of its implementation, there were many
shortfalls like low and delayed provision of employment for job-seekers, delay
in payments, absence of basic amenities at work spots, incidences of corruption
and non-payment of compensation etc. in the implementation of APREGS. These
shortfalls were partly due to improper functioning of Government machinery and
partly due to lack of awareness amongst labor community. Keeping that in view AF
along with some other NGOs like APPS, REDS and APUHAC (Andhra Pradesh Upadhi
Hakku Amalu Committee) arranged an awareness campaign on 20th December, 2007 at
Lalithakala Parishad, Anantapur . . . .
(Click here to read more. . .)
Village level campaigns on LEISA and NPM are organized in all the 240 project
villages, under AF’s capacity development program. The purpose of organising
them is to sensitize farming community in particular and the public in general
about the hazardous effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on human
beings, flora and fauna, ill effects of mono cropping, and about bio-diversity
etc. Awareness is being created among the farming community on how best they can
utilize the locally available bio-ingredients as substitutes to chemical
pesticides and fertilizers. Emphasis is also laid on introduction of new
varieties and practices, reduction in cost of cultivation and increase in
productivity.
(Click here to read more. . .)
District level awareness campaigns on NREGS (2007)
AF, along with some other NGOs like APPS, REDs and APUHAC (Andhra Pradesh Upadhi Hakkula Amalu Committee) organized a district level awareness campaign on 2-12-07 at Lalithakala Parishad, Anantapur and Dr. Y.V. Malla Reddy, Director, AF, and Mr. Gopal, Director CEC (Centre for Environment Concerns) took iniative and organized the campaigns.
(Click here to read more. . .)
AF has facilitated the celebration of women’s Day involving the women and men of its project villages. AF together with the women leaders played active part in organizing the campaigns. The women leaders included the active members of the women groups, SHG leaders, Sasya Mithra Group (SMG) members, NPM village activists, V.O. leaders and PRIs in the planning. Some interested women groups from the villages took initiative in cooking and serving lunch to the participants at the campaign. The AF staff campaigned and mobilized the women and gave them the awareness on the Women’s Day and helped them to participate in the campaigns at the mandal head quarters. Thus 8 campaigns were organized at 8 mandal head quarters, viz Kalyanadurg, Be3luguppa, Settur, Kundurpi, Kudair, Atmakur, Rapthadu and Dharmavaram. It is interesting to note that 20% of the total participants have been men, who participated voluntarily and expressed their solidarity with women.. . . .
(Click here to read more. . .)
Campaign on National Rural Employment Guarantee Program (NREGP)
2005
NREGP (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) was passed by the Government of India in the year 2005 in order to empower the rural labourers with right to get employment of 100days per year per family during off-season. It was launched in Anantapur District on February 2nd, 2006 by the Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh, came into effect from 1-4-2006 in 200 drought prone and backward districts in India. Accordingly the Government of Andhra Pradesh formulatd the scheme called APREGS.
During implementation of APREGS last year, there were many shortfalls like
low and delayed employment for job seekers, delay in payments, absence of basic
amenities at work spots, incidences of corruption and non-payment of
compensation etc. These shortfalls were partly due to improper functioning of
Government machinery and partly due to lack of awareness amongst labour
community.
In this context, awareness campaigns on NREGP were organized at District, Mandal and Village level with following objectives:
- To create awareness on the rights and entitlements of the labourers in NREGP.
- To bring movement in Government functionaries for proper functioning and promote transparency amongst all concerned stakeholders and public at large.
- To ensure effective implementation of the programme in the district.
Click for Report
Farmers
Conference on Groundwater Crisis in Anantapur district -
Report of the Conference
(19th August 2004)
This conference was organized with two main objectives:
- To create awareness on the current ground water crisis among
people, particularly farmers, covering the causes and consequences in the short-term and long-term. - To influence the people in general and farmers in particular towards individual and social regulation of ground water exploitation, utilization and conservation.
An inclusive and participatory approach was followed by involving all the
relevant Government Departments like Ground Water Department, District Water
Management Agency (DWMA), Rural Water Supply Department (RWS), District Poverty
Initiatives Program (DPIP), Agriculture Department, Animal Husbandry Department
(AH), Horticulture Department. The people in general and the farmers in
particular were the main actors in the workshop. About 1,500 people (including
about 700 women farmers) from about 100 villages participated. The NGOs, the
Social Activists and Civil Society Organizations also participated.
Various Government Departments and NGOs together also organized a visual
exhibition of photos, techniques, equipment, models etc., of Ground Water,
promotion, conservation, water saving technologies, adverse consequences of over
exploitation etc. It attracted many an eye and provoked people to think of
social regulation. In between there were cultural programs like songs and skits
highlighting the issues around ground water crisis.
AF had prepared a background paper on the ground water crisis in Anantapur
and it was distributed to all participants. Government Departments had prepared
status papers on various
issues concerning the groundwater and distributed to the participants. After the
deliberations, this conference made certain resolutions and recommendations in
addressing the ground water crisis.
Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture 2004
Village level campaigns are being organized in all the villages. This
exercise is to sensitize forming community in particular and the public in
general about the hazardous effects by the usage of chemical fertilisers and
pesticides. An awareness being created among the farming community how best they
can utilize the indigenously available materials which are the perfect
substitutes to chemical pesticides and fertilisers. With a focus on introduction
of new varieties, practices and reduction in cost of cultivation and increase in
productivity.
- Planning on campaigns is done by involving the CBO’s
- The responsibilities are distributed among the CBO’s and staff
- The publicity materials like audio, visual aids literature are
used, exhibitions are organized - Organizing rallies involving women and men
- Banner, play cards with slogans are used
- In the meeting sharing the experiences of farmers who had
followed NPM practices and adopted non-negotiables - Organizing roll plays on NPM
- Awareness on Government schemes.
During the project period, 407 campaigns were conducted at village level covering 37,598 Farmers in all 240 villages among which 18,533 are women farmers. Awareness is given on LEISA/NPM practices like Border Crops, Pest traps, Bio-fertilisers, Bio-pesticides, crop diversification, seed multiplication etc. Rallies were organized in each village with slogans and banners on LEISA/NPM practices. In each village about 200farmers (men and women) participated in the campaigns. Model farmers, village presidents (Cardpunches), VO leaders and concerned I.K.P. staff also participated in the campaigns. Cultural programs, Demonstrations and exhibitions on LEISA/NPM practices were organized. The farmers were very much impressed and expressed their willingness and commitment to adopt the practices and stop the use of chemical fertilisers.
