Janadhanya
Introduction

‘Jana’ in Janadhanya means people and the people of the community make up this farming association. An average five to seven villages comprise what is called a cluster. Representatives of these
Objectives
- Promote Organic Farming and Sustainable Agriculture in the rural community
- Promotion of Participatory Guarantee System(PGS), a locally focused quality assurance system for organic certification, to build trust-worthiness of the farmer produce in the consumers
- Groom Community Resource Persons(CRPs) who serve as a bridge between Janadhanya and the rural community, to help and lead the community in various livelihood options by emerging as community trainers and performing their roles with minimum or no external support.
- Establish networking linkages between line departments and other institutions with the member groups. For Eg: Recently, a proposal has been submitted to the National Biodiversity Authority(NBA) to support the community seed banks as Ragi Heritage centers.
- Promotion of business oriented legal entity among Janadhanya SHG community
- Monitor Community Seed Banks : A community seed bank is a place where these indigenous seeds are stored in humidity and temperature controlled environment to enhance the longevity and quality dedicated for further propagation among the local farmers and institutions. Community seed banks have contributed significantly to maintain crop diversity through active participation of the local farmers and using their traditional knowledge of seed saving and preservation evolved and passed on over centuries. Through this, the local farmers have established their own seed network to procure and share the seeds among themselves while attaining seed sustenance.
- Organise training and various capacity building program on the community seed bank and organic farming.
Journey so far
Janadhanya also procures seeds of local and indigenous food grains and vegetables and supplies to GREEN’s project needs as well as to the farmers of other organizations.

1. Siridhanya Utpadakara Sangha : A minor millet processing producer group in the Gollaradoddi Village of Kodihalli Division of Kanakapura Taluk that can process Foxtail millet, Little millet and Kodo millet. The group consists of 17 women farmers with landholdings between 0.5 -1.5 acres of land.
2. Uttare Samudaya Beeja bank & Savayava Utpadakara Sangha : Consisting of 15 women farmers from the Veerayyanadoddi village of Kodihalli division, this group processes Tur Dal(Red gram) and undertakes Vegetable Seed Production.
3. Annapoorneshwari Utpadakara Sangha : This group from the Marasarahalli village of Maralwadi division formed by 14 women members, supplies Ragi and Ragi Flour after procuring Ragi from the PGS farmers in GREEN’s project area.
4. Sri Arasamma CSB & Savayava Utpadakara Sangha : Located in the village of Alanatha in the Kodihalli division, this producer group with 14 women members procure pongamia seeds from the neighbouring area and supply pongamia powder to Janadhanya to be sold in the urban market. Pongamia powder is a good fertilizer(nitrogen supplement) and can be used as an organic pesticide.
5. Mahadeshwara Samudaya Beejabank : From Therubeedi village of Kodihalli division, this 10 member group undertakes seed production. These seeds are of the local and indigenous vegetable and food crop varieties conserved by GREEN Foundation. These seeds are available for market through Janadhanya and are also used for GREEN’s internal project needs.
6. Sri Mahalakshmi Sashi Utpadakara Sangha : Formed by 7 women members of the Marasandra Village in Kodihalli, this group producers vegetable seedlings that are sold to the local market.
7. Maramma Samudaya Beeja Utpadakara Sangha : This producer group consists of 13 women members from the village of Gulganahalli in Kodihalli, are responsible for Seed conservation and Production in.
8. Srinidhi Vermi Compost Producer group : This producer group supplies vermicompost and vermiwash, which are organic growth promoters and consists of 10 women farmers from Byregowdanadoddi village of Maralwadi division.
9. Chiguru Sashi Utpadakara Sangha : This producer group with 7 women members grow vegetable saplings to be sold in the local market and are located in the Hosadoddi village of Maralwadi.
10. Devaralamma CSB & Organic Input Producer group : A group of 12 women farmers produce organic growth promoters like Panchagavya and Fish oil and Puchimarundu, which is an organic pesticide. This producer group is located in Kulmedoddi village in Maralwadi.
Board of Directors

Nagarathnamma
President
Nagarathanamma has been with GREEN Foundation for more than 10 years and is actively involved in Janadhanya operations. She is part of the Devaralamma Community Seed Bank and Organic Input Producer Group in the Kulmedoddi village of Maralwadi area. She is involved in GREEN Foundation’s initiatives as Mahila Sathi, Community Resource Person and is a PGS farmer.
Shivamma
Secretary
From Alanatha Village of Kodihalli Area, Shivamma has been with GREEN Foundation from the very early days. In her farmland, she cultivates Ragi and vegetables using local and indigenous varieties of seeds and makes vermicompost for use in her field. She is the treasurer of Sri Arasamma Community Seed Bank and Pongamia powder producer group and has been a strong advocate of Sustainable Agriculture in her community.
Yashodamma
Vice President
A PGS Farmer leader from the Anthegowdanadoddi village of Kodihalli, she has a kitchen garden based on both Permaculture and Raised bed techniques. An active participant in GF’s programs, she promotes Sustainable Farming by being a role model in her community.
Anitha
Treasurer
Anitha is a woman leader groomed by the WEA(Women’s Earth Alliance) project of GREEN Foundation. A PGS farmer who grows Ragi in her farmland, she follows mixed crop technique recommended by GREEN Foundation. She is self-motivated to become a community leader and has been regular in attending the leadersthip trainings by GF and Janadhanya.Other Directors

Rathnamma
Rathnamma, a PGS farmer from the Gollaradoddi village of Kodihalli, is the president of the Siridhanya Millet producer group. Her Rare Variety Demonstration plot showcases different varieties of Ragi and inspires other farmers to use local seeds.
Basamma
From the Malligemeetilu village of Maralwadi division,Basamma is an enthusiastic PGS farmer and an energetic member in her local self help group. She has a kitchen garden aimed at reviving the traditional practice of backyard gardens with newer ideas of space utilization and varietal diversity for better nutritional supplement.
Chikkamma
A PGS farmer and a community Resource Person, she has been instrumental in encouraging her farming community in integrating livestock into farming to make it sustainable. She grows millets in her small landholding along with pulses.
Prema
A luminary of Sustainable Agriculture developed by the Women’s Earth Alliance Project, she continues to inspire farmers in her community as a Community Resource Person. She demonstrates the interdependence of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry by growing Azolla and fodder plants in her farm to feed her cattle which in turn gives the required manure for her land. She is a PGS farmer who conserves the diverse indigenous varieties in her Rare variety Demonstration Plot in collaboration with GREEN Foundation.
Sumathi
A politically influential woman leader from Chikkamaralwadi village of Maralwadi division, she is a PGS farmer who cultivates Red Gram, Finger Millet(Ragi), Ground nut and Avare using Mixed cropping method.
Mahadevamma
Mahadevamma is from the Aralimaradoddi village of Maralwadi division who cultivates Ragi and Red Gram in her dry farmland. She is the secretary of her local Self Help Group and has participated in various leadership training programs through GREEN Foundation.
Kumudavati
Relatively new to Janadhanya, Kumudavati joined GREEN Foundation’s initiatives as a beneficiary for Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojane(MKSP) project and has been a valuable envoy of Sustainable agriculture in her local community as the president of the local Self Help Group. She uses compost as a manure in her PGS farm where she cultivates Ragi(Finger Millet) by GULI method and Chilly Garlic Extract as pesticide in her kitchen garden with local vegetables.
Shivakumar C
CEO
Chief Program co-coordinator for the Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojane(MKSP) project, he has been the driving force behind the formation of Producer Groups associated with Janadhanya. With more than 13 years of experience in the development sector, he leads the production planning for Janadhanya supported by other field staff from Kanakapura.