Janadhanya

www.janadhanya.org

Introduction

GREEN Foundation initiated the formation of Janadhanya, an association of farming community members who are empowered to work collectively to conserve agrobiodiversity, provide market linkage for farmer produce and promote organic farming, among many other objectives. They carry the movement for sustainable agriculture forward at a grassroots level. Registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1960, Janadhanya was established in 2006 with a handful of members keen to take the movement forward while consolidating community involvement. Today, the association is active in the Kanakpura area on the outskirts of Bangalore and comprises of nearly 2740 members.

‘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

clusters, who are either nominated or voted in, make up the Board of Directors (BOD) of Janadhanya. Currently, the BOD comprises of 13 members, 12 of whom are women. Chosen representatives of the society meet regularly to monitor, evaluate and carry out the various objectives of the association in conjunction with their communities. They are responsible for the dissemination of information to clusters as well as decision making in the association.

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

In 2006, Janadhanya was initiated by GREEN foundation joining together communities to provide a network of farmers that regulate regional procurement and sale of produce through farmer-friendly processes. In 2008, GREEN introduced Participatory Guarantee System(PGS) for the certification of Organic Produce to Janadhanya providing an oppurtunity to increase the economic returns of farming. 2011 onwards, Janadhanya’s market for seeds expanded from local markets to sale of bulk quantities through memberships. In 2012, Janadhanya in association with PGS started production and marketing of organic inputs like Panchagavya in small quantities. In 2014, 10 farmer producer groups have been formed in the different villages of Kanakapura district to produce and supply value added products, organic inputs etc to be marketed by Janadhanya.

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.

Currently, Janadhanya markets seeds, food grains and organic inputs like vermicompost, Pongamia powder etc both to the urban and rural markets. The beginning of 2014 marked the initiation of 10 producer groups in our project area with the intent of decentralization of Janadhanya production. These producers groups will facilitate collective production and marketing of farm produce and inputs and serve as a platform for Social and economic empowerment by promoting women entrepreneurs. These producer groups will provide income generation opportunities for the farmer communities, unite the community members for team work, ensure good quality of the products, improved market access and offer standardized procurement rates.

Our producer groups, listed below, offer a wide range of organic products to the urban and local markets strengthening rural livelihoods through alternate income generation opportunities:

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.