Tree Plantation Project at Gondia

Introduction :

The mainstay of rural economy is agriculture and allied occupations, about 85 % of the rural population are engaged in agriculture and agricultural labor. Traditional agriculture is characterized by low level of inputs and poor management practices. These conditions further deteriorate due to uncertain rains and lack of irrigation facilities. The proposed Tree plantation Project aims at helping the tribal’s establish mix tree plantation to provide long term sustainable income & keeping of environment balance in Khoba village of Gondia District.

Project :

Socio Economic scenario in tribal areas like Nagpur District is heavily dependent on natural resources and agriculture. While farming is one of the main sources of self-employment, most of the small farmers and landless are also dependent on agriculture labor opportunities, livestock and forest resources for generating employment. There has been indiscriminate felling of trees and denudation of forest resources. This forced most of them to migrate in search of wages. Presently, most of the small farmers, agriculture labors and the tribal’s are victims of poverty, illiteracy and exploitation Therefore the sustainable livelihood program for rural communities needs to focus on up-gradation of available natural resources, as well as focus on active participation of the rural families particularly women for their own status enhancement.

Geography of the Project :

Village/Villages:

Khoba Panchayat, Khoba, Village

Block/Tehsil:

Gadchiroli

District:

Gadchiroli

State:

Maharashtra

Beneficiaries:

Number of beneficiaries: – 10 Tribal Farmer (owning Waste land) Program participants are selected from among the villages giving priority to the tribal population in the operational area. The selection was based on the minimum qualifying criteria combined with other factors such as identification of the poorest of the poor, their aptitude, their resource base and the scope for opportunities provided by the project. The minimum qualifying criteria used as below:

The participant selected generally from the families having land, less than or equal to 5 acres. Families defined as a unit consisting of husband, wife and dependent children. However, the families having land above 5 acres are also included in the program on satisfying either of the following two conditions:

The land is owned by a joint family and the share of each member of the participating family is less than 5 acres, and the family is below subsistence level or
The participation of such a family shall be socially beneficial to the program implementation, provided however, the participant shall be entitled to the program support limited to financing the planting material. The justification of including such families shall be documented and be verifiable. The total number of families being promoted under this provision shall be limited to 1% of the total number of families being promoted

Project Details:

Activity	Desired Outcome	Indicators to measure Outcomes	Assessment Criteria **
Raising Nursery of fruit trees	2000 sapling Nursery will be raised	Each Tree sapling will be grew up to 3 to 5 ft	Maintain records of sapling growth chart
Pits digging	2000 pits will dug in farmers own land	Each farmer will dug 2000 pits (size of each pits 1X1 ft.).Each pits will filled up with soil and manure.	List of farmers will be created as per performance
Distribution of Tree Sapling	2000 plant sapling will be distributed among 10 farmers	Each farmer will be planted 2000 mix tree sapling	List of farmers will be created as per performance
After Care of Tree	2000 tree sapling will be fenced and protected from grazing of Animal. Clean the grass growing around the tree	2000 tree will be grow without any obstacle	Maintain records of Tree growth chart

Impact on implementation of this project on a longer run :

The Tree plantation program is called the TPP the socio-economic rehabilitation of poor rural families has become possible through development of wastelands into productive assets by plantation of fruit trees.

The TPP program is based on farming – system approach that includes Horticultures & Fruit tree on small plots separately.

The program is planned with the family as a unit. The intensive utilization of land and water resources helps to generate self- employment opportunities throughout the year. The components are need based and tailor made to ensure that the family will be rehabilitated by the end of the gestation period of two year. At the end of this period, the horticulture plantations become productive and the income from these and inclusion of agriculture helps the rural family to rise above the poverty line on a sustainable basis.

After the family joins the program they do not feel the need to migrate to the nearby towns as self employment is available at village level throughout the year. In addition, there are intangible benefits in the form of family welfare, improved nutrition and health.

Each participant family takes up intensive land development and plantation work on one acre (0.4 ha) of wasteland or marginal land, to convert this into a productive (TPP).

The species to be planted are chosen according to their suitability to the project area, their income generation potential and the preferences of the participating family. The saplings are provided critical watering during summer months in the first few years to enable their proper establishment.

Conclusion:

The whole project based on time line as followed the monsoon and plantation activities. Nursery setup should be start in time otherwise the plant wouldn’t get sufficient length during plantation. Risks in this project, if monsoon will not arrive in time then the plantation activity will be postponed so for we had done all activities by time and the socio-economic rehabilitation of poor rural families has become possible through development of wastelands into productive assets by plantation of fruit trees.

The Tree Plantation Program based on farming – system approach that includes Horticultures & Fruit tree on small plots separately. The program planned with the family as a unit. The intensive utilization of land and water resources helps to generate self- employment opportunities throughout the year. The components are need based and tailor made to ensure that the family will be rehabilitated by the end of the gestation period of two year. At the end of this period, the horticulture plantations become productive and the income from these and inclusion of agriculture helps the rural family to rise above the poverty line on a sustainable basis.