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The students of eleven schools in Madhugiri taluka and one school in Tumkur taluka, Tumkur district are getting filtered water every day. A project to provide clean water to the school children and community has been implemented in the taluka during November
2011. J. P. Morgan, an investment bank, UAS and ITT, a manufacturing firm based in UAS have sponsored this project through Planet Water Foundation, an NGO based in USA.

Community water filters have been installed in government schools at Badavanahalli, Dandinadibba, Gidadagala-halli, Dodderi, Singravathanahalli, Chandragiri and Sidadaragallu, Lokpal school and Sri Ragna Vidyamandira, Badavanahalli, Cordial school and Mount View school at Madhugiri, Madhugiri taluka and Murali school, Obalapura, Tumkur taluka.

The project involves installation of community water filter with all accessories. The cost of each unit is Rs. 4.5 lakhs and the unit has the capacity to filter 1000 liters of water per hour. The school authorities or the community has to contribute towards the construction of plot form and two water tanks of 1000 liter capacity each. The filter removes bacteria, virus and turbidity thus making water safe for drinking.
Training on the maintenance of the filter unit was given to the school staff. A chart explaining the process of daily cleaning, monthly cleaning and chlorination was given to the schools. This helps them in the maintenance of the unit.

Tailor made WADI

Smt Lakshmi of Chikkattur village of Kushalnagar tribal cluster has converted 80 cents  of land (100 cents make up 1 acre) in to productive piece of land with meticulous planning, project support and with the help of  other government programmes.

She started WADI with 30 fruit plants in the year 2008-2009,  and due to slow growth of Sapota fruit plants it was decided to go for short term perennials and annual fruit plants such as Banana and Moringa.

At present she has well established 375 Banana plants, 50 moringa plants, 250 Coorg oranges , 25 Sapota , 4 mango grafts, 200 coffee plants that are supported by the Suvarna Sankalpa Project  and she has also obtained 18 Nagpur orange plants from the department.

Her son C. C. Swamy who actively works in the WADI is instrumental in implementation of the programme as per plan. He has also introduced one Gajanimbe (big sized lemon) in his WADI and this plant alone has generated Rs 500 income from the sale of lemon fruits. The result and the income made his family to plant few more cuttings .

In a month or two the family is expecting about Rs 80000.00 from Banana plants besides regular income from Morings plants. There are 375 Banana plants with average of 15 kg bunches and this would yield about 5 tonnes of Bananna with the average price of Rs 15000 per ton. They are planning to continue Banana cultivation for another two to three years till other plantations are well established.

Resource WADI - Thammayya's Story

It was in the year 2008, we were in Thammayya’s plot.  He belongs to Jenukuruba tribe  and resides in  Sulebhavi village of Kodagu district.  During the conversation, Thammayya said “ I will establish the WADI in such a way that it should be ideal and should attract  other enthusiastic farmers”. Seeing the plot underutilized for years, for us, Thammayya sounded little over confident but honesty in his eyes made us believe that he meant his words.

Months gone, years passed, Now it is 2011. Thammayya taught us a lesson to be optimistic!. He has developed WADI on one acre of land and WADI has made him self reliant in terms of income, and helped in generating employment to his family through out the year. Many officials, NGOs, farmers have visited his Wadi and appreciated what they have seen. Thammayya’s WADI has become a resource WADI for all small and marginal farmers to see and adopt.

Suvarna Sankalpa project of Kushalnagar cluster provided him all the support to establish the resource WADI since 2008. Following table indicate the status of 1 acre WADI as of now.

Besides these perennials he has Tapioca, Colocassia, Sweet potato, Wild yams, Elephant foot yam and Ginger as high value tuber crops. These meet their food security and also add to his family income.

From the  saleable products which are available with him, a income stats been made here with approximate values.

1. Banana: Five bunches every week @ Rs 80 to 100 per week  and this yields about Rs 8000 to Rs 10000 per annum
2. Yam: 1  ton @ Rs 16000 per tone .
3. Ginger: 17 bags of 60 kgs weight @ Rs 1200 per bag. He has expanded Ginger cultivation to 1 acre with the available rhizomes. The stock value is about Rs 20400.00

Along with WADI he has developed a kitchen garden where the family can meet vegetable requirement round the year.

We know that Thammayya woudn’t stop here and there will be a new story to be told in the coming years.  Salute to Thammayya!.

Need based Non farm intervention

Shri Ravinayaka,s experience as  a vendor in Railways has come handy in selecting the right intervention under Suvarna Sankalpa project in Kodagu district. After working in railways in Mysore he shifted to Kudmangalore with his family and started working as coffee bags loader in one of the coffee industries. Since this was regular work he used get Rs 150 per day.

Based on his experience, he opted to establish a grocery cum hotel kind of a shop in the premises of industrial area at Kudmangalore and he was supported with Iron shed worth Rs 32000.00. Project contributed Rs 25000.00 and he contributed Rs 7000.00.

He set up a small hotel cum grocery shop in the premises of Industrial area. He prepares snacks and coffee and sells grocery items. Since his shop is in an accessible locality, people gather for breakfast and snacks and his daily turn over is Rs 1300 per day and on few days reaching about Rs 2000 per day. Thus he earns a net profit of Rs 400 per day and Rs 12000.00 per month. His wife helps him in preparing snacks and also works in one of the coffee works. They have two children and both of them are studying.