ar - 2014-15 - for pdf · teachers understand diff erent methods of w orking with childr en fr om...
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ContentsTimbaktu Collective ............................................. 5
Chiguru .................................................................... 6
Militha ..................................................................... 10
Swasakthi ............................................................... 12
Timbaktu Organic ............................................... 14
Dharani FaM Coop Ltd. ..................................... 17
Gramasiri ............................................................... 19
CDM ....................................................................... 21
Kalpavalli ................................................................ 22
... in Media .............................................................. 24
News ...................................................................... 26
Financial Information - 2014-2015 .................. 27
3Annual Report 2014-15
Timbaktu CollectiveChennekothapalli, Anantapur District – 515101,
Andhra Pradesh, India.
Annual Report2014-2015
5Annual Report 2014-15
Timbaktu CollectiveThe Timbaktu Collective is a registered Not-for-Profit Organisation initiated in
1990, working for sustainable development in the drought prone Anantapur
district of Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) INDIA.
The Collective works in the margins. It works in one of the most disadvantaged
regions in the country, affected by chronic droughts, huge tracts of unproductive
lands, high rate of unemployment and poor infrastructural facilities.
Vision
Rural communities take control of their own lives, govern themselves and live in
social and gender harmony while maintaining a sustainable lifestyle.
Mission
To enable marginalised rural people, landless labourers, and small and marginal
farmers particularly women, children, youth, dalits and the disabled, to enhance
their livelihood resources, get organised and work towards social justice and
gender equity and lead life in a meaningful and joyous manner.
Strategy
With local self-governance as the underlying theme, the Collective develops
models that address the rights of the most disadvantaged rural people.
The models include: ecological restoration of wasted common lands with village
communities; organic farming and marketing with small holder
farmers; alternative banking, credit creation, legal aid and counselling with and
for women; child friendly education and children’s resource centres; livelihood
through animal husbandry with agricultural labour families; and justice and support
for people with disabilities.
As part of its strategy, the Collective has formed numerous village based
organisations for the rural poor, promoted producer owned mutually aided
business enterprises and revived the Cooperative movement.
Values
Celebration of Life; Faith in people and their wisdom; Cooperation; Excellence
6
ChiguruRights of children and youth & Alternative Education
Chiguru addresses children’s needs: a safe and a happy
environment, creative learning opportunities and a future
with choices. It also addresses the ecological rights of
children.
The Collective believes that children should have
opportunities for protective, nurturing, alternative
learning space and living conditions, choices to shape their
own future, access to variety of resources needed for
children’s physical, mental and emotional growth,
enhanced creative skills, basic skills like reading, writing,
arithmetic enhanced for slow learners, learning as a joyful
experience, celebrating life through festivals and events
and above all living a confident, fearless childhood.
Chiguru has 3 components:
• Prakruti Badi: a school that caters to children in
difficult circumstances.
• Children’s Reource Centre that children in the
village can access and use
• Mogga: forum for children and youth to discuss,
and articulate their needs and rights.
Prakruti BadiInitiated in 1992, the Nature School a.k.a. Prakruthi Badi
is an alternative learning centre for underprivileged
children located in the agro-forest environs of Timbaktu.
This centre provides children a unique opportunity to
make learning a hands-on experience and to get sensitised
to environmental and ecological issues. The effort is to
create a joyous and fearless environment to learn at one’s
own pace and understand education in its truest sense.
Prakruthi Badi has a residential space for children whose
homes are far away or where home itself is a difficult
space. Day scholars are from nearby villages.
7Annual Report 2014-15
The Year 2014-15
There were 51 children (26 residential and 25 day scholars) in Prakruti Badi this year. Two
assessments were carried out during the year to understand how the children were
progressing in their overall development. An annual health check-up was conducted.
Excursion trips to Puvidham School, Tamil Nadu and a day trip to Horsley Hills and Rishi
Valley School, Madanapalli were organised for the school team and the children in October
2014 which gave them a different geo-social perspective.
A Life Skill Facilitation Workshop was conducted for teachers by Dream a Dream over a
period of 4 months starting October 2014. The aim and outcome of the workshop was to
help the teachers introspect about the teaching / learning methods. It specially helped the
teachers understand different methods of working with children from different backgrounds.
Four trainers from Jungle Crows came for a twelve day camp. They introduced the children
to Tag Rugby, a form that is less intense than Rugby which they enjoyed to the core.
A group of 5 students from Hawaii Prepatory Academy along with two teachers visited in
the month of March. It was a 5 day long camp that was facilitated by Explorers Outdoor
Education. During this time the visiting students painted the classrooms, created a sandpit
for the school children to play, and made a garden plot where 9 different seeds were
planted. The children have been looking after this garden plot. The classrooms have been
redone with drawings and paintings of children’s favourite birds, animals, stories and designs
on the walls. Each child had a wall space to paint their favourite pictures there.
This year, too, the children celebrated Independence Day, Vinayaka Chathurthi, Dussehra,
Diwali, Christmas, Muharram, Sankranti and Ugaadi. These celebrations are occasions for
children to know about their culture and their country. The children felt enthused to learn
about the significance of different festivals and how they were part of a larger social system.
8
Children’s Resource CentreThe Children’s Resource Centre (CRC) is a popular place to go to for the children and
youth of Chennekothapalli and surrounding villages. Initiated in 2002, the CRC hosts a
library, a science laboratory, a computer learning facility, and indoor and outdoor play and
learning materials. CRC also hosts and becomes the venue for some of the celebrations.
The CRC has now become a regular resource for several schools like the Zilla Parishad
High School, the Elementary School, A.P Model School, Prakruthi Badi, a Convent School
and two boys’ hostels. The students from these schools visit the CRC and experiment with
crafts, hold book reading sessions, computer classes, indoor and outdoor games. The
computer lab provides the children many an hour of learning new technologies.
The Resource Center started a Mobile CRC this year. The team takes a van laden with
books, films, play and learning materials to the remoter villages and engages children in
reading, singing, story-telling, games and science experiments.
A number of events were celebrated in the CRC like Republic Day, Science Day, Muggulu
Poti, Ambedkar Jayanti and Teacher’s Day. Juniors’ Sports Day saw an overwhelming response
from 420 participating children. The Seniors’ Sports Day witnessed a similar response with
over 400 children from class 7 to 10 participating in the event.
A training on Communicative English was conducted in which 30 youth participated and
learnt to hold simple everyday conversation. A training in basic tailoring was conducted in
which 10 girls from Chennekothapalli participated.
“I can tell you for sure joining the Prakruti Badi was a turning point in my life!” says
Brahmendra. “When I came here we were going through difficult conditions and I
was not an easy child. I remember giving the teachers here hell. But the teachers
were very patient with me. I remember my school-days as the happiest days of my
life and I learnt a lot here. I loved the songs and dances we were taught. Did you
know I am known as dappu Brahmendra, because I play the dappu very well? I also
am very good at Kolattam and Chekkabhajana. I also taught these to the younger
children. I studied here till 8th standard and then we had to move. We went to
Bangalore. I started working as a costumer in the Kannada film industry. Today I work as an assistant
cameraman. I learnt working with camera watching and helping the camera team. One day I will come
here and make a film on Chiguru and the School. The world should know about this school. That is one
of my dreams”, he concludes with passion.
Brahmendra is part of Mythri, the Alumni group of Prakruti Badi. Mythri meets regularly and the ex-
students keep in touch with one another. They also help ex-students of the school who find it difficult to
complete their education. Brahmendra himself has made donations to Mythri and plans to find donors
who will support the school.
9Annual Report 2014-15
MoggaMogga addresses and promotes
ecological rights of children. The
concept of ecological child rights is
developed around ideas of right to
good life, right to ecological inheritance
and right to information as enshrined
in the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
Small groups / associations (sanghams) of children are formed where children meet and
discuss issues which they are concerned about. These are federated into an apex body
called ‘Mogga Samakhya’. Through this forum, attempts are made that every child be made
aware of her/his rights.
A youth team from 45 villages known as ‘Navayuvatha’, work towards realization of their
rights related to ecology. The youth have also been sensitized on child rights and child
marriage, organic farming. They are also being trained in theatre.
The sanghams currently have 2,024 members including 918 girls.
Three new sanghas (Two in Roddam Mandal and one in Chennekothapalli) were formed
and inaugurated in December 2014 bringing the total number of sanghas to 48.
Apart from the regular weekly meetings, Three workshops were held on basic science,
crafts from waste and preparation of organic manure where a total of around 500 children
from various balala sanghas participated.
As part of their advocacy work the balala sanghas identified school drop-outs in their
villages, and submitted a memorandum to the Mandal Education Officers. Around 510
children and 27 youth took out a rally in Roddam mandal on Child Rights Day.
All the 45 sanghas worked on waste management and made an attempt to maintain their
sangha rooms as plastic free zones. 1,007 children maintained segregated dustbins in the
Sangha rooms as well as their homes. The children created 31 organic gardens. However,
due to lack of rains, some of the gardens have not fared too well.
A theatre training was conducted for 30 youth on organic farming. They plan to take these
plays to the villages to help sensitise and mobilise farmers into organic farming.
67 youth from across 45 villages celebrated World Youth Day in Kalpavalli. They dibbled
seeds and planted five kgs. of indigenous trees. They also discussed how ecology and
livelihoods were related and how a good forest or the lack of it impacts agriculture.
10
MilithaEmpowerment and Inclusion of People with Disabilities
Militha, meaning ‘inclusion’, was initiated in 2004 with
the overall goal of getting equal status for people with
disabilities (PwD).
Militha works towards this by organising PwDs into
sanghas to discuss their problems and find solutions,
identifying resources available within the community and
making them available and training them to bring change
in their own lives.
The programme is divided into two components :
i) Prathibha MACTS, a thrift cooperative of people with disabilities and ii) rehabilitative
therapy for children.
The year 2014-2015
The project is running in full swing. The daily activities of the programme encompasses
training parents and caregivers; rehabilitative therapy for children; conducting disability
camps in villages and referring patients to hospitals and institutions; advocacy and facilitating
access to entitlements and schemes; sensitizing communities to the issues of disability and
the role communities can play; and running thrift activities. There are 1,400 members,
organized into 130 groups in 101 villages with a total capital base of Rs.36,57,650.
This year a new initiative was taken up in training
interested members in soap making. A two-days skill
training was conducted for 25 members by Ms.
Chandra Kanjilal, a rural livelihood expert. The
participants learned to make natural soap, candles,
hair oils and cream. It is planned to take this training
further and set up a collective livelihood enterprise
in the coming years. In addition to this members also
went for trainings to RUDSETI, an institute which
holds regular livelihood trainings for rural youth.
Member education programmes continue to be held
to create a better understanding of the activities.
Several topics are discussed in the training sessions
Candles and soaps made in soap
making training
11Annual Report 2014-15
including activities of the cooperative, various forms of disabilities and causes of it, rights of
disabled people and various government schemes available for the disabled people.
Information on entitlements such as jobs cards, bus and train passes etc. is shared. Apart
from this, Antodaya card camps and Bus Pass camps were organized. Sadarem (certification)
camps were held where people with disabilities are given a disability certificate which helps
them access their entitlements. 1,041 members have received disability certificates, 194
members got Antodaya Cards, pensions have been received by 1,019 members and bus
passes were taken by 456 members.
Therapists identified 232 children with disabilities (CwDs) and 126 of them are under
regular therapeutic service while the rest of the children are either admitted to special
schools or are not in regular need of regular therapy. Awareness camps for pregnant women
have been started so that necessary information and instructions for taking precautionary
measures and proper care of children with disabilities are shared.
Militha continues to work closely with hospitals, medical centres and clinics located in
nearby cities and towns such as NIMHANS Bangalore, NIMH Secundrabad, RDT Bathalapalli,
BIRD and SIMS of Tirupati where members are referred for regular check-up or surgeries.
Two surgery assessment camps were held where 16 children were assessed by Dr. Nagaraju
and Dr. Harper.
As part of the objective of creating a more accessible
environment, nine toilets have been constructed for
children and three for adults. 44 members got assistive
devices. Four houses were constructed with support
of RDT.
Two camps were held in Timbaktu for children with
disabilities where they participated in various indoor/
outdoor games, cultural activities, art and craft etc. A
local folk artiste taught the children chekkabhajana, a
local form of folk dance. Art was taught by teachers
of Prakruti Badi School. Children went for short day
trips to Puttaparthy and Pennobhilum.
Celebration of special days took place with great
enthusiasm. 800 members participated in the World
Disability Day. Louis Braille Day was celebrated by
the team and directors. An Exposure Visit to the
organisation ‘Commitment’, in Kozgi was another
exciting experience. Three mahasabhas (Annual
General Body Meeting) were held in the three
mandals.
12
Swasakthi promotes independent, sustainable and viable alternative economic institutions
of women that lead to financial independence for women. With this, we believe, women can
begin asserting themselves and is one of the key avenues that can lead to empowerment.
Four mandal level mutually aided cooperative thrift societies (MACTS) - Adisakthi,
Anantasakthi, Mahilasakthi and Durgasakthi - have been promoted which function as
alternative banking institutions for women. These have been federated into a registered
apex body called Mahasakthi.
The main activities of the programme are: regular trainings and workshops for group leaders;
rights and member education for group members; loan counselling for society members;
regular, on-site thrift collection by cadres; mobilisation & sensitization through Collective
gatherings; legal aid for women in distress and legal education.
The year 2014-2015
18,657 women from 169 villages are part of these cooperatives as of March 2015.
The cooperatives continue to carry out all the related activities diligently. The women’s
sanghas at the village level met twice a month, one for savings and credit activities and the
second for all other matters. The leaders of the sanghas continue to meet every quarter.
They verified the sangha records, elected cooperative directors and shared relevant
information for the running of the cooperatives. Besides discussions and decisions on matters
relating to approval of loans, approval of members joining / leaving, welfare activities,
SwasakthiEmpowerment of Women & Alternate Banking
Being an inclusive organisation that values equity and social justice, Mahasakthi
transcends traditional boundaries of caste, class and religion. This Federation is not just
an alternative banking institution but a forum in which women unite and celebrate life.
13Annual Report 2014-15
conducting events like celebration of international women’s day and the annual general
body meeting, the directors of the four cooperatives planned and monitored the activities
of their respective cooperatives. Select members from among the directors conducted
loan counselling sessions with their members prior to disbursement of loans. All the
cooperatives held their respective annual general body meetings within the stipulated period.
The directors of Mahasakthi federation also met every month to discuss and decide on
policy matters for the member cooperatives, new programmes and guidance to member
cooperatives.
The Legal Cell of Mahasakthi took up 64 cases that included issues of domestic violence,
tortures, eve teasing, child marriages, sexual assaults, suicides, and murders. 22 cases were
resolved. Legal camps were held in 21 villages in which 1,476 people (women and men)
participated.
34 member leaders went for an exposure visit to Kerala to see and understand how the
women’s groups are collectively managing small businesses like juice and jam making, flour
mills, etc. The visit was to learn their methods of management and coordination between
them Kerala government. The team including cadres participated in a Communications
Skills training program conducted by Fair Climate Network and learnt basic computer
skills.
Status as of March 31st, 2015
Society Members Capital base (Rs.)
Adisakthi 5,954 58,544,336
Anantasakthi 4,986 36,270,807
Mahilasakthi 4,762 36,835,172
Durgasakthi 2,955 6,958,371
Total 18,657 1,38,608,686
Boya Nagamani from Kanamara village, Roddam mandal is a wage labourer. As her village is very remote, she
and her family find it difficult to find work. The family owns 5 acres of dry land but have not been able to
cultivate these lands due to lack of rains and drought conditions.
Nagamani joined the sangha in 1995 and saved Rs. 10 rupees every month and now her total savings have
reached Rs. 13,022. She has taken loans from the cooperative eight times.
Her first loan went towards purchasing two sheep. These multiplied to 8 sheep within a year and to 22 in the
second year. Now the family owns 89 sheep.
Nagamani has been able to earn Rs. 20,000 rupees every year and has been able to build a house, marry her
daughter off and buy 30 grams of Gold. “Now we live in society with dignity and respect”, says Nagamani.
14
The Collective works with small holder farmers and various Cooperatives and encourages
them to move towards better and sustainable farming practices.
Undertaken through small holder farmer sanghas and their federation, Dharani FaM CooP
Ltd., the members are supported in all aspects of pre-production, production and post-
production operations. Most important of these is the re-education of farmers in
organic agricultural practices through Farmer Field Schools (FFS), classroom trainings,
peer group assessments and exposure visits. Along with this, farmers are supported in land
development as well as soil fertility enhancement. The farmers are also supported to
acquire Hallikar, an indigenous breed of cattle, which while ensuring access to quality cow
urine and dung (much needed for the preparation of organic fertilizers and pesticides) also
provide draught power and milk for household consumption.
The programme also ensures that all crops produced by the member farmers are grown
organically using the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) of organic certification. This in
turn ensures that the farmers get a premium price for their produce.
The year 2014-2015
The year 2014-15 has been a milestone year for the organic farming programme. Three
new mandal level organic farming and marketing cooperative societies – Avani, Bhoomatha
and Vasudha were registered during the year. These cooperatives will take up the procurement
and primary processing functions and let Dharani FaM Coop focus completely on marketing
and sales functions. What has been most heart-warming is that the farmers have come
forward and contributed money for purchasing land and setting up processing plants, in
spite of a bad agricultural season and stressed revenues.
Timbaktu OrganicPromotion of organic farming among smallholder farmers
15Annual Report 2014-15
Many enterprising farmers came forward to cultivate millets
instead of groundnut on irrigated lands. Millets are less capital
intensive and require lesser water as compared to groundnut.
Millets also contribute to the nutritional security of the farming
families. In addition to proso millet and foxtail millet which
were cultivated during the previous season under rain-fed
conditions, farmers also took up cultivation of barnyard millet
on irrigated lands this year. Farmers have also brought more
than 50% of the cropped area under various millets. They have
thus been able to avoid excessive costs and debt burdens that
would have otherwise resulted had they gone for cultivation
of groundnut instead. At the end of the kharif season field day
celebration was organized on January 22, 2015 in Dubbarlapalli
village where around 1,000 farmers from all the 45 villages
came together and shared their experiences of cultivating
millets.
The farmers were supported by providing essential inputs –
seeds and neem cake, at subsidized rates. Specially designed
seed drills for millets were also supplied to the farmers to
ensure proper sowing of millets. Extension support was offered
during the five months of kharif season through farmer field
school sessions organized at the village level. Farmers were
also supported to obtain organic certification through the PGS
system by maintaining records and organizing peer inspections.
During the current year, the Collective supported 87 farmers
for acquiring 174 Hallikar breed of cattle.
The team of trainers at the Collective focussed on creating a
resource team of farmers who will provide extension support
in the villages. A group of 55 farmers underwent 10 days of
intensive training and exposure visits to prepare themselves
to take up the role of a resource person. A second batch of
resource persons, comprising of 60 farmers are in the process
of undergoing the training and have undergone 6 days of training.
In addition to this, the trainers also organized exposure visits
for the directors of the mandal level cooperatives and women
farmers. Internal exposure visits were also organized to the
fields of the member farmers who had taken up cultivation of
millets under irrigated conditions.
16
Sivamma starts a trendSivamma is an enterprising farmer. She saw photographs of the Barnyard millet fields of Akulappa of Pedda
Kondapuram and inspired by those decided that she too would grow Barnyard millet in her fields this year.
Her husband was not too sure about this. They were after all growing rice in their land and it didn’t make
sense to deviate from this and grow a crop which they had never seen. But Sivamma insisted and literally
fought with her husband to grow this crop. Her husband finally gave in and they planted their fields with seeds
from Akulappa’s crop.
When the other farmers of the village knew about this they laughed at them, saying who ever planted grass?!
Barnyard millet, after all, is close cousin of a grass which farmers normally weed out of their fields. Sivamma,
however, held on and did not dither.
Sivamma faith was sorely tested when the seeds which sprouted were of the old rice crop. The Barnyard millet
did not seem to be doing anything. The organic team encouraged her and said it is only a matter of time and
that she should carry on looking after her field and using all the good practices of organic farming. A few days
down the line, the millets sprouted and grew steadily. Sivamma continued irrigating her land every few days,
prepared the kashayams and jeevamrutam and diligently did all that was required. Today her crop stands
almost 4 feet tall, healthy and thriving. A yield of 12-15 quintals is expected; the income from the crop is
expected to be more than what they would have got from rice.
Farmers from the nearby villages come and visit her plot, at once curious about this crop which they hadn’t
seen in their lifetimes. They throw umpteen questions at her: “what made you go for this crop?”, “Where did
you get the seeds? How much did that cost?”, “What do you do to make this crop healthy?”, “How often do
you water the fields?”, “How much yield do you expect?”, “Who will buy this crop?”. Sivamma fields all these
questions patiently, enthusiastically sharing her experiences. She says that if this crop succeeds they will
continue growing such alternative crops.
17Annual Report 2014-15
Registered in March 2008, under MACS Act, Dharani FaM CooP Ltd., is a federation of
sanghas and a producer owned business enterprise, promoted by the Collective to help
farmer members with the post-production processes. It procures, stores, processes and
markets its member’s produce under brand name Timbaktu Organic.
The year 2014-2015
Dharani clocked net sales this year to the tune of Rs. 17.73 lakhs with net profits of Rs.
14.82 lakhs which will be re-invested in the business of Dharani. Dharani directors also
declared Rs. 5.57 lakhs as patronage bonus to farmers who have supplied crops to Dharani
and a bonus of Rs. 1.24 lakhs to Dharani staff members for achieving higher sale and profits
and Rs. 66,200 to the daily wage labourers.
This year procurement in Dharani went down (303 tons) by 16% on account of drought
conditions during the kharif season resulting in decreased production of groundnuts, Little
millet and Kodo millet. This decrease was managed by planning crops under irrigation.
About 70 tons of Foxtail millet (korra), Finger millet (ragi),
Kodo millet (bariga), Great millet, BPT rice, and Basmathi
rice cultivation in irrigated plots helped in managing the 35%
deficit.
Inspite of a decrease in procurement, Dharani’s sales
increased by 34% of which 14 % has come from millets, 10
% from groundnut, 5 % from honey, 3 % from rice, and 2 %
from pulses. Retail sales increased from 54% last year to
65% this year.
Dharani generated 9,125 days of employment to local
labourers contributing almost Rs. 12.70 lakhs to the local
economy.
Dharani conducted six food fairs including one in
International Terra Madre, a Slow Food festival in Turin,
Italy. In addition to this, five consumer meets conducted in
Bangalore. One food demo was conducted in the event of
Rayalaseema Pantalu and Vantalu (Rayalaseema Crops &
Foods) in Anantapur.
Dharani FaM Coop Ltd.A producer owned business enterprise
18
Dharani has achieved 54 % growth in sale value from 22 value added products. Dharani
focussed on concentrating on and consolidating existing products. 5 products have been
dropped while 15 new recipes and products are under test.
Working capital requirements of Rs. 1.5 million during the year was raised from the various
Cooperatives promoted by the Collective as short term low interest loans.
Dharani is also in the process of redesigning its website (www.timbaktu-organic.org).
“The market is temperamental and we are highly dependent on it and
vulnerable to its fluctuations. Can you imagine having spent months, toiling
under the hot sun and rain, caring for these plants like our own children,
very often leaving our own children untended..? And then at the end of it
harvesting a decent produce, cleaned, prepared and bagged all ready to be
sold..? Our hopes high perhaps of getting a decent return on all our effort?
And then the middle-man, the trader who buys our produce comes and
says that the market is down and we will get half of what we would
normally get? Or that the transport people are on strike and we can’t take
your harvest? We are desperate then… desperate to get the harvest off
our hands. With no storage facilities we simply can’t afford to keep the
harvest or wait. It will rot on us or just get spoilt. Once I had a ready
harvest of watermelons and there was a strike of transporters. The trader
was refusing to buy my harvest. What to do?! These melons would just rot
in a few days. I was desperate to sell it off at whatever price I could get. I
ended up telling him, “take it… take it at whatever price and go..” At such
times we just want to break even and at least recover the money we have
already sunk in.
The traders also cheat us, you know, often taking off anywhere between 5-
10 kilos per bag of produce. Even if we are very diligent they somehow
manage to give us far less than what actually is. These are times when I
feel like crying… when my heart breaks. All that hard work, all that back-
breaking effort of digging, hoeing, weeding, cutting, hefting… all we want
to see is a decent return.
What Dharani provides us is a fixed market. A market that isn’t volatile or
whimsical. The price for the crops (except groundnut) is fixed during the
crop-planning stage. So we know what we will get, and how much we will
get. We know that at the end of the harvest, the Dharani team will come,
weigh our produce in front of us, and pay us per kg. and not per lot, will not cheat, and will pay us within a
week. It takes a load off our minds and hearts. Besides this, we also get a bonus on the profits Dharani makes
selling value-added products. So, yes it has been good for us.
Now other farmers vie to sell to Dharani. More and more farmers, especially small farmers, want to join the
sangham. But Dharani has said clearly – ‘they can buy it ONLY if it is organically produced, if no chemicals
have been used’. So, slowly more and more farmers are willing to shift to organic methods.
If today my family is happy, it is because of this Co-operative.” - Bagappa, Farmer, Dubbarlapalli
19Annual Report 2014-15
The Collective started working with agricultural labourers in 2008 with the objective of
providing livelihood support for their families. The agricultural labourers were organized
into koolie sanghams, and were supported to purchase sheep with an initial project grant
from EED, Germany and European union. In March 2010, a cooperative of agricultural
labourers, Gramasiri, was registered to take forward the work. As of 31st March 2015
Gramasiri has 625 shareholding members from 32 villages who have contributed Rs. 312,500
as share capital and member deposits of Rs. 6.4 million over the past five years.
The year 2014-2015
289 members were supported with project grants
from BfdW, Germany to purchase 1,318 small
ruminants (sheep and goats). Each member was
provided a support of Rs. 15,000, 50% from
Gramasiri cooperative and 50% from the
Collective, using which the member could
purchase 4-5 small ruminants. The members rear
the animals for 4-6 months and then sell the
animals in local markets. The income from the
sale is reinvested for purchase of a new herd; the
cycle is repeated.
The purchase of small ruminants is facilitated by
Gramasiri; a procurement committee consisting
of directors of the cooperative assists the
members in selecting healthy animals and also in
negotiating the rates with the traders. The
directors and staff of the cooperative visited local
markets in Anantapur and also markets in
Bangalore to explore the opportunities for trading
of live animals.
In February 2015, traders from local markets were
invited to Cherukuru village in an attempt to
establish direct linkages between traders and
koolie sanghams. Five members sold 11 pairs of small ruminants purchased for Rs. 77,000 to
the traders for Rs. 108,900, after rearing the animals for 10 weeks. Both the traders and the
GramasiriAlternative livelihood for agricultural labourers
“One day the lamb chops and mutton
cutlets you city people purchase from
cold storage will be a Gramasiri
product.”
– Sangappa, Cherukuru village
20
members were happy with the
outcome of this experiment. The
traders offered their support to
purchase animals from Gramasiri
members.
162 members belonging to 14 koolie
sanghams were provided trainings
on animal husbandry. They also
underwent a member education on
the bye-laws of the cooperative
during the year. These trainings were
provided by 25 master trainers,
directors and leaders of the
cooperative with the support of the
programme team.
The programme also supported
Gramasiri members to undertake
maintenance work in 187 acres of
common lands protected by the
koolie sanghams in 12 villages. 1,729
days of labour was generated and
Rs. 345,800 disbursed as wages.
With regular savings, timely loans
and sheep/goat rearing as a business
venture, the group has gone from
individual powerless labourers to
collectively strong entrepreneurs.
Gramasiri Cooperative has around
600 members with a collective
capital of around 67 lakhs, which has
grown over the last 6 years.
Gramasiri is planning to set up a
Collective marketing point for its
members, where they will procure
and sell the animals on behalf of the
members - like Dharani
Cooperative does for the farmers.
Buying & selling like this will give
them a better negotiating power.
Ademma & Gopalappa of Cherukuru village are
“new” shepherds, in the sense that they don’t come
from generations of shepherds. They are the
landless agricultural labourers of the village, now
members of Gramasiri.
Ademma herself started with 4 goats. Within 3
years, she has more than quadrupled that bunch.
“The Gramasiri Co-operative has changed our lives.
Earlier we had no assets to speak of, being landless
labourers. Credit used to be very difficult for us to
get as we had no collateral to put up against a
loan. But now these animals have become our
wealth, an asset against which we can get loans. A
liquid asset too as we can sell the animals when
we need money”, says Ademma.
21Annual Report 2014-15
As part of the Fair Climate Network (FCN), the Timbaktu Collective has initiated three
small projects - Low carbon farming (LCF), Biogas and a Capacity Building Program. The
idea is help the marginalised people of our area to earn some dividends from the carbon
market.
Under the LCF project, farming practices were recorded for the 2014 Kharif and rabbi season
in plot diaries for over 1000 farmer plots. This is the 2nd consecutive year that we have been
undertaking this exercise. Environment Defence Fund, well known scientific organisation
fromt the U.S. has been partnering the Fair Climate Network in this project. The Gas
Chromatograph for measuring GHG (Green house gas) emission reduction in organic
farming vis-à-vis mainstream farming has been in use for this first full year of operation.
Samples are taken regularly from a reference plot for mainstream and sustainable practices
for comparison, to determine GHG emissions reduction in sustainable farming practice.
Being a year of severe drought, even by local standards, the results were uneven, though
emissions reduction is clearly indicated.
The Biogas project is expected to benefit 6000 thousand families. The Project Design
Document (PDD) was completed by the consultants in April 2014. Validation by the
Designated Operational Entity (DOE), TUV Rheinland was obtained in May 2014. Host
country approval was obtained at a meeting of the committee constituted by MoEF for
Host Country Approval (HCA) on 26th August, 2014, and communicated to us in September
2014. Registration with United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) was accepted in January 2015. In preparation for the initiation of the
Project we have begun identifying batches of masons for training and practice in construction
of the model most suited to our circumstances.
The Capacity Building for Climate Action began with the module Business Management for
senior management of participating NGOs,
including Board Members. Bablu, John and
Akhilesh represented the Timbaktu Collective
at the programme held at IIM, Bangalore. The
second programme was a set of 3 courses -
Basic IT, Communication and Presentation, and
Demystifying English and Climate Change
Vocabulary, six modules each. Four modules
were attended by 2 of our staff who in turn
trained 17 of our staff.
Sunandamma, a field cadre, learns
basic computer skills.
CDMPro-poor Clean Development Mechanism
22
Initiated in 1993 the Kalpavalli programme of the Collective encompasses all the work
done on natural resource management. It anchors village level associations (sanghas) of
tree growers (Kalpavalli tree growers cooperative), all training programmes in protection
and regeneration of wastelands, development of around 8,000 acres of watersheds, ecological
restoration and conservation of 9,000 acres of contiguous common (waste) lands into bio-
reserve and a wild life corridor, 240 acres of community owned tamarind orchard, revival of
traditional water harvesting structures and water bodies, research and studies on ecology,
water, biodiversity and wildlife, and work with youth on issues of local Governance.
The work in Kalpavalli is carried forward by a cooperative namely Kalpavalli Mutually Aided
Tree Growers Cooperative Society with members from 10 villages in C.K Palli, Roddam
and Ramagiri mandals. It is a federation of Vana Samrakshana Committees (VSCs-Forest
Protection Committees) and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) that were
established in the 10 villages.
The year 2014-2015
During the year, many activities were carried out to protect and conserve Kalpavalli bio-
reserve. 13 watchers continued to be involved in watch and ward of the area. By making
fire breaks, 100% of protected area was saved from fire in this year. 2,231.5 kgs of 63
varieties of forest seeds collected by the watchers through the year were dibbled in 400
acres. Around 374 members of the Vana Samrakshana Committees, children’s and Youth
sanghas participated in seed dibbling camps. 15,000 saplings of 6 varieties of forest species
were planted in 210 acres, with 60% of survival throughout the year. During the peak
season, 13 shepherds counselling sessions were held in 6 shifts to bring awareness amongst
the shepherds on conservation matters to be taken seriously while grazing sheep in the
area. As part of the programme, 328 members of Kalpavalli Cooperative participated in
training and awareness sessions that were conducted through the year to strengthen the
committees. They focused on the role of response, women’s participation, livelihood from
forest produce, alternative lifestyle, fire protection, common land protection and biodiversity.
The programme generated livelihood and employment for the community. Using NREGA
funds 5,832 cubic meters of soil and water conservation were carried out in Kalpavalli to
develop the Common Property Resources which generated around 6,124 work days for
the people. At the same time, 48 families were able to earn livelihood from forest produce
such as palm fruits & fronds, Broom grass and Jamun fruits.
KalpavalliNatural Resource Management and protection of Common Lands
24
The Vana Samrakshana Committees (VSCs) also earned Rs. 70,250/- from collection of
palm fronds & leaves and toddy tapping.
Over 310 herds of sheep (around 60,000) were brought to the reserve for grazing through
the year.
This year a new initiative to take forward the education and outreach activities of the
Kalpavalli Programme was initiated. The Kalpavalli Tree Growers Cooperative and Timbaktu
Collective in collaboration with the Adavi Trust conducted a three day introductory workshop
on the ecology of grasslands. A first of its kind workshop for The Collective, it was a success
with participants attending from across India. Four more workshops are planned for the
coming year.
Two articles on Kalpavalli were published by Janaki Lenin, a conservation journalist and
Vinay Nair.
WatershedIn the year 2008, the Collective took up Integrated Watershed Management Programme in
Beedupalli village in Puttaparthi Mandal, Marukuntapalli village in Kothacheruvu Mandal,
Motuvaripalli village in Penukonda Mandal and Julakunta village in Somendepalli Mandal of
Anantapur district. The Full Implementation Phase of this programme started in the year
2011-12. This programme is nearing completion this year. The main impacts of this programme
include increased ground water, enhanced soil fertility, diversified cropping pattern, increased
availability of fodder and enhanced livelihood options. We are grateful for the support of
PMU, NABARD and RSO in providing guidance and monitoring, and conducting the required
training programs.
S. Gangadhar’s new farm bund at Beedupalli V. Peddanna’s farm pond at Beedupalli
26
Awards & Recognition
The Collective received the OWA Gold
Award on September 19, 2014, from the
German organic food company, Rapunzel
Naturkost and the International Federation
of Organic Agriculture Movements
(IFOAM), for its innovation and context-
appropriate Cooperative model of
development.
Films
Award winning group, Black Ticket Films, visited The Collective’s villages and made several
films on Dharani farmers, Gramasiri, Anantasakthi Women’s Cooperative and Militha activities.
These films will be soon put up on The Timbaktu Collective’s YouTube Channel.
Visitors
11 UNSIG students visited The Collective to understand and learn some of traditional
food practices and recipes of Rayalaseema.
Joseph Wilhelm of Rapunzel Naturkost visited the Timbaktu Collective between the 26th
and 29th of March, 2015. During his 3-day visit he met with the various cooperatives and
visited some of the villages. A Dialogue was organized between him and the Cooperatives
represented by several Directors and leaders of the cooperatives. Experiences, history and
stories were shared with each other.
Retailers Vaiyagam from Tamil Nadu visited and interacted with the organic farmers and
saw the value-addition processes. They also contributed Rs. 50,000 as a capital grant.
There were a number of visitors to the Kalpavalli Conservation Area, among them were
Ecologists Divya Muddappa, Suhel Quader, Kavitha Esvaran, Photographer Kalyan Verma,
Naturalists Harsha J and Payal, and Conservation journalist Janaki Lenin.
External Evaluations
External evaluations for Militha was organised this year. Murali Padmanaban visited for 10
days and evaluated the Militha programme.
News
27Annual Report 2014-15
Fina
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28
Managing Committee
Ms. Mary Vattamattam, Chairperson
Mr. C.K.Ganguly, Secretary
Mr. John D’Souza, Treasurer
Mr. B. Venkatesh, Member
Ms. Radha Kunke, Member
Mr. Pradeep Esteves, Member
Ms. Jayapadma R.V., Member
Bankers
Canara Bank, Trinity Circle branch,
MG Road, Bangalore - 560 001, India.
Canara Bank, C.K.Palli branch,
Anantapur Dt., A.P. 515 101, India
Bank Accounts:
Domestic Contributions: SB A/c 0792 1010 22808
Foreign Contributions: SB A/c 0792 1010 22807
Legal Status
Registered under Societies Registration
Act XXI of 1860
No.: 546/90-91, Bangalore dated: 14.11.1990
Registered under FCRA
No.: 094420621 dated 03.01.1994
Exempted u/s 80 G of IT Act ‘61
DIT(E)BLR/80G(R)/590/AAATT1760G/ITO(E)-
2/Vol 2009-2010
Auditors
A.R. Rao & Rajan (Chartered Accountants)
186/A, 1st Floor, Opp Central Theatre,
Venkatranga Iyengar Street, Seshadripuram,
Bangalore - 560 020, INDIA
Tel : +91 (0)80 23442983, 23443243
email : [email protected]
Connect with us
www.timbaktu.org
www.timbaktu-organic.org
www.facebook.com/TimbaktuCollective
www.youtube.com/user/timbaktu141190
Steering Committee
Mr. D.R. Visweswara Rao
Mr. A. Chennakesavulu
Mr. K. Sannappaiah
Mr. K. Murugesan (Convenor)
Mr. B. Akkulappa
Ms. Mary Vattamattam
Mr. C.K. Ganguly