Community Collective Society for Integrated Development (CCFID) with the support from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) implemented Umbrella program on Natural Resource Management program in Cuddalore district of Tamilnadu since March 2010.
The main objectives for launching this program were as under:
- To promote best practices of cashew production, hybrid plantation among small and marginal farmers.
- To create awareness on cashew cultivation based on best practices of natural resource management.
- Bringing all farmers and processors under one umbrella of Producer Company for better price control and market linkage.
- To promote institution building for increasing mutual understanding and knowledge of farmers and processors
- To provide assistance regarding value addition, working capital support for small scale processors
- Facilitating linkage of the farmers and processors to various government and private institutions to improve their knowledge base about improved methods and techniques.
- Facilitating finance and market linkage options to small processors to improve their source of livelihood.
- Transform Cuddalore district as an illustration for Natural resource management under cashew.
The sole goal of the program was to impact the lives of several small and marginal farmers and processors by facilitating them financial and non- financial support. The aim was to make them self- sustainable and well educated about various programs and schemes available. The purpose was also to promote good practices related to cashew farming and processing by linking them to several government and private agencies.
Major supports provided to farmers under this program include:
- Hybrid cashew plantation of VRI III has been undertaken in 11 villages of Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu covering a sum total of 147 small and marginal farmers.
- Formation of 15 cashew farmers Group covering 147 small and marginal cashew farmers
- Providing orientation and training to small and marginal cashew farmers for plantation activities
- Conducting monthly group meetings with the beneficiary groups
- Removal of unproductive and diseased cashew plants and replacing by hybrid plants of VRI III. Around 30 acres of land was freed from unproductive and diseased cashew plants under this intervention.
- Conducting field day training campaign in collaboration with Virudachalam regional research station to promote the application of best practices in cashew farming.
- Training to the cashew farmers on preparation of land for hybrid plantation of VRI III, fertilizer and pesticide application with the farmer’s community involvement.
Under this program, working capital assistance was given to 649 small cashew processors to upscale their business. Small scale processors are supported through Entrepreneurship development program, business proposal preparation, enterprise financial management and micro business trainings. Facilitating market linkage, product aggregation and business risk management are the major non financial support provided to the small scale processors under this program. Major highlights under the processing activity are as under:
- Business counselling to 27 small scale cashew processors to avail working capital loan from UPNRM project.
- Working capital disbursement involving participant margin contribution to 40 individual small scale processors
- Monthly group meeting for the Women Group cashew processors
- Working capital disbursement to 608 members organized in JLG groups to small scale processors
