It was a discussion among friends about the farming situation and the issue of internal migration in Karnataka that led to the establishment of ORDER.
The Organisation for Resource Development and Environment Rejuvenation works at the grassroots level in two districts of Karnataka and has been trying to improve the lives of the farming community by helping them manage natural resources better. It has touched the lives of 12,000 families through various interventions and has also received accolades from many quarters. It has also been awarded the Best Implementing Agency by NABARD twice in a row.
What is special about the founders of the organisation is that they are highly qualified with rich work experience in their own fields. Vittal Kumar A, Lingadevaru ES, GV Raghu, Lakshmikanth, Ramappa, Tandavamurthy AN, TK Sheena and Surekha decided to take the plunge into the development sector to make a difference to communities in rural Karnataka. Five out of the eight friends had studied MSc Environmental Science together at Bangalore University.
“We launched awareness campaigns on natural resources conservation in several villages in Tumkur district before we took up actual work. We received funding from various sources like NABARD, Coconut Development Board, Zilla Panchayat and the Karnataka State Agriculture Department so that our efforts could lead to sustainable practices. Awareness and people’s participation are two crucial aspects,” points out Vittal Kumar, President of ORDER.
The organisation works in 55 villages of two districts, Tumkur and Hassan. Some of the villages include Ganada Hunase, Janakallu, Neralagudde, Kumbarahalli, Jobigenahalli, Mangalapura, Jakkanahalli, etc. It aims to implement development programmes in the areas of watershed development, agro-economics, village and tribal development, and building the capacities of local institutions in managing natural resources such as land, water, agriculture and biodiversity.
“The challenge has been to economically empower tribals or other local communities with little land holdings. We have been successful in growing horticultural cash crops like cashew, and timber trees on one acre of land, and this has been taken up in a big way by small farmers and tribals in some of our villages. Our objective has also been to establish vermi-compost pits, ponds, and train farmers in newer methods of growing,” explains Raghu, who is the project director and oversees all the projects undertaken by the NGO.
He points out that the key to successful implementation of their projects was the involvement of the community in the early stages of planning and also adoption of scientific methods to manage land and water. The organisation is also trying to promote organic farming in some of villages.
Vittal Kumar believes that there is no dearth of government initiated projects, but there is a paucity of good grassroots organisations which can effectively implement them. He points out that there is scope for several more ORDERs in the State to operate side by side.
This can also lead to employment opportunities for the educated rural youth and they can change the destiny of their own villages. It can also partly stem the migration of the youth to cities, he says.
The group now plans to reach out to villages in Chitradurga district. Their vision for the next couple of years is to start their own training institute where they can train farmers and other stakeholders.
Raghu and Vittal also dream of setting up a demonstration centre where farmers and other stakeholders can have hands-on experience while staying onsite. They have already purchased land at Bukkapatna of Sira taluk as a first step to achieve their dream.
The article appeared in Deccan Herald Newspaper on 12th June, 2012
The Organisation for Resource Development and Environment Rejuvenation works at the grassroots level in two districts of Karnataka and has been trying to improve the lives of the farming community by helping them manage natural resources better. It has touched the lives of 12,000 families through various interventions and has also received accolades from many quarters. It has also been awarded the Best Implementing Agency by NABARD twice in a row.
What is special about the founders of the organisation is that they are highly qualified with rich work experience in their own fields. Vittal Kumar A, Lingadevaru ES, GV Raghu, Lakshmikanth, Ramappa, Tandavamurthy AN, TK Sheena and Surekha decided to take the plunge into the development sector to make a difference to communities in rural Karnataka. Five out of the eight friends had studied MSc Environmental Science together at Bangalore University.
“We launched awareness campaigns on natural resources conservation in several villages in Tumkur district before we took up actual work. We received funding from various sources like NABARD, Coconut Development Board, Zilla Panchayat and the Karnataka State Agriculture Department so that our efforts could lead to sustainable practices. Awareness and people’s participation are two crucial aspects,” points out Vittal Kumar, President of ORDER.
The organisation works in 55 villages of two districts, Tumkur and Hassan. Some of the villages include Ganada Hunase, Janakallu, Neralagudde, Kumbarahalli, Jobigenahalli, Mangalapura, Jakkanahalli, etc. It aims to implement development programmes in the areas of watershed development, agro-economics, village and tribal development, and building the capacities of local institutions in managing natural resources such as land, water, agriculture and biodiversity.
“The challenge has been to economically empower tribals or other local communities with little land holdings. We have been successful in growing horticultural cash crops like cashew, and timber trees on one acre of land, and this has been taken up in a big way by small farmers and tribals in some of our villages. Our objective has also been to establish vermi-compost pits, ponds, and train farmers in newer methods of growing,” explains Raghu, who is the project director and oversees all the projects undertaken by the NGO.
He points out that the key to successful implementation of their projects was the involvement of the community in the early stages of planning and also adoption of scientific methods to manage land and water. The organisation is also trying to promote organic farming in some of villages.
Vittal Kumar believes that there is no dearth of government initiated projects, but there is a paucity of good grassroots organisations which can effectively implement them. He points out that there is scope for several more ORDERs in the State to operate side by side.
This can also lead to employment opportunities for the educated rural youth and they can change the destiny of their own villages. It can also partly stem the migration of the youth to cities, he says.
The group now plans to reach out to villages in Chitradurga district. Their vision for the next couple of years is to start their own training institute where they can train farmers and other stakeholders.
Raghu and Vittal also dream of setting up a demonstration centre where farmers and other stakeholders can have hands-on experience while staying onsite. They have already purchased land at Bukkapatna of Sira taluk as a first step to achieve their dream.
The article appeared in Deccan Herald Newspaper on 12th June, 2012
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