Tribal Sub-Plan project

Objective

1. Increasing agricultural production and productivity through dissemination of appropriate resource and location specific agricultural technologies.
2. Enhancement of livelihood and nutritional security of tribal communities through agro-enterprise diversification.
3. Enhancement of farm profit ability among tribal communities through promotion of value addition, agri-premiership and market linkage.
4. Professional and entrepreneurial empowerment of tribal communities through mobilization and organization of tribal men, women and youth into primary producer groups.

Summary of work

Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) project titled “Enhancement of Livelihood Security of Scheduled Tribe Communities through Agro-technological Intervention” was sanctioned by Education Division of ICAR, New Delhi on 15.03.2017 vide letter No. 21(30)/2017-EP&HS. This project is being implemented by Bihar agricultural university in the tribal dominated village clusters of three districts, namely Banka, Katihar and Kishanganj.

The larger purpose of project is to achieve the inclusive and sustainable development of the tribal communities in the selected areas through imparting of technical know-how of improved agricultural practices to the tribal farmers, development of vocational skills among resource poor schedule tribe youth and women and ensuring availability of quality technological input material to the potential entrepreneurs and farm technology / practice adopters. The specific objectives on the programme include–

1. Dissemination of appropriate resource and location specific agricultural technologies
2. Agro-enterprise diversification
3. promotion of value addition activities
4. Mobilization and organization of tribal men, women and youth into groups

In  order  to  achieve  these  objectives,  five  major  intervention  areas  were  identified  to  cover  crop production, livestock management and small scale agribusiness sector. These intervention areas include

• Promotion of Short duration rice and Pulse based cropping system
• Backyard poultry
• Kitchen Gardening
• Promotion of Beekeeping and honey production
• Promotion of scientific livestock management practices

As a part of this programme the trainings have been imparted to 60 farmers on various aspects of bee keeping, while 50 tribal families were provided with beekeeping kits. Around five resource poor farmers and landless labourers were given training on backyard poultry management and poultry chicks were provided to them as a promotional handholding support. In order to promote food and nutritional security 369 tribal families were provided with kitchen gardening kits. Each kit consisted of various fruit crop plants as well as vegetable planting material. The tribal households were also made aware about the importance and benefits of maintaining kitchen gardens.

In order to improve the livestock health and productivity, various veterinary interventions were implemented which includes farmer scientist interface meetings, animal vaccination programmes and artificial insemination. As a part of this programme livestock belonging to 113 tribal families were vaccinated. In order to improve the farm productivity in tribal areas, the cultivation of summer moong (green gram), Arhar (red gram) and short duration rice varieties has been popularized among the tribal farmers. As a part of this programme 115 tribal farmers were provided with technical and input assistance for cultivation of Moong whereas 349 farmers were provide with input and technical assistance for Arhar cultivation. In addition to this 548 farmers were provided with technical assistance as well as quality inputs for cultivation of short duration paddy crop.

Location of the work

Activities

Major outcomes

Direct quantifiable benefits to ST population:

• Development of vocational skills among the tribal farmers, youth and women
• Diversification of income sources
• Adoption of improved varieties and crop production practices
• Increase in livestock productivity
• Enhancement in consumption of fruits and
• Increase in income

Total Budget received and utilized