|
Organisation
|
Department
of Agricultural Microbiology, Directorate
of Natural Resource Management, Tamil
Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU),
Coimbatore |
|
Project
name
|
Development of micro-enterprise for
arbuscular mycorrhizal biofertiliser
production at villages through empowering
rural women |
|
Grant
operationalised
|
April
2011 |
|
Duration
|
3 years |
|
Grant
amount sanctioned
|
Rs1.93 million |
Activities within
the grant and impact:
This three-year project with the Department
of Agricultural Microbiology, Directorate
of Natural Resource Management (DNRM), Tamil
Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), is
aimed at increasing income levels and generating
an alternative means of livelihood through
mass production of arbuscular mycorrhizal
fungi (AMF), which is used as a biofertiliser.
The project would be implemented in Coimbatore
and Madurai districts (three taluks in Coimbatore
and two taluks in Madurai). Five villages
would be identified based on crops cultivated
which are amenable for AMF inoculation such
as vegetables, fruit crops as well as tree
crops.
Through the project, women self-help and
farmers groups will be provided with technical
knowledge on production and usage of AMF,
as well as assisted to establish commercial
production units and get financial assistance
from credit institutions to facilitate marketing
of AMF. Strategies for building a centralised
production unit for AMF at the taluk level
will also be developed with the SHGs for
expanding the scale of operations.
The key activities include:
|
|
Supply
of AMF inoculum, support in construction
of production units, analysing quality
of produce and monitoring of production |
|
|
Communication materials, awareness campaigns,
conducting field days and exposure visits |
The project is expected to promote enterprise
development by village women and the techno-economic
viability of this activity shows that production
of AMF leads to a net profit of Rs50-55,000
/ year / women group with a single pit capacity
of 500kg, which can be harvested five times
a year. The entire pit construction, including
construction materials needed for the pit
amounts to Rs3,000 which, considering an
average SHG size as 15 members, amounts
to a mere Rs200 contribution from each member.
The increase in income increases the likelihood
of women using it for health and education
of their children, which, under normal circumstances
they are unable to afford. About 10-12 families
can benefit from each training and the production
can be enhanced by increasing the number
of pits / tanks. Therefore, the project
will benefit 1,500 people in five taluks
of Coimbatore and Madurai. The use of AMF
as bio-input will result in a 25 per cent
decrease in fertiliser costs apart from
enhancing the yield of crops up to 10 per
cent.
|
