DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE IN WESTERN ORISSA

Orissa, with its two thousand years old heritage has a glorious past. But its present is not as bright. With its poverty rates at 47%, it has become the poorest state in India according to the National survey Sample, 2007. Although nearly 36% of its land is forest while 58% is for agricultural. Nearly 4% of the country's population live here with the largest number of Scheduled Tribe (22.21%) and scheduled caste (16.20%) communities

Economically its western regions are the most backward. Unreliable rainfall, recurrent droughts, floods, and cyclones etc, besides illiteracy & ignorance, adversely affect its economy. For lack of irrigation facilities, people here depend mainly on non-timber forest produce (NTFP). However, heavy rains also adversely affected the NTFP business

CASA has initiated a project namely ‘D evelopment Initiative in Western Orissa – A Collective Effort’ supported by EED Germany, in the western parts of Orissa in the 9 districts namely, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Boudh, Bolangir, Deogarh, Koraput and Kalahandi. The project began from October 2004 and its first phase will continue till September 2008

Objective of the program:

1. Creating livelihood options and thus ensuring food security.
2. Mainstreaming gender in development activities.
3. Strengthening PRI system.
4. Networking with likeminded NGOs for collective action on contemporary issues.
5. Strengthening of Forum for advocating rights of the poor through collective approach.

These issues would be addressed mainly through the following means:

Capacity Building

Development of leadership among the people especially women and help them motivate villagers to participating in meetings and solve village related problems. Increasing awareness through exposure visits and trainings on financial management, functioning of co-operatives and sustainable agriculture etc. Women Federations to be formed and forums of Village Level Organisations (VLOs) to initiated

Sources of Livelihood

Create alternatives and secure livelihood sources for the rural masses, thereby improving their socio-economic condition.14 traditional Grain Banks are formed & managed by the Women's Forum to meet farmers' needs and help fight starvation during lean periods. Due to construction/ renovation of water-harvesting structures the farmers are able to irrigate their fields even during dry seasons. People are taught organic and mixed farming, which has now become very popular in the area now. Farmers' Cooperative facilitates marketing of paddy and disbursement of loans to small & marginal farmers.

Gender

For gender mainstreaming there were a lot of activities undertaken with a view to help women understand their potential and come out in the open to fight for their rights. Many groups were formed and the existing groups were strengthening through regular training programmes. Farmers' Cooperative facilitates marketing of paddy and disbursement of loans to small & marginal farmers.

Local Self Governance

An initiative was taken to strengthen the local self governance in the villages. The first step was to strengthen the existing Panchayat system. Steps were taken to promote people’s active participation in the various Panchayat and Block level meetings and also to make them aware of the benefits of electing the right representatives. Trainings and workshops are organised to discuss the emerging plans and policies of the Government and to create awareness amongst the masses to fight for their rights.