Introduction

This project is being implemented in Kancheepuram, Thiruvannamalai, Dindigul and Ramanathapuram districts with support from UNDP-GEF from November 2008 onwards.

OBJECTIVES

• To link biodiversity conservation with marketing.

• Conserve indigenous varieties of seeds in the tsunami prone coastal district of Nagapattinam through communities.

• Reduce POPs in vegetable cultivation by conserving indigenous vegetables and organic farming.

Practical session on biopesticide preparation

ACTIVITIES DONE UNDER THE PROJECT

• Visits have been made to units making value added products to assess the feasibility of attempting to make some of these products and also understand the technology. Preparation procedure of two value added products have been standardized.

• Construction of a structure for housing the preparation of value added products is in progress.

• Training programmes on preparation of value added products have been conducted for the selected beneficiaries.

A Puffed rice unit visited at Polur

• Training programmes on POP reduction and organic farming technologies were conducted for the beneficiaries. Both theory and practical sessions were conducted. Three exposure visits have been organized for the beneficiaries of Dindigul district. They were exposed to various organic farming technologies.

• Forty five villages in the Nagapattinam district were surveyed for indigenous varieties. Two NGOs conserving indigenous varieties were also visited and links established. Characteristics of the varieties were documented.

• In kuruvai 2009 four different traditional paddy varieties were conserved by the beneficiaries in five coastal villages of Nagapattinam district. Farmers have been selected for the conservation practices during samba 2009.

Exposure visit to an organic farm

• Survey on traditional vegetable varieties was conducted in Dindigul district. 11 varieties of 5 types of vegetables have been identified. Farmers have been provided with indigenous vegetable seeds for cultivation and seed production. Farmers have completed the first round of cultivation and conserved the seeds for the next season.

• A total of twenty five farmers groups have been formed in Dindigul and Nagapattinam districts. Members of the farmers groups were trained on various aspects of organic farming including practical demonstrations.

• Two capacity building trainings were conducted for the farmers working with the NGOs in Dindigul.

• In Dindigul district, for POP reduction – survey on cost of cultivation for tomato, brinjal and bhendi in both organic and conventional method of farming has been conducted.

• A three day staff capacity building training programme was conducted.

Value added product - Vadam

A SUSTAINABLE TRIANGLE : Highlights of our project on Biodiversity Conservation, Reduction of POPs and Livelihood of Farmers

Preparation for biopesticide - Panchakavyam

Our Centre implemented this project in Tamil Nadu with support from UNDP – GEF. The project activities were implemented in Kancheepuram, Thiruvannamalai, Dindigul and Nagapattinam districts. Some of the highlights of this project are as follows:

• Seven value added products like rice appalam, vadaam, puttu mix, rice vermicelli etc., were standardized.
• Members of 58 Self Help Groups (SHGs) were trained on value addition.
• Two women SHGs in Nagapattinam district are involved in the commercial production and marketing of value added products.
• A 225 sq. ft. structure has been constructed for the preparation of value added products in Kancheepuram district.
• More than 25 traditional paddy varieties are being conserved in the coastal villages of Nagapattinam district.
• Eleven types of five indigenous vegetable varieties are being conserved in Dindigul and Nagapattinam districts.
• Case studies on the cultivation of traditional paddy varieties were conducted.
• Intensive trainings on reduction of POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants), organic farming and related technologies were conducted for the beneficiaries.
• Capacity building trainings were conducted for the farmers and representatives of other NGOs.
• Informative calendars on "Rice biodiversity" and "Organic farming technologies" were brought out.