GROW Campaign
GROW Campaign is an intervention in
different areas of District Matiari to empower marginalized and poorest
women and men to produce and consume the required food in sustainable
and just way.
Research and Development for Human Resources (RDHR) -
Sindh with collaboration of OXFAM NOVIB has been implementing campaign
with different specific objectives.
Area for GROW Campaign
Campaign is implemented in District
Matiari which is one of the richest agriculture districts of Sindh. The
district Matiari is administratively subdivided into three talukhas:
Hala, Matiari, Saeedabad. The population of taluka Matiari is 2,
53,747, and the population of Hala is 1,57,137, while the population of
Saeedabad is 1,14,198. Matiari district have 19 union councils. The
total population of Matiari is 5,25,082 (Five lacs tw
enty
five thousand eighty two). A portion of land constitute Matiari forest
named Matiarko used to spread over 28,541 acres out of which 17000
acres have been cut down by local inhabitant to earn livelihood. The
geographical area of district Matiari is 3, 22,021-04. The culture able
area of district is 255197-12 while the cultivated area is 1,
64,025-38.
Matiari may be a little known district, but as the
birthplace of Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and the Makhdoom
family, it has special significance. The district is mainly inhabited
by traders and businessmen, civil servants and growers. The sole sugar
mill running in Matiari is owned by the Jamotes, a prominent feudal
clan.
Matiari is rich in every aspect. It is situated at left bank
of Indus River. Matiari is one of historical, literary, and religious
spiritual town of Sindh. This district is also famous through the
subcontinent in art, pottery, wood work, cloth printing, woven cloth
called Sussi in various beautiful designs and khaddar made of handmade
Khaddi. The main crops in Matiari are wheat, cotton, sugarcane, banana
and other crops which are growing by the local Landlords and farmers in
the area.
Issues
In
Matiari district, farmers are not aware about even their rights. They
don’t get profit from the agriculture and livestock extension services
and livelihood operation. They are not aware of using organic farming
as they are using inorganic means of production. They are not using
innovative techniques for sustainable production. Small farmers in
different villages do not understand benefits of formal credit system.
They are getting credits at maximum interest rates.
Indeed, there is
unpleasant atmosphere for small producers with high cost, poor gender
blind extension services, and no or poor access to credit. In most of
the rural areas of Matiari, small producers have lack of access to
market and price, and he is exploited by the middlemen. It is evident
that landlords have power and control over the tenant and landless men.
In the rural areas, women are mostly affected due to the male dominant
society and customs and they face impact of poverty. They even get
less salary (half of a male salary) for the work in agriculture fields.
Overall Objective
To empower marginalized and poorest women and men to produce and consume the required food in sustainable and just way.
Specific Objectives of the Campaign
1. To promote effective agriculture governance and pro-poor
investment to enhance productivity and resilience of small farmers
especially women (both in terms of disasters and climatic
change).
2. Create an enabling environment where poor women and
men have access and control over adequate and affordable food
commodities.
3. To contribute towards conservation, adequate
access and control over water resources to minimize hazardous effects
of IFI/corporate driven water grabbing.
Duration
GROW Campaign is of One Year intervention from 1st Dec, 2011 to 30th Nov, 2012.
Activities under Campaign
In the implementation of this GROW Campaign, there would be:
• Rapid KAP Survey regarding extension service among farmers in the district
• Meetings with small farmers
• Dialogue of farmers and extension services department
• Meetings with authorities of district level extension department
• Meeting with district authority, agriculture department
• Awareness sessions on farmers rights and gender mainstreaming in agriculture in targeted UCs
•
Dialogues with civil society ( Farmers organizations, Trade Unions,
Lawyers, Local CBOs) to create harmony among different groups
• Awareness Sessions with Small Farmers to aware on better use of extension services
• Good agriculture practices for better production
• Research on Agriculture policy issues, Awareness session at UC Level on organic forming
• A FM Radio Program
• Theatre performance at taluka level on food price hike,
•
Rallies on highlighting the issues of small farmers rights (reduce the
role of middlemen and increase the role of women at market level) at
taluka level
• Translation of the agriculture policies in Urdu and Sindhi
• Lobbing to MPs for amendments on agriculture policies to benefit small growers and gender mainstreaming
• Field Case Study
• Media briefing, Seminar on issues of agriculture and growers problems to share with all stakeholders.
RDHR and Welthungerhilfe to incorporate awareness in communities towards the destruction of trees, the reduction of pollution and the creation of a healthier environment, and ensure that women are healthier. The proposed involvement will help for better environment and sustaining better health of females through smokeless stoves. To decrease the cutting of trees, smokeless stoves are supportive to use less wood during the cooking and less affective to health contributing to healthier living conditions. The proposed product solar energy cells and Lanterns will cost the community nothing for a day but also enhances the efficiency of light and reduces the emission created by kerosene.
