SOFIA – SMALL FARMERS EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME.
The small farmers empowerment programme is a programme to promote organic farming, land improvement measures and to increase awareness on environment and health aspects over a period of 10 years in the entire Kadavur Panchayat. The aim of the programme has also been to make poor farmers better equipped to take control over their lives by being better organized, better informed on ecological and environmental issues that affect their lives and to be in better position to claim their rights and to support their families economically. The programme is supported by the Swedish organization Association SOFIA.
Mission and long term vision
- To make poor farmers better equipped to take control over their lives and to be in a better position to support their families economically.
- Farmers are to be better organized and better informed on ecological and environmental issues that affect their lives.
- To better the whole ecological situation of the area.
Project Objectives
The project objective over the whole period 2010-2018 is to:
- Empower 150 poor farmer families to take control of their livelihood and family support system in a democratic, ecological and sustainable way. Hundred of these farmers will succeed to get their farms certified organic.
- Restore 100 hectares of eroded land and create self-help groups/bore well groups for the 100 farmer families who own this land. Involve Government Forest Department in the watershed management of the area.
- Create awareness about Environmental issues and HIV in the villages in the project area among youths, women and men and reach 40% of the population in the area.
- Develope the ISS external network and internal organization, capacity and infrastructure.
Now 154 farmers are practicing in the organic farming+. They have farmer federation called as Kadavur organic farmer’s federation. And also establishing farmers marketing center at Kadavur
If the project is successfully implemented, it will create interest among the other farmers in the nearby areas. The indicators would decrease of migration to the cities in search of jobs amongst the farmer families, and increase organic cultivation of farm land with diversified crops, increased income, certification of farms as organic, organization of farmers for sharing water, slopes covered with forests, network developed with other organizations and increased capacity of ISS staff
International Swedish Youth Volunteers Programme
As part of the partnership and collaboration between Swedish organization Association SOFIA and ISS the Youth Volunteers Programme has been conducted since 2008. About 24 trainees have participated in the programme to this date. This initiative contributes towards an improved understanding of cultures and people and gives the participants experience of the organization’s work and the living conditions in the area. The program also gives the participants knowledge regarding sustainable development with special focus on organic / biodynamic farming methods. The programme offers an give and take exchange of ideas, knowledge and experiences that enrich both the organization and the participants.
