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HUNGARIAN >>>                   Samples (Foreword :: Preface :: Introduction :: Bio-village, bio-center :: Awards)   Bio-village, bio-center Two soil researchers, an agronomist-engineer, a marine biologist, a fertilizer expert, an animal husbandry expert and a pesticide expert are waiting for me at the "deep-frozen" round-table discussion, thanks to Rajamohan's thorough preparations. They are all members of the 23-strong team of the bio-village program, their average age is below 30, their special qualifications reflect by and large the structure of the program. So what is the bio-village project? In order to understand the essence of this micro-project one must see the macro-economic background. Today in India there are as many people below the poverty line as the entire population of the country in 1947 in the year of independence. The gap between rich and poor is getting wider and wider, in the co-existence of unsustainable life styles and abject poverty and deprivation. The feminization of poverty has been increasing. There has been an expanding urbanization and the influx of environmental and economic refugees who have no livelihood opportunities in their native villages has caused a rapid growth of urban slums. It is distressing to see the high state of malnutrition of over 200 million children, women and men. Over 300 million people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies; they make up the army of "silent hunger." The bio-village model of rural development is designed for small family enterprises aiming at a pro nature, pro-poor and pro-women orientation to a job-led economic growth strategy. The project transmits agronomic, animal husbandry, fishery, and horticultural knowledge, as well as giving organizational empowerment and some financial help to poor people who want to take part in it. Bio-villages set up bio-centers, which will be operated by bio-village societies. These societies serve as links between the government organizations, other institutes and the local communities safeguarding villager's interests. Former failures have shown that schemes collapse quite often when the external funding is withdrawn. Hence financial support has been given in the frame of a so-called withdrawal strategy. This can prevent later indebtedness of the families taking out loans, and a short-term collapse of the small enterprises. They set up self-support groups opening their own accounts with a bank and a part of the initially humble but later on growing income will be set aside for a reserve fund for the time when external help is terminated. The Swaminathan Foundation started to organize the system with financial help from the UNDP (United Nations Development Program) in 1995. There is a booklet in my hand produced by the research workers of the foundation, which includes short life stories. Or cathartic life fairy-tales? Let's see some of them! " Sulochna, 52-year-old widow, from Mangalam village. Her 16-year-old daughter is a shoe factory worker, her 25-year-old son is a laborer. The family descended into poverty and privation after the death of her husband. The woman had asked for and got help from the foundation to start a small enterprise. She suggested taking up mushroom production and floriculture and her income is now stable. Her education up to 8th grade made her a spokesperson for the village; she represents the community at the central government. She is a good leader who inspires and motivates people to go beyond what they thought they could accomplish. She is an excellent negotiator, showing people how to get what they want, while getting what she wants." " Selvi, a 32-year-old woman, from Mangalam village, her daughter is 6, son 12 years old. She had problems with her in-laws and her husband, and walked out on them. She wanted to start off on her own enterprise. She selected mushroom cultivation and floriculture from the foundation project. Thanks to that she achieved 45 rupees of income within two years. Her entrepreneurial characteristics, initiative ability and marketing skills have been studied and emulated by her group. Together with Sulochna they helped in the formation of 12 self-evolved groups in their village. Her transition from a state of apprehension to self-confidence through determination has been a gradual but lasting one. The Swaminathan Foundation has been behind her at every stage." " Kanniammal, a 50 year old woman from Sendanatham village, belongs to a family of traditional goat breeders. She ran into financial difficulties when her daughters had to get married. She had no help from her alcoholic husband and her handicapped son. Desperate, she borrowed money and had to sell goats cheaply in order to pay it back. With the help of the foundation she crossed the new Tellicherry breed of male goats with her nondescript female goats. She now rears healthy, crossbreed goats and hopes to mate them with her neighbors' herd. She plans to keep a breeding stock so that others can also have access to a better quality of goats and benefit like she did. Pargunan, a 33-year-old man from Pillayarkuppam village. When the bio-village program started, he approached the foundation to help him in the preparation of vermicompost in his own land. Seeing the commendable growth of his crop, the villagers were excited. From then, vermicompost became a success venture. He has trained 90 women in mushroom production and floriculture and he has demonstrated the techniques in many schools. He has also initiated a vermicompost demonstration place at the bio-center." It's a 20-minute drive to reach the bio-center. Turning from the main road to a dusty link at the first bend we see two sculptures of splendidly harnessed white horses. Disproportionately small-sized, gallant soldiers with black moustaches keep them on a tight rein. The bio-center is the oasis itself. The older brick-stone building with an arched terrace is located in the shadow of jack-fruit trees, beside it there is a circular-shaped hut with a thatched roof, which imitates the head of a mushroom, a style in keeping with the site of the experimental demonstrations. Slightly further on there is the latest pride of the foundation: the cylinder-like training building divided into three articulated parts; it is like a modern sanctum. Between the old and new buildings two men are digging a ditch for the new electric wires. There must be some technical problem, which is why a long discussion begins with many joining in. The two workers stop digging and the eight or ten consultants are standing on top of the fresh earth heaps: like soldiers of two triumphant allied armies meeting at the trench on the field of the defeated enemy. I take advantage of the long discussion to have a look around the buildings. At first I scrutinize the grandiose fruits on the jack-fruit trees; they are like healthy watermelons joined in pairs hanging on branches. The only difference is that their surface is not smooth but rough, like the skin-rubber applied nowadays in saunas of Budapest baths in order to remove perspiration drops. Oh my God, what happens if such a ripe fruit drops off the branch and smashes on somebody's head? Under the leafy boughs of the jackfruit tree some important events take place. Dr. A. G. Thiagarajane, veterinary of the foundation and his assistant, Srinivasan, first examine a cow; the owner's face brightens as the vet establishes that it is two months pregnant. Some paces farther away a family of 4 members is waiting; in silent anxiety they surround a snow-white kid. A significant part of the family fortune may be focused on the small animal. A thorn went into its right hind hoof, and the wounded limb had swollen. A short operation takes place; the held-down animal emits a loud bleating cry, the 8-year-old girl and her younger brother cling to each other over their kid's pain in sympathy. The operation fortunately does not last too long; some drops of blood, some disinfectant, dressing and it's over. The kid at once strains gratefully against the small caressing brown palms, which are stroking her coat gently. (1)           |Tertia|New|Order|E-mail|   |Home|