Support for Farming Families affected by Covid-19 in Bhadrak (Odisha)

Nivethan works with 1000+ small & marginal farmers in 25+ villages of Basudevpur, Tihidi & Dhamnagar blocks in Bhadrak district of Odisha. More than 80% of the families in these villages depend on Agriculture for their income. Nivethan with support from NABARD helps these farmers and their families in areas such as enterprise promotion, marketing, financial linkages, facilitating government schemes, skill building, etc with the overall aim of improving their lives and livelihoods. These farming communities have been severely affected by covid-19 related lockdown.

Impact of Covid 19 on farming communities with whom Nivethan works in Bhadrak are as follows

• Agriculture operations comes to a standstill due to lack of labours, high transportation cost & inputs cost (seeds, fertilisers), etc
• Most of the markets are not open or open only for few hours with reduced demand
• Distress sale of produces by the farmers for lower prices
• Cash flows are almost zero for most of these farmers
• Due to the ongoing lockdown and stay home advisory from the government, the poor and daily wage labourers in these villages are suffering with no income and struggling to meet their daily needs
• Cattle feed & fodder shortage for livestocks (cow, goats/sheeps, etc)

Nivethan has conducted a rapid situational assessment in 10 villages- Aruhan, Mirigan, Brahmani Goan, Kishmat Krushnapur, Borandua, Betaligan, Ramasarapur, Gajipur, guamal, Bodak where we work in Basudevpur, Tihidi & Dhamnagar blocks in Bhadrak district of Odisha and estimated the number of families who lost their livelihoods (fully and partially) and number of families that needs immediate relief in terms of food supplies. There are about 500 Households in these 10 villages that need immediate support for managing their daily living.

We are preparing now to support these marginalised and vulnerable farmers and their families affected by Covid-19 in the following ways

• Increase awareness on COVID 19 prevention in the community
• Provide information regarding the schemes launched by Central Government and the State governments and help them access them
• Supply of Family Survival Kits for most needy farmers and their families
• Provide a pack of Kitchen Garden kit for women headed familie
• Provide a pack of inputs (seeds, fertilisers, etc) for crop production to most needy farmers

Our Family Survival Kits will include basic ration like Rice, Wheat, Spices, Cooking oil etc. along with Corona protective gear like masks, bathing and washing soaps, etc

One family survival kit costs Rs.1000 per family, a pack of Kitchen Garden kit costs Rs.200 and a pack of inputs for crop production costs Rs.1000 per farmer.

All donations are tax deductible under 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

To donate online, please click this link –https://www.instamojo.com/@nivethan/