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Milestones of the project 'Transfer of Technology for Sustainable Development' being implemented by BAIF Institute for Rural Development in 22 villages of Dharwad District, Karnataka.

A view of the check dam constructed by the people themselves through shramadan

• Dr. Manibhai Desai, who was a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi founded BAIF Institute for Rural Development in a village named Urulikanchan near Pune in 1967. The rich experience motivated Dr.Manibhai to expand the rural development programmes beyond Urulikanchan. Gradually BAIF extended its activities to other states including Karnataka. Apart from Karnataka it is working in Maharastra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

• As the name suggests institute's main objective is rural development. It is trying to enhance the living standards in the rural area utilising the resources (land, water, forest, livestock and human resource) available in the village by applying appropriate method and technology. The key to success is participatory planning and action.

• BAIF started working in Karnataka in 1980 and has spread its activities to 20 districts. Tiptur, Hospet and Dharwad are the three administrative divisions in Karnataka. The Dharwad Division started its activities in 22 selected villages of Kalaghatagi and Hubli Taluks in 1996 under the project called, 'Transfer of Technology for Sustainable Development'. The project seeks to uplift indigent families above the poverty-line in a sustainable way. Community participation at all the stages has made the project a success in these villages, thus setting an example in rural development.

• The project is being implemented in the following villages: Surshettikoppa, Naganoor, Parasapura, Dyamapura, Boganagarakoppa, Tabbakadahonhalli, Ganjighatti, Kamadhenu, Solarkoppa, B. Hulikatti, Bagadageri, Harogeri, G. Hulikatti, Beeravalli (Kalghatagi Taluk) Kamplikoppa, Palikoppa, Karadikoppa, Kurdikeri, Thiramalkoppa, Bommasamudra, Inamveerapura and Rampura (Hubli Taluk). Twelve field staff from BAIF work for the welfare of the villages. The uniqueness is that the field staff reside in these villages which has brought them closer to the community.

Mr. Veeranagouda Patila of Harogeri putting raw material to prepare vermicompost

• The project is working with 2400 of the total 4800 families in the villages. Only poor and very poor families have been chosen for the project of which 1780 families have small holdings (on an average 3 to 4 acres) while others are either landless or have very small patch of land.

• Aiming at the enhancement of natural resources, the project took up soil and water conservation measures. Trenches were dug and bunds were constructed to stop and store water from the hillocks. Commonly the size of the trenches is 10 feet length, 2 feet breadth and 2 feet depth. Farm ponds of size 30 feet X 30 feet X 10 feet were dug to conserve rainwater. There are 720 such farm ponds in these villages. Due to this, water table has increased besides creating a micro climate in the farm. This water is used to grow fruits and vegetables. The capacity of farm pond is 1.4 lakh litres. That means even if all the ponds get filled only once in a year, 10 crore litres of water gets stored!

• The check dam constructed in Harogeri through shramadan (voluntary work) has set example in community participation in development. In 1999, 525 people from all 22 villages worked for three months to construct the check dam which is 140 feet long and 12 feet wide. The water storage capacity of this dam is 20 lakh litre. The effect of this check dam on the surrounding area is evident. 15 farmers in this area are getting benefit from this dam. (Average rainfall in the project area is 939 mm but in 2001 and 2002 rainfall was less than 500 mm.)

• Farmers have planted trees in the border of their fields and formed a live fence. This stops cattle from entering the farm and generates biomass. Live fence enriches the biodiversity in the farm. Species like Teak, Acacia, Cassia siameia, Eucalyptus, Moringa, Subabul, Glyricidia and other species are planted in the live fence.

Vermicompost ready to use

• Horticulture plants have been planted in 1,200 acres belonging to 1,270 families. 35 thousand Sapota, 3,000 tamarind and 31,000 mango saplings have been planted of which some have started yielding. Ring trench biomass (RTB) of one-and-a-half feet length and width have been dug circling the plants which would be filled with biomass. This helps to increase the moisture level of the soil near the plant. So far such ring trenches have been constructed for 15,000 fruit plants. In these villages 36 people are doing sericulture and mulberry is grown in 26 acres area.

• Nearly 650 families have developed kitchen gardens with a variety of medicinal plants that help them in their daily life. BAIF has provided 16 varieties of plants to develop the garden. Some of the plants seen in these gardens are Baje, Coriander, Chakramuni, Aloevera, Amruth balli, Muragalu, Lemon, Papaya, Lemon grass, Ashwagandha besides coconut, mango, sapota and jackfruit trees.

• Different activities have been implemented to help small farmers and landless families. Skill-oriented training has helped many to be self-employed. 173 families (132 Men and 41 Women) have taken up income generation activities such as cycle shop, bangle shop, vegetable vendor, pump repair, grocery shop, photo studio, carpentry and pottery. Some have taken up vermicompost preparation. Till now the villages have produced 3 thousand quintals of vermicompost. About one thousand quintal of the compost has been used by the farmers themselves while the rest has been sold to others.

• The project also focuses on the importance of cleanliness in these villages. Activities like construction of gutter, bio gas plant, toilet, hygienic kitchen in the houses have improved the living condition in these villages. Supplementary programmes like health camp and demonstration on preparation of nutrition food have also influenced the village life. Here is the statistics of development.

• Toilet - 734
• Bathroom - 446
• Bio gas plant - 243
• Improved chula - 562
• Hygienic kitchen - 175
• Kanaja (grain bank) - 67
• Gutter - 17,170 feet-long

• BAIF has formed self-help groups called as sanghas and gram vikas samithi (village development sangha) in each village which play an important role in the developmental activities. A federation of sanghas called sarvodaya mahasangha caters to all the 22 villages. At the village level, two members from each sangha get nominated as the directors of gram vikas samithi. One female member and one male member of each gram vikas samithi become the directors of sarvodaya mahasangha. Here is the detail in numbers:

The once barren lands are covered with greenary

• Women sanghas : 77 (1373 members)
• Men sanghas : 66 (1328 members)
• Mixed sanghas : 11 (202 members)
• Total number of sanghas : 154 (2903 members)
• Total no. of gram vikas samithis : 21 (128 men and 126 women members)
• Members of sarvodaya mahasangha : 42 (21 men and 21 women)




• Savings has been given importance in the sanghas, which have now saved an amount of Rs.22 lakh. They have a common fund of Rs. 20 lakh and have given a sum of almost Rs.80 lakhs to the sangha members as loans. Before the project started the people were dependent on moneylenders for loans with an interest rate of 10 per cent per month. But now they get a loan for an interest of 2 per cent per month. The health fund and education fund of the sarvodaya mahasangha have helped the sangha members for their medical expenses and children's education.

• Self-help groups meet every week, gram vikas samithis every fifteen days and sarvodaya mahasangha meets first Monday of every month. In the meetings they discuss different programmes for village development. To encourage animal husbandry, mahasangha organises cattle show every year. It also looks after the marketing of the vermicompost produced by the sangha members. BAIF distributes farm instruments like bullock cart, hand cart and pump set to gram vikas samithis who in turn rent it to the farmers.

People taking oath on Hasiru Habba day

• Since 2001, during monsoon the people celebrate a unique festival called 'Hasiru Habba' or 'Green Festival'. On that day, villagers celebrate the festival along with their friends and relatives by planting trees in their own land and common land. On this occasion everyone take oath on planting and protecting ten plants every year. In last two years, 1.1 lakh saplings have been planted in 110 acre area, of which 66,000 plants have survived. These plants have converted the once barren land to a green heaven. This year 'Hasiru Habba' will be celebrated in 14 villages. They intend to plant 76,000 saplings during this monsoon.

• These villages organise another festival called 'Sneha Jatre' or Friendship Fair which strengthens their bond of love and friendship. That day, people from all villages gather in one place, share their happiness and sorrow, exchange their progress and determine to walk in the road of development. This is a one day programme - sports competitions are held in the morning while in the afternoon after mass-lunch the villagers exhibit their talent through cultural programmes. These competitions are held to encourage the talents in the village. This celebration of friendship was started in 1998 in Surashettikoppa. Afterwards 'Sneha Jatres' were held in Parasapura, Kamplikoppa, Kuradukeri and Palikoppa. In 2003 the Jatre was held in Surashettikoppa for the second time, in which approximately 6000 people had participated.

A farmer using his farm pond to grow horticulture plants in the surrounding area

• The people in these villages are trying to keep themselves away from bad habits like alcoholism. Liquor sale has already been stopped in Harogeri, Solarakoppa, Bagadageri, B.Hulikatti, Tirumalakoppa, Palikoppa, Kamadhenu, Kamplikoppa, Parasapura and Dyamapura.

• Unity and shramadan are the key for development in these villages. Through shramadan they have not only constructed the check dam but also have taken up works like tank desilting and cleaning the village. People here are encouraging mass marriage and already 56 couples have got married in such occasions.

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