Agro based enterprises sustains rural economy- SG/OFI/SEVAI project

Vegetable projection and marketing

SG/OFI/SEVAI, Project in Trichy works for Sustainable Livelihoods, enhancing women’s well-being through knowledge, innovation and transformation actions. Most people living in the rural areas draw their livelihood from agriculture and allied sectors. Accordingly, the strategy of the SG/OFI/SEVAI, Project has been to improve the economic and social conditions of the underprivileged sections of the rural population with emphasis on agricultural production to promote productive employment opportunities, by integrating traditional production infrastructure, skills and locally available raw material. Recognizing that

Flower vendor SHG member

long-term development of village economy depends critically on the effective exploitation of the productive potential of the rural sector and development of rural enterprises, the SG/OFI/SEVAI, Project with the objectives of facilitating coordinated and effective implementation of programmes, projects, schemes, etc., for improving supply chain management, enhancing skills, upgrading technology, expanding markets and capacity building of the entrepreneurs and their groups/collectives. Agriculture is dealt with as an Enterprise for small holders farmers. Agriculture constitutes 70 to 90 percent of the livelihoods portfolio of the average poor rural household SEVAI Target villages. Declining productivity, incomes and overall viability of agriculture, for small-holder farming systems particularly, is a big barrier towards achieving poverty reduction, food security, and economic empowerment of women. SEVAI is

Greens retails marketing by SHGs

revitalizing Agriculture Extension System, especially in Target village areas where reach of agriculture services and extension is extremely poor. SEVAI's services were found necessary to develop a viable method for improving status of production, productivity and input efficiency in most backward community areas, which will greatly enhance food security and incomes of the marginalized group of farmers in these areas. The farmers are looking for time bound tailor made agriculture information and linkage services. This innovation model will address these causes by establishing a progressive farmer led agriculture extension system which is modularized and linked with the Agriculture Enterprise Facilitation Centre (run by SHG  groups and SEVAI).The SEVAI project aims to provide sustainable livelihoods for most backward  families through agriculture based integrated farming systems development, promote sustainable participatory livelihood programmes which aim at economic upliftment through sustainable agriculture, social empowerment, improvement in quality of life including health and women development, in De-notified

Retail vegetable marketing by women SHGs

tribal predominant area. Promotional efforts such as capacity building, exposure visits, training, developing literature, sensitization programmes etc for the benefit of communities is undergoing. The program also aims to support activities related to development of market, processing and marketing of products manufactured by / communities. The main plants identified with participatory approaches are mango, lemon and guava with improved agriculture through vegetable cultivation and improve technology transfer in agriculture with help of entitlements realizations. The main component of program is to promote horticulture development, improved agriculture, water resource developments, soil and water conservation, empowerment of de-notified tribal women. Women Self Help Groups has emerged as a major tool to reduce poverty as it helped in the creation and expansion of micro enterprises by vulnerable communities. -Govin