*Roots in Their Hands: How Amoor Women Learned to raise Tree Samplings with SEVAI and DESWOS,*

Field exposure of Tree samplings raising 

Hands on Training in Tree Samplings raising🌿

SEVAI, under the DESWOS project, organized a tree sapling raising training in the Amoor cluster, and rural women and farmers gathered to learn practical skills for growing their own saplings. The session began with a discussion on why raising saplings at home made sense. Participants noted how it cut costs compared to buying from distant nurseries, gave them control over the species and timing, and opened the possibility of earning from surplus plants in the future. Native and multi-purpose trees suited to the local soil and rainfall were prioritized, with the group recognizing the long-term value for shade, fodder, fruit, and soil health.

The trainers walked the group through setting up a low-cost nursery. A shaded, well-drained corner near a water source was identified as ideal, and simple raised beds and polybag arrangements were demonstrated. Participants prepared a potting mix using equal parts sand, red soil, and compost, filled the polybags carefully to avoid air gaps, and learned the right sowing depth for different seeds. They practiced labeling each bag with the species and date, a small step that later saved a lot of confusion.

Seed collection and treatment formed the next part of the training. The women learned to identify mature seeds from healthy mother trees and tested viability using the float method. Hard-coated seeds like neem and mahogany were soaked overnight, while tamarind and pongamia seeds were lightly scarified. For acacia, a quick hot water treatment improved germination. Once treated, seeds were sown and the bags were watered lightly each day. The trainers stressed the importance of not waterlogging the bags and showed how a thin layer of dry leaves helped retain moisture.

Nutrient and pest management was kept entirely organic. Jeevamrutham was prepared and applied as a root drench every 15 days to encourage strong growth. Neem oil spray took care of aphids and caterpillars, and weeds were pulled by hand from inside the polybags. The group was cautioned against using chemical fertilizers, as they made saplings soft and less likely to survive in the field.

Several species were covered during the training, chosen for their usefulness in the Amoor context. Timber and fodder trees like teak, mahogany, malai vembu, and subabul were included alongside fruit trees such as mango, guava, sapota, and nelli. Soil-improving species like pongamia, sesbania, and gliricidia were also taught, along with medicinal trees like neem and amla. By the end, participants could distinguish seedlings, knew which species suited homesteads versus field bunds, and understood the care each required.

In the final sessions, the group learned how to harden saplings by gradually reducing water and shade two weeks before transplanting. They practiced digging pits of the right size, placing the sapling carefully, mulching around the base, and giving the first thorough watering. A simple record-keeping format was introduced so each woman could track species sown, germination rates, and readiness dates. The idea of pooling surplus saplings for sale to other farmers, schools, and panchayat planting drives was also discussed.

By the close of the training, the women of Amoor cluster left with the confidence to set up their own homestead nurseries. They had the knowledge to raise healthy saplings, the skills to care for them without chemicals, and a plan to use the trees for improving farm ecology and generating modest income. The DESWOS project’s goal of blending livelihood support with environmental restoration found clear expression in the work that began that day in Amoor.