Nabarangpur District is a very spectacular District, functioning since 02.10.1992 situated in the greeneries of south-western Orissa. Nabarangpur District covers an area of 5294 sq km. The District has a vast area of 1583.4 sq km covered by forests. It is situated at 20.3 to 17.5 Degree North latitude and 81.27 to 84.1 East longitudes. 

The tribal dominating district of Nabarangpur has a relatively low literate population. The district holds total literates 490156 (Male 298688 and Female 191468). Many educational Institutes are serving in the district of Nabarangpur. Most areas of Nabarangpur District experience the first arrival of monsoon much before the rest of the state. While the rest of Orissa gets rain due to monsoon from the Bay of Bengal, the whole of Nabarangpur gets it straight from the Arabian Sea, through the Southwest direction. The whole of this District enjoys 16912.57 mm total rainfall and 1631.40 mm normal rainfall annually. Notably the Plateaus which are located in between 2,000 and 3,000 feet remains cool round the year. 

Predominantly an agricultural district, Nabarangpur has more than 90 per cent of its inhabitants depending on farming for their livelihood. The farming community largely depends on rains due to lack of irrigation facility. National Horticulture Mission is taking lots of steps to improve the cultivation of many fruits and vegetables in the District.

DA’s commitment to sustainable livelihood as an integral part of holistic community development has been a part of its Focused area for more than a decade. Our approach towards achieving sustainable Livelihood is thus two-fold:

1. Farm Activities and (2) Non Farm Activities

We stepped in to form self-help groups and village development committees to work together to make the most out of their indigenous resources, such as land, livestock, forest, and income-generating activities.

Our livelihood activities are designed, planned, implemented, and evaluated by the community organizations themselves to ensure stability and sustainability. Over the years, we’ve built strong relationships with community members and watched their skills, capacity, and income levels grow.

Our ultimate goal is to see these organizations become independent of external support such as ours and to take ownership of all their activities.

Farm Activities: 

Nabarangpur is rich in natural resources like forest, non-timber forest products are rich in these area. We build community organizations in 30villages so tribals can work together to maximize the potential of their natural resources and reduce the dependency on their landlords. All activities are planned and implemented with complete participation of the villagers to ensure their success and sustainability.

Promotion of Organic farming :

DA has sensitized the farmers to adopt organic cultivation and facilitated the setting up of vermin compost, vermin wash units and Bio pits in both Kosagumuda Block & Nabarangpur blocks, 74 no’s. Vermi-Compost pits, 48 nos. of Vermi wash units and 32 Bio pest Units are formed. Moreover, due to this initiative, the agricultural production has shown positive increase. To promote sustainable agriculture/Bio Farming in the region. The people of these villages were provided both theoretical & practical knowledge about the benefits accruing from this organic manure and felt motivated to replicate these at their personal level. The outcome of this programme was the farmers of these villages are using these Vermi-compost, Vermi wash and bio pits in their kitchen gardens and getting good yield and also they know about reduction of the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Grain Bank: Our grain Bank; seed banks help farmers cope with the lean periods when they have no food to eat. We are helping Village Development Committees store surplus grains and seeds and borrow from each other, rather than their landlords. Not only do the 20 villages where we piloted grain banks now have grain year round, but 10 other villages witnessed the success and have independently instituted their own.

Vegetable Cultivation: DA teams, fielded in the undulating area are working to encourage farmers to take up vegetable cultivation on their small-scale homesteads and near dug wells.  These activities provide the poor families with a dependable source of income.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM):

Drastic change in climate various insects prevalent losing crops. Farmers are draining their economy more in crop treatment rather in other expenses like seed, labour and soil preparation. Hence DA initiated training on how to adopt Integrated Pest Management System at local level, since indigenous technologies are effective in pest treatment. 300 small and marginal farmers were provided this IPM training in collaboration with the line department (Agriculture Department/ ATMA) Nabarangpur district.

Traditional Farming Practice / Crop to Crop Rotation:

In order to promote double cropping pattern DA has organized training, bearing in mind on the feasibility of good yield. High yield is everyone’s priority, understanding the requirement of the farmers’ district level agriculture experts were the resource persons for these training leading farmers were participated. It is common in this remote area that due to financial viability small farmers are cultivating single crop. So it gives high benefit that this training has good impact and 580 farmers covering 750 hectors adopted in both Nabarangpur and Kosagumuda block

Non firm Activities:

Promotion of Self-help Groups:

DA supports the formation and strengthening of Self-Help Groups (SHG). These groups can collectively accrue savings to fund income-generating activities such as agriculture, livestock rearing, fish farming and horticulture. A typical SHG is comprised of 10 to 15 members of the community who agree to deposit monthly savings into a fund, a portion of which can eventually be borrowed to fund community businesses.

To support SHGs DA provides basic record keeping and financial training and encourages the group to undertake income-generating activities. When the group gains the ability and confidence required to successfully manage their funds, they are linked to local banks. By linking them to local banks they are able to access external funds and government loans.

Although SHGs are not restricted to being exclusively for women, although majority of them are women’s groups. The groups provide a social space for women to discuss common concerns in addition to wider issues. Additionally, this space enables women to develop the confidence that they need to speak out even when men are present. In a village council meeting, this allows women to play a greater role in the decision-making process.

Self help Cooperative Society:

DA has encouraged the farmers and women self help group member to constitute a self help cooperative society and 2 nos of cooperative society consisting of 584 in Farmer’s Cooperative and 785 members in women’s cooperative society working actively and taking all other development work independently by them.

Entrepreneurship Development:

 48 women members from different women’s self help groups has been given entrepreneurship training in order to undertake small business including mushroom cultivation, dal processing, food processing, Fast food stall, Leaf plate making, Pickle preparation, Papod, making etc considering enhancing their income. This endeavor providing opportunity to the small entrepreneurs to get extra income to supplement their family economy.

Community Enhancement on MGNREGA:

DA has organized village level awareness campaigns and workshops on MGNREGA/ORGES and capacitated Gram Panchayat level Cadre Union like Sramiko Sangathan to increase demand in participation on MGNREGA/ORGES. As an outcome of these campaigns, community members sensitized about this important government initiative thus maximize rural employment particularly during the lean seasons. Most of the people are now putting pressure on the concerned authority for the Job cards and getting adequate employment.

Training on Gender Sensitization:

Gender discrimination in this rural populace is common, the misunderstanding of social value between male & female playing vital role for this discrimination. DA has organized training for the women leaders and cooperative leaders in order to sensitize them on the gender value and the implications of discriminations. 40 women and 40 cooperative leaders participated in this training programme. Mr. Binay Nanda Suna, a Development Practitioner was the resource person.  After training the participants realized the issue and it is good to observe their feedback on to minimize this discrimination at the family and society level.