How do we improve nutrition status of farming communities through sustainable methods while also helping farmers adapt to the changing climate?

Organic Agriculture Training Program by Swanirvar in West Bengal

Project Objectives:                                                                                                                                                                     Annual Budget: $13,000
To provide training on organic farming techniques, climate change adaptation techniques and improving nutrition status of the communities
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Impact:

• Over 4000 farmers have been trained in sustainable farming techniques
• The annual average income before interventions was Rs 43,432 ± 16,950 which increased to Rs 62,333 ± 21,380 after interventions.
• The intervention has produced great strides in the nutritional intake by families in rural areas of West Bengal using sustainable practices.
  • Mean increase of haemoglobin from 11.4 gm/dl to 14.2 gm/dl
  • Reduction of childhood undernutrition by 83%
  • Intake of leafy vegetables & seasonal vegetables increased ( from 7 & 10 times/week to 10 & 14 times/week)
• This model of developing nutrition-sensitive home-based sustainable food production has attracted people in the surrounding areas
• Swanirvar has also planned to make nutrition-sensitive food production more robust by integrating animal husbandry with it. To achieve that Swanirvar has already started to build an animal farm with goats, poultry and ducks.
• Govt of India has selected Swanirvar for spreading the Bio-village programs in the entire North 24 Parganas district