July 2024
What does our Smart Farm Project entail? Here we break down the key strategies of our Daspalla demonstration project and explain how they help improve rural livelihoods.
June 2024
Breaking down the benefits of our greenhouses. Low-cost greenhouses are one part of our Daspalla Smart Farm Project, transforming rural livelihoods in India.
May 2024
Sharing an insight into our nutri-garden initiative, run alongside our partners at JRP. Nutri-gardens not only help improve nutrition in rural India, they also encourage economic empowerment, giving individual families the opportunity to sell their surplus produce. By providing initial seed packages and education on how to begin and develop gardens, we can empower these communities and encourage sustainable development in rural India.
Check out the video below explaining more about this incredible project:
April 2024
Stories from Our Smart Farms
“This modern technology has truly helped me achieve excellence and turn my dedication into fruitful outcomes”
Minatinari Bhoi has been farming her land for over 5 years, using traditional methods and switching between cultivating paddy and growing vegetables depending on the season. However, her land sits beside a dam which attracts high numbers of insects and pests as well as becoming the source of local disputes during extreme heat waves.
With the help of Jeevika and JRP, she was introduced to greenhouse farming.and has transformed her farming:
She has grown a wide variety of crops including coriander and kosala leaves.
The net of the greenhouse reduces the influx of insects allowing her to transition to organic farming.
The controlled greenhouse environment reduces water demand and irrigation costs.
She has experienced no losses from her crops, with profits ranging from 25-30% so far.
February 2024
Stories from our Smart Farms
Learn about Sumitra’s journey to success with greenhouse farming!
Sharing some beautiful words of life in Mitukuli tribal forest village:
In the early morning light, as the world slowly stirred awake, a group of tribal women embarked on their journey to the fields. With their trusty farm tools slung over their shoulders and determination gleaming in their eyes, they set out on the familiar path leading to their farm. The forest whispered its secrets as they walked, weaving through the dense foliage with ease born of years spent in harmony with nature.
As they reached the clearing where their fields lay, the women wasted no time. With practiced hands, they began to till the soil, their laughter mingling with the sounds of birdsong and rustling leaves. Each woman brought her own expertise to the task at hand, whether it be planting seeds, tending to saplings, or harvesting ripe crops.
Despite the early hour and the physical demands of their work, there was an undeniable sense of joy in the air. These women were not just cultivating the land; they were nurturing their families, preserving their heritage, and empowering themselves in the process. Theirs was a story of resilience and strength, of tradition and innovation intertwined.
As the sun rose higher in the sky, painting the world in shades of gold and amber, the women continued their work, their spirits undimmed by the challenges they faced. For them, each day spent in the fields was a testament to their unwavering dedication to their community, their land, and each other. And as they returned home at the end of the day, weary but fulfilled, they knew that their efforts would bear food not just for themselves, but for generations to come.
– written by Biraj Krushna Upadhyay, assistant director at our partner organisation, Jeevan Rekha Parishad.
An insight into the cold-storage Smart Farm Project
Janisahi village holds one of the two solar-powered cold storage units set up by Jeevika Trust and our partners, JRP. The primary goals are to:
- Reduce post-harvest losses
- Minimise distress sales
- Enhance value chain management
- Improve market linkages
Ultimately, the goal is to double the incomes of smallhold farmers.
January 2024
Stories from our Smart Farms – from traditional to tech-savvy. Read about Prahalada’s greenhouse farming success and how it has transformed his life:
December 2023
Stories from our Smart Farms – Read about Ranjita’s greenhouse farming success and how it has transformed her life:
Looking back on our cold storage success!
With the help of our partners JRP and Brunel University, Jeevika opened a solar-powered cold storage in Daspalla last year. Instead of having to sell their produce when market values are low to avoid spoilage, tomato farmers can now preserve their tomatoes until market rates increase. Their record profits highlight the project’s success with some farmers earning over 10 times their original income for their crops!
November 2023
12 Low-cost Greenhouses now operating!
Continuing success and enthusiastic uptake from local farmers has allowed us to grow the number of greenhouses to 12, with more to come in the future. The project, in collaboration with our local partner Jeevan Rekha Parishad and Kheyti, who have developed the low costs greenhouse technology, is delivering higher yields for local farmers and allowing them to grow a wider range of vegetables. Water use is reduced by up to 80% and the structure’s protection against pests negates the use of chemical pesticides supporting the route to organic farming.
Stories from our Smart Farms –
Read about Dibakar’s success and how it has transformed his life:
Read about Suhasini’s success and how it has transformed her life:
August 2022
Low-cost Greenhouses almost complete!
Floods in the region slowed up the delivery and construction of the greenhouses in July and August but we are happy to report that the three greenhouses (3600 square feet) are almost complete and will be planted shortly with cauliflower and leaf vegetables. The project in collaboration with our local partner Jeevan Rekha Parishad and Kheyti, who have developed the low costs greenhouse technology, is expected to deliver higher yields for local farmers along with increased crop diversity, more control over harvesting times and lower input costs.
This project is linked with our other smart farm initiatives, solar cold storage, water management, digital literacy, and the Daspalla Fresh marketing brand to produce an integrated Smart Farm solution that will increase the incomes and climate change resilience of poor farmers, whilst improving the quality of local food supplies at a time of increasing costs.
July 2022
Jeevan Rekha in partnership with Jeevika and other training providers has started organising Digital Literacy training sessions for local farmers with nearly 100 signing up for the first event! This has covered accessing online resources to help improve crop yield, address diseases and get better returns through online marketplaces. They also linked up with various providers of apps and other digital support. More on the results of these initiatives soon!
June 2022
As a part of the Smart Farm Demonstration Project in Daspalla, Odisha our trial solar-tech cold storage facility is now operational. To find out more about the project and our partners visit our projects page and watch the video below.
August 2021
“Developing Robust and Sustainable Smart Farm solutions” is a research paper that discusses the main reasons why small farmers experience low returns, as well as the most promising solutions to these challenges. It also looks at the barriers that farmers encounter in accessing these new technologies.
Jeevika Smart Farm Solutions Research
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