The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 7,08,639 people and infected nearly 19 million people globally as per August 7, 2020 reported by WHO and number still increasing. There are 2.03 million cases reported in India however, 1.38 million have recovered but 41,858 people have lost their lives.

As COVID-19 takes aim at our planet’s most vulnerable sections, the humanitarian organisations, civil societies have geared up by ensuring that people with disabilities, aged, women and children, people with chronic disease, migrants, small and marginal farm families, homeless should get proper information on COVID-19, mask, soap, sanitizers and dry food kit to stay healthy.

Chhote Lal, a migrant smallholder farmer from Baigakheda village says that I used to migrate for one season in the nearby cities to work and bring back the money but this time I had to come empty-handed. “I have no money for my family or for the next season, I don’t know how we will survive”, says Chhote Lal. This is the situation of many farmers especially men who works in their fields in one season and then migrate to the cities for labour work.

Caritas India in coordination with Jabalpur Social Service Societies (JDSSS), extended the much-needed support through Smallholder Adaptive Farming and Biodiversity Network (SAFBIN) to 300 most marginalised small farm families of 9 remotest villages (Kudela, Katigahan, Khairi, Tikariya, Ghonta, Bijatola, Jaitpuri, Badwar & Baigakheda) consisting 62 smallholders, 59 widow, 38 People living with disabilities, 83 Aged people and 13 women headed families. The smallholders belong to Gond and Baiga tribe who considered to be one of the most vulnerable people identified in consultation with the community leaders for the support.

A native of Mandla primarily depends on agriculture. Though minor forest produce is considered as their one of the key alternative livelihoods, both have hit hardest during the COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown. While the delay in rabi crop harvest due to labour crisis and reduced their production, transportation restrictions have made them more miserable where they couldn’t access to agricultural inputs for the coming season. Smallholder returned from town and cities due to unprecedented lockdown has also put pressure on the sufficient food requirement and livelihood options and made them more vulnerable.

 My humble gratitude to Caritas India and JDSSS for this great help through SAFBIN. we are so happy to receive dry food items for next 20 days. Kusum bai one of the beneficiaries of Ghonta shared while receiving the assistance.

With the help of Smallholder Adaptive Farming and Biodiversity Network (SAFBIN) program, Dry food kit along with Safety Kits (Masks, Sanitizer & Soap) were distributed to vulnerable tribal families while following all safety and precautions.