K. Todar used to work hard in her field to earn a livelihood for the family but despite all the efforts, the produce was not enough to fulfil her family need. Rilram centre was yet another tiny village in Tengnoupal district of Manipur in North East India. A sleepy village with a population of 343 spread across 60 odd families dependent on agriculture for their survival. Over the years, the land has started losing its essential nutrients which are necessary for the growth of the crops.

The villagers were ignorant about the modern-day information on farmers collectives and improved methods of organic cultivation. Diocesan Social Service Society (DSSS), Imphal, a Caritas India partner took the initiative of adopting this village under the ongoing FARM programme supported by Misereor, Germany.

In November 2020, DSSS reached out to Rilram Centre and facilitated the formation of the Farmers’ Club (FC) . The FC members were oriented by the DSSS team through different program and trainings to increase production and improved way of agriculture. The farmers were specifically trained on technologies like organic manure making, multiple or mixed cropping, types of seasonal cropping, and promoting handicrafts etc by elders.

The techniques helped in increasing the revenues and the health of the soil through bio-inputs such as green manure, mixed-cropping, a method of growing more than one crop in the same field that involves growing several compatible crops on the same land. The aim is to use the plants’ natural synergies efficiently to improve the yield. The system naturally provides nutrients to the soil that the other crop needs to grow or perhaps repel or trap pests affecting the other crop.

The community from Rilram Centre responded in affirmation to the improved means of cultivation and began to practice their learning in their backyards and fields.

Todar was one of the members of the FC who took these learnings to the field and started cultivating what she learnt. She started earning by cultivating organic vegetable such as mustard leaves, cabbages, tender leaf shoot of beans, onion, banana etc. She started earning Rs. 5000/- per month which she utilises to educate her children in the school, buying daily food and other household needs, expanding backyard garden by buying and cultivating organic seeds.

“I used to pay only Rs 10 as membership fee to the farmers’ club but today I am in a position to pay Rs 100 per month and I want that my people to work hard and be successful,” says Todar. She has been instrumental in promoting handicraft in the FC which inspired many to follow the path. Todar has shown the way that even a tiny village with no access to modern amenities can set examples for the rest.

Mr. Gangmei Samuel, Programme Coordinator, FARM adds that “following the footstep of Ms Tdoar, the community also learned and plans to expand their kitchen gardens or farm by growing organic vegetables for consumption and marketing. Apart from that, the community has also taken up handicrafts making to generate collective income. They have plans to work together once or twice in a week apart from their own daily fieldwork”.