The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
RAJGANGPUR, MAY 26, 2022
Dalmia Bharat Foundation (DBF), the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Dalmia Bharat has undertaken the ‘WADI’ Project, in association with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). The project aims to strengthen the value chain in tribal development and boost the financial growth of families of 38 villages under Rajgangpur and Kutra panchayats in Odisha.
Through the initiative, farmers have been organised to form committees in every village; and the process to set up a Farmer Producers Company by bringing together 500 farmers together is already underway. Over 420 beneficiaries will receive assistance in mango and cashew plantations on 420 acres of land while 80 beneficiaries will be provided assistance for apiculture.
Commenting on the initiative, said Dalmia Cement Bharat Limited Rajgangpur Unit Head Chetan Shrivastav said, “At Dalmia Bharat, we are committed to creating a legacy of development and change for the better and strive to ensure that we meet newer economic and environmental needs by closing societal gaps as much as possible. Our partnership with NABARD and the ‘WADI’ model of tribal development goes a long way with successful adoptions in West Bengal and the North East region. We now look forward to extending these synergies in Rajgangpur and Kutra, with a core focus of empowering tribals to lead a sustainable livelihood.”
DBF is expediting various programs under NABARD’s ‘WADI’ project in a bid to make farmers financially independent. These include soil conservation, development of water resources, women empowerment through Self Help Groups (SHGs), training, skill development, income-generating programs such as goat farming, pig farming, poultry, apiculture, earthworm rearing, community nursery etc. The project includes health awareness and health check-up camps.
“By undertaking the WADI project in Rajgangpur, in collaboration with Dalmia Bharat Foundation, we want to help tribals enhance their farming capabilities through sustainable agriculture as well as technology and innovation adoption. We are confident that we will be able to improve the livelihood of tribal communities and also hope to see a progressive change in the region’s overall socio-economic and environmental conditions,” said Tapas Behera, DDM, NABARD.
In a bid to create awareness and promote the inclusion of stakeholders in this project, DBF and NABARD imparted training to the staff of PIAs to enhance their capacity for effective implementation of WADI project in the area. On behalf of DBF, four personnel from the CSR team attended a two-day training program at Central Horticultural Experimental Station (CHES) Bhubaneswar and acquired knowledge on various aspects of the project.
