Youth group at phenyl packing.

The Economic Development Sector is involved in various incomes generation activities with self help groups in three geographic locations i.e. Pune, Nashik & Velhe (Urban & Rural) for strengthening capacities for income generation

The sector works with many communities where the levels of income are very low. The problems of low income are further aggravated by lack of education, lack of skill sets, lack of information about alternative source of income and poor money management skills.

The project involves strengthening of self help groups (SHG) of rural and urban community through capacity building of groups to embark on entrepreneurship and alternate sources of income generation. Entrepreneurial awareness is an important part for developing alternative economical sources amongst these groups. Simultaneously, introducing of different government & private schemes to local community from urban & rural area, where participation of women has considered raising & uplifting their economical independence. Entrepreneurial skills develops through cycle of stimulating, supporting and sustaining group members on entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial skill in terms of business planning, credit management and costing, marketing, network development and procurement of raw materials, awareness sessions on workshops and trainings on Management Development programmes (MDP), developing capacities and special skills amongst special groups (adolescent, Institutionalized children, adults with cerebral palsy) with strengthening network with financial and other resource organizations for improving production and marketing of goods.

Capacity building sessions amongst these groups focuses on creating necessary operational capacities, confidence building and accountability, predictability of external factors, promotion of macro and micro economic policies, enhancing and strengthening trade relations, generating enterprises etc. The sessions are generally conducted either by resource person from external sources or by Awakening Jagriti staff themselves. Different workshops on product selection, testing of internal resources, product manufacturing and distribution, marketing and other business skills etc organize time to time.

Group member at Tea powder packing.

In the rural areas special emphasis is laid on farming and agro based industries for stimulating rural economy. Economic development sector involves promotion of advanced agricultural practices amongst farmers and enhancing income levels through improving Farming Methods and Initiating agro base Enterprises to examine opportunities for assisting the farmers to make their farming system more diverse, adverse and productive.

Promotion of advanced agricultural practices aims at improving agricultural productivity by increasing use of advanced farming mechanisms, improved land practices and using different technology for farming. This involves developing an understanding about present agricultural practices in rural population. We impart knowledge amongst farmers about concepts of different farming mechanisms, need for practising advanced agricultural tools and methods, use of different technologies of farming etc, strengthening their knowledge and skills for increasing productivity of their land and hence contributing largely to their economic status. For this farmer clubs are formed and efforts are made to ensure that they avail various schemes provided by the government which further increases agricultural productivity, through different training & demonstrations, farmers undergone trained to improve land practices for increasing productivity in terms of crop pattern, pre & post tillage, Fertilizers, irrigation management etc. Development of livestock and agro based business models carried out simultaneously. In animal husbandry, special focus has been given on goat improvement, buffalo farming, poultry development, pasture development and animal health training most frequently. Other types of intervention include cattle breed improvement and dairy projects for women. We facilitate these women for investing in animal husbandry, by providing initial financial assistance to them.

For effective execution, the concept of clusters have been used in these groups, where members from different groups in rural area is focused on production like Food product, cashew processing, bamboo craft making, medicinal plantation, goat farming, buffalo management, emu farming, poultry farming & Bee keeping.

Our objective is to improve economic well being of poor households in urban and rural areas, women empowerment, and farmer’s development by strengthening capacities amongst them for increasing opportunities and alternatives of income generation, self employment to increase their quality of life and standard of living and to bring them into mainstream of development.

Awakening Jagriti is working in urban as well as rural areas in Pune, Nashik and Velhe terra since last four years. During these years it has been seen that, most of the peoples living in rural areas involved in agriculture as agriculture or farm labour. Rural women frequently have primary responsibility for agricultural production, in addition to domestic responsibilities and childcare. These responsibilities place heavy demands on women's time. Improving access to labour-saving technologies in any of these areas can free up time for income generating micro-enterprise activities. The urban population those living in slums where Awakening Jagriti working with are involved in unorganized work area, the employment  rate both in urban & rural is low and most of the  women from urban communities are involved in domestic work. Men are usually working as labours in different yards, construction sites. It has been also seen in communities that a large part of the income is spent on frivolous activities such as alcoholism, narcotics and other addictions. It has also been seen that members of slum communities and villages have frequent periods of unemployment. This phenomenon coupled with a complete lack of savings adds to most of the monetary problems. Lack of knowledge, skills, confidence and information related to alternative source of income, entrepreneurship development and micro enterprise resulted in their poor economical status.

Strengthening capacities for income generation

Group receiving tailoring training

The basic training in business management has been designed in different modules and each of them is independent from the rest. The groups is then provided with different trainings on Entrepreneurship awareness programs which includes goal setting & achievement, risk taking behaviour & competencies, confidence building, removing fear of failure, qualities of businessman, business concept, types of business, scanning for it according to availability of resources & abilities, vision imparted into the group.

After improving basic entrepreneurship and business skills, at this stage the groups develop their business abilities and acquire new skills. The group then selects the specific products according to search and scan they learned. During this organizational process the following factors are being taken into consideration i.e. task distribution, time input, accommodation, schedule and plan for manufacturing, distribution and marketing, raw materials and machinery requirements, suppliers contact, funds attainment: loans, savings, individual investment, accounts management etc.

Moreover, depending on the product after initiation of the project, when required the groups are provided with market development and management trainings after certain time span. Simultaneously, motivation is given to groups to take part in exhibitions or fairs to expose their creative talent and products in commercial outlets.

An assessment of the groups´ activities is of vital importance in the entire procedure and which is generally done throughout the year. There is close monitoring keeping at every stage of the process during the initial execution stage of the project.

Cashew processing project

Stimulating of the rural economy
Economic development sector involved in promotion of advanced agricultural practices amongst farmers and enhancing income levels through improving Farming Methods and Initiating agro base Enterprises.

Promotion of advanced agricultural practices starts with the process of formation and initiation of farmers club in different villages.

Farmers’ Clubs are grass root level informal forums. It can be promoted in a village/ cluster of villages, generally in the Operational Area of a Bank. Such Clubs are organized by Awakening Jagriti and linkages to the rural branches of banks for the support and financial assistance from NABARD for its mutual benefit.

Different trainings on advanced agriculture practices are arranged for the farmers according to data analysis and considering need of the farmers which includes trainings on organic farming, improved cropping patterns, making organic pesticides, and improved rice cultivation, session on Vermicomposting, soil testing and training on cultivation of different horticultural crops and many more. Simultaneously, exposure visit organizes for them in agriculture universities, progressive farmers, agro exhibition etc. to know about the existing agriculture development.

Special focus has been given on preparation of bio gas units, through which farmers can obtain gas which is alternative energy source and the slurry remains after utilization of gas generally use for making vermicompost.

Moreover, monitoring and evaluation of this activity carried out through all stages to ensure effective implementation. We also ensure the participation and involvement of members at every stage of intervention. We rigorously monitor and evaluate the impact of practicing advanced farming techniques.

Development of livestock and agro based business models carried out simultaneously. This activity starts with the process of collecting information of group members (SHG, Farmers), their skills and capacities to initiate agro based enterprises, recent practices in animal husbandry. After collecting the required information analysis of recent practices in animal husbandry, dairy farming, cattle breeding generally taken out. After analysis, gradually different awareness session carried out with the groups on importance of livestock development, their health and hygiene, diseases and role of livestock development in rural employment generation introduces to the group. Through this process we identify specific interests and skills of group members. According to groups’ skills and interest, different trainings on alternate agro based occupation imparted into the group, through which group identifies the occupation.

Simultaneously network with different organizations and institutions for ensuring financial assistance and different trainings to be strengthen throughout the process. Once the group identify the occupation, specific training on such occupation given to the group which includes training on goat farming, dairy farming, buffalo farm management, poultry farming etc, through which group realizes strengths and weakness and feasibilities of the project. Simultaneously, exposure visit also arranges for the group.

Moreover, close monitoring of the activity from initial execution stage carried out and evaluation report get prepared. We also conduct regular meetings with group members throughout the process to know the impact of the project.

The Economic Development Sector in Pune Terra involved in various incomes generation activities with self help groups since last four years. Currently we are involved in working with 230 beneficiaries from 16 SHG, 2 youth groups and 2 adolescent groups and from 6 different communities (Ambedkarwasti, Shindewasti, Shantisagar, Kondhwa, Gosaviwasti, and Rajiv Gandhi nagar). Around 35 % of groups involved in income generation activities from Pune. Out of 18 SHGs 4 SHG and 1 youth group have been started different enterprises which is mostly service oriented like Tiffin supplying, tea powder supplying, selling sarries & jewellary, serving food items and phenyl making etc, rest of the groups identified different project and some

Adolescent group member receiving beauty parlor training

have received different entrepreneurship development trainings. Most of the group has taken finance from their own SHG and from banks to initiate the projects. The overall income of different groups from different projects has been increase up to 40 %

Most of the groups members are now taking part in different exhibitions, attends fairs to promote their products in commercial outlets.

Through active participation in this groups women have increase their economic status by managing and lending their accumulative saving as well as gained awareness, confidence, communication, respect and trust and have learnt work in collective team work. Women discussed about how to improve there income and solve the problems. To meet their small needs they borrowed small loans from their savings. As the money available is limited, they learnt to take decisions on the loan amount, interest rate and importance of recovery. Through their own initiative, many women are now willing to commence an income generating activity.

Bee keeping project	Improve rice farm

The Economic Development Sector in Nashik is involved in various incomes generation activities with self help groups since four years. Currently we are involved in working with 180 beneficiaries from 12 SHG, 2 youth groups and 8 adolescent groups and from 6 different villages. Currently we are also involved in working with 160 farmers from 13 farmers club from different villages on agriculture development. In Nashik special emphasis has given on agro base enterprises, as a result some of the groups has started goat farming, bee keeping and also involved in grain packaging and selling. 6 groups currently involved throughout these activities. Some of the groups are going to initiate poultry and rabbit farming also. In urban community 17 youths has been taken admission in MSC-IT computer course. Two tailoring class in rural & one in urban has successfully completed by adolescent groups.

Since last 2 years, we are involved in working with 13 farmers club in Nashik. Till today most of the clubs from Nashik has been linked to the bank for accessing the credit from NABARD. 5 farmers clubs in Nashik were linked to the NABARD, out of 5 club 4 clubs inauguration have been done. 2 clubs were provided with the credit (Rs.5980 & 5920) from NABARD. The club linked to the agriculture dept. for accessing schemes to them. Agriculture dept. Nashik received the proposal of club and provided with the 5 kg seeds of rice with 25 kg tablet fertilizers along with session on Improved Rice cultivation. 33 farmers were taken part in the session. Farmers from farmers club has been give different trainings for increasing agriculture productivity by using local recourses like different crop for making bio pesticides at low cost (Dashaparni ark – Liquid pesticide to control different pest attack), advance method of rice cultivation were given with collaboration of agriculture departments from Nashik. The training on pesticide making were given to the club, since that time, most of the club members started using, as a result they could reduce cost of production on fertilizers as well as by the use of such pesticides reduced incidence of pest.

Some of the farmers clubs are involved in demonstration farm on which they have cultivated different fruit crops like mango, sapota, drumsticks, tamarind and bamboo grass provided by us for increasing horticultural produces for better their income levels with food consumption or security to their family, they have also cultivated medicinal plants on this demo land. After some years they will have fruit production. In Nashik, Awakening Jagriti has recharged the pond, before this work 30 to 40 farmers were engaged in agriculture activity with growing only one crop. Number of user farmers also has been increased to double than before. The soil removed from the pond has utilized for developing unproductive land to productive one, as a result of this work the land became productive (fertile) and now a-days those farmers was involved in growing one crop now they are growing more than three crops like tomato, cauliflower, bitter gourd, wheat etc. they have taken higher yield of tomato in their region.

Groups Products for exhibition (Diyas and other accessories, craft articles)

The Economic Development Sector in Velhe region is involved in various incomes generation activities with self help groups since last four years. Currently we are involved in working with around 600 beneficiaries from 53 SHG, 2 youth groups and 5 adolescent groups and from 35 different villages. We are also involved in working with 120 farmers from 12 farmers club from 5 different villages for agriculture development.

Currently, 15 groups involved in different income generation activities like goat farming, bee keeping, bamboo craft making, cashew processing and medicinal plantation. Around 140 members benefited by above projects in Velhe terra. Most of the activities are agro based activities. Other group will start buffallow farming in coming few months. The income from different project has been increase more or less up to 45 %.

Goat Farming

Most of the groups are now taking part in different exhibitions, attends fairs to promote their products like bamboo crafts and packaged dry cashews in commercial outlets. Some of the adolescent groups have received vocational training on jewellary making and tailoring.

Through active participation in this groups women have increase their economic status by managing and lending their accumulative saving as well as gained awareness, confidence, communication, respect and trust and have learnt work in collective team work.

Our farmers clubs, received different trainings for agriculture development, which includes organic farming, bio pesticide making, improved method of rice cultivation and Vermi-composting etc. as a result of this, most of the farmers used bio pesticides as a control measure on different insects and pest as a results incidence of insect pest attack has been reduced with reduction in input cost. Some of the farmers club now is willing to develop horticulture farm for better their income with initiation of agro base enterprises.