FOCUS: WOMEN AND LIVELIHOODS

Project: Capacity building of Women, for a Greenhouse Horticulture Enterprise

Funded by:  GSRD Foundation, Netherlands

Duration:  March 2008 til Date

This project commenced in March 2008, with the objective of demonstrating that a greenhouse-based enterprise is an attractive option for income generation. It targets women’s groups in rural areas, with the intention of training them in greenhouse horticulture, motivating them to adopt such practice and spread awareness about the project among relevant agencies. This project covers two villages in the Tiptur taluk of the Tumkur district in Karnataka state.

In the year 2008, a greenhouse of 500 sq.m. with a rainwater collection system was constructed in the Eralgere village in Tiptur taluk. Shri Nandini Stree Shakti Sangha is maintaining the greenhouse enterprise.

Training was provided on pre-cropping activities such as the preparation of land for cultivation, soil fumigation, etc. Colored capsicum (red and yellow) were planted in the greenhouse and the yield from the first crop was 1039Kg, which generated an income of Rs. 17’000. This profit was gained from a marketing linkage developed between the Self-Help-Group (SHG) and METRO Cash & Carry, Bangalore. The yield of the colored capsicum is low in comparison to the estimate of 1500Kg. However, the profitability has not been as expected due to factors beyond the control of relevant stakeholders.

Around 60’000 liters of rainwater were harvested from the rooftop of the greenhouse, sufficient for 48 days. This, in turn, reduced the pressure on the ground water aquifers and the energy required to pump out the water. The drip system has effectively been utilized as a point source of irrigation, to ensure that the right quantity of water reaches the plant.

The second crop was that of colored capsicum, but due to certain abnormalities, the crop didn’t produce the expected yield. The SHG has now prepared the Greenhouse for the third cropping, and on the advice of experts, they have cultivated pole beans as a rotational crop. Pole beans mature later than regular beans, but can be produced over a longer period with a larger yield of beans. Growing beans vertically, allows the farmers to grow more beans in less space, which also makes harvesting by hand easy. Frequent harvesting and the removal of any mature beans allows the plant to continuously produce new beans. Growing pole beans guarantees its sale in both urban as well as local markets, thereby ensuring befitting income.

NABARD and Kalpataru Gramina banks have agreed to provide the facility of loans to encourage participation from interested SHGs and progressive farmers. Once a suitable SHG is identified to take up an enterprise as a new venture, the construction of another greenhouse would commence under this project. TIDE will keep its efforts strong by constantly developing market linkages to establish a wider market for the SHG.