AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT

TERDS, Osian has organised Awareness programmes cultivation of Medicinal Plants Cultivation in this year Such as Sonamukhi , Amla , Ashvagandha, safed musli etc.in villages Nevra Road, Cherai, Thob, Pandit Ji Ki Dhani. Many farmers were encouraged to adopt medicinal plants cultivation specially the sonamukhi. Sonamukhi, Casia Angustifolia, is a medicinal herb mainly used as laxative or anti- constipation purposes. This crop suits the desert climate and is best suited to drought prone areas. Our society is helping people to adopt its cultivation to improve their economy. Society itself is aware of the need of era of globalisation which creates many opportunities for Indian economy in the field of medicinal and herbs cultivation.

Seed Distribution of Sonamukhi (a Medicinal plant) TERDS, Osian distributed Sonamukhi seeds to selected 40 farmers. These farmers grew up this crop and were benefited in a way to become motivating personality for the cultivation of sonamukhi crop for the region. This has brought very imazing results. Farmers took keen interest in the cultivation of sonamukhi and were benefited economically as well as morally.

Horticulture plants and their economic benefits: TERDS, Osian has prepared horticulture plants beds and prepared them for plantation in the region. In the months of July and August 2009 these plants were distributed and planted in the region. We have organized Awareness Programmes in villages Nevra Road, Cherai, Thob, Pandit Ji Ki Dhani This year. In these awareness programmes farmers were encouraged to grow horticulture plants with a theme to improve heath of the farmers by adding fruits in their diet as well as to improve their economic status so that more and more farmers must develop a natural interest to horticulture plantation suitable for the region.The work area of TERDS, Osian is a sandy and desert land. There is always a scarcity of rain and water. It faces severe droughts year after year. TERDS Osian , is insisting the people, farmers to plant horticulture plants like amla, Ber, Lemon, Anar etc.

Training for Quality Consciousness and Value Addition of Sonamukhi crop:TERDS Osian has organized quality consciousness programmes in the month of October 2009 and Februry 2010 to train the farmers sowing sonamukhi crop to improve the quality of their produce and retain the senocide contents as per the international demands with certain precautions while cultivation, harvesting and post harvesting, storage.

Model Sonamukhi Farm: TERDS, Osian has helped with all its collective efforts to set up herbal Sonamukhi farms which act as model farms for training of the people to adopt cultivation of sonamukhi along with training them with pre harvesting and post harvesting technique awareness campaign for medicinal plants in the Model Farm.

Awareness of traditional Medicinal Herbs being used:Western Rajasthan is blessed with many Herbs and plants, which are used by local Vaidhyas to treat people suffering from some common diseases. TERDS, Osian Organized Awareness programs for the people to identify, collect and preserve the medicinal herbs in the months June , July, August 2007. This region is blessed with many naturally occurring herbs, which are of great importance to cure many diseases, if proper awareness is spread among the people. This is motivating the people to collect, store and sell the herbs.

Animal's Health: Animal husbandry is one of the most important livelihood options of the people here. But compared to the population of animals, vet nary facilities are not adequate and not reachable because of the location of dhanis in distant and remote areas, which makes it more difficult access to such facilities. Also, lack of knowledge and awareness about the diseases found in animals and their nutrient requirement causes heavy losses to the people in terms of productivity and benefits of the cattle.

Agriculture Information Centre: Our agriculture team is always engaged in providing the information about soil treatment, drip irrigation, horticulture etc and is creating awareness about organic farming and new technology in the target areas. TERDS, Osian considers the urgent need of improvements and developments in the agricultural sector as it is the chief employment to for livelihood in the rural area. This region is drought prone desert area and TERDS, Osian wish to motivate the people to adopt the changes in the crop patterns and up gradation of the necessary technology for increasing production with improved quality to get best possible use of the available resources. Our Agricultural information center performs the following tasks with the help of Department of Agriculture, State of Rajasthan, CAZRI, AFRI, National Medicinal Plants Board, state medicinal plants board, Rajasthan, Other NGOs, testing Laboratories, Exporters & other global institutions and multinationals :

• To study the soil and underground type
• To train people to adopt the crops according to their soil and water quality.
• To introduce the new medicinal crops and spices.
• To convey the various govt schemes on the cultivation, harvesting, storage of the spices and other crops.
• The study the market demand – production patterns and guide the farmers accordingly.
• To make the farmers aware through audio-visual methods.
• Perform other activities in the adjoining rural regions with the help of animators of the society and to promote cultivation of medicinal herbs in the drought prone are.
• To help farmers and buyers by providing a platform, by organizing seminars, workshops etc. Helps the people to obtain the products of naturally available trees in the desert.
• To assist farmers to get better prices to the farmers and to make videos for the training of farmers.

Tree Plantation: TERDS, Osian distributed plants to volunteers for their plantation. These plants were prepared in the nursery of Sansthan. TERDS,Osian is encouraging people to plant more and more desert plants which are economical to them such as Kher, Kumat , Khejri, Babul,Rahira Trees etc. TERDS, Osian has been making people aware of the attack of termites on their plants. This activity is unique in respect of the fact that the above mentioned trees and plants provide regular income in terms of dry vegetables, gum and fodder to the animals.

Campaign for Protection of Khejari, State-tree , Treatment of Khejari with CAZRI : TERDS ,Osian carried out campaign for protection of naturally grown tree of vital importance to desert life with Jal Grahan Vikas Sansthan ,Osian-I and India Vision 2020 society, Jodhpur.

Seminar on Gum obtaining from Kummat, Training on Gum obtaining from Kummat with CAZARI : Our volunteers helped people in getting increased amount of Natural Gum from a tree called Kummat in the desert. This project has helped the people to get a constant economy.

Conservation of wild life: This region of THAR desert is Blessed with a variety of Wild life such as various species of deers, chinkara, neelgaya, peacock, birds etc. TERDS, Osian spread the awareness about the arrangement of water and grains for bird by insisting people to hang water pots on the trees and keep some water in the small open water containers in their fields for the wild animals as scarcity of water remains the chief danger to the wild life. TERDS, Osian convened Quiz programmes among the students with a vision to create interest among the students about importance of wild life to the ecological balance, so that they can playa vital role in conservation of forest life. Also the society distributed prizes to the persons adopting best methods in the conservation of wild life.

Controlling the pollution: Society is well conscious about the drastic problem of increasing pollution and its consequences and health hazards. Society stressed upon the adoption of smokeless chullahas by arrangement of demonstration of preparation of such chuliahas. It organized polythene collection campaign in which many volunteers participated. Society demonstrated to farmers to minimize the pollution caused by the pesticides used in the fields.

Awareness for Rain Water Harvesting and Watershed development (sharing techniques and motivating construction of structures in the fields to stop chaotic flow of rain water and to get best use of it.) TERDS is devoted to the drastic requirement of the age i.e. water particularly in Thar Desert. It has organized awareness programs to motivate the people’s participation in rain water harvesting. Future Planning: TERDS, Osian is going to explore rainwater harvesting with a different model of farm pond to enhance cultivation of fruit and vegetable plants to uplift economic status of the rural people.

Campaign for cleaning of Traditional Water Reservoirs: TERDS, Osian team organized campaign for regular cleaning of the water reservoirs Such as Nadi , talab, bawadi ,jahar etc in villages Nevra Road, Cherai, Thob, Pandit Ji Ki Dhani. It has created a feeling among the people that water conservation is one of the drastic requirements of the age. TERDS has been able to create a sense of public responsibility among the people of the reason about management of traditional water reservoirs. Our team with volunteers cleaned two village ponds in Basani and dhundharia village.