Life Agriculture Project - Beneficiaries were educated on the process

Some of the beneficiaries 

YMCA of Pamunugama together with the National Council of the YMCAs of Sri Lanka has been working on promoting Sustainable Agriculture in the Eastern Province since 2011. Latest effort of this programme is the Life Agriculture Project done by Pamunugama YMCA in the Horopothana area in the North Central Province.

Ridma and Shelton of Pamunugama YMCA visited the selected project beneficiaries (25) on 13 - 14 May, 2013.  During this visit the beneficiaries were educated on the process and different activities of the Life Agriculture Project. A discussion was held at Kumari Ranaweera’s house (selected as the coordinator) with the beneficiaries. Around 20 women were present. They were explained the details of the project i.e. This is a home garden project to be carried out without using chemicals. The beneficiaries will be assisted with training (if necessary), exposure visits to learn by seeing, vegetable seeds and/or plants and material needed for cultivation (with an upper limit of Rs.5000/-).

The beneficiaries will be grouped under small groups of 5 in each with a group leader who will meet weekly in their homes. They will discuss any problem pertain to agriculture and especially the home gardens. They will start savings as a mark of their readiness in going ahead with the project.

Kumari (Coordinator) on the left together with a beneficiary

The coordinator will supervise the formation of groups and organizing group meetings and reporting to the YMCA. The first step by the beneficiaries will be the preparation of plots for home gardens. Thereafter, they will decide on the type of seeds and material they need. During the second year farmers will be provided with legal assistance to fight for farmers rights as team. 

During the visit Ridma and Shelton also visited the home gardens (9) of the beneficiaries to understand the efforts made by the farmers so far. It was found that all the beneficiaries are willing to improve their home gardens while getting use to organic methods slowly. Further training on organic farming methods to be organized during the month of June.