Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh, India’s premier producer of smelter-grade alumina, recently launched ‘Sangam: Jeevan, Prakruti Aur Sanskriti Ka Ek Milan’, an initiative that aims to support rural farmers through the development of climate-resilient livelihoods.
Integrating sustainable agricultural practices, technological interventions, and natural resource management, Project Sangam is being rolled out across more than 40 villages and is set to benefit over 500 families.
Kalahandi is primarily an agrarian region with limited livelihood opportunities. It also witnesses low levels of rainfall, except during the monsoons. In response, Project Sangam has been designed as a comprehensive roadmap of efforts to augment the socio-economic development of the region by integrating natural resources management and long-term livelihood opportunities.
Among these interventions is the establishment of Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) – a federation of small farmers who aggregate their produce to avail the benefits of economies of scale.
Additionally, community members will be imparted skill development and capacity-building training in sustainable and profitable non-farm-based activities like pottery. Some of the women farmers have already taken up entrepreneurial pursuits like beekeeping, which have the potential to generate a viable income with nominal investment requirements.
To ensure consistent production and yield maximization, various agricultural management practices will also be deployed, such as trellises for supporting crops, NADEP method of composting, and soil testing mechanisms. They offer multiple cost-effective advantages such as enriching the soil and ensuring systematic cropping for abundant yields.
Several water-based assets will also be developed under Project Sangam to augment groundwater retention and ensure water availability. It will include the construction of surplus weirs and ponds, revival of canals, enabling crop diversification and animal husbandry activities. The revival of water sources will provide irrigation to over 60% of cultivable areas in the region.
Commenting on the significance of the project, Pranab Kumar Bhattacharyya, CEO – Alumina Business, Vedanta Ltd said, “Creating sustainable livelihood avenues for underserved communities is an endeavour towards the wider socio-economic elevation of the region. By developing an ecosystem that facilitates the creation of sustainable livelihoods, Project Sangam will contribute significantly towards our communities becoming self-sufficient and empowered.”
Shankar Chandi, a farmer in Kalahandi district, expressed his gratitude, saying “Earlier, Kalahandi was renowned for its jaggery due to the fine taste and rich color. But sugarcane cultivation did not prove viable due to climate extremities and lack of water resources. Today, through this project, we are able to revive its production once again through proper agronomic practices and water replenishment initiatives, enabling us to derive a livable income.”
Vedanta Lanjigarh’s social interventions in the domains of sustainable livelihood, quality education, women empowerment, health, water and sanitation and community infrastructure reach out to over 67 villages and nearby areas.
It empowers more than 4000 women from over 378 SHGs; provides qualitative and doorstep healthcare services to about 60,000 people annually; established Lanjigarh’s first English-medium school- DAV Vedanta International School; nurturing 4000 children and 800 women in over 200 Nand Ghars equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and empowering around 200 youth through sports and skill training initiatives.