Ensure Prosperous Life for Farming Communities through Sustainable Agriculture
FIGURE 1ORGANIC KITCHEN GARDEN
Rural Development Trust – RDT,
No.17.Chengalpattu Road,
Thirupporur – 603 110,
Kancheepuram District – Tamilnadu
Phone: 91-44-27445392, Fax-91-44-27445958
Mobile: 9442531003, E-mail: info@ruraldevelopmenttrust.org, ruraltrust@yahoo.com
RURAL DEVELOPMENT TRUST
1/7, Chengalpattu Road, Thirupporur – 603 110
Sustainable Agriculture Project – An Overview
Rural Development Trust-RDT is a Non-Governmental Organization promoted in the year 1992 to serve for the
welfare, development and rights of marginalized, backward, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Migrant
population belongs to Thirupporur block of Kancheepuram district. RDT is now extended its activities to run
Special Schools for migrant construction workers particularly for children from Northern states. RDT is also
working for the betterment of unorganized workers.
Because of city expansion and urban development, the agricultural activities are reducing gradually. In this
regard RDT encourages the farmers to sustain the agricultural operations. We support farmers to deepening
well, purchase of agricultural implements, obtaining government schemes and supports, delivering trainings
and consultancies on agricultural operational process.
Long Term Vision
“Ensure self-reliance for Farmers through Sustainable Agriculture”
FIGURE 2 ORGANIC SEED FOR FARMERS
Specific Objectives
 To extend support for farmers to obtain Government Schemes and Programs.
 To support farmers to produce non-toxic food cultivation.
 To prevent and reduce chemical fertilizers and pesticides and improve the health of soil.
 To promote and encourage bio-diversity among farmers.
 Encourage the farmers to use new technical support to increase the food productivity.
 To sustain, maintain and protect the water bodies and sources in the villages.
 To make aware of farmers and general population on “climate change” and protect the climate.
 To make aware of people and farmers about genetically modified seed and encourage them to stop
its cultivation and prevent them to use such products.
 To encourage homestead and terrace Nutritious Organic Vegetable Cultivation among women.
 To reduce the loan burden of farmers.
 To improve the life standards of farmers.
Proposed Interventions
 Training on compost manures and vermi-compost making.
 Encourage soil test among farmers.
 Trace out available government schemes and programs for farmers and help them to utilize the
same.
 Train the farmers to prepare growth promoters such as panchakavia, amirthakaraisal and
jeevaamirtham.
 Train the farmers on natural pest control and repellent methods such as herbal juice, light trap
methods and parasite card.
 Help, support and train farmers to form farm ponds, seepage ponds and educate them to find out
methods to protect the water sources and bodies in their operational areas.
 Train the farmers on various processes to increase the yield of land through drip irrigation, System
Rice Intensification-SRI process, mixed and inter-cultivation.
 Train the farmers on tree plantations, maintenance of seed banks, herbal cultivation and rearing
goat, sheep, fowl, milch, rabbit and other domestic animals.
 Train the farmers particularly women to form backyard vegetable garden and backyard poultry and
apiculture.
 Train the farmers on Climate Change and Global Environment and Seasonality aspects.
 Train and make aware of farmers on genetically modified seeds and facilitate them to prevent the
same.
 Help farmers to obtain subsidy and non-subsidy loans with minimum interest rate and fewer service
charges.
 Efforts will be made to provide best and standard education for farmers’ children.
 Training will be provided for women belong to farmers’ families to prepare organic agricultural
inputs and market the same to get regular employment and increase their income levels.
 Encourage and train women belong to farming communities to involve agro-related occupations such
as aqua-culture, prawn culture, crab-culture and duck rearing in local water sources.
 Establish library and documentation centers to cater to improve the knowledge of farmers.
 Encourage farmers to enroll in Farmers Protection and Insurance Schemes.
 Facilitate the farmers to understand and use of traditional prevention and management of cattle
health measures.
 Facilitate the farmers to involve yoga and meditation to sustain their health care.
 Facilitate the farmers and stakeholders to involve and activate government sponsored panchayat
level committees belong to forest, agriculture and water bodies.
 Encourage farmers to cultivate minor millets and eco-farming practices.
 Encourage farmers to use ICT in agriculture and its related activities to improve their knowledge and
income level.
FIGURE 3 VEGETABLE NUSERRY RISING
We believe and hope that above interventions will help farmer’s active involvement in agriculture and related
activities. We help them to easy methods to get the natural inputs and pest repellents. The unemployed people
will be used to produce natural inputs by which they get regular employment and income. In addition to this,
the Village Level Farmers Committees-VLFCs will get exposure and experiences from Government and Private
Agricultural Farms and replicate the same in their lands. A farmer’s federation will be formed to regulate the
activities of VLFCs. Women belongs to farmers will brought under SHGs and they will be provided Revolving
Fund to improve their infrastructure facilities with government subsidies. They will be link with banks,
government and financial institutions to get loans at minimum interest and service charges. The SHGs will be
encouraged institutional linkages and maintain the same for constructive purposes.
FIGURE 4 VEGETABLE PLANTATION
Project Operational Area:
20 villages belong to Thirupporur Block, Kancheepuram District.
25 tribal villages belong to Vadakunadu area of Chinna Kalrayan Hills, Salem District.
Beneficiary Details
Marginalized, small and poor farmers from Thirupporur block, Kancheepuram district.
Tribes (Karalars-Gounder) and Irula Tribes from Vadakunadu, Chinna Kalrayan Hills, Pethanaickenpalayam,
Athur Taluk, Salem district.
The Networking and Collaboration Institutions
 Department of Agriculture and Horticulture
 Nationalized and Government Banks
 Financial Institutions
 Farmers Federations
 Non-Governmental Organizations
 Department of Animal Husbandry and Universities
 Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
 Department of Forests and Environment
 Department of Local Administration
Ongoing Activities of Rural Development Trust in Agriculture
o 10 Farmers Women Self-Help Groups formed in Katoor village and functioning well. The above groups
were provided Revolving Fund. Savings, internal lending and repayment encouraged for agricultural
needs.
o Toilet facilities created for 75 agriculture families in Katoor village with cooperation of government.
o Training was organized on homestead kitchen garden, vermi-compost for women farmers and they
were provided seeds on free of cost. Two farmers provided financial support to deepen their wells.
o A building was constructed for Child Care Center at Arunkundram and Katoor in which more than 50
children belong to farmers are benefitted.
o Village Farmers Committees formed in Katoor, Eri Ethirvoil, Kayar, Eachingkadu, Thaiyur and Illalur,
villages in which 25 farmers enrolled in each committee.
o Efforts are taken to get loan for Farmers Committees from Banks with available government
subsidies.
o Agro-Forestry saplings obtained from Department of Forests.
o Continued efforts were taken by RDT to avail government schemes such as Old Age Pension, Marriage
Support, Widow Pension and Education Scholarships for eligible candidates.
o Tailoring training provided for young women belong to Ammapettai, Katoor and Venbedu villages.
o Jeevanthara insurance introduced and enrolled Agriculture laborers belong to Ammapettai, Katoor
and Venbedu villages.
o The above village agricultural workers enrolled under “unorganized workers” board to get
appropriate facilities.
o Efforts are taken to enroll farmers under “farmers protection scheme” sponsored by government.
o Farmers Protection Association formed in Eri Ethivoil.
o The farmers belong to Eri Ethivoil obtained drip irrigation pipes through government. Building and
other infrastructure facilities promoted in this village to organize meeting and trainings for farmers.
o Women Farmers Committee formed in Alathur and efforts were taken to get government schemes.
o 4 Women Farmers Committee formed in Kalrayan Malai Uzhavar Mandram-Navampattu, Nammalvar
Uzhavar Mandaram-Kilakkadu, Erumbur Uzhavar Mandram-Erumbur and Thiruvalluvar Uzhavar
Mandram-Valakapattu belong to Chinna Kalrayan. Bank Accounts were opened and operating as per
group norms in Indian Bank. Each committee consists of 15 members.
The Infrastructures in RDT to execute the Project
RDT is a registered Non-Governmental Organization under Trust Act. The Members of the Board derived
from various disciplines of development. It has Advisory Committee and Consultant and Technical Team
which meets periodically as well as need based to guide project implementations. It has FCR (A) and 12AA
facility to obtain foreign contribution and income tax exemptions. It has enough office space, training hall
and computer facilities, vehicles of two wheelers and four wheelers and qualified 25 staffs to carry out
all activities. The Village Farmers and Women Volunteers extended their full support, cooperation and
coordination to implement all programs well for the benefit of farmers and other stakeholders. RDT has
good documentation facility to maintain all records and documents.
If you are willing to associate with us through knowledge sharing, resource sharing, voluntary service
and financial support please contact us through our URL under mentioned:
T.K.Elumalai
Managing Trustee,
Rural Development Trust – RDT,
No.17.Chengalpattu Road,
Thirupporur – 603 110,
Kancheepuram District – Tamilnadu
Phone: 91-44-27445392, Fax-91-44-27445958
Mobile: 9442531003, E-mail: info@ruraldevelopmenttrust.org, ruraltrust@yahoo.com
Website: www.ruraldevelopmenttrust.org, www.rdt-trust.org