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Community Farming – Paththaimani

Networks strengthened to promote social cohesion and reconciliation.

The members of two RDSs Paththaimani North & West involved in land clearance under the cash for work activity.

The cash for work in Kopay was significant in this project toward social cohesion. Different members of the public were brought to a common forum to work for a common goal. The promoted inclusive practice paved the way for success in both ways. 01 – met the project objective and 02 – the output for their activity. In Kopay, the land with overgrown vegetation was cleared for the agricultural activities of farmers of two Rural Development Societies. This activity created several positivities.

• The uncultivated land covered with trees & shrubs was in the middle of many adjoining cultivation lands. The wild boars and many other animals & pets destroyed the vegetable cultivation in the neighborhood and stayed in this undeveloped land; in other words, this land helped to accommodate many undisclosed pets which were destroying the nearby farms in many ways. When this land was cleared for cultivation that drove away those pests too. Now the neighboring farmers are feeling relief from such threats. This created goodwill [also meant as social cohesion] between the host and adjacent communities.

• This unfarmed land created fear among people who go along that road, which is always deserted, and that land was a safe place for persons of abuse, crimes, and unethical behaviors. Now it cleared and men and women are working in the daytime, and there is no possibility of the above-said threat.

  

  

  
  

The land is being surveyed and divided for farming allocations

The land is being ploughed for cultivation

The land is divided among 09 farmers and approx. 20 – 25 labours (both men and women) got employment opportunities while land clearance, and they belonged to both RDSs. Therefore, the land became a direct income source for the farmers and a few daily labours, and the traders in the supply chain shall become indirect beneficiaries in the future and contribute to the national economy.

A tube well was offered by a well-wisher to these farmers, and it was constructed by the Kopay DS office.

The 09 farmers are also added to the existing host community farmers and thus can strengthen the bargaining point that farmers joint handily can demand the traders to come nearest to them. In the future, there is the possibility that the traders shall come closer to them. This community farming is also a symbolic gesture for social cohesion.

A farmer invented a locally made spray irrigation system in his plot of farmland.

The pictures indicate how the development had taken place. As said above the development of this land minimized the pest threats and this helped farmers in adjoining farmland feel the safety of their crops.

Once this land with its heavily grown shrubs was a safe place for antisocial activities. It was used to consume alcohol, marijuana, and drugs. The Drunkenness, Narcotics addictive persons were safely sleeping areas, and housed criminals. People especially women & girls were scared to go alone this way even in the daytime, and parents, guardians, and husbands were reluctant and avoided traveling this way with their dependents in the night. Now this area is free from this fear, and this makes the host community interact with these farmers.

These farmers are living at a distance away from these plots of farmlands. They leave their water pumps, and water pipes on their land, they have the fear of theft, but they do not have alternative ways and so far, nothing happened. They do have the fear for the safety of their harvest. They have a few months ahead for their harvest and are fear of theft, and they hope that the vigilant host community may protect this harvest along with theirs’. The positive interaction is another outcome of this project.

The farmers are involved in cash crops cultivation such as Onion, Big onion, and Peanuts. The farmers in the neighbourhood also cultivate the same. Therefore, these new farmers do not have to go behind the traders to sell their products, because those traders shall come to the doorstep to purchase their products. They can collectively demand traders for better prices another opportunity. The cash crops products help Sri Lankan government to reduce their import quota and save foreign currency, therefore, the above farmers help the national economy.

UNDP Resident Representative for Sri Lanka, Ms.Asuza Kubota ceremonially planted a coconut seedling to mark her visit.