Your concept of an 'ecocentric circle' takes an innovative approach to establishing food production, storage, and enterprise growth in an inclusive and sustainable manner. Tell us more about the mechanism of operation for the project. How will grain be delivered, collected, and stored? Additionally, how do you handle situations where loans are unable to be repaid or interest is not met? Also, does grain itself serve as an alternative currency, a commodity, as well as collateral for a loan?
We think an interesting connection for you is with Gram Kosh, http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/node/9197 which is also implementing a community reserve fund through the accumulation and storage of grain. We encourage you to start a dialogue and see if there are alignment opportunities between your organizations.
Since the judges spend more time reading the entry form than the comments, please also update your entry in addition to responding to our questions and other comments. This will provide the panel of expert judges with the most comprehensive explanation.
The Grain will Be delivered to the needy people before monsoon. This is the main season when people need the grain which is available and accessible to them. Then the grain is collected after harvest with interest or surplus. The grain is stored in villages in temples, common places, central places, in gunny bags or sacks and in bins. The grain is separated varietywise. The stocks and varieties are known to the people they take it as per their requirement. Everybody contributes to the common fund required for maintainance of the storage, storage and handling losses. In tribal areas we used grain as currency i.e. all the transactions were in terms of grain. In drought prone areas it is used as commodity and the repayment was done in money terms. The grain bank can also help poor people for storage of their grain and give them 50% amount of the cost of the stock as loan. We are helping Many poor women's groups for buying grain at the time of harvest. This time the rate of the grain is at the lowest. They get mental as well as food security and use it to bargain for the higher wages.
First of all let me congratulate you on thinking along the lines of a very noble idea of food security.
I have certain doubts about the idea.
Firstly as we all know in a country like India the agriculture is exposed to the vagaries of Monsoon so please clarify as to whether the model takes a particular period of very poor monsoon into consideration. If so what are the measures taken to ensure sustainability during this period.
Secondly apart from community measures what steps are you planning to take to ensure smooth disbursal as well as collection of funds and minimize defaults.
Best Wishes..
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University Ambassador,
SIGMA - XLRI, India
The grain distribution by the grain bank happens before monsoon. During monsoon season the tribals require food grain to eat and work on their fields. In the rest of the season they can find work and get the food required. Whatever grain remains with the grain bank is stored until next harvest season. If poor monsoon appears then the stored grain will be used. This is possible when villagers have developed their own buffer stock. In drought prone areas we asked the people to take loan in grain terms and repay in money terms. The repaid money is used to buy the grain from the outside sources. To augment the food security in drought prone areas people should use organic farming methods. O.F. requires very less water and outside resources.
Apart from community measures we can apply micro finance capital to generate employment in the area by giving the poor people the value addition to their produce. The distribution of goat and buffalo serves as alternate livelihood for them.
In the last 5 years about 1500 farmers have availed the services of the grain bank. i.e. annually about 300 farmers. There is great demand for grain bank services. If funds are available on time then yearly minimum 10000 farmers can take the benefit of it.
In the last 5 years about 1500 farmers have taken benefit of the GB program. i.e. annually 300 farmers on as average. If funds are available on time then this no. can go to 10000 members annually. So much denad is there in rural areas.
Comments
How many farmers have availed the services og GB in the past 5 years, both cumulatively and on an annual basis.
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Featured Commentator
Ashoka's Changemakers
Thank you for submitting your entry!
Your concept of an 'ecocentric circle' takes an innovative approach to establishing food production, storage, and enterprise growth in an inclusive and sustainable manner. Tell us more about the mechanism of operation for the project. How will grain be delivered, collected, and stored? Additionally, how do you handle situations where loans are unable to be repaid or interest is not met? Also, does grain itself serve as an alternative currency, a commodity, as well as collateral for a loan?
We think an interesting connection for you is with Gram Kosh, http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/node/9197 which is also implementing a community reserve fund through the accumulation and storage of grain. We encourage you to start a dialogue and see if there are alignment opportunities between your organizations.
Since the judges spend more time reading the entry form than the comments, please also update your entry in addition to responding to our questions and other comments. This will provide the panel of expert judges with the most comprehensive explanation.
Thanks so much! We look forward to learning more.
Best wishes,
The Changemakers Team
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Kaylena Bray
Ashoka's Changemakers
The Grain will Be delivered to the needy people before monsoon. This is the main season when people need the grain which is available and accessible to them. Then the grain is collected after harvest with interest or surplus. The grain is stored in villages in temples, common places, central places, in gunny bags or sacks and in bins. The grain is separated varietywise. The stocks and varieties are known to the people they take it as per their requirement. Everybody contributes to the common fund required for maintainance of the storage, storage and handling losses. In tribal areas we used grain as currency i.e. all the transactions were in terms of grain. In drought prone areas it is used as commodity and the repayment was done in money terms. The grain bank can also help poor people for storage of their grain and give them 50% amount of the cost of the stock as loan. We are helping Many poor women's groups for buying grain at the time of harvest. This time the rate of the grain is at the lowest. They get mental as well as food security and use it to bargain for the higher wages.
----------
University Ambassador,
SIGMA - XLRI, India
Dear Grain Bank
Greetings from Team SIGMA, XLRI !!!
First of all let me congratulate you on thinking along the lines of a very noble idea of food security.
I have certain doubts about the idea.
Firstly as we all know in a country like India the agriculture is exposed to the vagaries of Monsoon so please clarify as to whether the model takes a particular period of very poor monsoon into consideration. If so what are the measures taken to ensure sustainability during this period.
Secondly apart from community measures what steps are you planning to take to ensure smooth disbursal as well as collection of funds and minimize defaults.
Best Wishes..
----------
University Ambassador,
SIGMA - XLRI, India
The grain distribution by the grain bank happens before monsoon. During monsoon season the tribals require food grain to eat and work on their fields. In the rest of the season they can find work and get the food required. Whatever grain remains with the grain bank is stored until next harvest season. If poor monsoon appears then the stored grain will be used. This is possible when villagers have developed their own buffer stock. In drought prone areas we asked the people to take loan in grain terms and repay in money terms. The repaid money is used to buy the grain from the outside sources. To augment the food security in drought prone areas people should use organic farming methods. O.F. requires very less water and outside resources.
Apart from community measures we can apply micro finance capital to generate employment in the area by giving the poor people the value addition to their produce. The distribution of goat and buffalo serves as alternate livelihood for them.
In the last 5 years about 1500 farmers have availed the services of the grain bank. i.e. annually about 300 farmers. There is great demand for grain bank services. If funds are available on time then yearly minimum 10000 farmers can take the benefit of it.
In the last 5 years about 1500 farmers have taken benefit of the GB program. i.e. annually 300 farmers on as average. If funds are available on time then this no. can go to 10000 members annually. So much denad is there in rural areas.
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