Ecological Farming
NIRMAN works for the promotion of ecological farming through encouraging the use of indigenous seeds & manure, and nature-friendly pest management systems that reduce the dependency on costly & toxic chemical pesticides. Five of our farmers’ groups have been certified under the Organic PGS (Participatory Guarantee System) in the Tumudibandha Block of Kandhamal district Odisha.
Millet-based Bio-diverse Farming System NIRMAN has intervened in the traditional but degenerating millet -based biodiverse farming system, increasing the crop diversity from 13 to 35 types and food security for another 45 to 60 days. NIRMAN’s contribution is highly recognized for the revival of millet farming systems, and it has extensively campaigned for mainstreaming millets since 2011. It is one of the first organizations that attempted to draw the attention of policy makers on the significance & necessity of reviving millets for addressing malnourishment in Odisha; and thanks to such collective effort the government decided to include millets in Mid-Day Meal and Public Distribution System. Further , the Government of Odisha has also launched Odisha Millets Mission for implementation of a special program on millets; and NIRMAN has partnered with Millets Mission for implementation in Tumudibandh and Kotagarh in Kandhamal district and Kalyansinghpur block in Rayagada district.
Our Vision is promoting equitable
Nirman focuses on restoring the ecosystems with rich biodiversity and has specific intervention in agriculture, natural resource management and governance. The organization is concerned with issues relating to the negative impact of climatic variations and current development paradigm that has endangered the natural resources and traditional knowledge base. Thus, it yearns to have sovereignty over the seed, the soil, the land, water, the indigenous knowledge system and strives to achieve sustainable use of natural resources and democratize its governance pattern.
