IIT Mandi turning farmers of Kamand valley into Farmer Producer Companies in collaboration with NABARD

EWOK (Enabling Women of Kamand valley) Society and IIT Mandi have been organizing farmers in the surrounding areas into farmer producer companies (FPC) supported by NABARD (Agreement signed in Feb 2020).

To increase productivity in a scientific way, they are working with the model Local community – NGO (EWOK) – Academia (IIT Mandi, CSIR IHBT), – Industry (Nature Biotech Products). EWOK keeps organizing interactive sessions to bring all the stakeholders in this model together to address the issues faced by farmers of Mandi district regarding the cultivation of tagetes, the last session was held on 7th June 2022. They have been distributing seeds to the local farmers, a total of  60 farmers have received the seeds this year. 

Highlighting the recent developments, Ms. Sandhya Menon, Executive Director Operations, EWOK Society, IIT Mandi, said, “I take this opportunity to thank CSIR IHBT for the unit from mission aroma and IIT Mandi for providing land to install oil extraction unit and other support. The past three years has proved that not only does Junglee Gendha cultivation help farmers in using their abandoned land but also can increase incomes from Rs. 1200 to Rs. 10000 per bhiga of land. And the best way for this to go forward is if farmers take ownership to make it successful in the future. I appeal to all interested farmers to join with EWOK and run a profitable organization which will help their families and future generations.” 

There is great demand for essential oil extracted from the ‘Tagetes’ which is commonly known as ‘Junglee Genda’. EWOK has been motivating the farmers in the cultivation of Tagetes on the lands abandoned by them due to the wildlife menace. This practice is helping the farmers to earn additional income from their neglected lands. An oil extraction unit provided by CSIR-IHBT Palampur as part of Aroma Mission Phase 2 has been installed by EWOK with the land support from IIT Mandi in Salgi village. The unit is easily accessible to the farmers from Kataula, Batheri, Katindhi, Sakrayar, Kamand, and Navlay Panchayats. The value addition is helping the local farmers to earn around INR 9000- INR 11000 from1 bhiga land.