Bhawana Sewa Sansthan (BSS) has a number of well-though-out interventions that engage farmers for enhancing agriculture productivity. Most of these initiatives are concentrated in Bhadohi, Gonda, Deoria, Lucknow, Shahjahanpur, Badaun and Varanasi. The organisation encourages farmers to adopt modern and scientific agrarian practices that make agriculture a profitable and sustainable venture. It has also been making serious efforts to make farmers shift from traditional farming to organic farming. In this process, it has created several farmer groups that have shunned the use of chemicals in farming, especially in the cultivation of vegetables.
The organisation undertakes programmes in collaboration with Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) and National Bank For Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) to promote sustainable agriculture in parts of Uttar Pradesh.
ATMA is a society of key stakeholders involved in agricultural activities for sustainable agricultural development in the district. It is a focal point for integrating Research and Extension activities and decentralising day to day management of the public Agricultural Technology System (ATS). It is a registered society responsible for technology dissemination at the district level.
Around 1000 farmers were covered as part of this initiative. Sessions on multiple farming, modern agrarian practices, organic farming, soil testing, optimising the use of seeds, fertilsers, pesticides, water and cultural activities etc were conducted during Krishak Melas.
Exposure visits, outside Uttar Pradesh, were conducted to Indian Agriculture Research Institute, PUSA, New Delhi Agriculture University Meerut and Govind Ballabh Pant University Of Agriculture & Technology, Uttarakhand. One day exposure visit was also conducted in Acharya Narendra Dev Inter College in Deoria. In FY 2019-20, the organisation reached out to 673 farmers were through its exposure visits.
Resource materials that would help farmers in agriculture are also given away during the programmes. In FY 2019-20, such training programmes were conducted at Govind Ballabh Pant University Of Agriculture & Technology, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand; Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, formerly Allahabad Agricultural Institute; Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Agriculture University, Bharatpur Rajisthan, Meerut and Ganna Vikas Sansthan, Gonda, Krishi Vigyan Kendra Patna Bihar. The organisation engaged with 7776 farmers through its residential and non-residential training programmes.
BSS undertakes a number of initiatives supported by NABARD, which is entrusted with matters concerning policy planning and operations in the field of credit for agriculture and other economic activities in rural areas in India.The organisation is actively involved in mobilising farmers and building their capacity to collectively leverage their production and marketing strength. BSS ensures end-to-end support in terms of providing access to on-time quality inputs such as seed, fertilizer and machinery; strengthening extension services, building farmer capacities and facilitating access to fair and remunerative markets including linking producer groups to marketing opportunities.
They have been conducting regular meetings, taking up income generating activities, encouraging savings and thrifts, tying up with financial institutions for financing of their activities, internal loaning and sale of their products directly to buyers eliminating middlemen and money lenders. It has also taken up various activities such as community meetings, gender sensitization, awareness campaign, vocational and capacity building training programme with the objective to empower these women. These programmes are given much importance to the enhancement of the quality of life of them through support for income generation activities and promotion of behavioral and attitudinal changes that allow them to equal partners in the family and the community.
Skill Development- BSS is involved in imparting information on vocational education and available market opportunities to the youth. The organisation is one of the partners of WOW Skill Saathi Training Programme. Skill Saathi is a career counselling initiative of the National Skill Development Corporation, under the aegis of of MSDE, to create awareness about the Skill India Mission and guide candidates by providing them with information on career paths and opportunities.In FY 2019-20, BSS reached out to 1500 youth through skill training programmes conducted in three blocks of Shahjahanpur.
Health- Towards creating a healthier society by popularising preventive measures, BSS conducts awareness programmes on various issues of health and hygiene. The organisation organises health awareness and healthcare camps in its operational areas in Allahabad, Shahjahanpur and Lucknow, with a special focus on women, girls and children.
Malaria Prevention (Vector-borne disease prevention): Public awareness about malaria is a key factor in malaria prevention and control and improving treatment-seeking behaviour. BSS underlines the need to promote awareness about the role of early diagnosis and appropriate treatment and address misconceptions about transmission of malaria. In the camps organised by BSS, the community members are explained in detail about the causes and symptoms of malaria, preventive measures to be taken and how they can avail treatment. They are also informed that free anti-malarial drugs are available in all health institutions as well as with the ASHA workers.
HIV/AIDS Prevention/ TB Elimination:: In its efforts to fight HIV and AIDS epidemic, BSS carries out awareness drives that are aimed at truckers, contract and migrant workers, and other members of the local community. While education camps initially encountered resistance because of the social stigma associated with HIV and AIDS, repeated awareness activities have helped gain acceptance. The camps focus on educating the community members about the preventives steps to be taken for avoiding HIV/STIs. Suspected patients are given proper counselling. If necessary, the oganisation also helps them avail medical treatment. Special focus is given to identify High Risk Groups (HRGs) that are counselled and supplied with the condoms, syringes etc. Tuberculosis (TB) is one of India’s major public health problems. BSS organises camps to disseminate information about the causes, types, symptoms, impact and the need for continuous.
Family Planning: BSS holds regular camps to promote family planning measures among the community. The organisation feels that there is a need for a focused inter-personal and intensive communication programme to address the prevailing myths, misconceptions, fears and concerns of families and couples towards acceptance of higher order family planning methods like long acting reversible and permanent methods.
Women Self Help Groups: To empower the women and enhancement of their livelihood Bhawana Sewa Sansthan with the support of NABARD organized women self help groups training programs at Kant block of Shahjahanpur. Mr. Chiranjeev Singh DDM NABARD Shahjahanpur and other agriculture scientist interacted with participants women and discussed upon the SHGs and their advantages.
Krishak Goshthi on Shaheed Amar Roshan Singh Samman Diwas: Bhawana Sewa Sansthan conducted a Krishak Goshthi on Shaheed Amar Roshan Singh Samman Diwas. Total 250 farmers were comprised and benefitted. The program was intended to spread awareness among farmers about Animal Husbandary