Page 45 - NIS English February 16-28

C a g g I a Positive Approach

WHERE THERE IS A WILL

THERE IS A WAY!

The Government’s new farming initiatives have changed the life of sweet potato cultivator
Ramgulab who was appreciated by the Prime Minister during a programme in December
2020; initiative taken by a group of women is not only helping to keep Kaziranga National
Park clean but generating employment

NEW AVENUES FOR FARMERS TURNING WASTE INTO FABRIC

amgulab, a farmer from Uttar Pradesh,
Rcame to limelight when he got appreciation upjyoti Saikia Gogoi has found an innovative
from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a Rway to deal with the plastic trash thrown in
programme in December last year. Ramgulab and around Kaziranga National Park— a world
has formed a Farmer Producer Organisation heritage site and home to the endangered one-
(FPO) with a group of 300 farmers. They are horned rhino. Gogoi collects this trash and turns
now selling their produce for one and a half it into traditional handloom fabric through her
times more compared to earlier. A Government venture – Village Weaves. She along with other
campaign is underway in the country to create women from the area go around collecting all the
more than 10,000 FPOs and they are being litter that they can find. Once they collect enough,
provided financial assistance. Ramgulab’s FPO the entire trash is washed and dried. Long strips
is selling their V-43 golden sweet potato crop to are cut out of the collected material and tied by
an Ahmedabad-based farming company. After hand to make a long thread out of it. This thread
being hailed by the Prime Minister, Ramgulab was is then woven along with a cotton thread on the
approached by the Indian Railways to help them traditional loom. Afterwards this fabric is used
in transporting the produce to Gujarat, saving to make various items like traditional dresses,
time and money. The company will purchase 400 stoles, table runners etc. So far she has trained
tons sweet potato and give them Rs 25/kg. The over 2,000 women across 35 villages in Assam
same crop would fetch them only Rs 15-20/per making them self-reliant. In 2012, the group set
kg in local market. The first consignment of 10 up a sales outlet named Kaziranga Haat, where
tons will be sent in February while 200 tons of they sell their products directly to the foreigners
sweet potato will be supplied by June 2021. Now, and other customers. Her initiative is not only
Ramgulab’s sweet potato will reach markets in helping in environment conservation but is also
Gujarat at less cost and in just around 35 hours. making women financially independent.

New India Samachar 43