The global Corona pandemic has adversely affected the vulnerable farmers especially the ones in suburbs like Malkhangiri. The lockdown doesn’t help the situation much, either. There was sheer apprehension among the local agricultural farmers of availing input support on time from various sources for the upcoming Kharif cultivation. Soba Jankia, a smallholder woman farmer, aged about 48 years from Duraguda village of Dalapatiguda GP, under Mathili Block of the district carried similar feeling of insecurity. According to Soba Jankia, “We did not have any means to access or procure seeds support for the Kharif season. My husband and Iwere quite panic and worried. This time the God became so unkind to us”.

Malkanagiri being the operational district, CYSD team had taken notice of the issue and planned to extend necessary input support to the vulnerable farmers to initiate Kharif crop cultivation getting out of the jeopardy of Corona. To materialize it, the team initiated negotiations with the M/s LAMPCS to help the farmers avail seed support at a subsidized rate. The organization anticipated that the proposal would benefit a total of two hundred and forty (240) farmers of sponsored households in terms of paddy seed and technical support.

To this effect, an immediate assessment exercise was conducted in Dalapatiguda GP by the project volunteers to identify the needy farmer beneficiaries.  Being one of the sponsored families, Soba Jankia was included in the beneficiaries list. As per the plan, necessary paddy seeds support was provided to the select families. Soba also received required support.

“Now, we are free from anxiety after getting timely paddy seed support. God has listened to my prayer during this critical hour. This Kharif season will bring a good yield and help restore the livelihoods of my family”, shared delightful Soba.

This small effort of CYSD in partnership with Child Fund India helped the poor farmers restore their faith, foot their bills and earn their living and proved a friend of the needy farmers.