Food Security and Livelihood Nutrition and Livelihood

Background

AWARE has implemented different projects in irrigated and arid areas of Umerkot and Tharparkar districts of Sindh province. The core objective of the project was building resilient communities having food security. At household level; kitchen gardening is done in Thar and water source is underground water extracted with support of windmills and solar powered pumps. So far more than 5000 families are trained in producing organic vegetables. Remarkable results have been achieved by supporting these small farmers. This has enhanced income sources in tail areas of river system for overcoming food insecurity.

These farmers are linked with Agriculture Extension Department and under collaborative engagement farm facilitation centers are also established in area. Livestock is major source of nutrition, income and is also an asset for people living in Thar, so AWARE also trained livestock herders in Chachro, Tharparkar and Umerkot areas and got vaccinated their animals from department concerned. Also livestock holders are trained on managing the herd on scientific basis.

Rural Poultry for Women

To increase food security and income generation at household level total 200 poultry farms have been distributed by AWARE in 14 drought affected villages of Tharparkar. The criteria was to select the most vulnerable women living in the selected villages i.e disable ones, widows, , having more children and limited source of income, women having ill/ old or handicapped bread winner and willing to choose the profession) The poultry farms are comprised of 10 hens and a rooster. It is aimed that production of chicken meat and eggs will reduce malnutrition and help increase income and generate small enterprise in the villages.

• https://web.facebook.com/pg/AWARE-tdh-154136231753968/photos/?tab=album&album_id=282609418906648 • https://web.facebook.com/pg/AWARE-tdh-154136231753968/photos/?tab=album&album_id=506143409886580 Embroidery Kits and Sewing Machines

• Family income generating activities linked to target women are restored and strengthened through the provision of material for sewing and related technical training.

• Sewing machines and embroidery kits are provided to 1080 women of drought-affected parts of Thar to earn. Now these women are stable and doing best at their end.

Organize Skill Development and Resources for 300 Women of Thar

To empower women through skill and resources was aimed to encourage women through skill training for alternative source of earning. Realizing the potential of women work force and importance of vocation, handicraft development, Team has organized 04 days Orientation of Enterprise Development (Linking with Markets and Institutions) for women of AWARE/TDH projected area. Most of women earning for their livelihood purpose through sewing, and handcrafting at their respective villages.

• 60 women have been trained on handicraft. Trained women were provided with sewing machines along with handcraft material kit .5 women of the trained women are sewing for their family and 25 of them are earning through sewing and 7 of them are working on handicraft. • https://youtu.be/pEoBU04iMzM

• https://web.facebook.com/pg/AWARE-tdh-154136231753968/photos/?tab=album&album_id=260053947828862

Enhancing source of Livelihood of Vulnerable women by establishing Small shops at Tharparkar 15 small shops has been established headed by women in selected 14 villages. The shops are aimed to provide alternative employment to most deserving women of the village. The selection of beneficiaries was made through the vulnerability criteria set for identification of needy persons. Moreover, village committees were taken onboard in beneficiary selection. The small shops comprised of items for domestic use and human consumption. The small shops not only provided alternative employment opportunity but it also met the supply of services at village level. To increase food security and income generation at household level

• https://web.facebook.com/pg/AWARE-tdh-154136231753968/photos/?tab=album&album_id=254763435024580

Date Palm cultivation in Drought affected villages of Tharparkar by AWARE with the support of Arid Zone Research Institute (AZRI) Umerkot.

AWARE Team has started a campaign of date palm trees plantation in Thar, this is in fact, first ever step in area. (farm developed on two acres )

• https://web.facebook.com/pg/AWARE-tdh-154136231753968/photos/?tab=album&album_id=506120829888838

AWARE had been promoting trees plantation in Thar and we had been remained close coordination with Arid Zone Research Institute (AZRI) Umerkot which is a branch of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), a Govt of Pakistan’s institute. The institute conducted different experiments and AEWARE supported in promotion of its valuable work https://vimeo.com/146094905

– Executive Director of AWARE is the member of Technical Working Group of AZRI Umerkot, so he suggested to grow date palm trees in Thar because he visited International Bio-saline Agriculture Center @ Dubai and where date palms are grown successfully.

– AZRI Umerkot planted some species at Umerkot, in Thar Desert portion with water salinity up to 2400ppm. Here are some pictures of trees bearing the fruit https://www.flickr.com/photos/140255286@N03/albums/72157692395710060

– AWARE Team selected area for promoting date palm in the villages where already solar powered water supply systems are installed with support of different donors.

Kitchen Gardening

AWARE has implemented different projects in irrigated and arid areas of Umerkot and Tharparkar districts of Sindh province. The core objective was building resilient communities having food security. At household level; kitchen gardening is done in Thar and water source is underground water extracted with support of windmills and solar powered pumps.

• More than 800 families are trainedin producing organic vegetables. Terre Des Hommes TDH BMZ, Action Aid and philanthropists supported for that.

• Also in same area 11 seed banks are established and more than 1400 farmers are beneficiaries. • KG kits provided to 1400 in Umerkot and Tharparkar with the support of GoS under SIAPEP • KG kits provided to 400 most vulnerable families in Umerkot and Tharparkar with the support of UNOCHA under PHPF

• https://web.facebook.com/pg/AWARE-tdh-154136231753968/photos/?tab=album&album_id=221053815062209 • https://web.facebook.com/pg/AWARE-tdh-154136231753968/photos/?tab=album&album_id=221053815062209 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAT8JvseDKg&feature=youtu.be

• http://www.thesindhtimes.com/sindh/aware-introduces-kitchen-gardening-tharparkar/

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Results of Kitchen Gardening

• The concept Kitchen Gardening at HH level in the marginalized rural and desert areas has increased

• They are growing fresh and seasonal vegetables at their doorsteps

• nutritional values and having balanced diet in drought affected villages has improved • They are promoting more local vegetables

• Waste Water of the households is used for Growing vegetables in their gardens High Efficient Irrigation System (HEIS)

Two High Efficient Irrigation System (HEIS) provided in Tando Muhammad Khan and Badin with the support of Oxfam

Goats Distribution

944 goats were given to widows of Chachro and Dahli Tharparkar area with support of philanthropists. The objective was to provide opportunity for socially excluded segment of population who can earn and live with dignity. The breeding is replenished and protected by distributing goats’ kit, vaccination and technical training on good farming practices.

• https://www.facebook.com/aware.thar/media_set?set=a.478383039005327.1073741940.100005009049443&type=3

Livestock Drench and Vaccination

Livestock is a major source of nutrition, income and is also an asset for people living in Thar. AWARE trained livestock herders in Chachro, Tharparkar area and got vaccinated their animals from department concerned. Also livestock holders are trained on managing the herd on scientific basis. Livestock is one of the major sources of livelihood for the people of Thar in context of Tharparkar region. It has been a trend to keep livestock amongst Thar since centuries whether in rains or drought in this barren land of neglected society.

AWARE, has been consistently striving for uplifting the livestock pollination in Tharparkar. AWARE has an aim to exterminate or to control different types of seasonal diseases amongst the livestock. In that course of work, AWARE in collaboration with TDH, Germany worked on livestock vaccination campaign among different villages of two UCs (Charnaore & Hiraar) taluka Chachro, District Tharparkar.

Moreover, as Tharparkar has been constantly on threat & risks of various type of seasonal and unseasonal disease amongst its livestock. Therefore putting these things under consideration, Livestock expert, AWARE frequently goes to field side at different villages of these two UCs and make vaccination among the livestock.

In this regard, livestock team vaccinated 66630 herds during year of 2016, 2017and 2018. Furthermore, after the vaccination process, a comprehensive meeting was held with community persons, Besides this, Livestock expert, AWARE informed the communities about different disease, symptoms and its preventions and also informed about the solutions of these disease. He also suggested the community to contact with DVM Dr or livestock expert on priority basis if any of the community members find her/his herd affected with a disease. This is important for timely cure of the cattle. As these areas are very backward, people were advised to be attentive about proper care of their livestock, so that people of these areas must be well awarded for any financial loss by saving the livestock.

• https://www.facebook.com/154136231753968/photos/?tab=album&album_id=253792821788308 • https://www.facebook.com/154136231753968/photos/?tab=album&album_id=274113499756240 • https://www.flickr.com/photos/127897861@N05/sets/72157649873847909

PPR vaccination to 1.2 small ruminants in drought affected district Umerkot

AWARE as a Partner with Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (‘FAO”), implemented project of vaccination activity against highly pathogenic PPR disease in 42 Union Council of Umerkot district. Overall goal of the project was to protect one million and four hundred thousand small ruminants against PPR with the coordination of Government Livestock Department in drought affected district Umerkot in province Sindh.

Fodder Distribution

• With support of Action Aid during Thar Drought Response 2014, Fodder for livestock, mobile health camps and livestock vaccination along seed provision – 300 families were directly benefited in UC Tardos and Saranghiar Chachro, Tharparkar https://youtu.be/pEoBU04iMzM

• Feed provided to 2600 most vulnerable families in Tharparkar with the support of UNOCHA under PHPF https://youtu.be/isJfpOMS6p4

Seed for farmers

• 5000 families are trained in producing organic vegetables. By supporting these small farmers for enhancing income sources in tail areas of river system for overcoming the for food insecurity issue the results achieved are remarkable. These farmers are linked with Agriculture Extension Department and under collaborative engagement farm facilitation centers are also established in area. Livestock is major source of nutrition, income and is also asset for people living in Tha

https://web.facebook.com/pg/AWARE-tdh-154136231753968/photos/?tab=album&album_id=249076762259914

• Seeds provided to 2400 most vulnerable families in Tharparkar with the support of UNOCHA under PHPF https://youtu.be/uOpW8i__S2U

Collaborative Engagement

– Documented initiatives of Arid Zone Research Institute (AZRI) Umerkot. The way to make Thar Green, https://vimeo.com/146094905

– Food consumption card survey in UC Khejrari District Umerkot

During food consumption card interviews of HH head

– Facilitate Agriculture extension department & researchers at field level

https://www.facebook.com/aware.thar/media_set?set=a.443458629164435.1073741912.100005009049443&type=3

1. Strengthening Small Farmers

– Reducing food insecurity project documentary

– Seed and tool kits provision

– Establishment of commercial vegetable garden

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136996101@N07/albums/72157660333735054

– Post Harvest Management Training

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136996101@N07/albums/72157662339762320

– Bio fertilizer Distribution

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136996101@N07/albums/72157662686373305

2. Managing Natural Resources

– Supporting small farmers for enhancing income sources in tail areas of river system for overcoming the for food insecurity issue

– Establishing seed banks at village level managed by women

– Kitchen gardening with drip system established to contribute in fresh vegetable by women farmers https://vimeo.com/143217807

and a short documentary how women farmers have established kitchen gardening in Thar https://vimeo.com/129089151

– Livestock vaccination in Chachro, Tharparkar

– “Kitchen gardening by Pitcher System” Short documentary “Waste to Wealth” by women for food security

http://vimeo.com/104221260

– Fruit plants – orchards

– 05 model plots – drip and other water conservation techniques applied in Umerkot area with support of Oxfam Novib by AWARE

https://www.facebook.com/aware.thar/media_set?set=a.479873338856297.1073741941.100005009049443&type=3 – Kitchen gardening seed distributed

Opportunities for excluded people

– Sewing Machines distribution to artisan women in Thar

– Handicraft Kits distribution to artisan women with support of Muslim Charity in 2014 https://www.flickr.com/photos/127897861@N05/sets/72157654937771024

– AHAN Training on handicraft 2012,