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1Annual Report 2014-15

ANNUAL REPORT

2014-2015

the

timbaktuc o l l e t i v e

life we celebrate you

2

ContentsTimbaktu Collective ............................................. 5

Chiguru .................................................................... 6

Militha ..................................................................... 10

Swasakthi ............................................................... 12

Timbaktu Organic ............................................... 14

Dharani FaM Coop Ltd. ..................................... 17

Gramasiri ............................................................... 19

CDM ....................................................................... 21

Kalpavalli ................................................................ 22

... in Media .............................................................. 24

News ...................................................................... 26

Financial Information - 2014-2015 .................. 27


Timbaktu CollectiveChennekothapalli, Anantapur District – 515101,

Andhra Pradesh, India.

Annual Report2014-2015


Timbaktu CollectiveThe Timbaktu Collective is a registered Not-for-Profit Organisation initiated in

1990, working for sustainable development in the drought prone Anantapur

district of Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) INDIA.

The Collective works in the margins. It works in one of the most disadvantaged

regions in the country, affected by chronic droughts, huge tracts of unproductive

lands, high rate of unemployment and poor infrastructural facilities.

Vision

Rural communities take control of their own lives, govern themselves and live in

social and gender harmony while maintaining a sustainable lifestyle.

Mission

To enable marginalised rural people, landless labourers, and small and marginal

farmers particularly women, children, youth, dalits and the disabled, to enhance

their livelihood resources, get organised and work towards social justice and

gender equity and lead life in a meaningful and joyous manner.

Strategy

With local self-governance as the underlying theme, the Collective develops

models that address the rights of the most disadvantaged rural people.

The models include: ecological restoration of wasted common lands with village

communities; organic farming and marketing with small holder

farmers; alternative banking, credit creation, legal aid and counselling with and

for women; child friendly education and children’s resource centres; livelihood

through animal husbandry with agricultural labour families; and justice and support

for people with disabilities.

As part of its strategy, the Collective has formed numerous village based

organisations for the rural poor, promoted producer owned mutually aided

business enterprises and revived the Cooperative movement.

Values

Celebration of Life; Faith in people and their wisdom; Cooperation; Excellence

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ChiguruRights of children and youth & Alternative Education

Chiguru addresses children’s needs: a safe and a happy

environment, creative learning opportunities and a future

with choices. It also addresses the ecological rights of

children.

The Collective believes that children should have

opportunities for protective, nurturing, alternative

learning space and living conditions, choices to shape their

own future, access to variety of resources needed for

children’s physical, mental and emotional growth,

enhanced creative skills, basic skills like reading, writing,

arithmetic enhanced for slow learners, learning as a joyful

experience, celebrating life through festivals and events

and above all living a confident, fearless childhood.

Chiguru has 3 components:

• Prakruti Badi: a school that caters to children in

difficult circumstances.

• Children’s Reource Centre that children in the

village can access and use

• Mogga: forum for children and youth to discuss,

and articulate their needs and rights.

Prakruti BadiInitiated in 1992, the Nature School a.k.a. Prakruthi Badi

is an alternative learning centre for underprivileged

children located in the agro-forest environs of Timbaktu.

This centre provides children a unique opportunity to

make learning a hands-on experience and to get sensitised

to environmental and ecological issues. The effort is to

create a joyous and fearless environment to learn at one’s

own pace and understand education in its truest sense.

Prakruthi Badi has a residential space for children whose

homes are far away or where home itself is a difficult

space. Day scholars are from nearby villages.


The Year 2014-15

There were 51 children (26 residential and 25 day scholars) in Prakruti Badi this year. Two

assessments were carried out during the year to understand how the children were

progressing in their overall development. An annual health check-up was conducted.

Excursion trips to Puvidham School, Tamil Nadu and a day trip to Horsley Hills and Rishi

Valley School, Madanapalli were organised for the school team and the children in October

2014 which gave them a different geo-social perspective.

A Life Skill Facilitation Workshop was conducted for teachers by Dream a Dream over a

period of 4 months starting October 2014. The aim and outcome of the workshop was to

help the teachers introspect about the teaching / learning methods. It specially helped the

teachers understand different methods of working with children from different backgrounds.

Four trainers from Jungle Crows came for a twelve day camp. They introduced the children

to Tag Rugby, a form that is less intense than Rugby which they enjoyed to the core.

A group of 5 students from Hawaii Prepatory Academy along with two teachers visited in

the month of March. It was a 5 day long camp that was facilitated by Explorers Outdoor

Education. During this time the visiting students painted the classrooms, created a sandpit

for the school children to play, and made a garden plot where 9 different seeds were

planted. The children have been looking after this garden plot. The classrooms have been

redone with drawings and paintings of children’s favourite birds, animals, stories and designs

on the walls. Each child had a wall space to paint their favourite pictures there.

This year, too, the children celebrated Independence Day, Vinayaka Chathurthi, Dussehra,

Diwali, Christmas, Muharram, Sankranti and Ugaadi. These celebrations are occasions for

children to know about their culture and their country. The children felt enthused to learn

about the significance of different festivals and how they were part of a larger social system.

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Children’s Resource CentreThe Children’s Resource Centre (CRC) is a popular place to go to for the children and

youth of Chennekothapalli and surrounding villages. Initiated in 2002, the CRC hosts a

library, a science laboratory, a computer learning facility, and indoor and outdoor play and

learning materials. CRC also hosts and becomes the venue for some of the celebrations.

The CRC has now become a regular resource for several schools like the Zilla Parishad

High School, the Elementary School, A.P Model School, Prakruthi Badi, a Convent School

and two boys’ hostels. The students from these schools visit the CRC and experiment with

crafts, hold book reading sessions, computer classes, indoor and outdoor games. The

computer lab provides the children many an hour of learning new technologies.

The Resource Center started a Mobile CRC this year. The team takes a van laden with

books, films, play and learning materials to the remoter villages and engages children in

reading, singing, story-telling, games and science experiments.

A number of events were celebrated in the CRC like Republic Day, Science Day, Muggulu

Poti, Ambedkar Jayanti and Teacher’s Day. Juniors’ Sports Day saw an overwhelming response

from 420 participating children. The Seniors’ Sports Day witnessed a similar response with

over 400 children from class 7 to 10 participating in the event.

A training on Communicative English was conducted in which 30 youth participated and

learnt to hold simple everyday conversation. A training in basic tailoring was conducted in

which 10 girls from Chennekothapalli participated.

“I can tell you for sure joining the Prakruti Badi was a turning point in my life!” says

Brahmendra. “When I came here we were going through difficult conditions and I

was not an easy child. I remember giving the teachers here hell. But the teachers

were very patient with me. I remember my school-days as the happiest days of my

life and I learnt a lot here. I loved the songs and dances we were taught. Did you

know I am known as dappu Brahmendra, because I play the dappu very well? I also

am very good at Kolattam and Chekkabhajana. I also taught these to the younger

children. I studied here till 8th standard and then we had to move. We went to

Bangalore. I started working as a costumer in the Kannada film industry. Today I work as an assistant

cameraman. I learnt working with camera watching and helping the camera team. One day I will come

here and make a film on Chiguru and the School. The world should know about this school. That is one

of my dreams”, he concludes with passion.

Brahmendra is part of Mythri, the Alumni group of Prakruti Badi. Mythri meets regularly and the ex-

students keep in touch with one another. They also help ex-students of the school who find it difficult to

complete their education. Brahmendra himself has made donations to Mythri and plans to find donors

who will support the school.


MoggaMogga addresses and promotes

ecological rights of children. The

concept of ecological child rights is

developed around ideas of right to

good life, right to ecological inheritance

and right to information as enshrined

in the United Nations Convention on

the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

Small groups / associations (sanghams) of children are formed where children meet and

discuss issues which they are concerned about. These are federated into an apex body

called ‘Mogga Samakhya’. Through this forum, attempts are made that every child be made

aware of her/his rights.

A youth team from 45 villages known as ‘Navayuvatha’, work towards realization of their

rights related to ecology. The youth have also been sensitized on child rights and child

marriage, organic farming. They are also being trained in theatre.

The sanghams currently have 2,024 members including 918 girls.

Three new sanghas (Two in Roddam Mandal and one in Chennekothapalli) were formed

and inaugurated in December 2014 bringing the total number of sanghas to 48.

Apart from the regular weekly meetings, Three workshops were held on basic science,

crafts from waste and preparation of organic manure where a total of around 500 children

from various balala sanghas participated.

As part of their advocacy work the balala sanghas identified school drop-outs in their

villages, and submitted a memorandum to the Mandal Education Officers. Around 510

children and 27 youth took out a rally in Roddam mandal on Child Rights Day.

All the 45 sanghas worked on waste management and made an attempt to maintain their

sangha rooms as plastic free zones. 1,007 children maintained segregated dustbins in the

Sangha rooms as well as their homes. The children created 31 organic gardens. However,

due to lack of rains, some of the gardens have not fared too well.

A theatre training was conducted for 30 youth on organic farming. They plan to take these

plays to the villages to help sensitise and mobilise farmers into organic farming.

67 youth from across 45 villages celebrated World Youth Day in Kalpavalli. They dibbled

seeds and planted five kgs. of indigenous trees. They also discussed how ecology and

livelihoods were related and how a good forest or the lack of it impacts agriculture.

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MilithaEmpowerment and Inclusion of People with Disabilities

Militha, meaning ‘inclusion’, was initiated in 2004 with

the overall goal of getting equal status for people with

disabilities (PwD).

Militha works towards this by organising PwDs into

sanghas to discuss their problems and find solutions,

identifying resources available within the community and

making them available and training them to bring change

in their own lives.

The programme is divided into two components :

i) Prathibha MACTS, a thrift cooperative of people with disabilities and ii) rehabilitative

therapy for children.

The year 2014-2015

The project is running in full swing. The daily activities of the programme encompasses

training parents and caregivers; rehabilitative therapy for children; conducting disability

camps in villages and referring patients to hospitals and institutions; advocacy and facilitating

access to entitlements and schemes; sensitizing communities to the issues of disability and

the role communities can play; and running thrift activities. There are 1,400 members,

organized into 130 groups in 101 villages with a total capital base of Rs.36,57,650.

This year a new initiative was taken up in training

interested members in soap making. A two-days skill

training was conducted for 25 members by Ms.

Chandra Kanjilal, a rural livelihood expert. The

participants learned to make natural soap, candles,

hair oils and cream. It is planned to take this training

further and set up a collective livelihood enterprise

in the coming years. In addition to this members also

went for trainings to RUDSETI, an institute which

holds regular livelihood trainings for rural youth.

Member education programmes continue to be held

to create a better understanding of the activities.

Several topics are discussed in the training sessions

Candles and soaps made in soap

making training


including activities of the cooperative, various forms of disabilities and causes of it, rights of

disabled people and various government schemes available for the disabled people.

Information on entitlements such as jobs cards, bus and train passes etc. is shared. Apart

from this, Antodaya card camps and Bus Pass camps were organized. Sadarem (certification)

camps were held where people with disabilities are given a disability certificate which helps

them access their entitlements. 1,041 members have received disability certificates, 194

members got Antodaya Cards, pensions have been received by 1,019 members and bus

passes were taken by 456 members.

Therapists identified 232 children with disabilities (CwDs) and 126 of them are under

regular therapeutic service while the rest of the children are either admitted to special

schools or are not in regular need of regular therapy. Awareness camps for pregnant women

have been started so that necessary information and instructions for taking precautionary

measures and proper care of children with disabilities are shared.

Militha continues to work closely with hospitals, medical centres and clinics located in

nearby cities and towns such as NIMHANS Bangalore, NIMH Secundrabad, RDT Bathalapalli,

BIRD and SIMS of Tirupati where members are referred for regular check-up or surgeries.

Two surgery assessment camps were held where 16 children were assessed by Dr. Nagaraju

and Dr. Harper.

As part of the objective of creating a more accessible

environment, nine toilets have been constructed for

children and three for adults. 44 members got assistive

devices. Four houses were constructed with support

of RDT.

Two camps were held in Timbaktu for children with

disabilities where they participated in various indoor/

outdoor games, cultural activities, art and craft etc. A

local folk artiste taught the children chekkabhajana, a

local form of folk dance. Art was taught by teachers

of Prakruti Badi School. Children went for short day

trips to Puttaparthy and Pennobhilum.

Celebration of special days took place with great

enthusiasm. 800 members participated in the World

Disability Day. Louis Braille Day was celebrated by

the team and directors. An Exposure Visit to the

organisation ‘Commitment’, in Kozgi was another

exciting experience. Three mahasabhas (Annual

General Body Meeting) were held in the three

mandals.

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Swasakthi promotes independent, sustainable and viable alternative economic institutions

of women that lead to financial independence for women. With this, we believe, women can

begin asserting themselves and is one of the key avenues that can lead to empowerment.

Four mandal level mutually aided cooperative thrift societies (MACTS) - Adisakthi,

Anantasakthi, Mahilasakthi and Durgasakthi - have been promoted which function as

alternative banking institutions for women. These have been federated into a registered

apex body called Mahasakthi.

The main activities of the programme are: regular trainings and workshops for group leaders;

rights and member education for group members; loan counselling for society members;

regular, on-site thrift collection by cadres; mobilisation & sensitization through Collective

gatherings; legal aid for women in distress and legal education.

The year 2014-2015

18,657 women from 169 villages are part of these cooperatives as of March 2015.

The cooperatives continue to carry out all the related activities diligently. The women’s

sanghas at the village level met twice a month, one for savings and credit activities and the

second for all other matters. The leaders of the sanghas continue to meet every quarter.

They verified the sangha records, elected cooperative directors and shared relevant

information for the running of the cooperatives. Besides discussions and decisions on matters

relating to approval of loans, approval of members joining / leaving, welfare activities,

SwasakthiEmpowerment of Women & Alternate Banking

Being an inclusive organisation that values equity and social justice, Mahasakthi

transcends traditional boundaries of caste, class and religion. This Federation is not just

an alternative banking institution but a forum in which women unite and celebrate life.


conducting events like celebration of international women’s day and the annual general

body meeting, the directors of the four cooperatives planned and monitored the activities

of their respective cooperatives. Select members from among the directors conducted

loan counselling sessions with their members prior to disbursement of loans. All the

cooperatives held their respective annual general body meetings within the stipulated period.

The directors of Mahasakthi federation also met every month to discuss and decide on

policy matters for the member cooperatives, new programmes and guidance to member

cooperatives.

The Legal Cell of Mahasakthi took up 64 cases that included issues of domestic violence,

tortures, eve teasing, child marriages, sexual assaults, suicides, and murders. 22 cases were

resolved. Legal camps were held in 21 villages in which 1,476 people (women and men)

participated.

34 member leaders went for an exposure visit to Kerala to see and understand how the

women’s groups are collectively managing small businesses like juice and jam making, flour

mills, etc. The visit was to learn their methods of management and coordination between

them Kerala government. The team including cadres participated in a Communications

Skills training program conducted by Fair Climate Network and learnt basic computer

skills.

Status as of March 31st, 2015

Society Members Capital base (Rs.)

Adisakthi 5,954 58,544,336

Anantasakthi 4,986 36,270,807

Mahilasakthi 4,762 36,835,172

Durgasakthi 2,955 6,958,371

Total 18,657 1,38,608,686

Boya Nagamani from Kanamara village, Roddam mandal is a wage labourer. As her village is very remote, she

and her family find it difficult to find work. The family owns 5 acres of dry land but have not been able to

cultivate these lands due to lack of rains and drought conditions.

Nagamani joined the sangha in 1995 and saved Rs. 10 rupees every month and now her total savings have

reached Rs. 13,022. She has taken loans from the cooperative eight times.

Her first loan went towards purchasing two sheep. These multiplied to 8 sheep within a year and to 22 in the

second year. Now the family owns 89 sheep.

Nagamani has been able to earn Rs. 20,000 rupees every year and has been able to build a house, marry her

daughter off and buy 30 grams of Gold. “Now we live in society with dignity and respect”, says Nagamani.

14

The Collective works with small holder farmers and various Cooperatives and encourages

them to move towards better and sustainable farming practices.

Undertaken through small holder farmer sanghas and their federation, Dharani FaM CooP

Ltd., the members are supported in all aspects of pre-production, production and post-

production operations. Most important of these is the re-education of farmers in

organic agricultural practices through Farmer Field Schools (FFS), classroom trainings,

peer group assessments and exposure visits. Along with this, farmers are supported in land

development as well as soil fertility enhancement. The farmers are also supported to

acquire Hallikar, an indigenous breed of cattle, which while ensuring access to quality cow

urine and dung (much needed for the preparation of organic fertilizers and pesticides) also

provide draught power and milk for household consumption.

The programme also ensures that all crops produced by the member farmers are grown

organically using the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) of organic certification. This in

turn ensures that the farmers get a premium price for their produce.

The year 2014-2015

The year 2014-15 has been a milestone year for the organic farming programme. Three

new mandal level organic farming and marketing cooperative societies – Avani, Bhoomatha

and Vasudha were registered during the year. These cooperatives will take up the procurement

and primary processing functions and let Dharani FaM Coop focus completely on marketing

and sales functions. What has been most heart-warming is that the farmers have come

forward and contributed money for purchasing land and setting up processing plants, in

spite of a bad agricultural season and stressed revenues.

Timbaktu OrganicPromotion of organic farming among smallholder farmers


Many enterprising farmers came forward to cultivate millets

instead of groundnut on irrigated lands. Millets are less capital

intensive and require lesser water as compared to groundnut.

Millets also contribute to the nutritional security of the farming

families. In addition to proso millet and foxtail millet which

were cultivated during the previous season under rain-fed

conditions, farmers also took up cultivation of barnyard millet

on irrigated lands this year. Farmers have also brought more

than 50% of the cropped area under various millets. They have

thus been able to avoid excessive costs and debt burdens that

would have otherwise resulted had they gone for cultivation

of groundnut instead. At the end of the kharif season field day

celebration was organized on January 22, 2015 in Dubbarlapalli

village where around 1,000 farmers from all the 45 villages

came together and shared their experiences of cultivating

millets.

The farmers were supported by providing essential inputs –

seeds and neem cake, at subsidized rates. Specially designed

seed drills for millets were also supplied to the farmers to

ensure proper sowing of millets. Extension support was offered

during the five months of kharif season through farmer field

school sessions organized at the village level. Farmers were

also supported to obtain organic certification through the PGS

system by maintaining records and organizing peer inspections.

During the current year, the Collective supported 87 farmers

for acquiring 174 Hallikar breed of cattle.

The team of trainers at the Collective focussed on creating a

resource team of farmers who will provide extension support

in the villages. A group of 55 farmers underwent 10 days of

intensive training and exposure visits to prepare themselves

to take up the role of a resource person. A second batch of

resource persons, comprising of 60 farmers are in the process

of undergoing the training and have undergone 6 days of training.

In addition to this, the trainers also organized exposure visits

for the directors of the mandal level cooperatives and women

farmers. Internal exposure visits were also organized to the

fields of the member farmers who had taken up cultivation of

millets under irrigated conditions.

16

Sivamma starts a trendSivamma is an enterprising farmer. She saw photographs of the Barnyard millet fields of Akulappa of Pedda

Kondapuram and inspired by those decided that she too would grow Barnyard millet in her fields this year.

Her husband was not too sure about this. They were after all growing rice in their land and it didn’t make

sense to deviate from this and grow a crop which they had never seen. But Sivamma insisted and literally

fought with her husband to grow this crop. Her husband finally gave in and they planted their fields with seeds

from Akulappa’s crop.

When the other farmers of the village knew about this they laughed at them, saying who ever planted grass?!

Barnyard millet, after all, is close cousin of a grass which farmers normally weed out of their fields. Sivamma,

however, held on and did not dither.

Sivamma faith was sorely tested when the seeds which sprouted were of the old rice crop. The Barnyard millet

did not seem to be doing anything. The organic team encouraged her and said it is only a matter of time and

that she should carry on looking after her field and using all the good practices of organic farming. A few days

down the line, the millets sprouted and grew steadily. Sivamma continued irrigating her land every few days,

prepared the kashayams and jeevamrutam and diligently did all that was required. Today her crop stands

almost 4 feet tall, healthy and thriving. A yield of 12-15 quintals is expected; the income from the crop is

expected to be more than what they would have got from rice.

Farmers from the nearby villages come and visit her plot, at once curious about this crop which they hadn’t

seen in their lifetimes. They throw umpteen questions at her: “what made you go for this crop?”, “Where did

you get the seeds? How much did that cost?”, “What do you do to make this crop healthy?”, “How often do

you water the fields?”, “How much yield do you expect?”, “Who will buy this crop?”. Sivamma fields all these

questions patiently, enthusiastically sharing her experiences. She says that if this crop succeeds they will

continue growing such alternative crops.


Registered in March 2008, under MACS Act, Dharani FaM CooP Ltd., is a federation of

sanghas and a producer owned business enterprise, promoted by the Collective to help

farmer members with the post-production processes. It procures, stores, processes and

markets its member’s produce under brand name Timbaktu Organic.

The year 2014-2015

Dharani clocked net sales this year to the tune of Rs. 17.73 lakhs with net profits of Rs.

14.82 lakhs which will be re-invested in the business of Dharani. Dharani directors also

declared Rs. 5.57 lakhs as patronage bonus to farmers who have supplied crops to Dharani

and a bonus of Rs. 1.24 lakhs to Dharani staff members for achieving higher sale and profits

and Rs. 66,200 to the daily wage labourers.

This year procurement in Dharani went down (303 tons) by 16% on account of drought

conditions during the kharif season resulting in decreased production of groundnuts, Little

millet and Kodo millet. This decrease was managed by planning crops under irrigation.

About 70 tons of Foxtail millet (korra), Finger millet (ragi),

Kodo millet (bariga), Great millet, BPT rice, and Basmathi

rice cultivation in irrigated plots helped in managing the 35%

deficit.

Inspite of a decrease in procurement, Dharani’s sales

increased by 34% of which 14 % has come from millets, 10

% from groundnut, 5 % from honey, 3 % from rice, and 2 %

from pulses. Retail sales increased from 54% last year to

65% this year.

Dharani generated 9,125 days of employment to local

labourers contributing almost Rs. 12.70 lakhs to the local

economy.

Dharani conducted six food fairs including one in

International Terra Madre, a Slow Food festival in Turin,

Italy. In addition to this, five consumer meets conducted in

Bangalore. One food demo was conducted in the event of

Rayalaseema Pantalu and Vantalu (Rayalaseema Crops &

Foods) in Anantapur.

Dharani FaM Coop Ltd.A producer owned business enterprise

18

Dharani has achieved 54 % growth in sale value from 22 value added products. Dharani

focussed on concentrating on and consolidating existing products. 5 products have been

dropped while 15 new recipes and products are under test.

Working capital requirements of Rs. 1.5 million during the year was raised from the various

Cooperatives promoted by the Collective as short term low interest loans.

Dharani is also in the process of redesigning its website (www.timbaktu-organic.org).

“The market is temperamental and we are highly dependent on it and

vulnerable to its fluctuations. Can you imagine having spent months, toiling

under the hot sun and rain, caring for these plants like our own children,

very often leaving our own children untended..? And then at the end of it

harvesting a decent produce, cleaned, prepared and bagged all ready to be

sold..? Our hopes high perhaps of getting a decent return on all our effort?

And then the middle-man, the trader who buys our produce comes and

says that the market is down and we will get half of what we would

normally get? Or that the transport people are on strike and we can’t take

your harvest? We are desperate then… desperate to get the harvest off

our hands. With no storage facilities we simply can’t afford to keep the

harvest or wait. It will rot on us or just get spoilt. Once I had a ready

harvest of watermelons and there was a strike of transporters. The trader

was refusing to buy my harvest. What to do?! These melons would just rot

in a few days. I was desperate to sell it off at whatever price I could get. I

ended up telling him, “take it… take it at whatever price and go..” At such

times we just want to break even and at least recover the money we have

already sunk in.

The traders also cheat us, you know, often taking off anywhere between 5-

10 kilos per bag of produce. Even if we are very diligent they somehow

manage to give us far less than what actually is. These are times when I

feel like crying… when my heart breaks. All that hard work, all that back-

breaking effort of digging, hoeing, weeding, cutting, hefting… all we want

to see is a decent return.

What Dharani provides us is a fixed market. A market that isn’t volatile or

whimsical. The price for the crops (except groundnut) is fixed during the

crop-planning stage. So we know what we will get, and how much we will

get. We know that at the end of the harvest, the Dharani team will come,

weigh our produce in front of us, and pay us per kg. and not per lot, will not cheat, and will pay us within a

week. It takes a load off our minds and hearts. Besides this, we also get a bonus on the profits Dharani makes

selling value-added products. So, yes it has been good for us.

Now other farmers vie to sell to Dharani. More and more farmers, especially small farmers, want to join the

sangham. But Dharani has said clearly – ‘they can buy it ONLY if it is organically produced, if no chemicals

have been used’. So, slowly more and more farmers are willing to shift to organic methods.

If today my family is happy, it is because of this Co-operative.” - Bagappa, Farmer, Dubbarlapalli


The Collective started working with agricultural labourers in 2008 with the objective of

providing livelihood support for their families. The agricultural labourers were organized

into koolie sanghams, and were supported to purchase sheep with an initial project grant

from EED, Germany and European union. In March 2010, a cooperative of agricultural

labourers, Gramasiri, was registered to take forward the work. As of 31st March 2015

Gramasiri has 625 shareholding members from 32 villages who have contributed Rs. 312,500

as share capital and member deposits of Rs. 6.4 million over the past five years.

The year 2014-2015

289 members were supported with project grants

from BfdW, Germany to purchase 1,318 small

ruminants (sheep and goats). Each member was

provided a support of Rs. 15,000, 50% from

Gramasiri cooperative and 50% from the

Collective, using which the member could

purchase 4-5 small ruminants. The members rear

the animals for 4-6 months and then sell the

animals in local markets. The income from the

sale is reinvested for purchase of a new herd; the

cycle is repeated.

The purchase of small ruminants is facilitated by

Gramasiri; a procurement committee consisting

of directors of the cooperative assists the

members in selecting healthy animals and also in

negotiating the rates with the traders. The

directors and staff of the cooperative visited local

markets in Anantapur and also markets in

Bangalore to explore the opportunities for trading

of live animals.

In February 2015, traders from local markets were

invited to Cherukuru village in an attempt to

establish direct linkages between traders and

koolie sanghams. Five members sold 11 pairs of small ruminants purchased for Rs. 77,000 to

the traders for Rs. 108,900, after rearing the animals for 10 weeks. Both the traders and the

GramasiriAlternative livelihood for agricultural labourers

“One day the lamb chops and mutton

cutlets you city people purchase from

cold storage will be a Gramasiri

product.”

– Sangappa, Cherukuru village

20

members were happy with the

outcome of this experiment. The

traders offered their support to

purchase animals from Gramasiri

members.

162 members belonging to 14 koolie

sanghams were provided trainings

on animal husbandry. They also

underwent a member education on

the bye-laws of the cooperative

during the year. These trainings were

provided by 25 master trainers,

directors and leaders of the

cooperative with the support of the

programme team.

The programme also supported

Gramasiri members to undertake

maintenance work in 187 acres of

common lands protected by the

koolie sanghams in 12 villages. 1,729

days of labour was generated and

Rs. 345,800 disbursed as wages.

With regular savings, timely loans

and sheep/goat rearing as a business

venture, the group has gone from

individual powerless labourers to

collectively strong entrepreneurs.

Gramasiri Cooperative has around

600 members with a collective

capital of around 67 lakhs, which has

grown over the last 6 years.

Gramasiri is planning to set up a

Collective marketing point for its

members, where they will procure

and sell the animals on behalf of the

members - like Dharani

Cooperative does for the farmers.

Buying & selling like this will give

them a better negotiating power.

Ademma & Gopalappa of Cherukuru village are

“new” shepherds, in the sense that they don’t come

from generations of shepherds. They are the

landless agricultural labourers of the village, now

members of Gramasiri.

Ademma herself started with 4 goats. Within 3

years, she has more than quadrupled that bunch.

“The Gramasiri Co-operative has changed our lives.

Earlier we had no assets to speak of, being landless

labourers. Credit used to be very difficult for us to

get as we had no collateral to put up against a

loan. But now these animals have become our

wealth, an asset against which we can get loans. A

liquid asset too as we can sell the animals when

we need money”, says Ademma.


As part of the Fair Climate Network (FCN), the Timbaktu Collective has initiated three

small projects - Low carbon farming (LCF), Biogas and a Capacity Building Program. The

idea is help the marginalised people of our area to earn some dividends from the carbon

market.

Under the LCF project, farming practices were recorded for the 2014 Kharif and rabbi season

in plot diaries for over 1000 farmer plots. This is the 2nd consecutive year that we have been

undertaking this exercise. Environment Defence Fund, well known scientific organisation

fromt the U.S. has been partnering the Fair Climate Network in this project. The Gas

Chromatograph for measuring GHG (Green house gas) emission reduction in organic

farming vis-à-vis mainstream farming has been in use for this first full year of operation.

Samples are taken regularly from a reference plot for mainstream and sustainable practices

for comparison, to determine GHG emissions reduction in sustainable farming practice.

Being a year of severe drought, even by local standards, the results were uneven, though

emissions reduction is clearly indicated.

The Biogas project is expected to benefit 6000 thousand families. The Project Design

Document (PDD) was completed by the consultants in April 2014. Validation by the

Designated Operational Entity (DOE), TUV Rheinland was obtained in May 2014. Host

country approval was obtained at a meeting of the committee constituted by MoEF for

Host Country Approval (HCA) on 26th August, 2014, and communicated to us in September

2014. Registration with United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change (UNFCCC) was accepted in January 2015. In preparation for the initiation of the

Project we have begun identifying batches of masons for training and practice in construction

of the model most suited to our circumstances.

The Capacity Building for Climate Action began with the module Business Management for

senior management of participating NGOs,

including Board Members. Bablu, John and

Akhilesh represented the Timbaktu Collective

at the programme held at IIM, Bangalore. The

second programme was a set of 3 courses -

Basic IT, Communication and Presentation, and

Demystifying English and Climate Change

Vocabulary, six modules each. Four modules

were attended by 2 of our staff who in turn

trained 17 of our staff.

Sunandamma, a field cadre, learns

basic computer skills.

CDMPro-poor Clean Development Mechanism

22

Initiated in 1993 the Kalpavalli programme of the Collective encompasses all the work

done on natural resource management. It anchors village level associations (sanghas) of

tree growers (Kalpavalli tree growers cooperative), all training programmes in protection

and regeneration of wastelands, development of around 8,000 acres of watersheds, ecological

restoration and conservation of 9,000 acres of contiguous common (waste) lands into bio-

reserve and a wild life corridor, 240 acres of community owned tamarind orchard, revival of

traditional water harvesting structures and water bodies, research and studies on ecology,

water, biodiversity and wildlife, and work with youth on issues of local Governance.

The work in Kalpavalli is carried forward by a cooperative namely Kalpavalli Mutually Aided

Tree Growers Cooperative Society with members from 10 villages in C.K Palli, Roddam

and Ramagiri mandals. It is a federation of Vana Samrakshana Committees (VSCs-Forest

Protection Committees) and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) that were

established in the 10 villages.

The year 2014-2015

During the year, many activities were carried out to protect and conserve Kalpavalli bio-

reserve. 13 watchers continued to be involved in watch and ward of the area. By making

fire breaks, 100% of protected area was saved from fire in this year. 2,231.5 kgs of 63

varieties of forest seeds collected by the watchers through the year were dibbled in 400

acres. Around 374 members of the Vana Samrakshana Committees, children’s and Youth

sanghas participated in seed dibbling camps. 15,000 saplings of 6 varieties of forest species

were planted in 210 acres, with 60% of survival throughout the year. During the peak

season, 13 shepherds counselling sessions were held in 6 shifts to bring awareness amongst

the shepherds on conservation matters to be taken seriously while grazing sheep in the

area. As part of the programme, 328 members of Kalpavalli Cooperative participated in

training and awareness sessions that were conducted through the year to strengthen the

committees. They focused on the role of response, women’s participation, livelihood from

forest produce, alternative lifestyle, fire protection, common land protection and biodiversity.

The programme generated livelihood and employment for the community. Using NREGA

funds 5,832 cubic meters of soil and water conservation were carried out in Kalpavalli to

develop the Common Property Resources which generated around 6,124 work days for

the people. At the same time, 48 families were able to earn livelihood from forest produce

such as palm fruits & fronds, Broom grass and Jamun fruits.

KalpavalliNatural Resource Management and protection of Common Lands


Above: Bulbul

Middle: Partridges

Bottom: Blushing dove

Right: Eagle Owl

24

The Vana Samrakshana Committees (VSCs) also earned Rs. 70,250/- from collection of

palm fronds & leaves and toddy tapping.

Over 310 herds of sheep (around 60,000) were brought to the reserve for grazing through

the year.

This year a new initiative to take forward the education and outreach activities of the

Kalpavalli Programme was initiated. The Kalpavalli Tree Growers Cooperative and Timbaktu

Collective in collaboration with the Adavi Trust conducted a three day introductory workshop

on the ecology of grasslands. A first of its kind workshop for The Collective, it was a success

with participants attending from across India. Four more workshops are planned for the

coming year.

Two articles on Kalpavalli were published by Janaki Lenin, a conservation journalist and

Vinay Nair.

WatershedIn the year 2008, the Collective took up Integrated Watershed Management Programme in

Beedupalli village in Puttaparthi Mandal, Marukuntapalli village in Kothacheruvu Mandal,

Motuvaripalli village in Penukonda Mandal and Julakunta village in Somendepalli Mandal of

Anantapur district. The Full Implementation Phase of this programme started in the year

2011-12. This programme is nearing completion this year. The main impacts of this programme

include increased ground water, enhanced soil fertility, diversified cropping pattern, increased

availability of fodder and enhanced livelihood options. We are grateful for the support of

PMU, NABARD and RSO in providing guidance and monitoring, and conducting the required

training programs.

S. Gangadhar’s new farm bund at Beedupalli V. Peddanna’s farm pond at Beedupalli


in Media

26

Awards & Recognition

The Collective received the OWA Gold

Award on September 19, 2014, from the

German organic food company, Rapunzel

Naturkost and the International Federation

of Organic Agriculture Movements

(IFOAM), for its innovation and context-

appropriate Cooperative model of

development.

Films

Award winning group, Black Ticket Films, visited The Collective’s villages and made several

films on Dharani farmers, Gramasiri, Anantasakthi Women’s Cooperative and Militha activities.

These films will be soon put up on The Timbaktu Collective’s YouTube Channel.

Visitors

11 UNSIG students visited The Collective to understand and learn some of traditional

food practices and recipes of Rayalaseema.

Joseph Wilhelm of Rapunzel Naturkost visited the Timbaktu Collective between the 26th

and 29th of March, 2015. During his 3-day visit he met with the various cooperatives and

visited some of the villages. A Dialogue was organized between him and the Cooperatives

represented by several Directors and leaders of the cooperatives. Experiences, history and

stories were shared with each other.

Retailers Vaiyagam from Tamil Nadu visited and interacted with the organic farmers and

saw the value-addition processes. They also contributed Rs. 50,000 as a capital grant.

There were a number of visitors to the Kalpavalli Conservation Area, among them were

Ecologists Divya Muddappa, Suhel Quader, Kavitha Esvaran, Photographer Kalyan Verma,

Naturalists Harsha J and Payal, and Conservation journalist Janaki Lenin.

External Evaluations

External evaluations for Militha was organised this year. Murali Padmanaban visited for 10

days and evaluated the Militha programme.

News


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28

Managing Committee

Ms. Mary Vattamattam, Chairperson

Mr. C.K.Ganguly, Secretary

Mr. John D’Souza, Treasurer

Mr. B. Venkatesh, Member

Ms. Radha Kunke, Member

Mr. Pradeep Esteves, Member

Ms. Jayapadma R.V., Member

Bankers

Canara Bank, Trinity Circle branch,

MG Road, Bangalore - 560 001, India.

Canara Bank, C.K.Palli branch,

Anantapur Dt., A.P. 515 101, India

Bank Accounts:

Domestic Contributions: SB A/c 0792 1010 22808

Foreign Contributions: SB A/c 0792 1010 22807

Legal Status

Registered under Societies Registration

Act XXI of 1860

No.: 546/90-91, Bangalore dated: 14.11.1990

Registered under FCRA

No.: 094420621 dated 03.01.1994

Exempted u/s 80 G of IT Act ‘61

DIT(E)BLR/80G(R)/590/AAATT1760G/ITO(E)-

2/Vol 2009-2010

Auditors

A.R. Rao & Rajan (Chartered Accountants)

186/A, 1st Floor, Opp Central Theatre,

Venkatranga Iyengar Street, Seshadripuram,

Bangalore - 560 020, INDIA

Tel : +91 (0)80 23442983, 23443243

email : [email protected]

Connect with us

[email protected]

www.timbaktu.org

www.timbaktu-organic.org

www.facebook.com/TimbaktuCollective

www.youtube.com/user/timbaktu141190

Steering Committee

Mr. D.R. Visweswara Rao

Mr. A. Chennakesavulu

Mr. K. Sannappaiah

Mr. K. Murugesan (Convenor)

Mr. B. Akkulappa

Ms. Mary Vattamattam

Mr. C.K. Ganguly

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