Background
SOFA works with 500 farmers and 600 women groups who are spread across 22 villages in the valley of Sitllingi located in Dharmapuri. Malavasi community inhabit the Sittilingi valley and have lived by rain-fed subsistence farming and the produce of their forests for a very long time. Traditionally, they grew about fifteen different varieties of crops suited to the environment and had ample food the whole year around.
Technology
Integrated millet processing unit, Pulveriser (flour milling and spice Grinders), roti rolling machine, ovens. exist as part of the food processing unit at SOFA.
Impact
With interventions for post processing in millets, SOFA has created a revenue ecosystem with the Sittilingi. Farmers do not go seeking markets besides SOFA, as they are remunerated fairly.
The processed good have created a local linkages for selling the produced goods, this has boosted the local economy and the food security within the region.
Besides, SOFA has been able to showcase best practices in farming and allied activities which are sustainable across indexes of income and health within the region.
Pre Intervention scenario
The traditions of cultivation has been displaced by the pressures of a modern consumer economy to grow cash crops. These crops are water intensive and people are forced to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides in an attempt to maximize returns. Eventually, the tribal farmer finds himself in a situation where he is easily exploited. The community was diagnosed with poor health index due to malnutrition caused by lack of food security.