Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (MS)
Beltangady, Jan 14: Self-help associations are working at most of the places in the state in order to empower women. In almost every nook and corner of villages, such associations are common. However, there are very few who have really made commendable achievements.
One such self-help association for women, which has made an appreciable achievement is Kasturba Sanjivini Self-help association of Belalu village in the taluk. They have grown a model banana plantation which is a feast to the eyes and has given rich harvest. This association has 10 members and seven out of them have put in their hard work and reared this plantation.
Madhura is the president of this association, while Harinakshi is the secretary. Bhavya, Yashoda, Vanita, Seethalaxmi and Kamala are the members. It is just one and a half year since the association was formed and they have ventured into the banana plantation and tasted success in the same.
Madhura's husband Ravindra Gowda gave the suggestion of banana plantation. The association took on lease two and a half acres of land for Rs 20,000 a year from Kamala, who is also a member of the association. The group started the plantation work in January 2020 and now the crop is ready for harvest.
Cavendish and Nendran types of bananas are grown in this plantation. In total there are 1,500 banana plants. The saplings were brought from Bengaluru to Beltangady by bus. After tending the saplings for one and a half months in the verandah of the house, they were planted in lines in the land that was procured on lease.
In total, Rs 1.5 lac was invested for this banana agriculture. Out of this Rs 75,000 is taken as loan from the self-help association itself. Other funds were pooled in by the members. In the beginning, other vegetables were also grown in order to provide shade for the banana saplings. But due to lockdown that vegetable could not be sold in the market. So the members of the association themselves sold by going to door to door. So far they have earned a profit of Rs 50,000 from the vegetable crop itself.
As the manure prepared from Waste D composer is given to the banana saplings the yield is very high. This was procured from Faizabad. One big hand of banana weighs 20 kg already before harvesting. It is expected to grow up to 30 kg. The association members have already spoken to a trader in Ujire to buy their crop.
All have lauded the effort of these women. This association has also bagged the district Rajyotsava award in 2020. Solar based wire fencing is done around the plantation to keep monkeys at bay. The association members also roll beedis along with the plantation work to support their earnings.
On the whole Belalu self-help association is a model to everyone. They have shown the real empowerment of women.