THE BAIF MISSION BAIF's Mission is to create opportunities of gainful self-employment for the rural families, especially disadvantaged

sections, ensuring sustainable livelihood, enriched environment, improved quality of life and good human values. This is being achieved through development research, effective use of local resources, extension of appropriate technologies and upgradation of skills and capabilities with community participation. BAIF is a non-political, secular and professionally managed organisation PROGRAMME APPROACH To address the problems of the poor families who live in a heterogeneous society, BAIF has developed the following strategy: Consider each BPL family as the unit of development * Multi-disciplinary village cluster development approach for socio economic development * Blend development with applied research and training * Promotion of people's organisations for programme implementation and sustainability * Ensure empowerment of women, education and community health for better quality of life * Integrate environmental protection with livelihood programmes PROGRAMME COVERAGE Various programmes are implemented by BAIF and its Associate Organisations in more than 47,000 villages in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand. PROGRAMMES: Livestock Development: Over 1.5 million cows and buffaloes mostly owned by small farmers are bred annually and over 250,000 female calves are born every year. The crossbreds come into milk production at an average age of 3 years and yield about 2200-3000 kg milk/lactation. The crossbred males are ready for village operations and transportation, at the age of 24 to 30 months. The performance of the cattle development programme operated by BAIF has made a significant impact in the field. So far, 5.4 million conceptions have been recorded and 0.65 million cows and buffaloes are under milk production, contributing milk worth Rs. 1800 crores (US$ 375 million) per annum. BAIF is maintaining an elite herd of Jersey and Holstein Friesian breeds at the Central Research Station, Urulikanchan to produce superior bulls for semen collection. With a view to conserve native breeds, Gir, Amritmahal, Hallikar, Sahiwal, Khillar, Tharparkar, Krishna Valley, Ongole and Dangi breeds of cattle, Surti, Murrah and Jafrabadi breeds of buffaloes and bucks of Sirohi, Osmanabadi, Jamnapari and Barbari goats are also maintained. The Semen Freezing Laboratory with ISO 9002 certification produces over 4.5 million doses of frozen semen annually. Embryo Transfer Technology for production of elite bulls and genetic conservation of indigenous breeds is the unique feature of this laboratory.

With a view to boost the income of landless and small farmers, particularly women who are depending on goat husbandry, best practices of breeding and feeding have been evolved in a pilot project launched in West Bengal. Looking to the success, this programme is being replicated in other states. Research on non-conventional forage and feeds has been undertaken and relevant technologies are being disseminated in the field to improve the profitability of dairy farming. Forage production is being promoted through selection and breeding of suitable varieties and seed multiplication. Watershed and Land Resources Development Conservation of water resources and efficient use of available water are the major goals. While implementing various watershed development projects, new methods have been invented for harvesting rain water and to ensure equitable distribution through users' organisations.In Karnataka, the network of farm ponds has demonstrated the potential to recharge open wells as well as borewells and to revive the rivulets. In Rajasthan, watershed development alongwith community pasture development and improvement in agricultural lands could help farmers to combat drought. In drought prone Saurashtra region of Gujarat, dairy husbandry linked with watershed development could sustain the interest of the local communities. In Kanpur Rural district of Uttar Pradesh, efficient use of water resources was clubbed with ravine land development. The villagers could take advantage of the increase in ground water table by installing shallow tube wells under joint ownership and harvest two bumper crops annually. Sodic land development in Uttar Pradesh demonstrated the feasibility of reclaiming such wastelands through community initiatives. The watershed development programme spread over 0.4 million ha and benefitting 77600 families in 840 villages has intensified the cropping area and increased the yield by 30-40%. Agroforestry has been promoted to improve the productivity of degraded lands owned by the community and small farmers. BAIF played a major role in popularising versatile Hawaiian Giant variety of Leucaena in India. Multipurpose tree species of economic importance such as leucaena, acacia, dalbergia, gliricidia, melia, neem, teak and bamboo are promoted on degraded lands and farm boundaries to improve the land productivity and eco-system. Studies on economic viability of Jatropha cultivation under different systems are in progress. Eco friendly farming practices such as organic farming, vermicomposting, use of biofertilisers and biopesticides are promoted through awareness, training and input supply. Cultivation of medicinal herbs, floriculture, sericulture and mushroom production have also been promoted to enhance the farm income. Agri-Horti-Foresty for Tribal Rehabilitation Tree-based farming with preference for drought tolerant fruit species is being promoted to improve the productivity and employment potentials of degraded lands. Tribal Rehabilitation through development of orchards, popularly known as wadi, on degraded lands owned by the poor tribal families was launched in Vansda block of Valsad in Gujarat in 1982. The participants are assisted to develop 0.4 ha orchards with fruit species of their choice. Fodder and fuel species are established on field bunds and the interspace is used for cultivating food crops. Women are active partners, and a special component of drudgery reduction and capacity building is also introduced.

To encourage women empowerment, a traditional tribal custom of Wavli which ensures complete right on their earnings from vegetable cultivation, was extended to many income generation activities. The wadi programme has checked seasonal migration and ensured women's empowerment, food security, improved quality of life and a clean environment. Presently, over 40,000 ha of orchards have been successfully developed, benefitting over 0.1 million families particularly those belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The participant families have planted 40-60 fruit trees and 400 forestry saplings in each wadi and are earning Rs 20,000-35,000 per year after 4-5 years when the orchards start bearing. Income from intercrops, vegetables and raising of fruit and forestry plants and various non-farm activities sustain them during the gestation period. This programme is a role model for rehabilitation of eco-system and environment while eradicating poverty. Empowerment of Women Empowerment of women is the most critical component of all the development programmes of BAIF. Women empowerment has been initiated through drudgery reduction, gender sensitisation and capacity building after formation of self help groups. Activities like safe drinking water, smokeless woodstoves, installation of flour mills, primary health care, hygiene and sanitation, nutritional gardens and skill-oriented training are being promoted to reduce drudgery. Gender sensitisation is being initiated to ensure that women are positively impacted by development programmes, and are given equal opportunities to get their due status in society. Subsequently, they are encouraged to come up with individual and group enterprises to generate income opportunities apart from contributing to their own agriculture and livestock husbandry. Over 8000 self help groups are associated with various projects. Many women have also assumed leadership in their community, cooperatives and Panchayati Raj Institutions. Vikasarth - The Development Finance Division has been established to strengthen availability of financial services to the rural poor through savings, credit and insurance. The groups have collectively saved 10 crores and accessed cumulative credit of Rs 22 crores, with over 1200 groups taking loan from banks for credit needs. Community Health Community health is an integral part of various development programmes of BAIF particularly wadi and women empowerment. Combating malnourishment and child mortality is a major challenge in tribal areas. To address these grave problems, BAIF has promoted grain banks managed by local SHGs. The women SHGs operating in these areas have made a special loan provision to procure food and medical treatment during emergencies, to ensure health and nutritional security. Training of tribal healers for promoting health care and nature cure has made a significant impact on community health. 100 tribal practitioners have been empowered to take up community health service and to link it with qualified medical practitioners in towns and to handle complex cases. This has shown the way for better health care at a reasonable price, without

disturbing the traditional systems. BAIF has also been encouraging families to avail of various attractive insurance schemes. Renewable Energy and Environment To conserve energy, protect the environment and improve the quality of life, promotion of smokeless woodstoves, biogas plants, solar cookers and lamps are being promoted. Community biogas plants for electricity generation have been installed on a pilot scale, which are successfully maintained by women groups in Karnataka. Technical services are being provided to many industries to develop industrial greenbelts and recycling of biodegradable wastes. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India has nominated BAIF as the Regional Resource Agency for coordinating the National Environmental Awareness Campaign in Maharashtra, Goa and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Training in Sustainable Development Dr. Manibhai Desai Management Training Centre at Warje in Pune aims at transfer of technologies and replication of our successful programmes on a wider scale. Apart from tailor-made short duration training modules, demonstrations are also organised at BAIF campuses at Urulikanchan, Amrai and Peint (Maharashtra), Lakkihalli (Karnataka), Vansda, Nanodra and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Chaswad (Gujarat). Several documentary films and books have been brought out to promote various technologies on natural resource management and environmental protection. BAIF is publishing a House Journal and Newsletter to share its field experiences with other organisations. Recognitions BAIF is recognised as a Research Institution by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, University of Pune and South Gujarat University, Surat. Contributions made to BAIF are exempt from Income Tax under Section 35 (1) (ii). We invite donors to be our Patrons. For more details logon to www.baif.org.in