Since 2016, CSA has been collaborating with farmers on Dharavi Island through local network partners. Thanks to our efforts, four farmers’ groups have been successfully formed in Dongri, Pali, and Uttan areas. Our training programs and exposure visits have helped to build their knowledge and capacities, and all of these groups are now registered with the Agriculture Department in Kalyan.

Previously, farmers had to travel all the way to Kalyan to address any concerns or challenges they faced. However, with our continuous efforts, CSA and CCO staff have established a network to support them. To further strengthen their resolve, we proposed the first-ever “Farmers Melava” for Dharavi Island, keeping in mind the objectives.

Under the guidance of CSA and CCO staff, the office bearers of the Dongri, Uttan, and Pali farmers’ groups met together to discuss the flow of the event, fix a date, and plan the program. Groups were formed and responsibilities were assigned to oversee various functions, such as the hall, overall monitoring, distribution of snacks, and stalls for the exhibition, among others. Meanwhile, the CCO and CSA staff visited every farmer and invited them to the Melava.

On April 20th, 2023, all the participants gathered at Cardinal Gracias Hall, Uttan, and the event began with a welcome and introduction of the resource persons. The CSA project coordinator for Dharavi Island gave a brief background on the purpose of the event and its objectives before requesting the resource persons to take over.

The resource persons spoke on various topics, including organic farming, compost manure, seedlings, sustainable agriculture, and government schemes related to food micro-processing. They also explained how to store rice for a long time by adding some dry Kadulimbu, Kirayta, and Karvad, as this protects the rice from insects. They stressed the importance of using organic manure and planting yellow flowers along the boundary of the farm to attract honey bees, which in turn helps plants live longer and yield better outcomes. They also discussed various government schemes and how to apply for them.

Following this, a charter of demands (Nivedan) was submitted to the local corporator to appoint an agriculture officer for the Bhayander region and establish an agriculture department in the Mira Bhayander zone. A few participants then shared their experiences.

Towards the end, the resource persons visited the stalls to observe the seedlings, vegetables, and paddy. The main attraction of the event was a dance put up by the farmers and the display of farming-related equipment. In his speech, the Director of Centre for Social Action emphasized the importance of farmers in society and how they work hard to ensure we have food on our tables. The event ended with a vote of thanks.

On April 24th, 2023, an evaluation session was held with farmers’ group leaders, CSA staff, and CCO staff. All agreed that the event was very beneficial and it was the first time that Bhayander farmers had a platform to interact with stakeholders. The resource persons provided informative and valuable insights.