The IDRC Food Security Project is a research-based project which is focusing on small millets cultivation in rainfed farming areas of India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Three development NGOs have taken the responsibility to implement this project: DHAN (India), LIBARD (Nepal), and Arthacharva (Sri Lanka).
The objectives of this project include on-farm conservation and improvement of crop varietal diversity. Under this they are focusing on documenting and characterizing the agro-diversity of small millets; conducting and evaluating participatory varietal trials; mapping seed channels; and improving farmer’s access to varietal diversity. Other objectives include developing sustainable agriculture kits and conducting on-farm research, improving post harvest technology, and conducting value addition research. For achieving these objectives they are working on developing millets-based food products for rural and urban consumers as well as exploring appropriate technology for dehulling and milling of small millets. Another objective is to revitalize indigenous knowledge and socio-cultural practices. To increase the consumption of small millets and make it socially accepted, consumer surveys will be conducted, and small millets will be promoted through local entrepreneurs, public and community-based channels, public outreach events, and education campaigns. Finally, public policy analysis is being conducted to identify innovative use of existing policies, reallocate direct subsidies provided to beneficiaries of PDS, network with policy makers, create awareness in scientific institutions, and network with other NGOs.
In India under DHAN Foundation, this project started in six sites of three states: Tamil Nadu (Tirumangalam in Madurai district; Anchetty block in Dharmapuri district; and Jawadhu hills in Tiruvanamalai district); Orissa (Semiliguda and Dumriguda in Korapur district); and Jharkhand (Bero in Ranchi district).
To work on the objective of on-farm conservation and improvement of crop varietal diversity, two students from Tata-Dhan Academy, Ravi Raj and Amarendra Kumar, went to Bero location of Jharkhand during their first Development Practise Segment. These two students selected panchayats for organizing to the unorganised. Ravi Raj selected Itta panchyat, and Amarendra selected Ghagra panchyat. During this phase of organising farmers, they went through many steps including building rapport with the farming community, seeding the concept of the programme, conducting various PRA techniques, selecting farmers for group formation, forming rainfed farmers self-help groups, strengthening groups, conducting padyatras cultural program, and initiating the cluster development association processes.
The following two slideshow videos illustrate some of the steps they went through during their field stay.
Here’s Amar’s experience:
… and Ravi Raj’s:
The DHAN Academy 
By the way, if you wanted to watch Ravi’s full video, which includes scenes like the cultural programmes and padayatras, check out the following video on youtube. (The first six minutes are the same as the video in this post.)