Kusumi, Mayurbhanj, Odisha
Organic Paddy Cultivation
Building organic farming capacity across five villages in Mayurbhanj, training smallholder farmers in chemical-free paddy cultivation and providing seed support to sustain the transition.
Attribute
Details
📍 Location
Kusumi, Mayurbhanj, Odisha
🏛 Funder
Self-funded by B2V
👥 Beneficiaries
200 farmers
📅 Duration
2 years
🌱 Focus Area
Climate-Resilient Agriculture
B2V worked across five villages in Kusumi block, one of Mayurbhanj district's more remote agricultural belts, to support 200 smallholder farmers in transitioning from conventional to organic paddy cultivation. The programme combined structured training and capacity building with direct seed distribution, addressing the two most common barriers to organic adoption: knowledge gaps around natural inputs and pest management, and access to quality seed suited to chemical-free cultivation.
Notably, this programme was self-funded by B2V rather than supported by an external funder or government scheme. This reflects both B2V's early commitment to organic agriculture in Odisha and its decision to invest organisational resources in building a proof of concept in a geography where it had existing community relationships.
The programme built organic cultivation knowledge across 200 farming households in five contiguous villages, creating a cluster effect where peer learning and shared experience could reinforce adoption beyond the training period. Seed distribution ensured that farmers had the material inputs to act on their training in the same season, rather than facing a gap between knowledge and practice.
As a self-funded initiative, this programme carries particular institutional weight as evidence of B2V's conviction in its own methods. It demonstrates that B2V's engagement with organic agriculture is not solely funder-driven but rooted in organisational belief, a credibility signal that is relevant to both government and foundation partners evaluating B2V as a long-term partner.
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