OUR PRESENCE West Bengal

THE CHALLENGES

ACF locations in West Bengal lack safe drinking water, sanitation coverage and are subject to high population density. Women lack decision making power and have limited access to formal financial institutions. There is widespread lack of irrigation infrastructure and limited adoption of improved agriculture and animal management practices. The average income per family is Rs. 40,000-60,000 from all sources.

Sankrail is an industrial block with nearly 130 heavy industries. 70% of households have marginal and fragmented landholding, with the area under agriculture has been decreasing over the years owing to an increase in population. Farakka is situated just beside the Ganges Basin and the agro climatic zone of the Gangetic Alluvial Zone. The average rainfall of area is approximately 1476 mm but agriculture is still on subsistence level and farmers follow age-old practices.

PRESENCE IN West Bengal

ACF works in 43 villages across 2 Districts of West Bengal:

  1. Howrah-Sankrail
  2. Murshidabad

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

ACF ensures safe drinking water and develops irrigation infrastructure in West Bengal. Establishment of check dams ensure storage of water for longer periods – increasing groundwater levels, recharge of hand pumps, wells and other drinking water sources, and in-situ water conservation with increased soil moisture. River Lift Irrigation Systems have provided assured irrigation facilities to marginal, tribal farmers - stabilising agriculture production, increasing food production, cropping intensity, crop productivity and income levels.

72,000

People Benefitted

500 Ha

Under Irrigation

5

RO Plants

28

Ponds revived

114

Handpumps installed

ACF supports farmers through the provision of scientific inputs, technological advancements, promotion of sustainable farming practices and capacity building of farmers - with an objective to double farmer incomes, improve standards of living, and reduce risks and vulnerabilities. A successful partnership with NABARD and the WB Horticulture Department has helped in achieving scale. Vegetable farmers have been motivated to change their traditional seasonal cultivation to off-season cultivation under rain-shelters and the cultivation of creepers under scientific scaffolding - improving the quality of produce and aligning with market demand.

50%

Increase in Farmers Income

1500 acres

System of Rice Intensification

12% with 40%

Increase in Rice Production

64% Increase in Income

Due to Aquaculture

Rs. 50,000-75,000 Additional Incomes

For rural poor women

Realising the plight of women, ACF West Bengal harnesses the power of rural women as breadwinners, community leaders and change-makers. By engaging women via SHGs and ensuring their participation, ACF helps rural women have a voice and achieve socio-economic empowerment. Self Help Groups and Village Organisations, along with grassroot women leaders, play a key role in implementing the Women Empowerment Program at West Bengal.

2551

Rural Women

1.32

Crore corpus generated

1980

Rural women engaged in income generating activities

Rs. 40,000 to 50,000

Additional Income

In West Bengal, a lack of access to quality health care services and lack of awareness on health and hygiene are the major challenges faced in rural communities. Maternal Child Health is implemented through Sakhis with the aim to reduce the Infant Mortality Rate and Maternal Mortality Rate in hard to reach areas. ACF works with preventive and promotive healthcare to bring sustainable change - working on 1000 days intervention, adolescent healthcare, and WASH. In addition, TB, Anaemia, Menstrual Hygiene Management and Malnutrition are other areas of intervention.

98%

Institutional Delivery

100%

Mother & Child Immunisation

39.47 to 22.3

Reduced Infant Mortality Rate

43.85 to 22.06

Reduced Neonatal Mortality Rate

3.47 lakh

Truckers

30.47% to 3.64%

Reduced STI with Truckers

3.08% to 0.39%

Reduction in HIV+ truckers

16

ODF Villages

In West Bengal, ACF has two SEDI Centres at Farakka and Sankrail. The main objective of these SEDIs is to secure socio-economic empowerment and career progression of youth through skilling and placement. SEDIs in West Bengal are promoting job roles in trades like Automobile, Sewing Machine Operator, Smartphone Repairing, Beauty & Wellness, Retail, Customer Care Executive, RAC, Eletrical, and Welding.

7152

Youth trained

4667

Youth placed

Rs. 8000 to 10000

Average annual income

2243

Female Youth

UNIQUE INITIATIVES

Black Rice Cultivation

Sankrail has promoted the cultivation of black rice via SRI methods, with 46 farmers across 15.5 acre land. Black rice paddy has comparatively higher market price and market demand and is considered a diversification of paddy cultivation. This has doubled the income per acre compared to the common paddy, for participating farmers.

River Lift Irrigation

ACF Farakka has promoted 8 River Lift Irrigation Systems which have created significant impact on supply and demand of water for irrigation. Lift Irrigation systems have provided assured irrigation facilities to farmers and stabilised agriculture production and increased food production - increasing income levels of small, marginal and tribal farmers across 400 ha of land.

Off Season Vegetables, Aquaculture & Strawberries!

ACF has promoted off season vegetable cultivation via rain shelter, polyhouse or tunnel, and scaffolding - increasing the income of 1500 farmers by 45% to 200% (depending on the structure). Aquaculture provides a significant additional source of income for farmers in West Bengal, and ACF promotes scientific approach to production to ensure higher yields of fish and prawns. ACF Farakka has initiated strawberry cultivation which flourish in the cold winters, enabling farmers to capitalise on seasonal opportunity and high profitability.

Goatery in Farakka

Livestock rearing plays a major role in the rural economy, with goats providing a valuable source of livelihood and pathway out of poverty. But many goat keepers experience high herd mortality and poor returns. To tackle this, ACF forms Goat Based Livelihood Groups; develops a cadre of 'Pashu Sakhi' for door to door vet care services; improves breeds by using new, desired and healthy breeding buck; promotes proper feed/fodder management and growth monitoring; ensures proper goat shed management and hygiene; and facilitates collective selling on the basis of live body weight. Innovating further, a Goat Bank model has been kick-started in Farakka, which provides all goat-related services at one place for farmers.

IMPACT STORIES

NEONATAL MORTALITY RATES PLUMMET

A 'neonatal death' is defined as a death during the first 28 days of life and globally, this period carries the highest risk of mortality, per day, than any other period during childhood. ACF decided to tackle the problem and the root – by promoting institutional delivery. And in just 2.5 years, the institutional delivery rate increased from 28.57 % to 85.07%.

Know More

Dhabawallas, Chaiwallas & Mechanics Pitching for Trucker Health

Anwar Hossain runs a local dhaba on the outskirts of Sankrail, West Bengal - a favourite among truckers, who flock there for refreshment, rest and respite. Anwar is one of over 40 Volunteer Peer Educators operating around trucking terminals in Sankrail who helps steer truckers to ACF’s Health Care Centres for free health check-ups, testing and treatment referral.

Know More

Filling India’s Rice Bowls

Once a part of subsistence farming, rice is now helping farmers in West Bengal prosper! Since inception, ACF's SRI initiative has increased from 73 farmers in 2008 to over 6000 farmers in 2022. And farmer profits have increased 30%. Today, some of these farmers are sending their children to agricultural universities - to take family farming to an all new level.

Know More