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Established in November 2017, Umdihar IVCS Ltd. caters to 136 Households with 471 active shareholders. As of January 2025, the IVCS has a share capital of INR 94,500 with 210 savers and deposits of INR 20,83,865.00. It has been active in micro lending and has granted loans of INR 9,51,000.00 to 106 members.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES: PLANTING SEEDS OF CHANGE

The Government of Meghalaya, understanding the need for a paradigm shift, initiated efforts to boost productivity. Scientific cultivation of Mauritius and MD2 varieties of pineapples became a focal point, aiming to enhance both quality and quantity. Simultaneously, there was a push to establish multiple cooperative-owned processing units within the state, addressing issues of remoteness, low shelf life, and fostering increased trade and demand within Meghalaya.

MILESTONE ACHIEVED

Umdihar IVCS, in collaboration with IQF Pvt. Ltd., manufactured frozen pineapple slices at its PRIME Hub facility in Ri Bhoi. These Frozen slices are then further processed to become cubes and dices in baby foods that are exported to Europe. In this ongoing initiative, IVCS is the procurement and infrastructure partner, while IQF Pvt Ltd. is the technology partner.

OUTCOMES

• Strengthening of supply chain, where market moves closer to home.
• Permanence in procurement pattern thus incentivizes farmers to practice scientific agriculture.
• Opportunity for farmers to learn and market the produce themselves.
• Capacity building of the Co-ops to execute harvesting and procurement plans.
• Skilled manpower in processing.
• With successful technology transfer, opportunity to run the enterprise on a franchise model.

LOOKING AHEAD: A FUTURE ROOTED IN INNOVATION

The success story of Um

The Rongkhugre B Integrated Village Cooperative Society Ltd. (IVCS) in Rongkugre, West Khasi Hills district, is where women have assumed pivotal roles in decision-making to guide their community towards sustainable development with a visionary and proactive approach. Since its inception, this IVCS has flourished under their direction, showcasing the power of women empowerment in an enabling environment. Their commitment has led to key achievements, such as improved water supply, enhanced agricultural practices, and boosted economic activities. Among these remarkable women is Dorina N.

Under her leadership, the IVCS began to flourish. Her hands-on approach and ability to unite the community around common goals revitalized the cooperative society.

One of the most significant changes observed in the village is the aforementioned improvement in water supply, which has historically struggled with water security, especially during the dry seasons. Through Megha-LAMP’s interventions of community-led integrated NRM activities, the community constructed three check dams and ten ring wells to bring water to doorsteps.

Despite the lack of organized business activities in the village, Dorina recognized potential for growth. Many villagers ran individual shops and engaged in the areca nut trade, ginger farming, and broom grass businesses. As a Group Facilitator, she supported them by regularly monitoring their progress and linking them to sources of funding, market connections, and schemes.

The village community of Siju in South Garo Hills District faced numerous challenges in sustaining livelihoods. It primarily relied on fishing and agriculture but was struggling to cope with market developments and inflation due to poor price realization and marketing opportunities. Individual farmers would operate independently, which led to unequal sales distribution and substantial waste, and with the local village market serving as the only selling platform, profits were expectedly limited.

The establishment of the Gangga IVCS Ltd. has since gone a long way in alleviating these challenges. In December 2019, the IVCS was formed and registered with 15 member shareholders. In the years that followed, the members engaged in community mobilization for strengthening membership while the project provided continuous support in the form of training, capacity building, exposure, and knowledge services.

Key Highlights:

• Area Covered:6 villages, with all 295 households participating.
• Membership:600 shareholders.
• Managing Committee: 10 members, including 4 women.
• Financial Details:
  1. Share capital: Rs. 4.45 lakhs.
  2. Total savings: Rs. 74.32 lakhs.
  3. Total loan sanctioned: Rs.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma formally inaugurated the Sustainable Land Management Meghalaya Project (SLM) and unveiled the Protection of Vulnerable Catchment Areas in Meghalaya (MegARISE) for the Umiew Catchment at a programme held at the State Convention Centre, Shillong, on 1 October 2024, organized jointly by the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) and the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA). These externally aided projects (EAP) are co-funded by Germany’s KfW Development Bank and the Government of Meghalaya.

He noted that the successful launch of the SLM project and the unveiling of MegARISE were results of careful planning and preparation over the past 5-6 years. The current stage is critical as ground work would soon commence at full-scale to achieve the desired outcomes in line with the established targets.

She also emphasized that these practices will help mitigate the impacts of climate change on natural resources. Dr. Lyngdoh called for collaboration between farmers and the state government to ensure a better future for the next generation, protecting natural forests and resources. She urged farmers not to rely solely on the government for grievance redress but to work together in partnership, trusting in the support of international funding agencies such as KfW, which aims to empower farmers by creating or strengthening existing platforms for their benefit.

As part of the programme, three community members shared their experiences with farming. Teimon Shylla from the LIFE Spices Processing Cooperative Society Ltd. in Laskein and Laiwilberth Sangma from Jamge Nengbal, East Garo Hills, both spoke about the successes they achieved in farming with the support of the SLM project. The third speaker, Winchester Nongbet from Mylliem Block, shared his journey as a beneficiary of the MegARISE project.

A programme celebrating the communities of Meghalaya for their efforts toward community- driven progress and livelihood improvement took place on November 29, 2024, at the State Convention Centre in Shillong. Named Community Talks, the event, now in its second edition, was organized by the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) as part of the Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets Project (Megha-LAMP), an Externally Aided Project of the Government of Meghalaya supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Speaking at the event, Shri Gunanka D.B., IFS, Joint Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya and Executive Director of the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA), underscored the centrality of communities to developmental initiatives in Meghalaya. He emphasized the importance of collaboration, noting that such efforts are sustainable only when communities are actively involved.

In his address, Nirajan Khadka from IFAD emphasized the significance of learning and knowledge exchange and the role of community gatherings as platforms for collaboration and shared progress. He reaffirmed IFAD's commitment to empowering farmers and advancing rural development, particularly by supporting smallholders, marginalized groups, and inclusive growth.

The event witnessed participation from over 300 community members across the State, officials from various state government departments, and representatives of development agencies.

Like many farmers across the East Jaintia Hills district, Kyrsiew Ryngkhlem from Wapung Skur Village struggled to sustain livelihood activities and support her family on account of farmlands becoming infertile because of coal mining.

But after seeing how well it worked, she wanted to expand activities and explore the potential of her homemade organic manure. She bought a plot of uncultivable land measuring approximately 700 sq. meters in 2015. Kyrsiew was convinced that the experiment would in due course result in soil health restoration and water retention. She started by tilling the ground and using limestone to neutralize the acidity of the contaminated soil, and waited patiently.

Nongmadan Shadsngi, one of the CLLMP villages, had a desire to conserve the forest cover of the forests that are  present in this village since the forests play a significant part in enhancing the village’s water  supply for everyday use. However, the uncontrolled deforestation within the village, which causes shortages in water supply and soil erosion, has had a significant impact on the ecosystem and the people’s ability to access clean drinking water.

The village also formed the Village Natural Resource Management Committee (VNRMC), which consists of 9 members, including 5 men and 4 women. Women from this village participate in the meetings, where they share their thoughts and opinions about the CLLMP initiative. Additionally, they engage in interventions like the check dam, community nurseries, and tree planting. They participate in environmental education initiatives and teach the village’s young people how to protect the environment.

The majority of the population works in farming, and the other inhabitants are engaged as daily wage workers, in businesses, or in the government sector. The elders of the community claimed that a plague that ravaged the village of Shadsngi between 1922 and 1923 drove the inhabitants to flee to Nongmadan, a neighboring village. But as the population grew, people gradually began to return to their original settlement area, eventually uniting the two to become Nongmadan Shadsngi.The village has further developed and grown after the introduction and implementation of  government schemes.

A programme to celebrate and spotlight the communities of Meghalaya for their good work across various sectors of rural development and livelihood enhancement was held at the State Convention Centre, Shillong on 19 December 2022.

In his address, Chief Guest Dr. Vijay Kumar D., Commissioner & Secretary of the Government of Meghalaya, stated his delight at being able to participate in the mutual lesson-learning experience. He informed that when the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi visited Shillong the previous day, the State Government had shared a compilation of success stories of Meghalaya. The Prime Minister was observed to be very appreciative of these practices implemented in collaboration with the communities across various sectors.

21st-century India is witnessing the position of  women in matters of rural development and sustainable livelihoods gradually changing for the better. Various initiatives now center on empowering women socially and economically including in Meghalaya where community-tailored projects such as the Community-Led Landscape Management Project (CLLMP) and the Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets Project (Megha-LAMP) have given weight to establishing enabling environments for transforming long-standing gender inequalities.

In agriculture, women’s increased participation and contributions are closing the gender gap. NGO Oxfam India reports that as of 2018, 33% of the agriculture labour force comprises women while 48% are self-employed farmers. This figure will only trend upwards given that significant numbers of men in agriculture are migrating to cities in search of job security.

According to Iashah, Leisure Time Earning, by definition, is an activity that enables women to earn additional income through weaving and spinning yarn in their free time. The school teacher stated that she spends her after-work hours engaged in the activity, a personal hobby that started at a young age when she learned from her mother. Through the years, her reputation as a gifted weaver grew across the region.

Kdoh Hati, a village located in the Umsning C&RD Block of the Ri-Bhoi District, was established in 1968 and has been in existence for nearly 51 years. It is situated at a distance of 107 km from Shillong, which serves as the capital of Meghalaya. The village encompasses a total geographical area of 254.30 hectares and is home to a population of 643 individuals. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Raid Nongtham Khyriem Syiemship.

Despite having four springs, the water problem in the village persisted until The Community Led Landscape Management Project, a World Bank funded project, intervened. The project not only addressed the villagers’ basic needs but also tackled the root cause of the problem with sustainable solutions while preserving the environment.

Every household in Kdohhati is engaged with the CLLMP as it has provided them with a platform to understand the underlying causes of their issues and has offered a comprehensive, long-term solution. Additionally, CLLMP has provided job opportunities for the community to supplement their income, and Village Community Facilitators (VCFs) have been able to travel to other locations for learning exchanges and apply their newfound knowledge.