The Centre for Integrated Rural and Tribal Development (CIRTD), a long term partner of ActionAid India in Sundargarh district of Odisha, has implemented the project, “Enhancing income and securing the food and nutrition of Small and Marginal Farmers through Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture in Rainfed Region”. CIRTD works predominantly in securing the rights and enhancing the livelihoods of marginal tribal and other forest dwellers, women and other smallholder farmers.

More than a thousand smallholder farmers from predominantly tribal Sundargarh district have been supported to adopt or extend locally appropriate, low-cost, sustainable farming practices to improve food and nutritional security and increase income. Farmer-to-farmer exchanges were organized for farmers to learn by seeing innovative practices in other farmers’ fields. Meetings and interactions with agricultural scientists and periodic participation of farmers’ representatives in various state and national level farmers’ organisation meetings also increased their political understanding of farmers’ rights. Women who undertake more than 50% of all agricultural work, have started demanding recognition of women as farmers so that they can gain access to benefits and entitlements under government agriculture development schemes.