SOS Children’s Villages of India, an international NGO dedicated to the holistic development of children without parental care, has been supplying green fodder seeds at subsidized prices for the farmers of the villages of Routhulapalem, Korada, and Yathapeta of the Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, and facilitating in the cultivation of forage crops for grazing.
The goal of this outreach project, titled, Pashu Grasha Kshethra, is to increase the income of farmers, which in turn would help them take care of the food, health, and educational needs of their school-going children better.
Launched in two phases in 2016 and 2019, the project is being implemented with the support of the Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Andhra Pradesh. SOS Children’s Villages is also organizing livestock campaigns on screening and vaccination of animals regularly, besides supplying medicines free of cost for the livestock.
The number of beneficiaries, at present, includes nearly 150 farmers who are able to cultivate green fodder for their livestock comprising over 250 cows, 50 buffalos, and 80 goats and sheep. The benefits also include increased yield of milk in cows and buffalos, and increased meat weight in goats, and sheep.
In addition to boosting the income of farmers from livestock, SOS Children’s Villages also facilitates the formation of Self Help Groups and helps farmers get loans from banks for milch animals, goats, and sheep. The NGO focuses on capacity building at various levels by ensuring that the villagers avail the benefits of various developmental and social security schemes of State and Central governments. Importantly, it sensitizes the local community on child rights and child protection.
