DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION FOUNDATION (DIF)

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1 DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION FOUNDATION (DIF) DIF is different! Development Innovation Foundation (DIF) is an initiative to strengthen and nurture education and livelihoods among vulnerable people in order to build sustainable communities.. We have a particular focus on making sure girls from marginalized groups girls who are often discriminated against and have few opportunities--get an education. DIF is registered under the Indian Trust Act of1882. WHY Development Innovation Foundation (DIF)? An estimate said that in India there is one NGO for every 600 households. So why do we need one more NGO? The simple answer is that DIF functions as an innovative organization, not a standard NGO: where in: We do not implement projects; rather we nurture innovative community-based ideas.the ideas encourage sustainable communities --instead of receiving charity, communities create systems that enable they to pay for the services they need but making community enable to pay for the services ( rather usual community mobilization process) We conceptualize ideas based on minimum cost and sustainable impact We works on a Dream Based Approach (DBA). The change that community members want is pushed not by needs or rights but by dreams only. (DBA) 1. Simple. It simply the change wanted by individuals of communities is pushed not by needs or rights or missing things but by dreams only. Simple. 1 DBA is an idea by Mr. Beppe from Italy. 1

2 We are fully transparent: From ideas to budget to action to results--everything is posted online Vision: We promote and nurture innovation for development among the most marginalized Mission: Helping communities learn, grow, and become independent of outside help. Our Values Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much. (~Helen Keller): DIF believes in the power of collaboration and idea sharing. An open and supportive work environment has enabled us to establish long-lasting relationships within and outside the organization. It is only through working together that we as education organizations can multiply our impact and bring about real development reform. Excellence is never an accident. (~Aristotle): At DIF, we like to get it right and then get better at it. We understand that this can only be achieved through a commitment to learning and continuous improvement. We set the highest standards for ourselves and the people we work with, to ensure the best quality of work. Strength lies in differences not in similarities. (~Stephen Covey): We believe in diversity, being open to varied perspectives and making the most of our differences. Through bringing together individuals with different backgrounds, experience and skills, we create the best possible solutions for the challenges faced by DIF. If you say you re going to do something, do it. If you start something, finish it. (~Epictetus): A commitment to who we are, what we believe in, and what we set out to do is the foundation of this organization. We are accountable to ourselves, to our supporters, to the organizations we work with and to their beneficiaries. Only through transparency and consistency will we be able to do impactful work Initial area of operation: Initial areas of operation: Rohtas district with Mushar communities (in Bihar), with Sahriyas tribes in Bundelkhand region, and the slums of Delhi. We are also looking to explore possibilities in Ladakh, the North East and Nepal. DIF Logo: It looks like alpha letter M and shows five white circles which indicates larger concerns of community would be slowly taken down to the point scale with connectivity and innovation across the globe ( white circle). It has been designed by communication expert of DIF. 2

3 Farmers.com -an online kheti system for small, marginalised and landless farmers Farmers.com is a model named for online farming, online storage and online collective marketing in agriculture. 1. What is the basic idea? To train small and marginalised farmers and agriculture labourers on the field on locally possible cheap way of organic cultivation to minimise the cost of input and maximise the profit and later on selling the produce through online sitting in the village itself through connecting farmers with their prices of their produce and buyers with their demand of the produce. 2. How it will operate? 2.1 Through community level A farmers collectiveness in the form of farmers group (a mix of 18 years above men and women-at least 33% membership), probably in numbers and not necessary that all are farmers. This includes landless (agriculture labourer s) community members also. Land holding farmers would be of 2-3 acres only. The farmers club would have their own bank account in the nearest nationalised bank 2.2 Through project team level Development of soft ware module on sustainable agriculture: On the other side project team would develop a software module on sustainable agriculture which would have following features: Focus will be on organic cultivation and improving soil health for better agriculture growth An organic package of practices for locally possible agriculture food and cash crops, vegetables and even for livestock management. It would also include details of crop & cattle insurance linkages with NABARD, KVK and other institutions, preparations of organic inputs and details of availing loans from various financial institutions. 3

4 The package of practices would be in the form of video clippings in local language, cartoon films and pictorial format. These package of practices would be developed based on the providing some agriculture demonstration support and then recorded and shown it to the other members of farmers collectiveness each and every member on his/her field. The entire system of operation would be through a laptop (with a web camera and an internet data card) being operated by trained youth (a village coordinator- probably from or near by the village) from the village. The trained staff would visit field and houses of individual farmers as well as sit in the group and share the module. This entire process will keep on continuing through out the year. Development of farmers web page for selling of their produce: With seeding the concept of package of practices, a blog/ web page of farmers collective would be formed with basic inputs of individual farmers detail and all the practices adopted by the farmers would be uploaded on it with their produce details (even before harvesting with an expected amount of produce and farmers willingness to sell the % of produce). An estimated stock with farmers would also be shared on the web page as an online store. The project team would market not the produce but this blog/web page in the urban/or near by rural market with buyers. Buyers with one click could able to chose the different produce available on the web page and could buy the produce and could able to do the online chatting and discussion with farmers and could pay the payment online through the debit card which would go to the farmers club account and based on the contribution from each farmers the amount would be divided. There would be a fix minimum purchasing limit below that purchase would not be allowed. From a common collection point ( a farmers.com center) buyer can get the produce with guarantee card of providing the same produce what has quoted and sold online. Landless farmers and agriculture labourers would be the in-charge of collection points and final supply of agriculture produce and a portion of profit would also be shared with them ( this would be decided in the beginning its self at the time of formation of farmers club). 2.3 Through external support Mainly financial support in the form of loan from local bank or institutions like NABARD 3. Why this model is important? Small and marginalised farmers generally end up at putting high input cost in agriculture and selling their produce with low prices to local traders. On an average gap between the farmer s price and the final market price is 40-50% in 4

5 case of small and marginalised farmers living in small and remote villages. Overall Would have more income from agriculture and agriculture would slowly take a profitable business model for these farmers 4. Context: In 10 tribal villages of Sagar ( 5 villages- Rehli-block) and Chatarpur-(5 villages- Rajnagar block) of Madhya Pradesh 5

6 STEP 1: Identification of small, marginal and landless farmers SECTION 1: Community mobilisation STEP1: Development of Development Innovation Foundation (DIF) software module on sustainable agriculture SECTION 2: promotion of practices organic cultivation through developed software on sustainable agriculture Step 2: Identified local youth (both boys & girls) would be trained on the module) STEP 2: Community mobilisation and formation of farmers club with at least 33% of women farmers Farmers.com SECTION 3: ONLINE farmers market Step 3: Sharing the module on farmers field and in farmers club meeting through locally trained youths and on the same Step 1: Creating an online market through development of farmer s web page to put their practices of agriculture, produce amount and selling price 6 P a g e Step 2: Marketing of web page to the urban, rural and semi urban market Step 4: Collection of produce through collection centers of Step 3: Payment of produce would be online by the