Hatching Hope Accelerating Income
A global initiative supported by Heifer International and implemented by Grameena Vikas Kendram aimed at enhancing nutrition and livelihoods for 100 Million people by 2030.
Indigenous farmers in Andhra Pradesh depend predominantly on farming, exposing them to financial instability from market fluctuations, crop failures, and natural disasters. Additionally, many farmers with backyard poultry face issues due to inadequate coop construction, lack of proper vaccination, and imbalanced feed, which limits their productivity and income. Compounding these challenges, farmers often lack access to formal credit, technical assistance, and necessary infrastructure, which restricts their ability to invest in and diversify their agricultural activities.
Summary tagline
Solutions
Integrating backyard poultry with existing farming can diversify income reducing dependency on crop farming and providing a more stable income through poultry product sales. Improving poultry rearing conditions through better coop construction, vaccination programs, and balanced feed can boost productivity and farm incomes. Additionally, strengthening Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) facilitates better access to formal credit and technical assistance, supporting infrastructure development and enabling farmers to effectively invest in and diversify their agricultural activities.
Impact
The project engaged 9,000 farmers across 178 villages, deploying over 30,000 birds to generate income through improved backyard poultry practices.
Apart from introducing the improved backyard poultry component, Grameena Vikas Kendram diversified income streams for Indigenous communities through regenerative farming, distributing 4000 cotton and 2000 intercrop seeds and setting up 50 honey bee units. Initiatives like Ghana Jeevamrutham and Vermicompost improved soil health with 180 tons of organic inputs.
Equipment distribution enhanced farm efficiency, while value-addition efforts like natural dye and oil extraction units fostered entrepreneurship. Over 9,800 farmers were trained on organic manure, financial literacy, and good agricultural practices, empowering them to adopt sustainable methods and boost profitability. Expanded agro-processing infrastructure and focused training sessions, especially for women and FPO members, further supported rural livelihoods.
