Peermade Development Society (PDS) PDS Organic Spices
Peermade Development Society (PDS) is a premier voluntary organization working for the integrated and sustainable development of the rural poor irrespective of religion, caste or creed in the backward District of Idukki, in the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1980, the Society is registered under the Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Act of 1955 (Registration Number I.126/80 Dated 31 July 1980). It is one of the social service wings of the Catholic Diocese of Kanjirapally. Over the last two decades, PDS has grown as a leading non-governmental organization (NGO) in India actively engaged in various socio-economic development activities like Integrated tribal development, agriculture development, community health, community organization, environmental sanitation, promotion of indigenous medicines, ecological farming, production and export of organic spices, watershed management, human resource development, development of women and children etc.
Tribal Development
Starting its activities from an isolated tribal colony, PDS expanded its area to cover as many as 20 tribal settlements in Idukki District. The strategies of capacity building and awareness creation have been adopted to enable tribal communities to enhance their potentialities. To this end, strategies like promotion of Self Help Groups (SHGs), consumer stores, cultivation of medicinal plants with buy back arrangements, collection of organic spices and organic tea leaves from tribal farmers at a price higher than the market rate, awareness campaigns, implementation of watershed development programmes and construction of rain water harvesting tanks are formulated and carried out with the active participation of tribal people.
Women Development Programme
The community development thrust of PDS received streamlining and better direction with the launching of a specially designed Women’s Development Department. The positive indication from the part of the government offering special provisions for women in Panchayat Raj Institutions also acted much in favour of launching the department placing due emphasis on empowerment through capacity building in the first place. About 32000 women have been organized into 1800 Self Help Groups. Skill training programmes like umbrella making, quail farming, book binding, rabbit rearing, soap making, plant nurseries, wool knitting, electronic goods repairing,electric embroidery and screen printing are frequently conducted. A large number of women participate in these programmes with great confidence. Having obtained legal status and other linkages, the women groups have now started small enterprises and income generation activities.
Micro Enterprise Development The emergence of micro finance has been crucial in the evolution of micro enterprises. Availability of credit for the poor resulted in the emergence of a large number of micro enterprises especially in rural areas. But mere provision of credit does not foster self-employment amongst women in the absence of facilitation and comprehensive micro enterprise development support. Realising this PDS has been rendering need based support to the prospective entrepreneurs for the past many years. Our efforts in this sector can be broadly classified into four areas. 1. Promotion of SHGs
PDS recognizes the importance of SHG promotion as the first step towards micro enterprise promotion. It will facilitate the linkages with different agencies on a permanent basis and will ensure the sustainability of enterprises. As on March 31, 2006 there are 1840 SHGs affiliated with the society.
2. Capacity development
In order to cater to their training needs Entrepreneurship Development Programmes are conducted. The association with Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahemadabad, NABARD, Khadi and Village Industries Commission and Department of Industries and Commerce, Govt. of Kerala, have eabled us to cover a large number of prospective entrepreneurs.
3. Facilitating linkages and collaborations
After the training the facilitation support is given to the trainees towards linking with various Govt. sponsored schemes like PMRY, REGP, Kerala State backward classes Development Corporation, various banks and others for setting up enterprises.
4. Networking
PDS is publishing a quarterly newsletter GRAMODAYAM for circulating among the SHGs. Major objective of this newsletter is to bring out success stories and case studies of successful SHGs and to promote their unique activities. The subscribers of the newsletter include SHGs promoted by other agencies along with those promoted by PDS.
Family Sponsorship Programme The programme is supported with finance and guidance by Save a Family Plan -Canada, Family Care Programme - Austria, Akiton Erzengel Rafael-Austria, and German Sponsorship Programme Germany. A total of one thousand three hundred and thirty needy and deserving families are being helped through this project to meet the basic minimum amenities.
Family Counselling Centre The Family Counselling Centre at Kattappana renders great service to many. Everyday many visit this centre and receive support and guidance. Professional help is rendered here by doctors, counsellors and social workers.
Insurance Programme It is a joint venture of PDS and New India Assurance Co. Ltd. to provide medical assistance, personal accident coverage and fire insurance to the families of our operational area. This programme covers the entire family and proved to be very helpful to the people.
Watershed Development Programmes Watershed Development Management (WDM) Programme has given PDS new enlightenment. The Society holds the distinction of introducing the concept in this part of the country in early 90’s with the help of EEC. The years that followed saw PDS becoming an authentic body in watershed management and related activities. As far as WDM is concerned, the Society assumes the roles of promoter, programme implementing agency, support voluntary organization and resource centre. It is one of the Support Voluntary Organizations (SVO) of Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) for the promotion of its watershed development programme in the South Indian States of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and the Union Territory of Pondichery. These programmes have produced great impacts in the conservation of land, water and biomass. Organic Farming Our pioneering efforts in promoting organic farming have given a new life to the agriculture sector. It has not just confined at theoretical level, but went deep down applying research and technology options. The expertise of PDS in the organic farming is increasingly demanded upon from far and near. Within a short span of time the Society could organize thousands of organic farmers. In the areas of vermiculture and vermicompost the Society has covered a large distance through research oriented experiments as well as propagation/ multiplication mission. The Society’s initiative in organic farming may be also seen as a counter movement against degenerative and unaffordable chemical applications and the neo-colonialisation trait set in by the multinationals in rural agriculture.
Biotechnology A highly sophisticated Tissue Culture Unit, for mass propagation of plants using biotechnical tools also works in full swing. Tissue culture techniques are used in plants like pepper, vanilla, plantains, bananas and rare and endangered medicinal herbs.
Bio Control Agents Biological Pest and Disease Management are very important for a complete agriculture system. Peermade Development Society has well equipped laboratories for the research, development and multiplication of important Biological Control Agents. Trichoderma which is a beneficial fungus is being multiplied in a large scale in the laboratory. For the control of root grub in cardamom, Bio Control Agents like Metarhizium and Beauveria are being multiplied in collaboration with Indian Cardamom Research Institute. Research is also being carried out with beneficial fungus like VAM and other important biological extracts for pest control in spice crops.
Sahyadri Farmers' Consortium
It comprises both tea and spice cultivating farmers of the area. This is a novel initiative of PDS and is widely appreciated by one and all.
PDS Organic Tea
A state of the art modern tea factory has been set up incorporating the latest machinery and technical know-how to produce the best tea. The Society has already started exporting tea to various countries.
Technology Resource Centre (TRC)
TRC works for technology development, popularization and dissemination. The Society has all the expertise and infrastructure to carry out experiments in the areas of Organic Agriculture, Indigenous Health, Tissue Culture and Crop Biotechnology. PDS promotes Land to Lab approach for participatory technology development. As a great recognition to the Society, Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) has approved PDS as Technology Resource Centre (TRC). The TRC of PDS gives training to the voluntary organizations, model farmers and local farmers of Kerala on organic farming and indigenous health practices.
Innovators' Technology Development Centre
Farmers too develop several technologies but they are limited to a certain geographical area. PDS in collaboration with the National Innovation Foundation and Honey Bee Network, documents and popularizes innovations of Kerala and Lakshadeep. Documentation, value addition, standardization and popularization of local innovations and exceptional traditional knowledge are being undertaken by PDS.
Research and Documentation
A highly sophisticated Tissue Culture Unit, for mass propagation of plants using biotechnical tools also works in full swing. Tissue culture techniques are used in plants like pepper, vanilla, plantains, bananas and rare and endangered medicinal herbs.
Consultancy Services
For many years, PDS had been rendering consultancy services to many voluntary organizations and departments in the areas of watershed development, housing and sanitation, microfinance, research and documentation, Ayurveda, animal husbandry and organic farming.
Sahyadri Ayurveda Division
This is a unit of PDS that propagates Ayurveda and other traditional branches of medicine in its true spirits. PDS’ concern in indigenous health has found great support and encouragement from people. Today we have an ethno-medicinal forest, herbal nursery, seed and raw [...] museum and a community programme participated by 4000 families.
The Sahyadri Ayurvedic Pharmaceuticals, which is a GMP certified one, produces 236 varieties of Ayurvedic medicines. Through our self help groups and various other organizations, we promote low cost and harmless practice of Ayurveda, holding tightly on the motto ‘people’s health in their own hands’. Sahyadri Institute of Ayurveda is a state of the art centre for training Ayurveda nurses and therapists. Sahyadri Ayurveda Franchise provides technical expertise and support to set up treatment centres across the globe.
InstituteofAyurveda
Sahyadri Institute of Ayurveda offers academic and training courses in Ayurveda, Ayurveda Nursing and Panchakarma Therapy and Ayurveda Pharmacy. Our academic programmes and training courses are designed exclusively for Doctors, Graduates, Masseurs, Therapists and Pharmacists. All academic and training Courses are residential Programmes.
PDS Organic Spices
The Organic Agro-products and Export Division is a new venture of PDS. This department purchases spices from its certified organic small farmers, process them and export them. This ensures better income for the farmers. (www.pdsorganicspices.com)
PDS was set up in Sahyadri Farmer Consortium in 1997 to work for marketing of farm products for export, including organic farm products. In addition, the consortium provides support for technical assistance and training in organic spice cultivation. The PDS has promoted 45 certified products including spices, coffee, fruits and ayurvedic preparations. During the period 1998.1999 the PDS exported nearly 61 tonnes of organic black pepper, 30 tonnes of organic white pepper and 3.9 tonnes of organic sliced ginger. This was, however, substantially below the amount of certified spices available. About three-quarters of certified organic black pepper had to be sold at non-organic prices in open market auctions, owing to lack of sufficient demand for this product. PDS.s experience shows that it is demand, rather than certification, that constitutes a major problem.
A survey was conducted in Idukki district (Kerala) of 28 organic spice growers, both members and non-members of PDS (see annex III.3, table AIII.3.1). The results of the survey indicate the following: .
The costs of certification of farmers under PDS were met for 12 growers (details regarding certification costs were not available), while 16 growers were not certified; . Organic spices were sold to importers in the United States, Germany and the Netherlands, in addition to the domestic market; . Growers in general felt that they were able to demand higher prices than they had obtained previously; . 18 of the 28 farmers reported a decline in output of 30 per cent or more in the post-conversion period, and 10 reported a decline of 10 to 20 per cent;
. The cost of production was seen to have fallen in the post conversion period (considerably so in the case of cardamom), as compared with the pre-conversion period, for all spices. For the non-PDS farmers the output prices were disappointing. Growers of cardamom reported zero improvement; two of the six surveyed ginger growers indicated an improvement of between 4 and 7 per cent; and all nine pepper growers reported higher prices, though an increase was also experienced by conventional growers. The above results indicate an interesting pattern with regard to the production of organic spices in Kerala. The fall in production costs for organic spices serves to indicate that small spice growers, who inherently avoid non-organic production techniques, find organic production systems to be a blessing in disguise, as they are able to reduce their outlay on inputs and use their family labour to a greater extent. The market promotion efforts of the Spices Board have strengthened the ability of such associations as the PDS to enter into the export market of organic products. A good proportion of surveyed farmers indicated awareness about the ultimate destination of their products in the international market.