Universal Versatile Society
Our Goals
Our goal is to promote eco-friendly, sustainable and organic farming in local communities. As farmers are increasingly suffering from problems such as crop yields, decreased profits, poor soil health, and suicide, we decided to take action and educate farmers on how to tackle these issues.
Our Projects
Regenerative Agriculture
In view of the problems of conventional farming such as water scarcity, soil depletion and biodiversity loss, UVS wants to facilitate the transition to regenerative agriculture in local communities. The Regenerative agriculture project aims at raising awareness for regenerative agriculture among local farmers in the village of Nagatha. UVS has elaborated a 6-phase plan including orientation workshops on regenerative agriculture, self-help groups for farmers, support staff for farmers and information campaigns on government schemes. 100 farmers are planned to be engaged in the pilot project in Nagatha. Upon successful completion, the project may be expanded to nearby 128 villages of the same or larger size.
Family Farmer Project
As the local population suffers more and more from the negative consequences of chemical farming such as air, soil and water pollution, UVS aims to promote the transition from chemical to organic farming. The goal of the Family Farmer project is to develop organic agriculture and local trade in the region of Nagthana. UVS wants to persuade farmers to work in organic farming, convince the local population to consume local and organic food and organize a good product sales system. In order to achieve these goals, UVS aims to create an online platform which will make communication easier and faster between farmers and consumers. Furthermore, UVS plans to create innovative sales systems attracting and retaining customers.
Tree Planting and Organic Farming
In the context of this project, information was distributed to villagers on 'Parasbaug' (backyard gardening). For sustainable and eco-friendly farming, farmers were made aware about the negative effects of excessive fertilizers and pesticides. UVS invited experts to conduct training sessions on organic farming as organic farming is the key to avoiding soil pollution and maintaining soil health. Furthermore, USV informed farmers about the necessity of water and soil. Farmers participated in all the interactive sessions and resolved their queries and misconceptions about organic farming. Moreover, vegetable seedlings were distributed to encourage self-subsistent farming. In this context, students were given seedlings for plantation and a record was kept to check their planting progress. UVS planted 500 trees at the gaothan area of Nagthana Grampanchayat. Additionally, a UVS team supported the local community by collecting solid and biodegradable waste under Swacch Bharat Abhiyan. Overall, UVS arranged 5 campaigns between 2017 and 2018.
Regenerative Agriculture Development Campaign
UVS initiated this campaign to educate local farmers (in Washim Tehsil, Nagthana, Jambhrun and Panchala) in sustainable and low-budget agricultural practices. During campaigns organised by UVS, farmers received information on water conservation, crop rotation, intercropping, the selection of low water consuming crops, and aquaponics, so that they can learn to tackle the issue of water shortage and irrigation problems. Furthermore, they were given hands-on experience on water conservation practices. Field visits were arranged to demonstrate water harvesting techniques; and information was shared on the alternation of crop patterns and selection of low water consuming crops. Farmers were encouraged to switch from chemical farming to organic farming. A total of 25 out of 100 participants adopted an organic way of farming in 20-30% of their total land and a total of 207 farmers in need took the benefit of our farming equipment to conduct their cultivation and harvesting. More than 100 farmers attended soil testing campaigns organized at Nagthana Village. Overall, we helped to minimize farming costs on chemical fertilizers and pesticides and considerably improved the odds of expenditure going towards a healthy food diet. In Washim, residential training sessions were provided under which 20 farmers were trained in sustainable agricultural practices such as composting and mulching, pest control, and water harvesting.
Agriculture Assistance to Alp-Bhu-Dharak (Minimal Landholder Farmers)
In the context of this project, UVS provides services for sustainable agricultural cultivation to needy farmers on a non-profit basis as farmers in Vidarbha are suffering from low crop yields, decreased profits, poor soil health, and suicide. UVS has assisted minimum landholder farmers by providing a scheme under which tractors, cultivators, and rotavators can be used for farm cultivation on a non-profit basis. Farmers only need to pay for the diesel and driver charges of the used tractor. UVS also provides farming-related services such as organizing field visits and training sessions, water harvesting workshops, and soil testing camps. Approximately 207 farmers are now our beneficiaries availing the benefit of this scheme, running more efficient farms, and conducting more effective farming practices.
Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP)
The program’s vision was to ensure soil conservation, stop soil erosion, recharge groundwater and create protected irrigation facilities. UVS worked in two regions with severely drought-prone areas; the Manora Region, where 5 villages were prioritized, and in the Buldhana Region where 3 villages were selected to conduct training camps. Furthermore, UVS worked with 2 villages in the Chikhali Taluka of the Buldhana District. UVS trained farmers and self-help groups on water harvesting techniques, and crop and water management. A total of 100 farmers were given the above-mentioned training and encouraged to practice water harvesting techniques in their own region. A total of 200 farmers were taken on a field visit for expert advice. We succeeded in implementing the gained knowledge in 3 villages to build a rivulet bunding and a contour bunding. In the second phase of the programme, self-motivated trained farmers-built contour bunding in the village of Savargaon without being managed or taking any financial aid from outside sources. A total of 30 farmers were given training on water harvesting, and 80 farmers were taken to field visits in various locations for expert advice by UVS.
Advance Farming Education to Farmers
UVS raised awareness of organic farming in Washim and thereby increased the crop productivity and incomes of farmers and villagers by promoting lower-cost agricultural alternatives. UVS organized training camps to teach community members about increasing their involvement in sustainable agricultural practices. In the context of the campaign, farmers learned how to tackle their current problems by building up their skills in sustainable agriculture development, entrepreneurship development, organic farming, horticulture, and online marketing methodologies. Thanks to our project, farmers started switching to organic farming and successfully formed farmer-specific self-help groups. A total of 200 farmers were taken on a field visit and separated into five groups for expert advice.