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DDS Family mourns its loss
It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we inform that Mr P. V. Satheesh (77), founder and Executive Director of Deccan Development Society (DDS) passed away this morning. Last rites will be performed on Monday at 10.30 am in Pastapur Village of Sangareddy district.
23rd Mobile Biodiversity Festival Inaugurated!
Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR) principal scientist Sanjana Reddy stressed the need to focus on nutrition and biodiversity, as the month-long mobile biodiversity festival by the Deccan Development Society (DDS) kicked off at Jamgarbouli Thanda in Mogudampally mandal on Saturday.
Festival of Uncultivated Greens 2022
Nearly 100 people took part in the event including enthusiastic urban visitors, Sangham women farmers, agricultural scientists, health experts and media persons. Participants of the festival first visited two villages – Tekur and Potapally where they toured around biodiverse farms with around 15 crops and interacted with the women farmers
Click for Telugu Press Release
DDS Farmers at Raithu Vedika
DDS Farmers Laxmamma and Mogulamma were invited to Raithu Vedika at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Warangal on the occasion of National Farmers Day to address farmers on millet cultivation for the rabi season. They advocated to farmers to cultivate variety of millets, oilseeds and pulses by highlighting their importance in daily diet, pest management, soil health restoration, less investment, less water requirement etc. They were felicitated by scientists who attended the event for their efforts in promoting awareness on millet cultivation.
SANGHAM PANDUGALU - 2021
The Sangham Panduga of 2021 kickstarted in Shamshallapur and has been celebrated in 29 villages. Beginning from 2003, DDS Mahila Sanghams have been organizing month-long 'Sangham Pandagalu' to revitalise the sangham consciousness and renew understanding of the ethos and principles around which they have come together. It offers a great opportunity for dialogue and celebration with films, songs and discussions around issues that matter to them. The continuing tradition is a testament to the strength and joys of Sangham unity and brings forward the cultural aspect to the functioning of Sangham, rather than serving only as a mechanical and utilitarian organization.
Distribution of Millet Processing Machines
On 14th October, Under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan 2021-22,DDS-KVK distributed Dehulling Machines and Flour Mill machines in our sangham villages. This is a move towards making millet processing more accessible for rural farmers and incentivize millet farming.
Inauguration of Community Dialysis Centre
DDS launched the Community Dialysis Centre to offer Dialysis facilities for rural poor suffering Chronic Kidney Diseases and who cannot afford to travel to cities frequently. Two eminent doctors Dr Rajib Paul and Dr Sanjay Maitra from Apollo Hospitals Hyderabad, inaugurated the facility. The event was also attended by several other important doctors from Zaheerabad including Dr Shivababu who emphasized on the importance of millet diets to prevent chronic diseases. The is fully equipped with required facilities, and a professional technician, following all standard protocols. It will be open to the public after necessary permits are obtained.
Opening of CAFE GREENETHNIC
DDS inaugurated a renewed restaurant titled Cafe Green Ethnic in Zaheerabad, offering a tasteful ambiance and an immunity building menu. The restaurant is completely devoted to millet dishes which have the reputation of offering highest nutrition. The restaurant also procures all its ingredients from organic growers and therefore is probably the first organic restaurant in the state of Telangana. The event was attended by Ms. Nandini Reddy of the Zaheerabad Food Group, Dr. Shiva babu, a popular doctor of Zaheerabad and Veteran organic farmers, Smt Moligeri Chandramma and Mr. Jayappa.
PRA on Biodiverse Agriculture data
A collaborative meeting took place among women farmers, CESS Professors, Government officials, Krishi Vignan Kendra, Media groups and the Deccan Development Society staff. The objective of the meeting was to conduct a Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) to understand the reality of misleading agricultural data on biodiverse millet crops published by the government. The exercise of women showcasing their crops through PRA was a visual treat, where they used colours and seeds to depict their farm and the number of crops sown with at least 20-25 crops in each acre. This was followed by a cross-check of government data and the farmers data, where it was observed that government data recorded substantially low acreage for farmers crop thereby misleading the kind of cropping that exists on the fields of Zaheerabad.
DDS Celebrated Suggi Panduga
Suggi Panduga, a festival celebrating farmers produce and marking the endof the farming season, and the subsequent time for harvesting, was celebratedat Deccan Development Society (DDS) in a unique manner on November 7, 2020.Farmers from Arjun Nayak Thanda in Zaheerabad mandal displayed theirorganicallygrown produce to the urban consumer group, Beyond Organic. Duringthese uncertain times for farmers amid the pandemic, their produce indicatedthe food security they have established, where they have produced enoughnutritional food not just for themselves, but also for customers from urbanareas.
Chirudhanyalaku Chirunama - Arjunnaik Tanda
Beyond Organic
Looking at the UNCULTIVATED
These greens will develop on their own and carry huge healthbenefits. Some carry iron and folic acid and there are even greens which willprevent abortion. Black Punti kura, red punti kura, Tummi kura, Uttareni,Nagarichou, Gangavailu (three varieties), Pedda Totakura, Nalla Doggala, JonnaChanchali, Peddavayilu, Chinnavayilu and Sannavayilu.
2020 Biodiversity Award
DDS has won the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Award, one of the
most coveted environmental awards in the world for the year 2020. This is
in recognition of the individuals who dedicate their actions and
organisations for their deep commitment to preserving our planet, in each
of the Foundation's three priority areas: limiting the effects of climate
change, preserving biodiversity, managing water resources and fighting
against desertification
Click for the Award announcement
Resolve for Self-abundant Communities
By launching Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan [Self Reliant India] campaign and calling for being Vocal about LOCAL, the Prime Minister of India has moved the country to a completely new way of self identification. We in the Deccan Development Society are thrilled that what we have practised and advocated all through our 30 years of developmental life has now become the national agenda. Click for the details in Telugu
IWD-Realising Women's Rights
Women of Deccan Development Society Sangham celebrated
International Women's Day at Pastapur, on Sunday with the theme "I am Generation
Equality- Realising Women's Rights" and released a manifesto on 'Millet Rights are Women's Rights,' considering the prominent
role played by women in millet farming.
Mobile Biodiversity Festival 2020
Deccan Development Societycelebrated Biodiversity Festival - 2020 to create a milestone of a two decadalcommunity cultural campaign on Biodiversity. Many development Scholars,Activists, Environmentalists and top administrators attended this yearâs festivaland made some significant statements. Here are some selected speeches. Ms Alimata Traore, President, COFERSA, African Representative to FAO, Mali, West Africa Dr. Ashish Kothari, a Renowned Environmentalist and Biodiversity Expert, Kalpavriksh, Pune Prof. Michel Pimbert, Director, CAWR, Coventry University, U.K Ms. Seetha Ananthasivan, Director, Bhoomi, Bangalore Dr WR Reddy, DG NIRD, Hyderabad
Zaheerabad Agenda
Zaheerabad Agenda which comes out of the spirit with which the
prestigious Equator Prize was awarded to the DDS. The citation for the
award mentioned that local nature based sustainable solutions for climate
change. As we in DDS analysed these key words of the award, we realized
that together they describe a kind of agriculture that had been a heritage
of Zaheerabad region since it has been practiced over centuries by the
small and women farmers of this region. Therefore we decided to share this
honour with all the communities of Zaheerabad and drafted a document called Zaheerabad
Agenda. Along with the thousands of women of DDS sanghams this has received an enormous endorsement of an over whelming 156 (out of 163) sarpanches, elected
village level chiefs in this region. We are in the process of taking it
to the next level of local body chiefs and political establishments. Click for the Zaheerabad Agenda
A Proudest Moment!
In a rare honour, the women of Deccan Development Society received the most coveted UN awards- Equator Prize for 2019 in the award ceremony on September 24, 2019 held at the Town Hall in New York City. It is a matter of great pride for the entire DDS family that the non-literate, dalit, disprivileged women from DDS sanghams have received this award and are the only Indian group to have done so in 2019. The award sights DDS sangham women as "an outstanding example of a local, nature-based solution to climate change and sustainable development." It further says "In the Zaheerabad region of India, Deccan Development Society promotes women-led regenerative agriculture and community-seed banks to empower Dalit and tribal women, promote sustainable land use, and achieve food security." Is truly a source of joy to see the DDS Women Sanghams are on the front page of UNDP website while annoucing Equator 2019 with due credits. .......
Smart Millets for Smart Diwali
DDS & Disha organised a unique event SMART MILLETS for a SMART DEEPAVALI on 4th November, 2018 (Sunday) at the PAAKA Organic Café near Tellapur. The event comprised of cookery workshop, exhibition of variety of millet products, millet cooking contest followed a millet feast.......
Sharing Harvest - Sharing Vision
A novel initiative of bringing farmers and consumers together turns out to be a win-win deal. âA few grains less you have lost your crop, a few showers of rain more, your crops are destroyed, a sudden attack of birds, you have lost everything that you have grown over months. At the end of it like most of us, the farmer doesnât receive her/his monthly pay packet. If an existence that is ridden with frightening uncertainty there is nothing more I can sayâ........
October 1, 2018 We are glad that all political parties are addressing the issue of Food & Agriculture as important concern of their party. While doing so we would like them to look at the whole issue of millets which is going to be critical for the country for the coming decades for the following reasons........
Are we losing our right to the recognition of Organic?
Millions of farmers in India may lose their right to call what they grow as organic, when a new government law comes into operation. This might be as soon as tomorrow. Alarmed by this development, the PGS Organic Council, [an all India body that represents millions of peasant farmers] has, in anguish, reminded the government that these farmers constitute âmore than 75% of the farming community In India. These are the very people, who have symbolized organic farmingâ....... Click for the Pastapur Declaration Click for the PGSOC letter to PM
Together Towards Diversity
On June 16, 2018, in a celebratory event the consumers from Hyderabad participated with farmers in sowing their fields. For the first time in the history, urban consumers signed a formal agreement with peasant women for a partnership in a formal function at Pastapur, Zaheerabad, Sangareddy district, Telangana........
Millet Sisters symbolize Nari Shakti !
With great pleasure we inform you that All India Millet Sisters Network (AIMS) has been awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar, 2017 by the Government of India for outstanding contribution to women's empowerment. The award was presented by the President of India in a prestigious ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi on the 8th March 2018 on the occasion of International Women's Day....... Click for the Details in English Click for the Details in Telugu
Millet Sisters welcome the International Year of Millets
We at DDS are so delighted about the governmentâs proposal to the United Nations, that 2018 should be observed as the International Year of Millets. In this context, DDS has taken its first step by organising a meeting with the women millet farmers on Friday December 15 at Pastapur village. Through this meeting the significance of this move by the government of India was discussed and the small farmers expressed their own concerns over millets gaining popularity. Following is the pledge adopted by the Millet Sisters Network ......
Beyond Organic - Connecting ecological farmers with enlightened consumers
On the 3d of December, DDS farmers and representatives facilitated an awareness cum network event, 'BeyondOrganic- Connecting ecological farmers with enlightened consumers', at Paaka, an Organic Cafe and Culture Space at Tellapur in Hyderabad. Disha Women Society, a collective of urban consumers, homemakers and working women envisioning a healthy future for their children, organised the event. ......
Diabetes Information and Mitigation Mela
DDS which is also founder organisation of Millet Network of India (MINI) has been promoting health and nutrition through a movement led by ecological farmers from across the country. As its small contribution to this global effort, DDS a Diabetes Information and Mitigation Mela at the Café Ethnic premises from 7-30 a.m. till 11 a.m to create more information and more awakening specific to Diabetes......
Agro-Anthropological Workshop-1
The workshop intends to enable the scientists to understand the wisdom and the practice of seed keeping and soil fertility management at the community level, based on which the scientists will interpret the cultural practices associated with farming in terms of modern science. This will be systematically documented and used for producing a policy brief constituting both farmers science and formal science. .... Click for the workshop findings
SAGE & DDS's objection for
Expressing its 'shock' at the development of transgenic sorghum [jowar] by the Indian Institute of Millet Research of Hyderabad, the Southern Action on Genetic Engineering has demanded a firm and unequivalent stand against GM sorghum by the Government of India and asked the government to clearly say that it will not approve GM sorghum."..... Click for the Press Statement in English Click for the Press Statement in Telugu
DDS Response to Chief Minister
"We urge the Chief Minister to kindly move forward from this position and declare an enhanced support for those farmers who tend to their soils organically. Because they are truly realizing the concept of Golden Telangana by keeping the soil of this land fertile for future generation. Therefore we request that atleast 25% of the support declared should reach non chemical farmers."..... Click for the English Press Release Click for the Telugu Press Release
Be Bold for Change
The women of the Deccan Development Society celebrated the International Women's Day by remembering some of the pioneering women from the Deccan who by being bold brought changeto their lives and to their communities while it also resonated with this year's theme - Being Bold for Change. More than 200 women from the local communities took a long rally from Zaheerabad town to the Pastapur village where a meeting was organised to discuss the essence of the day and the role of the women. ......
Farm to Kitchen
Sangham Organics is bringing to your homes the organic, traditional, seasonal and nutritional vegetables and greens fresh from farms and directly from farmers at very reasonable prices. Zaheerabad consumers can register by calling us at 9959294409 and avail the home delivery on every Tuesday and Friday. Hyderabad Consumers can register at Disha Science Centre, Hyderabad, Tellapur or by calling on 9703169553
DDS - Disha Sangham Organics
DDS - Disha Organic Alliance was inaugurated on October 2 2016 as an attempt to bring together the women of DDS (who have been cultivating the nutritious grains such as millets and supplying them to the urban consumers) and the women of Disha (who have been practicing and promoting healthy lifestyle in the cities. The women together will start to run the Sangham Organics outlet near Tellpur -Bhel area in the city from October 2016......
DDS ORGANIC MANURES
The DDS Organic Manure Centers are an effort of nearly 500 women farmers spread over 30 plus villages in the four mandals of Zaheerabad region of the Medak district. None of these farmers as described above has a holding of more than two acres. 95% of their farms are unirrigated and do not have any kind of water source. Their soils are red, gravelly and shallow representing the 'poorest' soils in the semi arid region of the Medak district. In spite of these ecological handicaps the women, over the decades, have shown great strength and resilience in designing and defending a fascinating knowledge based agriculture that symbolises biodiversity, ecological richness and power of the small. A combination of all these factors has made their agriculture the most climate smart 'sovereign' agriculture of the poor.........
Celebrating Organic Vegetables
In the light of increasing dangers of chemically grown vegetables and fruits that cause severe damage to health of people and environment, the exploitation of consumers by commercial market forces and the age old exploitation of farmers through middle men mechanism, DDS Sangham Organics, farmers led market launched Organic Zaheerabad with a vision to protect our health and envirionment and to support organic traditional farmers in Zaheerabad region. This initiative is believed to promote the nutritional diversity and a fair market price that the consumers have been deprived of........ -->Organic Products for Sale
The following organic products are available for sale at DDS Sangam Shop at Zaheerabad. The produce is from the fields and farms of the members of the DDS women sanghams all of who are invariably ecological farmers.
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Sounds of Soil
Sangham Women Rally on Women’s day
On March 8th 2022, the Deccan Development Society commemorated the International Women’s Day with a celebratory rally and event by nearly 200 Sangham women farmers.The women raised slogans on the relationship between women, biodiversity, health, nutrition and ecology. Women warriors who have offered their health and legal services at grassroots level were honored for their efforts. Dignitary guests included local officials, educationists and civil judges who appreciated DDS women for asserting themselves on local and international levels. The event ended with DDS Legal Committee women members receiving certificates of recognition from the Mandal Legal Services Committee for their long-standing efforts for dispute resolution and right awareness in their village communities.
PRA ON LIVESTOCK
On March 8th 2022, the Deccan Development Society commemorated the International Women’s Day with a celebratory rally and event by nearly 200 Sangham women farmers.The women raised slogans on the relationship between women, biodiversity, health, nutrition and ecology. Women warriors who have offered their health and legal services at grassroots level were honored for their efforts. Dignitary guests included local officials, educationists and civil judges who appreciated DDS women for asserting themselves on local and international levels. The event ended with DDS Legal Committee women members receiving certificates of recognition from the Mandal Legal Services Committee for their long-standing efforts for dispute resolution and right awareness in their village communities.
SANGHAM MARKET ELECTIONS
the biannual Sangham Market election took place in a completely democratic and participatory manner with discussion, debate and dialogue. Members of the Sangham Organics Cooperative elected a 11 member Market Committee who would function as representatives of the cooperative for two years from now. The power and necessity of collective bargaining power of women farmers were reiterated through this election..
UNCULTIVATED GREENS 2021
The monsoon season kickstarted the Uncultivated Greens Programme which is taking place across 21 villages. Older women are explaining the importance of orphan greens and guide younger women on how to cook them. The events have become a great opportunity for women coming together and demonstrating their knowledge of greens. Following the discussion, women cooked and enjoyed the nutritious green curries with jowar rotis together. Uncultivated Greens Recipes are also being documented.
LIVESTOCK DONATION TO ORGANIC FARMERS
The office of Deccan Development Society (DDS) in Pastapur, Zaheerabad has hosted a special event where Sri Hanumanth Rao, Founder of Gangotri Go Nilayam, Hyderabad has donated 22 male calves to the farmers of the Deccan Development Society. This event was attended by Zaheerabad Municipal Commissioner Sri Janaki Ram, DSP Sri Shankar Raju; National Plant Genome Saviour Awardee Smt. Gangwar Anjamma and Dr. Vinod Kumar. Farmers expressed the reverence they hold for livestock and its importance for organic agriculture. They promised to take care of the calves dearly and provide required food and fodder every day. WOMENS DAY CELEBRATION 2021March 8, 2021
The significant role of women in ensuring nutritional security at the household level has been long recognised. But leadership on farm is a thing they still struggle with. Women who have defied the norm and asserted their identity, were celebrated this womens day at DDS. The event took place at Cafe Ethnic in Zaheerabad. Anithamma, Kasturamma, Sarala and Mogulamma were felicitated by DDS. The KVK along with DDS acknowledged the efforts of Jadala Chandramma of Bidakanne (Best women Farmer of the year), Santoshamma of Basanthpur (Best health coordinator), and Masangari Mayuri (Leadership during Covid). The idea that Millet rights are womens rights, was reinforced and identified as a crucial contributor in fuelling the millet movement in the lead up to year 2023 which has been recognised as the International Millet year. !>
A Compilation on Jai Chandiram Memorial
3rd Community Media Film Festival
Jai Chandiram Memorial 3rd Community Media Film Festival
The Jai Chandiram Memorial 3rd National Community Media Film Festival is organised today i.e. 13th February, 2021 at DDSKVK, Didigi, Zaheerabad. This year film festival received an overwhelming response of 27 national entries from 11 states and 7 international entries from West Africa. "Log Drum of Pessao" from Green Hub Organisation, Nagaland received the first prize from Nag Ashwin, Prominent 'Mahanati' Director....
Save Jowar Campaign
On the occasion of Independence day, Deccan Development society vouched for a new campaign called Save Jowar through which it inaugurated a Mobile Jowar Roti Van.
We Salute our Local Communities
Heartiest eco greetings from all of us in DDS on the occasion of World
Environment Day!
Covid Relief Actions by DDS
Covid-19 has posed an unprecedented global health challenge. Acknowledging their
selfless services and role as frontline warriors during this pandemic, DDS
had taken an initiative of extending its support to these health and
sanitation workers by supplying Ragi Porridge twice a day at their work
place. In addition to this DDS staff are reaching out to the vulnerable groups of
people ie Elderly, Single Women, Migrant Workers, supplying not only food but the nutritious Millets to increase their immunity. In collaboration with
District Administration, providing ragi ambali and ready mix to Anganwadis
to supply Pregnanat and Lactating mothers in Mogudampally mandal and also
in Zaheerabad, Jharasangam Villages. When most of the people are afraid to come out on the roads and women are serving their families, all DDS women staff in the project office came out and doing survey in and around Zaheerabad for the needy and engaged in relief actions very bravely. Hats Off to our Heroes. The relief work will continue till the lockdown period.
Pastapur Declaration on
After visiting the farms and families of the small-holder organic women
farmers particularly millet cultivators of the DDS and participated in the biodiversity festival from the
10th to 22th of January in 2020, the peasant women members from West Africa who are also members of the West
African Committee of Peasants seeds, have shared their common heritage and
exchanged their experiences and knowledge about ecological farming through
millet cultivation and biodiversity for the future of food and farming. Click for the joint Declaration
Millet Charter 2020
All millets are poised for a revolution in the words of the honorable Prime Minister of India; the National Conference of Millet Sisters where millet farming women from 28 women from 13 organisations from 8 Indian states converged and deliberated on a number o actions from across India to further the millet ideology. Very significantly a Millet Charter -2020 declares âMillet Rights are Womenâs Rightsâ thereby echoing the statement from womenâs movement in the last decade where they said womenâs rights are human rights. ..
EQUALITY TO EQUATOR
'Equality to Equator' explains how the DDS women travelled the enormous distance from their villages to 'Equator' to secure a prestigious UNDP award.
Interfacing Farmers Science with Formal Science
AIMS First
The Millet Force!
New Challenges bring with them new strategies! The Millet Network of India which is the countryâs first and largest network for organizations promoting millets, mostly importantly working with small, women farmers cultivating millets has been greatly instrumental in architecting policies on millet based agriculture in the country. What has been strength to the network are its dedicated partners that look at locally situated problems and bringing them onto the national agenda.........
DDS Sangham Radio celebrates its 10th Birthday!
DDS Sangham Radio, countryâs first women-led community radio celebrated its 10th birthday on October 15, 2018, Machnoor, Zaheerabad. Born 20 years ago and was âlicensed to broadcastâ by the Government of India ten years ago, SANGHAM RADIO heralded a new media space for the disprivileged rural peasant women of India. In âPastapur Declarationâ (outcome of first media convention held at Sangham Radio) released by dozens of media activists of South Asia.........
Seeds of Resilienc
Global Alliance for the Future of Food organised the Global Strategic Convening on Resilient Seed Systems that took place in Oaxaca, Mexico. It was a great opportunity for DDS to be one among 100 selected invitees from around the globe, who contributed to the Shared Action Framework for resilient seed systems that identify principles, a common narrative, needs and opportunities for supporting resilient (farmer managed) seeds systems........
India's First Festival of Uncultivated Foods
'God's own plants! They are never shown but they volunteer to grow on their own. They grow best on lands that are designated as degraded by human beings. They are never sold in the market , but they are multiple times more nutritious than the marketed greens. They are available free for the poor. Probably they are *god's own socialist crops*. They create a society of equal by offering the best nutrition for the poor who cannot buy nutrition in the market . They are named as weeds by agricultural science dominated by the western way of thinking.......
Umiam Declaration of Millet Sisters
Having met at the ICAR-NEH, Umiam, Meghalaya on May 23-24, 2018, along with civil society groups, scientists, activists and environmentalists from 12 states -- Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, & West Bengal and having had an elaborate discusion on MILLETS: Current Concernds and Challenges we the members of the All India Millet Sisters Network have arrived at the following Umiam Declaration of Millet Sisters ...... Click for the Declaration English Click for the Declaration Telugu Click for the Press Release English Click for the Press Release Telugu
First step in the farm!
The course on Agroecology started imparting around 80 children from a local school about the concepts of ecological agriculture and the fundamental differences between traditional and modern practices of farming. In the first class, the children were taught the importance of learning about food and its production, the significance of ecological farming and why small holder farmers should be respected and their knowledge valued. The children exhibited great enthusiasm......
DDS Launches Community Production Centre
DDS Community Production Centre, which produces a number of ready to cook and ready to eat food for the urban population, was inaugurated by the District Magistrate Manickaraj Kannan, IAS, on December 5 2017 at Pastapur village in Telangana. This prestigious project is the first in the region which is completely run and managed by women from marginal communities. ......
Celebrating Skills - The first batch of Pacha Saale's Skill Hub Graduate
The first batch of Pacha Saale' Skill hub have now successfully finished their three months training in skills such as tailoring, computer and electrical and motor winding . The young adults, most of who are women, have acquired skills which can enable them to earn a living independently. ......
CROPS OF ANGER
Torches are lit and signs are held high when 40 sangham women from start their rally in Mogupadam village in the evening of November 6th 2017. They are on their fourth day of campaigning and the farmerâs slogans about the benefits of millets and the drawbacks of cotton are echoing over the village. The aim is to sensitize cotton farmers on the importance of millets and the state to recognize Jowar as a essential food crop. The farmers raged over the recent loss that occured to their food crops and for not being compensated equally as that of the commercial crops. ......
Pachasaale School for Green Thinking
Considering the changing needs of the local communities, the Board of DDS has decided to revamp the school and inaugurated PachaSaale Community Hub for Green vision and Life Skills and it visions to impart in children and youth the principles of ecology so that they will grow to become responsible citizens with sensitivity towards environment and conservation of natural resources .......
Revolutionizing Women's Narratives
In the conference " Micro Narratives of Change" General Narsamma boldly put forth her views on the role of community media and how Sangham radio had made significant changes in her community.......
Na Telangana - Na Vyavasayam
Bearing the beacons of hope, the Millet Sisters start their march to chase the darkness invading the lives of thousands of small and marginal farmers of Telangana. It is this time of the year when the inspiring songs and igniting slogans echo in the interiors of the Deccan. 'Na telangana Na Vyavasayam' shouts the young women of the DDS sanghams as they go around the villages in the Zaheerabad region to sensitize farmers on ecological agriculture practices ahead of the next sowing season of Kharif......
SAGE letter to Minister, MoEF First it was cotton. Then the net spread to Golden Rice. Then mustard. And now sorghum. The extremely strategic expansion of GM conspiracy is now out in the open. SAGE warned about 15 years ago, the introduction of Bt cotton was only a precursor to test policy waters in India and see how it responds to the entry of Bt into the farming landscape of this country ...... Click to see letter in English
India's first community radio stilll makes the right connect
Sangham which went on air in 2008, continues its two-hour broadcast in Telugu and reaches out to people of 150 villages in Telangana. Musaligari Nagamani, a farmer, is listening to the radio sitting a few inches away from her as she cooks dinner on firewood in her tiled-roof house. The broadcast in Telugu is peppered with local collaquialisms and slang ...... Anjamma Received
The shrine of DDS Smt Anjamma, received the second national award -The Plant Genome Savior Farmers Reward by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India on April 19 2017. The award ceremony was held at Champaran in Bihar. Mr Radha Mohan Singh, Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister in New Delhi commended Anjamma for her remarkable contribution to agriculture by preserving and conserving more than 80 varieties of seeds which are the plant genetic resources. Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers Rights Authority, India (PPVFRA) in recognition to her efforts rewarded her with Rs 1.5 lakhs and a memento. DDS believes that his recognition is not just for Anjamma but to the practice of thousands of DDS women who are the seed banks of their communities and whose fields are a demonstration of rich biodiversity. Anjamma is one great example of the DDS communities where women have been thriving to stay sovereign to breath life into the concept of agro ecology .
Jai Chandiram Memorial
DDS' Community Media Trust has hosted Indiaâs first festival of films made by members of disadvantaged local communities - Jai Chandiram Memorial 1st National Community Media Film Festival 2017 on February 12 2017 at Krishi Vigyan Kendra(KVK), Didigi village, Zaheerabad. The women of CMT have traveled a long way from being people who were always sidelined by the mainstream media and refused a media space of their own to indisputable media professionals breaking the barriers of poverty......
DDS SANGHAM ORGANICS
The DDS Sangham Organics is country's first orgnaic market run by women farmers. This farmer's maket is another dimension of the Deccan Development Society's discourse on control. In the age of globalisation, where market and media work in tandem to shape people's ideas on food and agriculture, the need for strong alternative markets has never before been felt so acutely. Such a need, coupled with the importance of the poor creating their own markets and defying the dictates of the mainstream market can bring a sea - change in the relationship between the poor and market.
MILLETS
Drumstic & Flax Seed Leaves
FARM TO HOME
Understanding the urban needs, Sangham Organics came up with the âMobile Vanâ service for urban customers who can now avail its authentic organic products with more convenience. This mobile market will not only make shopping easy but also bring to you the 100% organic products grown by DDSâ farmers in Zaheerabad region directly from their farms to your homes. This attempt of DDS is to genuinely promote consumption of millets and other food crops grown through organic and bio diverse farming that are rich in nutrition, among urban population who are often prone to high level adulterated food products available in mainstream markets.......... Click here about our Products and Prices.
My Best Gift, Ever:
"We don't need to do that anymore. Every family has food security now."
SANGHAM SAFFOIL
Safflower is an agricultural and food marvel. They are the only oilseeds which HAVE ZERO transfats, a major concern in heart conditions. Even more amazing is the fact that when cold pressed, safflower seeds are believed to scrape off cholesterol from human Jeart. Ayurvedic experts say that, when safflower oil is produced using traditional ghanuga [crusher] they exhibit anti cholesterol properties. Safflower oil is rich in Vitamin E and helps lower Blood Pressure, Diabetes and Coronary Heart Disease... --> --> |
