Mizoram State Rural Livelihoods Mission (MzSRLM) has initiated implementation of farm livelihoods intervention since 2017 and adopted a focused strategy for farm livelihoods promotion. The mission has made significant progress in mobilizing the poor and vulnerable women into their institutions. The mission has also supported these women SHGs through provisioning of revolving fund and Community Investment Fund (CIF) to take up livelihoods activities. Besides, the mission has linked these SHGs to banks as well through its, SHG Bank linkage program for enabling them to access easy credit.
The key features of Farm Livelihoods under MzSRLM are promotion of Sustainable Agriculture and Livestock. The mission already entered 13 intensive blocks with farm livelihoods interventions through a time bound approach. As the mission taken over Aizawl and Lunglei district from 1st October, 2019, livelihoods intervention will also be initiated in these two districts. The mission prepared the following action plans under farm livelihoods intervention :
- Entering 100% of intensive blocks in 2020-21 which would involve placing dedicated staff in these blocks
- Preparation of Block saturation plan for every block where farm livelihoods interventions have been taken up
- Preparation of village saturation plan for the villages already entered
Major Objectives of Farm based Livelihoods promotion under MzSRLM :
- Universalization of Livelihoods in all intensive blocks
- Promotion of agro-ecological practices
- Every poor household is supported on at least 2 farm sector livelihoods in an integrated manner (agriculture and livestock)
- Assured annual incremental income of more than Rs.50,000 per family per year after 2 years of intervention
- Yearlong food & nutritional security for the household created by themselves.
- Income streams throughout the year
- Creation of Social capital for agriculture, NTFP and livestock, from the best practitioners as extension workers.
- Moving from Agro Ecology to Organic
MzSRLM has implemented farm livelihoods intervention through the following program :
- Mahila Kisan Shashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) – in Resource Block
- State Rural Livelihoods Mission’s Annual Action Plan on farm livelihood – in Intensive Block