Arhar Dal Mill

Pigeon pea, a pulse first domesticated in India 3,500 years ago belongs to legume family which grows in tropical and subtropical climate. It is draught tolerant and warm weather crop. The pigeon peas are rich sources of proteins, minerals, vitamins and lipids.  It has been recommended for a balanced diet with cereals, especially to fill in the nutritional gap for proteins among the poorer section in developing economies that cannot afford a non-vegetarian diet. Along with nutritional benefits, being a leguminous plant it has the capability to restore fertility of the soil. It is also a cash crop and hence fetches better economic output for the farmers.

LEADS through its RACE project aims to inculcate following value additions to the cultivation of pigeon pea:

  • Enterprise creation – through solar operated processing unit in Khunti district
  • Employment generation across the supply chain of pigeon pea
  • Awareness building among the local population and rural in particular for adoption of pigeon pea in their food habits as a protein source
  • Promotion of pigeon cultivation as it draught tolerant and can improve fertility of soil
  • Promotion of pigeon pea as an intercropping candidate across its other agricultural activities
Economics

Daal procurement and processing is also done through SHG and Producer groups. The seeds are procured at the price of Rs. 50/kg. The procurement of pulses is done by the producer groups at 25-villages of Khunti district, by 250 farmers. 1kg of raw pulses produce 800gm of finishes pulses. With the processing cost of Rs5/kg (including pre-processing, process ing and other chargers of RS 1,3 and 1 respectively), the cost of 1 kg of market ready pulses is Rs. 68.75 which fetches Rs. 90 in the market.

Way Forward

LEADS aims bring producer groups of pulse farmers together as an enterprise as pulses have multiple advantages, from being of greater economic value, to being protein source, to being beneficial for soil fertility to draught resistant crop. It aims to replicate the success of present PG to 3000 farmers in Bandhgaon and Murhu blocks. Employing clean energy for the processing would play the key role in the lifetime of this intervention.

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Economic Empowerment of Ultra Poor Woman

Promoting Girl Child Education

Organic Farming to Reduce Mal-nutrition

General Donation

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