East Jaintia Hills, 24th October 2024: Reinforcing its commitment to uplift rural communities through skill development and sustainable livelihoods, Dalmia Bharat Foundation (DBF), the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) armof Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd (DCBL) has launched an initiative to promote ‘kitchen gardening’among households in East Jaintia Hills. In partnership with the Meghalaya Rural Livelihood Society (MSRLS), DBF distributed seeds for 11 types of vegetables like Carrot, Radish, Mustard Greens, Coriander, etc. to 124 households across nine villages. Given the region's favourable climatic conditions for cultivating Rabi seasonal vegetables, this project aims to enhance both the nutritional and financial well-being of the participants. Over 75% of the beneficiaries are women, underscoring DBF's focus on women’s empowerment and improving their access to sustainable income sources.

This initiative also included training on scientific kitchen garden practices by farm experts to ensure effective implementation and sustainable results. It is anticipated that each household could earn between Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000 from the sale of fresh vegetables, further contributing to local food security and economic independence.

Speaking on the initiative,Mr. Raju Ranjan Prasad, Unit Head – Meghalaya, DCBL mentioned that, "Empowering rural households through sustainable livelihood opportunities is a crucial step toward building self-reliant communities. This initiative not only enhances food and nutrition security but also provides an additional income stream for families, especially for women, who are the backbone of these households. Dalmia Bharat is committed to working closely with the community and local partners to drive long-term social and economic impact."

The distribution and training program were inaugurated in the presence of the Headman of Sonapyrdi village, Cluster Coordinator and Project Executive Farms of MSRLS, and DBF's CSR team. This initiative forms part of DBF's broader efforts to contribute to rural development and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About Dalmia Bharat Foundation:

Dalmia Bharat Foundation focuses on building Sustainable Livelihoods and ensure Rural Development in its programme areas. These programmes combine in-depth, long-term plans and strategies along with medium- and short-term initiatives and campaigns. Owing to the great differences across locations, DBF has adopted a flexible, multi-intervention approach that allows programmes and people to grow together and sustain each other. The two focus areas have been derived from the felt needs of the community and issues material to the business. Visit us at http://www.dalmiafoundation.org.

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