The project aims to promote livelihood security by empowering the poor and marginal farmers to have access to basic rights so as to lead a dignified life. 75% of families under the target area are landless or marginal farmers who are unable to sustain their livelihood and have little or no space to manage and control the market. Besides, conflict and poor governance have further made their lives difficult. During the course of RWUS’ implementation of a larger project on food security, a need emerged for capacity building to empower the communities to voice their issues of concern. Thus, the project focuses on organizing and empowering the small and marginal farmers of CCpur District, Manipur to advocate for sustainable livelihoods.

The objective of the project are- To facilitate formation of farmer’s groups/unions and build their capacities for effective involvement in local governance and to create awareness on issues of food security, human rights, RTI, PDS etc, and to strengthen Farmers club/union for collective action and develop market linkages with other farmers.

The project activities are- formation and strengthening of farmers club/union; awareness programs on issue of food security, PDS, Human Rights, RTI, etc, information campaign; exposure visit and exchange programs, and lobbying with local governing bodies and other agencies through request, consultation, meetings, petitions and other form of dialogue. Its intervention areas are spread across 9 villages viz Valpakot, Khawpuibung, Muolbem, Dumsau, Thenmoul, Ngurte, Tuikham, Daizang and Khuangnung with 869 households and a total population of 2435. The project duration is for 2 years.

In the past one and half years, RWUS has facilitated the formation of 9 farmers clubs and trained them on issues of food security, PDS, Human Rights, RTI, globalization, networking & advocacy etc. A poster campaign on access to PDS in local language has helped to inform and empower the farmers clubs, who are able to raise their voice and engage with officials/agents (PDS) for better transparency in distribution of food grains. An impressive achievement is that the agents now call and inform the members of farmers clubs when the quota for the village is received and request the clubs to assist in distribution of the foodgrains, and the grains are distributed equally to all the poor families of the villages.

One success story is that of Lalthanpuii Khiangte, emerging young leader and village chief of Khawpuibung village, whom RWUS has nurtured. Mr. Khiangte took the lead in questioning the PDS ‘agent’ about the provision of PDS food grains and was even threatened by the agent for this – however he was able to assert himself with the information provided by RWUS during the training workshops and a Mizo booklet that he had acquired. Today the same agent calls him to assist in distribution of the foodgrains when the quota is received and the grains are distributed equally to all the poor families.

RWUS has also helped the farmers clubs to learn and appreciate the benefits of savings and have started a monthly saving system and Food Bank at Thenmoul, Khawpuibung, Muolbem, and Ngurte villages. The Food Bank is a system where each of the members of farmers club contribute 10% of their paddy at the time of harvest, which is stored and then sold at cheap rates during lean season and hard times to poor people – this activity proved to be very useful during the recent economic blockade linked food crisis, as it met the needs of the poor people of the area.