Over 400 families in Seraikela-Kharsawan district are the beneficiaries
Team News Riveting
Jamshedpur, July 23
Over 400 families in Seraikela-Kharsawan district are turning to orchard-based farming to build more secure and sustainable livelihoods.
The positive shift has been made possible through the WADI initiative, a collaboration between Tata Steel Foundation and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
Launched in 2016-17, the WADI model promotes small orchard development alongside soil and water conservation, intercropping, renewable energy, and improved access to markets. In Seraikela-Kharsawan alone, 379 acres of land have been converted into orchards. Most families are cultivating one to two acres each, growing mango and guava in a 70:30 ratio.
Annual incomes have risen to as much as Rs 1.5 lakh per household, bringing new confidence to communities where farming was once considered unreliable. Anant Singh, Head of Agriculture at Tata Steel Foundation, explains, “Initially, people here were not interested in agriculture because this is a mining-dominated area where farming wasn’t seen as a stable livelihood. But now, the community is leading the way – planning orchards, managing intercropping, and earning a decent income.”
For post-harvest management of fruit and vegetables, producers are supported with cold storage and aggregation units. Agriculture produces are directly sold at local markets including Sini, Saraikela, Kharsawan, Kandra and Gamharia etc.. During peak seasons, farmers supply to larger platforms like Jamshedpur Mandi and NABARD’s Mango Festival in Ranchi.
At the community level, 19 Udyan Vikas Samitis (UVS) have been established to coordinate orchard care and collective decision-making. Together, they manage a fund of Rs 1.5 lakh to meet local operational needs, highlighting the participatory nature of the model. More than 1,600 farmers have received technical training in orchard maintenance, intercropping, and pest management through partnerships with ICAR Research Complex, Plandu, Ranchi and Ramakrishna Mission, Ranchi.
Women’s participation has increased significantly. Over 90 per cent of women involved in the initiative have reported greater financial autonomy. Supported by Self Help Groups (SHGs) and the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society, women now have access to low-interest loans for nursery management, composting, and other small investments.
Individual success stories show how lives are changing. Sukurmani Soren, who once worked as a daily wage labourer in the city, returned home and planted 110 fruit trees under this project. Through intercropping and selling of fruits and vegetables her income rose from Rs 10,000 to Rs 48,000 a year. “I just wanted my children to have a better life,” she says. “Now they do, because I stayed back and earned from my own land.” Her efforts also brought groundwater recharge and safe drinking water to her village.
Malti Soren, a mother of four daughters, shifted from collecting firewood to goat rearing with community support. Today, she owns more than 1,600 goats worth Rs 1.44 lakh. “One goat sells for Rs 10,000, a kid for Rs 8,000,” she says. “This income has helped me educate my daughters and has inspired other women to do the same.”
Farmers also receive training at Agriculture Resource Centre based at Kolabera, a centre with polyhouse infrastructure that teaches orchard layout, seasonal planting, and climate-smart agriculture. Incomes in the first year have reached Rs 50,000 per household, while total income from orchards across the district is now between Rs 70–80 lakh. Young farmers like Arjun Mardi and Lakhan Kisku demonstrate the potential of diversified farming.
Arjun, one of the board members of Ual-Baha FPC, expanded his orchard to two acres, adopted intercropping, and raised his income from Rs 38,000 to Rs 1.1 lakh a year. He now shares farming knowledge through his YouTube channel. “We’re aiming for Rs 10 lakh turnover this year, with Rs 3 lakh from the Annual Flower Show,” he says. Lakhan Kisku improved his earnings from Rs 29,000 to Rs 65,000 through better seeds, drip irrigation, and solar-powered pumps under government schemes such as PMKSY and PM-KUSUM.
The WADI initiative is doing more than just boosting incomes. It is reducing seasonal migration, improving access to healthcare and education, and strengthening rural communities through training, infrastructure, and market access. For many families, farming has become a reliable and sustainable future.
