F.a: Strengthening SLFA for protecting the livelihood resources and combat the consequences of climate change

General

The Tamil Nadu CSO network Joint Action for Sustainable Livelihood (JASuL) has recently developed the farmers centric organization Sustainable Livelihood Farmers Association (SLFA) to create a farmers movement to fight against globalization policies which negatively affect the farming communities in Tamil Nadu. The goal of this JASuL project ”Strengthening SLFA for protecting the livelihood resources and combat the consequences of climate change in Tamil Nadu (phase 2)” is the empowered local communitie s’ command over the local livelihood resources, in terms of protection, promotion and management and also combating global warming and climate change.The project aims to 1) make climate change issues as integral part of farmer’s movements as the liveli hood issues e.g. by dissemination of climate change study findings and the possible alternatives; 2) strengthen and broaden of farmers movement (SLFA) and continue to empower JASuL members on livelihood and climate change related issues e.g. by developing organic farming technical support team and encouraging farmers to conduct regular meetings at district level; 3) continue to build alliance with other existing farmers movements at State and National Level e.g. by evolving common agenda for joint action; a nd 4) to pressurize central and state governments to prioritize livelihood issues (esp. restoration of water bodies) and review and reformulate the existing policies in favor of poor and marginalized farmers e.g. by reviewing the ongoing government program me and bring out mid term correction through peoples participation on farming subsidies, newly enacted land law, water policy, ground water law, agriculture biodiversity and by disseminating JASuL’s work via social media.The project is coordinated by Com munity Action for Development (CAD) working together with JASuL. Direct beneficiaries of the project are the small and marginal dry land farmers – 300 farming families from 12 dry land district, and 180 NGOs as member of JASuL district committees. Indire ct beneficiaries are the 16 existing farmer’s movements, Save the rice campaign, and 3 river network groups linked with JASuL as solidarity support groups. Community Action for Development (CAD) is a registered (in year 1978) and experienced nonprofit or ganization that serves among the small and marginal farmers in Perambalur district in the state of Tamil Nadu. Joint Action for Sustainable Livelihood Network (JASuL) is a loose NGO network evolved after the 2003 drought in TamilNadu as a civil society res ponse. Since that, JASuL has been active in TamilNadu on issues related to livelihood resources of the rural people. It has been continuously, consistently and systematically involved in building up organizational structures and empowering the communities to tackle the livelihood issues, especially water related issues. JASuL has developed farmer-centric organization - Sustainable Livelihood Farmers Association (SLFA). The main emphasis of SLFA was to create a farmers movement to fight against globalization policies which affects the farming communities in Tamil Nadu. Now, SLFA units were functioning in 60 sites in 30 sub basins covering 12 basins in TamilNadu with the membership of 943.