NABARD-Tata Steel Foundation’s WADI Project Bears Fruit in Saraikela-Kharsawan

Initiative boosts incomes, transforms barren land into thriving orchards

Jamshedpur, June 15: The NABARD-supported WADI Project implemented by Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) has significantly improved the lives of tribal and rural families in Saraikela-Kharsawan district by promoting orchard-based farming, water conservation, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

The project, which was implemented from March 2016 to March 2025, covered 36 villages—far exceeding the original target of 22 villages. A total of 388 beneficiary families were supported across 379 acres of land, while 57 landless families were provided alternative livelihood opportunities through livestock-based activities.

Speaking during an interaction with media persons at Rangamatia village in Saraikela block on Monday, Ankit Srivastava, Manager (Agriculture), Tata Steel Foundation, said the WADI Project was designed to create long-term productive assets for tribal households.

“The main objective of the WADI Project is to create sustainable livelihood assets for tribal families through orchard development. By converting barren and underutilized land into productive orchards, farmers are now earning regular income from their own fields,” he said.

One of the success stories of the project is farmer Sonaram Soren, who developed a 1-acre mango orchard with support from Tata Steel Foundation. Today, 16 farmers are cultivating mangoes on 16-acres of land and earning annual revenues ranging between Rs 80,000 and Rs 1 lakh.

According to Srivastava, farmers have planted several commercially valuable mango varieties, including Amrapali, Neelam, Dashehri, Kishan Bhog, and Langra. Guava plantations, particularly the Safeda variety, have also been promoted under the project.

“Mango cultivation started in 2016 under the project, and the orchards began bearing fruit commercially in 2021. Farmers are now harvesting three to four tonnes of mangoes per acre, which is generating substantial income,” he said.

Srivastava highlighted that market access has not been a major challenge for farmers. “There is strong demand for mangoes in the region. Through our Farmer Producer Company (FPC), produce is aggregated and sold efficiently. Farmers also receive support from Tata Steel Foundation in connecting with buyers and markets,” he said.

The produce is sold in local mandis as well as markets in Jamshedpur, Sini, Gamharia, and surrounding areas. Farmers have also participated in mango festivals and exhibitions to promote their produce.

The project focused heavily on horticulture development. More than 25,800 mango saplings and nearly 9,800 guava plants were distributed and planted across project villages. Teak plantations were also encouraged as border crops to provide additional long-term income.

“In many villages, barren land that was earlier considered unproductive has now been converted into thriving orchards. This has created a reliable source of income and reduced dependence on seasonal migration,” Srivastava said.

Before the project, many villagers used to migrate temporarily and work in factories during the summer months. However, the income generated from orchards and intercropping has reduced the need for such migration.

“Several families who earlier depended on factory work during lean agricultural seasons are now able to earn from farming itself. This is one of the most positive impacts of the project,” he added.

To ensure year-round income, the WADI model also encouraged intercropping and crop diversification. Farmers cultivated vegetables such as tomato, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, red cabbage, onion, chilli, ladyfinger (okra), potato, and elephant foot yam. Pulses and oilseeds including pigeon pea, lentil, mustard, and niger were also grown.

“Intercropping helps farmers earn income while the orchards are maturing. Even after orchards start bearing fruit, vegetable cultivation remains an important supplementary source of revenue,” Srivastava explained.

The total intercropping area under the project exceeded 200 acres, helping improve both farm productivity and soil health.

The project also made significant investments in water conservation and irrigation infrastructure. A total of 379 Jal Kunds, several farm ponds, deep bore wells, solar irrigation systems, and micro-drip irrigation facilities covering about 100 acres were created.

“Water availability is crucial for orchard success. Through Jal Kunds, solar irrigation systems, and drip irrigation, farmers are now better equipped to deal with water shortages and climate-related challenges,” Srivastava said.

Apart from horticulture, the project created alternative livelihood opportunities for landless families. Around 35 families took up goat rearing, earning approximately Rs 60,000 annually. Poultry farming was promoted among 20 families, while pig rearing was introduced for two families.

“These activities ensure that even families without agricultural land can benefit from the project and improve their household income,” he said.

According to project data, mango production has now reached nearly five lakh kilograms, generating an estimated income of Rs 1.5 crore. Guava production has crossed one lakh kilograms, adding significantly to farmers’ earnings.

As a result, average annual household income among beneficiary families has increased from Rs 50,000–60,000 before the project to around Rs 1.3 lakh–1.6 lakh per year. This translates into an additional income of Rs 70,000 to Rs 1 lakh annually for many families.

Srivastava said the next focus area would be improving post-harvest management and value addition.

“We are working on training farmers in grading, sorting, and post-harvest management. Better handling practices will help improve quality and open new market opportunities,” he said.

He noted that achieving export-quality produce remains a challenge in some areas because of industrial activity and environmental conditions.

“Some orchards are located close to industrial zones, making it difficult to consistently achieve export-grade quality. However, we are conducting training programmes and exposure visits to help farmers improve quality standards,” he said.

The Foundation is also exploring value-added products such as mango pickle and elephant foot yam pickle to increase farmers’ earnings.

“Agriculture cannot depend only on raw produce sales. Value addition through processing and packaging can help farmers earn higher returns. We are encouraging Farmer Producer Companies to explore these opportunities,” Srivastava added.

The project was implemented by a dedicated team comprising agriculture experts, social mobilisers, village resource persons, and field coordinators. Their continuous support helped ensure high survival rates of orchard plants and effective adoption of scientific farming practices.

With orchard development, irrigation infrastructure, livestock promotion, and market linkages working together, the WADI Project has emerged as a successful model of rural development in Jharkhand. Beneficiary families now have stronger livelihood security, improved incomes, and greater confidence in sustainable agriculture as a means of economic growth.

Orchards helped educate our children: Sonaram Soren

Technical Support Can Help Us Export Mangoes”: Sonaram Soren

Jamshedpur, June 15: Farmer Sonaram Soren of Rangamatia village in Saraikela-Kharsawan district says the NABARD-supported WADI Project implemented by Tata Steel Foundation has brought a remarkable change to the lives of villagers by creating sustainable sources of income through horticulture.

Speaking to the media during a field visit on Monday, Soren recalled the difficult conditions that existed before the project. “Earlier, our village was very poor. We practiced agriculture, but the income was not enough to support our families,” he said.

He explained that around eight years ago, Tata Steel Foundation and NABARD introduced mango and guava plantations under the WADI Project. “The project encouraged us to plant mango and guava orchards. Today, these orchards are generating regular income for our families,” Soren said.

According to him, the earnings from horticulture have helped improve the quality of life in the village. “We are now able to spend on our children’s education and meet household expenses more comfortably,” he said.

Soren added that farmers cultivate different varieties of mangoes and guavas and also grow vegetables between the orchard rows. “Mangoes provide seasonal income, guavas bear fruit twice a year, and vegetables give us earnings in between. We now have income opportunities in every season,” he said.

Highlighting future possibilities, Soren said farmers are keen to explore export markets. “We have mangoes suitable for export, but technical challenges are preventing us from reaching those markets. If we receive proper technical support, we can export both mangoes and guavas and earn even better returns,” he added.