Ambadahara: A Story of Transformation

Subhashree Priyadarshini . December 6, 2017

Opting out of shift cultivation and work in mines, the lives of the women of Ambadahara village takes a turn for the better when they started experimenting with different crops with PRADAN’s help. Their success in the fields enhanced their confidence and helped them identify, engage in and solve many other development challenges in their village.

"MOTE MINE JIBAKU DARKAR PADUNI, Mun chasa karuchi (I do not need to work in the mines; I am into farming),” said Pabani didi emphatically and most of the SHG members from Ambadahara village agreed with her.

A mbadahara is a scenic village with a beautiful landscape. Deep green hills surround the village. Ambadahara falls under Talakaisari gram panchayat of Banspal block in Keonjhar district of Odisha. Ambadahara has five hamlets, namely, Gramasahi, Majhisahi, Rugudisahi, Pathiribadi and Jaladihi. The village is 13 km from Keonjhar district headquarter. Both Pathiribadi and Jaladihi hamlets are far away from the main village. The village has 130 households and a population of 516. Most of the inhabitants are Bhuyans, covering Gramsahi, Majhisahi and Rugudisahi hamlets. Most of the Mundas reside in Pathiribadi hamlet and some in Gramsahi hamlet. Jaladihi is inhabited by the Gouda community.

Like most of the villages in Banspal block, the villagers in Ambadahara practised shifting cultivation with a basket of crops such as paddy, millets and niger in the hilly terrain, mono-crop, broad-casted paddy in the uplands, medium lands and the medium lowlands. They planted maize in the rainy season and mustard in winter in their Like most of the villages in Banspal block, the villagers in Ambadahara practised shifting cultivation with a basket of crops such as paddy, millets and niger in the hilly terrain, mono-crop, broad-casted paddy in the uplands, medium lands and the medium lowlands. They planted maize in the rainy season and mustard in winter in their agriculture, so far, has been at the mercy of the monsoon and practised only in the kharif season. The availability of food for the family from agricultural land was for not more than three to five months a year

Agriculture, so far, has been at the mercy of the monsoon and practised only in the kharif season. The availability of food for the family from agricultural land was for not more than three to five months a year

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