User:Vivekprakash92/Society for Environment and Development

Society for Environment and Development (SED), is an environmental conservation with a motto of "sustainable development." NGO based in India and established by Lalit Mohan in 1993. The main areas of SED work are: Research and Analysis of Extramural projects sanctioned by DST, Government of India, Rural Development, Awareness of Science and Technology among youth, Seminars and other public events, promotion of organic farming via Vermicomposting.

Research and Analysis of Extramural projects sanctioned by DST, Government of India
The science and technology play an important role in the economic, social and physical development of the country. The growth of S&T, its performance and impact on society and economy are indicators to assess the effectiveness of planning and policy formulation. India has done remarkable progress in developing R&D infrastructure and manpower and today we have largest S&T based manpower in the world. Number of agencies and organisations are involved directly by conducting R&D work and indirectly through funding to extramural R&D project. During the year 2005-2010 total amount of Rs. 6332 crores was spent on 20497 projects sanctioned by central government departments/agencies. This enormous amount of work done by the scientists and their application is confined either up to that institute or to the funding agency. The Society for Environment & Development (SED), a S&T based voluntary organisation has already completed two studies to analyse outcome of extra-mural R&D projects undertaken during the year 1995-2000 and 2000-2005 on behalf of NSTMIS division of Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India. The report covered number of parameters for analysis of outcome. This year DST again given this task to SED to analyse outcome of extra-mural R&D projects sanctioned by 23 central government funding agencies/departments during year 2005-2010 with the following objectives to achieve - i) Collection of information on outcome of the extramural R&D projects from P.I.’s for the period 2005-2010. ii) Compilation of information/achievements in data-base and their analysis/assessment

iii) Publication of findings for wider use among policy & decision makers.

Seminars, Cultural Programs, and Other Public events
SED also regularly organizes seminars, roundtable conferences, film festivals, cultural festivals, photography exhibitions, study tours, and other public events. Issues and concerns of community and national interest that have been voiced through SED events include the exploitation of forests and forest people, the problems associated with commercial plantations, the devastating effects of aid and loans on Indian environment.

Rural Development
The SED has Gramin Vigyan Kendra (GVK) in village Digod of Kota district of Rajasthan. The Centre is spread over 3 acre of land and have facilities for training in rural technologies. The Centre is running farm school for demonstration and training to farmers, women and rural youth in technologies related to farm and non-farm sector.

Geographically located between 75° 37’ and 77° 26’ east longitude and 24° 25’ and 25° 51’ north latitudes is the Digod tehsil in Kota district,

gvk area mapgvk area map

which is just 28 Km. east of the Kota city. The area is very backward and dominated by SC/ST population. They have very low infrastructure and poor socio-economic conditions. The main occupation of the villagers is agriculture, cattle rearing and landless labourers. With the lack of education and awareness about any scientific techniques these villagers are still dependent on age-old methods of agriculture. Although canals are there, irrigation from them is very difficult as they are able to provide water only 2-3 times in a year and that is only when the monsoon is normal. The region has warm summers but mild winters. Summer temperatures sometimes touch 45 ° C. The relative humidity is generally high in this zone. The annual rainfall varies from 60 to 85 cm. Natural vegetation exists in the form of woodlands, parklands and open forests, which have, however, now degraded. Following are the major field on which GVK is concentrating. Harnessing S&T for the poor

Developing low-cost, environment friendly technologies for dissemination among end users. Demonstration & training of developed/adopted technologies to unemployed rural youth & women. Using S&T to enhance livelihoods and incomes of poor, SC/ST & weaker section of the society. Sustainable Agriculture & horticulture

Improving the nutritional value of crops by promoting organic farming. Developing cost-effective and eco-friendly integrated pest management (IPM) technologies. Enhancing the yield of crops by optimising inputs and using agro-tools. Exploring strategies for alternative uses of crops and value addition to agro-product. Developing nursery for fruits and medicinal plants. Water, Soil and biodiversity management

Developing and popularising techniques for water, soil & biodiversity conservation. Establishing structures for water management and soil conservation. Creating awareness for protection of biodiversity and encouraging tree plantation. Launching campaign to save soil, water and biodiversity. Enhancing livestock productivity & animal husbandry

Taking measures for improvement in breeds of livestock for better productivity. Developing low-cost, nutrient rich feed and feed supplement. Improving housing for hygienic condition. Checking health and proper vaccination, pre & post natal care etc. Popularising small animals for rearing such as goat, rabbit, pig & hens. Non-farm sector

Assessing and improving income generating activities for dissemination among rural youth. Training and capacity building of women and youth in pottery, weaving of kota doria fabric, food processing, bakery, cloth & paper bags making etc. Providing micro-credit and forming self-help groups (SHG’s) of trained manpower to establish micro enterprise in rural areas.

Promotion of Science and Technology
India has made remarkable progress in science & technology in last decade but most of the population is not being benefited, because very little attempts are made to take these researches from lab to land. As part of its commitment for rural development, the Society is implementing specific projects on application of S&T for the development of underprivileged, scheduled castes and other weaker sections of the society. One of the main objectives of these projects is development of low cost technologies, promote research, development and adaptation of need based technology with a view of improving the life, working conditions and opportunities for gainful employment of youth particularly in rural areas. Number of projects are being implemented by the SED having S&T base and aim at the development of new technologies and transferring for the benefit of needy.

Science for sustainable development needs institution. SED has established number of demonstration-cum-training centre in the villages of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi to provide training in income generation to backward, poor, unemployed youth. The training include all the aspects like type of raw material, its availability, manufacturing and marketing of products. So the enterprising youth can establish their own unit for which SED help them in getting finances through rural banks and other financial institutions.

The SED is popularising science among common man and identified school teachers & children as target group. It has also developed tools to inculcate scientific temperament among school children through experimentation. An "Action Guide" is developed for this purpose.

SED is regularly participating in science fairs, melas, exhibitions, children science congress to demonstrate science based models/technologies.

Promotion of Organic Farming via Vermicomposting
The main focus of SED is on Waste Management and for this purpose separate Waste Management Cell (WMC) has been established. The SED has been working on waste management since last 12 years. Following are brief of activities related to waste management. A complete Data-base is available about the status of vermi-culture & vermi-composting in Delhi.

Capacity building of 680 scavengers in latest waste management practices. SED developed and established working model of chamber method of composting.

In Delhi SED put up 40 demonstration sites in both urban and rural areas to popularize vermi-composting among masses, it is one time investment system recovers the input costs in three months.

At all the locations the residents/students were made aware about the segregation of waste at source and the collection system was established.

Each demonstration centres are visited by the school children of the locality, Nearby colony residents, RWA’s and in this way the message of methods of vermi-composting technology has gained great popularity at every part of Delhi.

Visits were organised for the school children and members of residents association to show vermi-composting technology.

SED has received more than 30 enquiry from different schools, RWA’s, Individuals about the technology every month. The technical support is being provided by SED for every enquiry, and the availability of worms in plenty from the demonstration centres assures the sustainability

The technical support is being provided by SED for every enquiry, and the availability of worms in plenty from the demonstration centres assures the sustainability.

150 Vermi-compost production units were set-up at 75 beneficiaries of villages Kanwarpura, Kancholia, Udedpura & Dugrajya at its Kota centre in Rajasthan.

Networking of Resident Welfare Association in East Delhi, working on waste management issue.

At present no system of collection exists, but SED has developed unique model through which there is win-win situation for every body and the biggest beneficiary is our Environment. Initiated and established the collection mechanism of PET bottles.

Establish 5 Twin-pit vermi-composting system in Botanic Garden of Indian Republic at Noida U.P.

Through simple experiments on waste management SED try to inculcate scientific temperament among school children of Delhi.

SED organise awareness camps and workshops in the villages and sensitize the people to understand the scientific phenomenon in every day life and promote a better awareness of the importance of organic farming.

SED gives 8 days training on Vermi-culture Technique at SED Rural Training Centre(RTC) at village -Digod, District - Kota, Rajasthan. The Programme includes Uses of waste, Maintenance of vermin-bed, Culture of Earthworms, Harvesting of manure and Marketing.

8 Days Training Programme on Vermi-Culture Technique

1 Day: Introduction of waste, their types, quality etc. Segregation and uses

2 Day: Introduction to various waste management technologies, types of earthworms, their function etc.

3 Day: Practical – collection of various types of waste in segregated forms

4 Day: Designing and construction of vermicomposting pits

5 Day: Practical vermicomposting with addition of waste

6 Day: Observation on changes taking place, watering etc.

7 Day: Preparations for harvesting of manure from worms

8 Day: Harvesting, drying, packaging& Marketing of the products and follow-up.