Nirumai Patar, resident of Manipur village is one of the beneficiaries of the RGVN-APPI project and also a producer member of Milijuli SHG formed under the project. Since incorporation as a project beneficiary she participated in various skill development training programmes promoted under the project for improving farm productivity and income. With handholding support from LSP she successfully adopted better farming practices promoted under the project such as SRI, kitchen gardening and vermicomposting. Vermicomposting as an alternative source of livelihood appeared to be quite promising to her and her spouse Amin Singh Patar. Moreover the income from this activity had the potential to compensate the loss of paddy during severe floods which is quite common in this area.

Finally Nirumai Patar along with her husband set up two vermicomposting units in their homestead for production of compost which has led to considerable improvement in their household income. One of the vermicomposting units was supplied by the local agriculture department free of cost under the RKVY scheme looking at the couple’s interest and involvement in the activity. So far she has sold 2.4 tonnes of vermicompost which fetched her income of Rs. 20,200 in a period of one year. Besides compost she has earned an amount of Rs. 44,660 simply by selling worms. So far she is reported to have sold the highest quantity of compost to the Yangli FPC (Farmer Producer Company) formed under the project. Her annual household income has been enhanced by almost 30%. She spends 70% of her income towards education of her three daughters and remainder 30% used for meeting food and farm related expenses. Nirumai Patar has set an example for many others in her community as a successful women farmer producer and also as one of the members of the Board Of Directors (BODs) of the Yangli.