Deccan Development Society DECCAN DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY

Document begins: Deccan Development Society DECCAN DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY · Network of Women's Sanghams in 75 villages; 5000 · Poorest of the poor · Mostly dalits · Feudal past · Multiple jeopardy Deccan Development Society · Consolidating village groups into vibrant organs of primary local self governance · Federate into a strong pressure lobby for women, poor & dalits DDS : THE EVOLUTION · Participatory processes · Insider solutions · Women's perspectives · Dalit perspectives DDS : THE EVOLUTION · From meeting the simple sustenance needs of members to empowering them to address larger issues of food security, natural resource enhancement, education and health needs of the region. CURRENT GOALS Cycle of autonomies · Autonomy over food production · Autonomy over seeds · Autonomy over natural resources · Autonomous market CURRENT GOALS AUTONOMY OVER MEDIA Autonomous food & farming · Confront Marginalisation · Define Subsistence Vision · Enhance ecological sustainability · No-irrigation crops OUR S E E E S OUR K N O W L E Seed D GE Sovereignty SEED SOVEREIGNTY ·EVERY FARMER HAS OWN SEEDS AT HOME ·WORKS WITH OVER 15 VARIETIES SEED SOVEREIGNTY · OVER 100 VILLAGES ESTABLISH OWN SEED BANKS: COMMUNITY GENE FUND;NO NEED FOR OUTSIDE SEEDS · ...