Chezhumai
June 2021
Verification Virtual Interviews
Dear Small Group Members, we are very happy to let you all know that on 23rd June 2021 Mr. Sergio Guzman, Verifier from AENOR Internacional had virtual interview with TIST India Project Participants and few stakeholders as part of verification process. The following TIST Participants attended the virtual interview: 1. Rejina from Rejina Small Group (2018IN51) 2. Sumana from Teak Farm Small Group (2011IN187) 3. Bhoopalan from Bhoopalan Small Group (2011IN210) 4. Ranganatha from Vijaya Small Group (2013IN99) These members were very happy to speak to the verifier through zoom, internet platform. The verifier learnt about their interest, activities carried out, learnings, individual and community benefits through to TIST Program.
TIST Tree Planting India Pvt. Ltd Flat A, Plot 69, 26 th Street, Sankar Nagar, Pammal, Chennai 600075. Mobile : 9840299822 Email: josephrexontist@gmail.com Skype: a.joseph.rexon / Web: www.tist.org
The following stakeholders attended the virtual interview:
1. Dr.R.Jude Sudhagar Associate Professor of Forestry Office of the Dean – Forest College and Research Institute Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
TIST is one of the members of Consortium of Industrial Agroforestry, initiated by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) to bring together farmers, research institutes, wood-based industries, nursery entrepreneurs, producer organizations, forest department, tree grower societies, NGOs, banks and insurance companies. Since 2017, the Consortium has helped TIST Program reach to many farmers in Coimbatore District. Dr.R.Jude Sudhagar, a compassionate person with good technical knowledge on agroforest and interest on farmers empowerment activities helps TIST Program with his expertise. We wish wholehearted thanks to Dr.R.Jude Sudhagar for his participation in the zoom call with the verifier.
2. Dr.Sadhana Rajkumar Sparrow Conservationist Nutritionist / Diet and Fitness Consultant President of InnerWheel Club
InnerWheel Club members are continually active in benefiting the community through their various projects. They have been planting trees through TIST India since 2006. Each year they visit TIST Program areas to see their trees growing and plant trees through TIST Small Group farmer. During their visit they stay with the farmers for almost half a day in learning their challenges and encouraging the farmers. Dr.Sadhana, a multitalented person had visited TIST Program areas every year since 2006 to encourage the farmers. We wish wholehearted thanks to Dr.Sadhana Rajkumar for her participation in the zoom call with the verifier.
3. Mr.P.Sethuraman Nabard Master Farmer and Contact Farmer of Tindivanam KVK and Oil Seeds Research Station One of the Trainers of TIST India Program
TIST connects several locally available experts from forestry, agricultural, horticulture, NGO’s, etc., with small groups and trains farmers to improve tree cultivation and farming activities. Mr.P.Sethuraman, Nabard Master Farmer and Contact Farmer of Tindivanam KVK and Oil Seed Research Station is an active trainer in TIST Program. He has trained TIST farmers on various areas like, tree care, water management, pest control naturally, conservation farming etc. We wish wholehearted thanks to Mr.P.Sethuraman for his participation in the zoom call with the verifier.
The following TIST Quantifiers / Coordinators attended the virtual interview:
1. A.D Muniendiran – TIST Quantifier / Coordinator
2. Mohan Raj – TIST Quantifier / Coordinator
A.D.Muniendiran and Mohan Raj, Quantifier cum Coordinators of TIST Program are with TIST Program for more than a decade recruiting and managing the small groups, quantifying the trees and have contributed for the expansion of TIST Program to several villages. We wish wholehearted thanks to them and look forward to their continued services in TIST Program.
Rejina Small Group, Ponpadi Village, Thiruthani Taluk, Tiruvallur District
We the members of Rejina small group are from Ponpadi village. We own six acres of land. These lands were unused for many years. We were not doing any cultivation due to labour issues and at that time TIST India approached us and encouraged us to plant trees and provided 2,700 saplings free of cost. We have planted teak, redsanders and mahogany trees. We regularly attended TIST Node meetings and through the learnings and training received from the meeting, we have installed drip irrigation and cultivating intercrops like sesame and other crops, papaya etc. in between the trees in a good manner. We are also maintaining the trees well. We are tree stipend from TIST for all our live trees. We are confident that the trees we have planted will give a better future not only to us but also to our children. We express our heartfelt gratitude for the TIST Project.
Do you know torrential rain fall impact on trees, roots rot?
Do you know what happens to trees when they get soaked with too much rainwater? Do you know that in addition to water the roots need oxygen too to thrive? How can roots get oxygen underground, know that there are tiny little spaces in the soil called pores that help make sure oxygen flows to tree roots. Continued rain fall would lead to stagnant water, the soil around the trees gets soaked, the tiny little spaces get filled with water and stops the roots from getting adequate oxygen supply, roots smother and rots. You may be happy that the trees have good standing water and no infection, but the trees decline over time because the roots don’t function well anymore due to no oxygen underground. Make sure you drain the land well, have small channels to store the water in a pit or farm pond. The below picture, farm pond belongs to Punitha Anthoniyar Small Group of Kanchipuram TK Center. You can plan to have such water storage that can also replenish the ground water to keep your land healthy.