Farmers across Pasgawan village in Hardoi are busy finding ways and means to strengthen the soil through non-chemical means so that they can ensure maximum crop yield in their farms. It is in this backdrop that the FINISH Society team led by Facilitator Mridul Pandey managed to convince the community as to how a farmer can benefit from using cow dung to meet fertilizer needs and use it as an input for getting maximum crop yield while at the same time ensuring soil fertility. As a result of this initiative, as many as 40 households in 10 villages are getting direct benefit by making more than 400 tonnes of organic manure from their cow dung, by using best solid waste management practices.

In the process, farmers too are also becoming aware of using these practices to implement them in their farms. This success story has its origins in the Baikuan and Dhakora Gaushala where around 600 to 700 cows reside. The two cowsheds are taken care of by cow herds.  The story begins after a chance meeting with Pradeep Chowdhary, Block Development Officer, (BDO), Pasgawan. When the FINISH Society team met the BDO and apprised him of their action plan regarding how they were trying to create awareness about cleanliness in the villages with the cooperation of the village communities. Various topics were discussed, but what caught the officer’s attention was the simple method of converting cow dung into organic manure and the benefits that farmers would get from this sustained practice.  He was curious to know more about this SWM practice and decided to back FINISH team to make this initiative a success. Operation Black Gold was set in motion. In the first phase,  two Gaushalas (Baikuan and Dhakora) were opened by the Development Block Officer, where 75 tonnes of cow dung was available. Cooperation was sought in writing from the Finish team to convert cow dung into organic manure. The BDO was also impressed by the fact that in a short span of 30 to 45 days, organic manure would be made ready from unused cow dung. Team members went to both the cowsheds and saw that plenty of  cow dung was lying unused in one part of the cowshed. The dung was scattered, and the heap was as high as 3 feet at places. Immediately after meeting the cattle owners,  the height of the cow dung was reduced to 1.5 feet.  A pit was dug to whose length and width was kept about 4 feet by 4 feet and the depth was kept at about 2 feet. The team next needed gram flour and jaggery, for which necessary arrangements were made by the cattle owners. Next day,  the pit covered with water. Gram flour and jaggery was then mixed into the water and the organic decomposer was added to it in right measure. And it was run clockwise for about 5 minutes. “Gau supal” was asked to continue the process of stirring the solution for 5 minutes every morning and evening.

The process of stirring this solution was carried out for about 8 days and periodic maintenance was carried out by the FINISH team. It was observed on the eighth day that the organic solution was ready and could be sprayed on the cow dung.  The organic solution was filled in drums and sprayed on the available dung neatly stacked in rows. The cow dung being converted into organic manure was inspected from time to time. Within 45 days, the cow dung which was about 75 tonnes was now fully converted into organic manure and information was duly passed on to the BDO. The BDO, along with  CSR Head of DCM Shriram Foundation Himanshu Kulshrestha, Manager of FINISH Society Team Mr. Sudhakar Aggarwal went to inspect the site where the organic manure was ready for use. Mr. Chaudhary was thrilled to note that the cow dung was converted into organic manure and kept in high quality organic pans. Soon after, both the FINISH Society and CSR partner DCM Shriram Foundation were felicitated by the BDO and today this practice has taken the shape of a community movement.