Land development is the key to Nemai Bhandari's success, a key which is bound to open many more doors for the young man and his people

Nemai Bhandari's family rely exclusively on the 35-year-old man for their livelihood. Owner of a 100 decimal plot of low land, he lacked the knowledge to optimize this asset before LWSI intervention. Indeed paddy was the only crop he cultivated. In the years with adequate water, he earned Rs 1,500-2,000 ($33-44) from his single annual harvest, making it impossible for him to cover his wife's and two daughters' basic needs. Therefore Nemai also had to work as a daily wage earner for additional income. With long working hours and no regular income, Nemai faced great difficulties to support his family.

When LWSI began to work in the community of Santpukur in South 24-Parganas district of West Bengal, the villagers, including Nemai, were extremely reluctant to work with LWSI. Several incidents had happened with previous NGOs and all had abandoned the community without any warning. After visiting other villages where LWSI development activities were already running, to understand the reach of the organisation's work, Nemai tried to put his fears behind him and formed a Self Help Group (SHG) with other male members of his community. Slowly there was trust, and development activities started taking place.

In March 2006, exhausted by his current working habits and convinced that change was possible, Nemai applied for land development. LWSI supported him with Rs 4,000 ($88) and with his personal savings and a loan from his SHG, he gathered another Rs 1,180 ($26). Having learnt about integrated farming through LWSI programmes, he brought about the appropriate changes to his land. He excavated two ponds and raised the level of his land in order to be able to grow more than a single crop through the year. He replaced paddy by various other types of crops, expanding his sources of income.

Nemai's main activity became vegetable growing. He was growing tomatoes and has already earned Rs 5,000 ($111) this year, thanks to his efforts. Now he has replaced the tomatoes with chillies and is expecting to earn Rs 2,000 ($44) per month with them. Beside his vegetable garden, he has planted sunflowers. This has enabled him to earn Rs 1,500 ($33) over the past year. Fish farming from his pond allows him to raise another Rs 3,000 ($66) a year. The branches of the trees he has planted around his land are sold as fuel, ensuring him an additional income of Rs 800 ($18). The fruit trees are mostly for the family's personal consumption, to the great delight of his daughters. He only sells some of the bananas for profit every month.
Paddy is no longer part of Nemai's cultivation and he knows he is better off without it. For the first time in his life he is making long term professional plans. He will continue his vegetable rotation by growing tomatoes then chillies then okra. He also wants to buy new land but this time he will execute the land development on his own.