The Swan River Integrated Watershed Management Project, implemented by the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department in 2011–13, aimed at restoring degraded forests, protecting agricultural land, and increasing the output of agricultural and forestry products through integrated watershed management. Funded by a ` 200 crore official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from JICA, the project included afforestation, construction of flood control facilities, social protection and land reclamation, agricultural development, and promotion of income-generating activities in Una. It involved initiatives of an organisation called the Swan Women Federation (SWF) for developing the necessary infrastructure, such as irrigation facilities and farm access roads, in parallel with technical training on vegetable cultivation, food grain cultivation, and post-harvesting technology.
Swan Women Federation (SWF) Swan Women Federation is an umbrella organisation of over 650 self-help groups (SHGs). The groups consist of around 10,000 women, which make the federation the largest organised group of rural women in the state.
These groups undertake almost all activities, aimed at empowering women, such as procurement and distribution of farm inputs and produce, demonstration of better technologies, addressing social issues like family health, sanitation, and children’s education.
Impact of the Project As per official spokesperson, the rural women in Una district are experiencing transformations in their livelihood.
Conversion of SHGs into a Society Once the project was completed in 2015, 423 SHGs, which were members of the SWF, were amalgamated into a society, namely, Swan Women (Multipurpose) Coopoerativ Society, in order to continue to meet the project’s objectives. In just about four years, the society has assets worth ` 79 crore, and 652 SHGs have savings and credit in it.
Group loans disbursed so far amount to ` 2 crore. Members get easy loans within one or two days. Now, women can deposit funds to earn high rate of interest and get loans at lower interest compared to banks.
Swan Spices The SWF has facilitated women in cultivating turmeric, a crop which is not destroyed by wild animals. A bumper harvest led to the establishment of a unit, called Swan Spices.
Currently, coriander powder, red chili powder, and Indian mixed spices are in its product portfolio. Swan Spices have gained so much popularity that it registered a sale of ` 6 million in two years.
Scholarship
Income generated from these activities has allowed for scholarships for daughters of SHG members and free health camps for them. Also, to enhance family nutrition, distribution of fodder seed kits is done twice a year.