Gramasiri

The Gramasiri (“wealth of the village”) initiative of the Timbaktu Collective aims to improve and diversify the livelihoods of agricultural labourers by promoting the rearing of small ruminants such as goats and sheep. Through this initiative, the Collective established the Gramasiri Agricultural Labourers’ Livelihood and Marketing Cooperative (Gramasiri Cooperative) in 2010 to support members with income-enhancing opportunities.

As of 30 November 2025, the Cooperative has grown to 1,788 members belonging to 111 Sanghas across 72 villages in four mandals of the Sri Sathya Sai District. The Cooperative’s financial position continues to strengthen, with a net worth of INR 3,63,62,773 (as of 30 Nov 2025). Members access short-term, low-interest loans to purchase, rear, and manage small ruminants, and together they currently maintain 16,501 livestock.

A key focus of the initiative is the promotion of Ethnovet medicine, ensuring healthier livestock through traditional, cost-effective, and eco-friendly practices. Gramasiri has developed a team of trained Ethnovet practitioners who support members at the field level, helping them adopt better livestock-management practices and access good-quality animals.

Recently, Gramasiri has also begun piloting a new livelihood stream through Gramasiri free range Poultry Farms, initiated with four members. The primary objective of this pilot is to support members in generating regular income through the sale of eggs, further enhancing livelihood resilience and diversification.