CAZS have been providing technical inputs to the CAZS have been providing technical inputs to the WIRFP since 1990 and the EIRFP since 1997. WIRFP since 1990 and the EIRFP since 1997.

The projects have been implemented by The projects have been implemented by KRIBHCO, an Indian fertiliser co-operative and KRIBHCO, an Indian fertiliser co-operative and funded by DFID.funded by DFID.

Projects are now managed by the Gramin Vikas Projects are now managed by the Gramin Vikas Trust which still has strong links with KRIBHCO.Trust which still has strong links with KRIBHCO.

Eastern India Rainfed Farming ProjectEastern India Rainfed Farming Projectandand

Western India Rainfed Farming ProjectWestern India Rainfed Farming Project

Project has concentrated efforts in areas Project has concentrated efforts in areas which have large populations of "scheduled" which have large populations of "scheduled" tribes, especially the Bhil and Bhilala who are tribes, especially the Bhil and Bhilala who are among the poorest people in India. among the poorest people in India.

WHY THE BHIL AREA?WHY THE BHIL AREA?

Environmental degradation well Environmental degradation well documenteddocumented

Neglected by government development Neglected by government development projectsprojects

Sociologically, relatively homogeneous Sociologically, relatively homogeneous Scheduled Tribe areaScheduled Tribe area

KRIBCHO wanted to improve PR and a KRIBCHO wanted to improve PR and a project in Rajasthan Gujarat and project in Rajasthan Gujarat and

Madhya Madhya Pradesh & main plant in Pradesh & main plant in GujaratGujarat

The BhilsThe Bhils

• Pre-Aryan / “aboriginal”Pre-Aryan / “aboriginal”• Progressively retreated to hilly areasProgressively retreated to hilly areas• Hinduisation processHinduisation process• Chief deity: Mata = mother, SacrificesChief deity: Mata = mother, Sacrifices• Ram = Sun godRam = Sun god• Witches, ghosts, spirit possession, evil eyeWitches, ghosts, spirit possession, evil eye• Re-incarnationRe-incarnation

Group of people of the Bhil tribe, some of the Group of people of the Bhil tribe, some of the beneficiaries of the project.beneficiaries of the project.

Children herding cattle in treeless forestChildren herding cattle in treeless forest

Causes and effects of land degradation and soil Causes and effects of land degradation and soil erosion in the areaerosion in the area

very undulating topography;very undulating topography;

naturally low organic matter content in naturally low organic matter content in the soils;the soils;

increasing land pressures which have increasing land pressures which have reduced land husbandry practices such as reduced land husbandry practices such as green manuring;green manuring;

soils on the higher slopes having high silt soils on the higher slopes having high silt and fine sand fractions, and vertic soils in and fine sand fractions, and vertic soils in valley bottoms having high proportions of valley bottoms having high proportions of easily dispersed (montmorillonitic) clay;easily dispersed (montmorillonitic) clay;

extensive deforestation in recent decades extensive deforestation in recent decades associated with population increases and associated with population increases and increased urban demand for timber and increased urban demand for timber and fuelwood;fuelwood;

increasing population density that has led increasing population density that has led to smaller farm sizes which are to smaller farm sizes which are consequently farmed more intensively, consequently farmed more intensively, increased cultivation of steep hill slopes increased cultivation of steep hill slopes and “encroachment” onto Forest and “encroachment” onto Forest Department land;Department land;

mismanagement of forest areas - usually in mismanagement of forest areas - usually in upper parts of catchments.upper parts of catchments.

Observed erosion rates vary from 1 mObserved erosion rates vary from 1 m33 ha ha-1-1 yr yr--

11 for some stony soils on slopes of 4 to 18% for some stony soils on slopes of 4 to 18% under maize to 130 munder maize to 130 m33 ha ha-1-1 yr yr-1 -1 for red brown for red brown clay loams on slope of 4 to 5% under dryland clay loams on slope of 4 to 5% under dryland rice rice

Land pressure leads to encroachment onto steep Land pressure leads to encroachment onto steep FD landFD land

Project Manager,P.S. Sodhi points to treeless forestsProject Manager,P.S. Sodhi points to treeless forests

Project Approach Project Approach

Participatory - farmer control;Participatory - farmer control;

Hamlet level groups;Hamlet level groups;

Village level artisans and projectVillage level artisans and projectCommunity Organisers;Community Organisers;

Focus on the poorest;Focus on the poorest;

Enhancement of the status of women.Enhancement of the status of women.

Village and cluster selection

Village entry

General PRAs

Community problem analysis

Identification of development options

Prioritisation of development options

Development of workplans,skill development, training

Implementation of work

Small scaleactivities

Exposure visits

Smallscale

activities

S&Cgroup

formation

Rapport building

Start smallscale activities

Exposure visits

Iter

ati

on in s

ubse

quen

t yea

rs

Common Problems Identified by Villagers Common Problems Identified by Villagers

Access to water for domestic and Access to water for domestic and irrigationirrigation Fuel woodFuel wood Soil erosion and decline in fertilitySoil erosion and decline in fertility Poor crop productionPoor crop production HealthHealth EducationEducation Shortage of food and need for migrationShortage of food and need for migration IndebtednessIndebtedness

Project ActivitiesProject Activities

• Savings & Credit groupsSavings & Credit groups

• Soil and water conservation;Soil and water conservation;

• Joint Forest management & Patch Joint Forest management & Patch Plantations;Plantations;

• Participatory Varietal Selection & Participatory Varietal Selection & Breeding;Breeding;

• Innovative agronomy such as seed Innovative agronomy such as seed priming;priming;

• Energy saving stoves;Energy saving stoves;

• Wells & pumps - domestic water;Wells & pumps - domestic water;

• Pumped irrigation from rivers.Pumped irrigation from rivers.

Implementation of SWC componentImplementation of SWC component

• Issue focussed PRAsIssue focussed PRAs• Jankar selection and trainingJankar selection and training• Discussions about approaches to be Discussions about approaches to be

adopted - subsidy problemadopted - subsidy problem• Field/farm surveys with jankars, COs, Field/farm surveys with jankars, COs,

engineersengineers• Group discussion of proposals on a Group discussion of proposals on a

farm by farm basisfarm by farm basis• Reporting (internal / external)Reporting (internal / external)• Impact analysis and ongoing data Impact analysis and ongoing data

collectioncollection

StaffingStaffing

• Management & administrative staff Management & administrative staff • Specialists in other disciplinesSpecialists in other disciplines• Field Specialists (SWC) - M.Sc. & AFCsField Specialists (SWC) - M.Sc. & AFCs• Community OrganiserCommunity Organiser• Community Organiser/Field Officer (SWC)Community Organiser/Field Officer (SWC)• Jankar (men & women)Jankar (men & women)• Technical advisors (DFID / UoW - now W.S. Technical advisors (DFID / UoW - now W.S.

Atkins)Atkins)

Upper parts of catchments belong to FDUpper parts of catchments belong to FD Watersheds do not correspond to social Watersheds do not correspond to social

groupsgroups Variation in willingness of farmers / groupsVariation in willingness of farmers / groups Much grazing land (CPR) is also in upper Much grazing land (CPR) is also in upper

catchmentcatchment– farmers see benefits more clearly farmers see benefits more clearly

on cropped landon cropped land– communal work needs more mature communal work needs more mature

groupsgroups Micro-watersheds are defined in IF-PRAsMicro-watersheds are defined in IF-PRAs Cropped land furthest up catchment Cropped land furthest up catchment

treated firsttreated first Partial watershed approachPartial watershed approach

WATERSHED APPROACH ?WATERSHED APPROACH ?

Issue focussed PRAsIssue focussed PRAs

• Participatory soil mapping using revenue Participatory soil mapping using revenue maps or participatory maps of villagemaps or participatory maps of village

• Discuss problem soils and sites in the Discuss problem soils and sites in the village and range of solutionsvillage and range of solutions

• Agronomic and biological approachesAgronomic and biological approaches• Group organisation and work planGroup organisation and work plan• Water resources - wells, rivers, ponds, etc.Water resources - wells, rivers, ponds, etc.

Farmers discuss soil erosion problemsFarmers discuss soil erosion problems

Revenue map used as base mapRevenue map used as base map

Hand drawn resource map of same villageHand drawn resource map of same village

ParticipatoryParticipatoryland typeland typemapmap

Land UseLand Usemapmap

Slope and micro-watershed Slope and micro-watershed map generated by farmersmap generated by farmers

Techniques used Techniques used - soil and water conservation- soil and water conservation

• Field bundingField bunding• Contour bunding (0.5 m high & 45° Contour bunding (0.5 m high & 45°

sideslope)sideslope)• Graded bundsGraded bunds• Grass and trees on bundsGrass and trees on bunds• Green manuringGreen manuring• JFMsJFMs• Rehabilitation of common property Rehabilitation of common property

resourcesresources

Other associated activitiesOther associated activities

• Well construction & deepeningWell construction & deepening• Small earth dams and farm pondsSmall earth dams and farm ponds• Improved wood stovesImproved wood stoves• New varieties that take advantage of New varieties that take advantage of

improved moisture conditions improved moisture conditions

Important aspects of terracing and field Important aspects of terracing and field bundsbunds

• Subsidies for work requiring large Subsidies for work requiring large labour inputs set at 50% of minimum labour inputs set at 50% of minimum wagewage

• Participatory approach to designParticipatory approach to design• Emphasis on quality of workEmphasis on quality of work

– compactioncompaction– bund templatebund template– A-frame for contoursA-frame for contours– tops of bunds levelledtops of bunds levelled

Impacts reported by villagersImpacts reported by villagers

• Soil conservation (difficult to quantify)Soil conservation (difficult to quantify)• Retention of seeds, OM, nutrientsRetention of seeds, OM, nutrients• Increase in height of water tableIncrease in height of water table• Extended flow in seasonal streamsExtended flow in seasonal streams• Reduced migrationReduced migration• Improved self-esteem of group Improved self-esteem of group

members, especially womenmembers, especially women• Reduced alcoholism among menReduced alcoholism among men

• Strengthening of groups & build-up of fundsStrengthening of groups & build-up of funds• Improved quality of work done by other Improved quality of work done by other

organisationsorganisations• PR for KRIBHCO (!)PR for KRIBHCO (!)

Other non-quantifiable impactsOther non-quantifiable impacts

Measurable benefitsMeasurable benefits

• Increased total cropped areaIncreased total cropped area• Increased productionIncreased production• Increased area of rabi cropIncreased area of rabi crop• Changes in cropping pattern - rice Changes in cropping pattern - rice

behind bundsbehind bunds• Fodder and fuelwood from bundsFodder and fuelwood from bunds• Fodder and fuel from JFMs & CPRsFodder and fuel from JFMs & CPRs

ExampleExample

• In sample of 17 farms, average increase in In sample of 17 farms, average increase in cropped area was 1200 mcropped area was 1200 m22 = about 11% of = about 11% of farm area (some of this land is not “new” but farm area (some of this land is not “new” but has been brought back into production from has been brought back into production from fallow)fallow)

• If yield of rice is 1.5 t haIf yield of rice is 1.5 t ha-1-1 and price is Rs 8 and price is Rs 8 kgkg-1-1, extra areas produces Rs 1400 so SWC , extra areas produces Rs 1400 so SWC work is paid for after two crops (excluding work is paid for after two crops (excluding extra rabi crop)extra rabi crop)

Changes in cropping patternsChanges in cropping patterns

• In another study of three farms, area In another study of three farms, area lost was 4% but rice is now grown lost was 4% but rice is now grown behind the bunds on 14% of the area behind the bunds on 14% of the area originally under maizeoriginally under maize

• In addition, the rest of the field, pigeon In addition, the rest of the field, pigeon peas were intercropped with the maizepeas were intercropped with the maize

ISSUES, CONCERNS, RECOMMENDATIONSISSUES, CONCERNS, RECOMMENDATIONS

more flexibility in financing physical SWCmore flexibility in financing physical SWC loans?loans? subsidy rates?subsidy rates? payments to groupspayments to groups basis for subsidies basis for subsidies farm size?, family size?farm size?, family size?

regional planning of NR regional planning of NR

managementmanagement baseline data, mapsbaseline data, maps GISGIS erosion modellingerosion modelling satellite imagerysatellite imagery village selectionvillage selection

greater emphasis on SWC in CPR & JFMsgreater emphasis on SWC in CPR & JFMs responsibilities for water resource responsibilities for water resource

development such as small dams needs development such as small dams needs clearer definitionclearer definition

impact assessment activitiesimpact assessment activities techniques developedtechniques developed staff and resources allocatedstaff and resources allocated reduction of administrative burden on reduction of administrative burden on

engineers and COsengineers and COs

group training – book-keepinggroup training – book-keeping greater emphasis on agronomic, biological greater emphasis on agronomic, biological

and land husbandry approaches needed – and land husbandry approaches needed – BUT no subsidies on these BUT no subsidies on these – so little expenditure and project needs to so little expenditure and project needs to

spend moneyspend money better integration of SWC with other better integration of SWC with other

activities [better integration of all activities]activities [better integration of all activities]