SUSTAINABLE RURAL LIVELIHOOD SECURITY IN BACKWARD DISTRICTS

OF MAHARASHTRA

Partners

BAIF Development Research Foundation, Pune

Lead Centre

Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola

Partner

Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri

Partner

Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune

Partner

Dr. Hedgewar Sewa Samiti, Nandurbar

Partner

SUBPROJECT DETAILS

Target Districts: Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Yeotmal, Ahmednagar and Nandurbar

Budget: Rs. 2275.12 Lakh

Date of start: July 1, 2007

Date of Completion: June 30, 2014

Major Objective: To develop a replicable and holistic approach for promoting sustainable livelihood in tribal and remote regions of Maharashtra through integration and blend of tested technologies and strategies of household-focused and area-based programmes.

Literacy

level: Male

66%

Females

55%

57% household - annual income below Rs.

20,000/-

BASELINE VALUES (SAMPLE SIZE 2500 FAMILIES)

Constraints identified during baseline analysisProblem Causes Strategy Adopted

Low Agriculture Yield

Inadequate use of FYM and nutrients

Promotion of INM

Lack of assured irrigation Water Resource Development

No awareness about plant protection

Promotion of IPM

Lack of agriculture input supply Seed and seedling production

Low Livestock Yield

Genetically inferior stock from productivity point of view

Establishment of service delivery system advance technology to the participants through breeding and management services at the doorstep.

Poor awareness about livestock management

Fodder scarcity Promotion of fodder cultivation

Lack of Forest Based Enterprises

No awareness about forest potential

Introduction of tasar sericulture

Poor awareness on development and optimum utilization of livelihood resources

Poor access to information on improved practices for livelihood

Field days, farmers’ exposure visits, TOTs

Development of Community resource center as training, demonstration and technology transfer centers

SUBPROJECT COVERAGEDeliverables Plan HH Achievement

Improved package of agriculture practices

5000 6946 HH

Wadi/Orchard based livelihood 1200 1200 HH

Water Resource Development 4000 4561 HH

Breed improvement – large and small ruminants

12500 20990 HH

Forest based livelihood – Tasar Sericulture

200 254 HH

Seed Production 200 acres 330 acres

Processing technologies

Linseed processing plant 1 1

Value added products of finger millet 2 2

Fruit processing plant 1 1

APPROACH AND MAJOR INTERVENTIONS

Integrated cluster development approach: encompassing improved agriculture, Wadi (Tree based farming), livestock development and water resource development.

Agriculture and Horticulture based livelihood

Introduction of improved seed varieties and improved package of practices

Wadi or tree based farming as a farming system approach demonstrated where farmer plant fruit trees along with seasonal crops.

Water resource development was linked with these interventions.

Outputs: Agriculture based livelihood

Increase in Crop Yield

Crop Baseline production Tons/Ha

Production after improved

Practices Tons/Ha

% increase

Paddy 1.95 3.17 62.78

Maize 1.48 2.71 83.33

Cotton 1.38 1.88 36.25

Soybean 1.34 1.83 36.26

Gram 0.82 1.32 60

Wheat 1.77 2.32 31.24

Rabi Sorghum

0.74 1.85 150

Finger Millet

0.51 0.86 66

Linseed 0.58 2.30 296

Overall Benefits

Additional area brought under irrigation

1247 ha

Average increase in productivity

65%

Average Increase in cropping intensity

49%

Area brought under improved seed varieties

1122 ha

LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT – CATTLE AND GOATS

Cattle development: provision of breed improvement and preventive health services through TTCs along with fodder demonstrations and capacity building of farmers for improved livestock rearing

Table 2: Improved Animals born through Breed Improvement Programme and Asset Worth

No. Animals Number of calves-M

Worth (Rs)

Number calves F

Worth(Rs)

Total (Rs in lakh)

1. Crossbred cattle

3788 10000 3600 30000 1458.8

2. Graded up animals

954 15000 768 17000 273.66

3. Buffalo 408 15000 368 24000 149.52Total 1881.98

Bulk-Milk Cooler, a part of milk-

value chain

Milk Yield Annual gross income@ Rs. 18/lit

Work days

Local cow: 440 liters/lactation

7920 40 days/year

Improved cow: 1600 lit/lactation

28800 90-100 days/year

Goat Development Provision of quality breeding

buck and goats Preventive health services

and monitoring Goat Bank Approach

LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT – CATTLE AND GOATS

Number of HH benefited

Total Number of kids of improved breed born

Average  Number /HH

Income /unit (Rs/per anum)

1353 3284 3 7200/-

FOREST BASED LIVELIHOOD – TASAR SERICULTURE

Utilization of forest potential and conservation of trees

Tasar intervention includes activties from rearing of worms to reeling of thread at local level

Fabric marketed through BAIF

Workdays created Average income

120/year Rs. 8000/-

INNOVATIVE INTERVENTION – VALUE CHAIN ON LINSEED

• Introduction of improved seed Varieties of Linseed

• Seed Production• Productivity Enhancement

• Omega 3 Oil Extraction• Development of Omega 3 Products

• Marketing of Products – Cross cutting with component 2 subproject

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

Planning with participants

Technical capacity building and formation and strengthening of people’s institutions

Strategy of tapering support

Community resource centers work for training, demonstrations and technology transfer managed through local committees

The facilities such as Urea DAP briquetting machines, feed mix units, bulk milk coolers and shed nets are managed through these centers.

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

Technical capacity building and drudgery reduction was the strategy adopted for effective integration of women in the process;.

Women’s participation ensured in all the people’s institutions.

Sustainability fund of about Rs One Crore established through people’s contribution

Fund Management Committee for post project management

IMPACTFindings of Impact assessment of 10% participants

Average increase in crop Production (KG/HA)

Before After % Increase

1556 2287 69%

Average Annual Income per family (Rs) (all

interventions)

Before After%

Increase

49,252

1,00,78

6 104.6

Migration reduced by 70%

No. of Families

migrate

Before After

257 76

Sustainability Approach – Scope beyond Project

TTC

10-20villages

5000 farmers

Activities

• Quality input supply for agriculture

• breed improvement and livestock management services

• Custom Hiring facility

• Seed and Seedling production

• Collective marketing of produce

• Convergence of different schemes

IMPORTANT DIMENSIONS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Central team of BAIF led by CPI closely worked with partner institutes and field functionaries

CIC meetings helpful in planning and discussing operational modalities

A focused group including CPI created for to plan, review and follow up the project on monthly basis; helped project to expedite the matters very efficiently and timely.

CMU: developed overall M & E framework of the project and periodic monitoring

IMPORTANT DIMENSIONS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Field level functionaries in addition to RAs and SRFs; project operations facilitated by the scientists, implemented by the field functionaries

Field functionaries stationed at project locations; system of quarterly workshops for review and planning

Effective communication material in local language

Sustainability strategy

Management Information System: matrix of participants for recording inputs; helpful in tracking the extent of inputs, helpful in limiting support as decided

LEARNINGS

In-built flexibility in the project design – space for timely revisions of project activities and need-based packaging of technologies.

The project design was made more intensive and inclusive rather than in the form of scattered demonstrations.

The integrated approach of development: instrumental in addressing livelihood needs with agriculture, livestock, water and hence achieving higher results for the participant families.

Value chain based approach provided end to end solution to the issues

Consortium mode brought in synergy of expertise of SAUs, ICAR institutes and NGOs. However the performance was person specific rather than involvement of the institutions, especially in case of SAUs.

LEARNINGS

Multi – disciplinary Team: technical teams were backed up by the social scientists which achieved people’s involvement in project activities.

Annual review workshops organized by NAIP helped all the consortia learn from each other.

Accounting and Finance: The World Bank guidelines not only build the capacity of project team but also helped improve the organizational capacity. Instrumental in keeping project control. The external audits improved the project accounting over the years.

The success of this integrated approach of development has shown that the approach can be replicated in the other distressed areas with similar setting.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Field Functionaries: important link for project implementation, necessary for effective delivery of the project activities

Practical finance and accounting systems required for livelihood projects especially for the remote areas.

Guidelines and systems required for the project activities executed by the farmers themselves.

Intensive M&E through central PIU level across all the sub-projects would help improve the results. The CPIs to be involved in cross-monitoring - would help through cross-learning.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Timely fund releases by NAIP and better coordination and communication of NAIP-finance

Such projects give scope to SAUs for better interface with farmers and hence a learning opportunity

NGOs like BAIF certainly have capacity to contribute for national programmes on livelihood, develop innovative approaches - should be involved by ICAR for implementation and applied research in the national projects.

AWARDS AND APPRECIATION

Times of India – Social Impact Award to BAIF, New Delhi, October 2011

Appreciation Certificate to BAIF led consortium for contribution to rural livelihood - November 2012

Dr. Narayan Lambat; progressive linseed farmer honored by ‘Krishibhushan’ award of Maharashtra government

BVU received Gold medal of DST-Lockheed Martin at India Innovation Growth Programme for the innovation ‘Omega-3 EGG’ - May 2013