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Kunigal Taluk, Karnataka

Initiatives for Development FoundationBengaluru

RRA GP LEVEL COMPREHENSIVE PILOT

Background, Context and Design

• Project Area: Kunigal Taluk, Tumkur district Karnataka. Falls under Southern Dry Zone, major area under rain fed conditions

• Normal annual rainfall is 680 mm• Roughly 22% of the area is under

irrigation• CP Location: Two GPs-Madakehalli

(Latitude 13.05, Longitude 76.99) and Chowdanakuppe (Latitude 12.85, Longitude 77.03). The total population together-14880 with 3096 families. 33 habitations under 19 revenue villages

Background, Context and DesignSituation

1. Degradation of productivity due to indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers for the last two decades; Low organic matter content, low moisture holding capacity of soils

2. Unpredictable rainfall and intermittent drought

3. Eroding diversity and inclination towards mono-cropping

4. Dwindling livestock due to capital constraint

5. Low productivity of indigenous cattle

6. Water bodies are seasonal, drying up of bore wells and open wells – recent phenomenon

7. Large proportion of the farming community financially excluded (up to 87%)

Systemic gaps1. Promotion of sustainable practices

(biomass and manure application) absent

2. Lack of focus on drought proofing and climate change adaptations

3. Seed supply systems concentrate on major crops, not on diversity

4. Dairy federation promoting cross breeds and lack of bank lending credit to indigenous animals

5. Breeding program focusing on cross breeds

6. Lack of promotional activities on recharging ground water

7. Low outreach by banks, legal hurdles like titles for accessing credit

Strategies and Approach

Capacity building and awareness creation

Partnership building with mainstream agencies

Sensitization of stakeholders

CBO platform as voice of change

Experience as base for up scaling at taluk level

ProgressProgrammeCapacity building trainingsFFS, awareness through campaignsAnimal health campsAdoptions of sustainable practicesFinancial inclusion

InstitutionsCBOsLine departments-DoAH, DoA, GPs, MNREGA, KSSC, DoH, KVKPublic sector banks-mainly SBI

NodesSoilSeedsCropping systemsLivestockFisheriesInstitutions

Key Activities Planned

Intensive capacity building on soil and land productivity such as composting, application of manures

Seed production program on finger millet, minor millets and pulses

Seed bank establishment Multi-cropping with minor

millets Promotion of SRI and Guli in

finger millet Health care services to small

ruminants

Credit linkage through JLGs and SHGs

Undertaken FFS, node specific trainings,

campaigns involving line departments like GP, MNREGA and DoA

Taken up with KSSC on finger millet on 11 acres

Established at GP level Minor millets identified and

seeds gathered for 386 acres 88 acres under these practices

Over 67,000 animals covered in partnership with DoAH (80% small ruminants)

2.65 Cr linked to 54 groups with SBI

SBI Kiosk Banking

Key Activities

Planned and Not taken-up Protective irrigation

through collectivization and sharing

Reason Farmers having water

resources are not prepared to share it

Deliverables and OutputsPlanned

Data base on NRM and rain fed systems

Analysis of challenges in rain fed farming, interface with mainstream agencies and alternatives to address them

Interventions and strategies at taluk level

Accessing mainstream programs

Detailed RRA-CP proposal for Kunigal taluk

Fine-tuned interface with RRA nodes

Delivered Data base collected, to be

consolidated Challenges identified,

analyzed based FGDs, experiences and interactions

To be fine-tuned, one internal review meet completed

Could achieve with DoAH, KSSC. Partnership building with DoA to some extent, GP and MNREGA. Credit was accessed from SBI

Proposal yet to be developed Interface with RRA nodes in

progress

Key Risks and AssumptionsRisks

Climate risks-continued drought or semi-drought situation

Policies of the state government as new dispensation is likely to take over

Administrative reshuffle once the new government takes over

Institutional risks Bankers’ risk of non-

alignment

Assumptions for mitigation Normal monsoon prevails

Political stability after the state elections

More responsive/sensitive administrative machinery

Robust support system Stable business models

Institutional Arrangement and Support Systems

1. From the ProjectExpenditure for activities and human resources2. From the OrganizationHuman resources for facilitation, community mobilization, partnership building, capacity building3. From RRAN/SecretariatVision building, guidance for proposal development, strategies for intervention4. From Thematic NodesField assessment, planning and fine-tuning of activities5. Contribution from CP to RRA NetworkingIntroduced to KFRC-an SLBC initiative at Bagalkot, Dr. Prakash Bhat-an eminent thinker in rural development, Line departments of state as part of CP, represented RRAN in forums like KFRC governance board, Chief Secretariat of GoK, NABARD and Banking sector

Analysis and Reflections

1. Addressing issues in RF agricultureFocus was on FI and SA in IDF program in Kunigal while CP

could help reorient itself to focus on rain fed conditions. Small ruminants, poultry and fisheries were untouched but we could take steps in this direction. Credit access to rain fed farmers is a new beginning due to focus on rain fed conditions

2. Layer, Scale and ConvergenceConcept of layering has crept in but concrete layering has to

happen. Scale of outreach was significant but adoption scale is yet to reach critical mass. Convergence was encouraging in service sector like credit, animal health care in cattle and inputs like seed.

Analysis and Reflections

3. Extent of establishment and confidence over programmatic FW of RRAIt is evolving but dichotomy still exists. Convinced about concepts and framework but struggling to understand the ways out to operationalize4. Extent of establishment and confidence over institutional FW Clarity of concepts and ideas 5. Institutional arrangements by RRANGood support through nodes and secretariat, technically.Contextual approaches would be of value from nodes

Analysis and Reflections

6. Key takeawaysCommunity voice more effective to engage the mainstream agencies at grass roots and local levelMore vocal voices of development leaders critical to engage policy makers at higher level of governanceProgrammatic changes in mainstream agencies is very slow process due to significant gaps in developmental thinkingProgrammatic FW of mainstream agencies is top-down. Disconnect between ground realities and program planningOutreach by mainstream agencies is low, more of demonstration approach

Way Forward

Proposal Development and Next PhaseFirst draft prepared but needs extensive fine-tuning based on the experience of first phaseDecision on continuing based on thorough discussion between RRAN and IDF teamCritical feedback on CP to decide on way forwardExposure to other CPs would be useful to revise strategies and programs

Remember that dark brown starved man, bending under the scorching sun, scratching a little plot of land to eke out a living, any thing you do, do for his benefit

- Mahatma Gandhi

What keeps us focussed?