MGNREGA Water and Soil conservation

Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy, CEO, GEO http://e-geo.org

Center for Climate Change and Environment Advisory CCCEA)Dr. MCR HRD Institute of AP

21ST June 2012

Climate Change will put

additional stress in rural areas

In the life of a farmer climate Variability and

Extreme events are

more important

than climate change

Climate Change / Variability in Semi-arid regions

Precipitation is less than potential evapotranspiration.

Low annual rainfall of 25 to 60 centimeters and having scrubby vegetation with short, coarse grasses; not completely arid.

Climate Change / Variability in Semi-arid regions

Climate Variability and extremes are an expected characteristic of semi-arid lands.

The people vulnerable to droughts, which trigger frequent subsistence crises

Increasing crop failures, dislocation, famine, poverty, increases stratification and the social inequities.

Major challenges of Agriculture

Climate change -

variability - extremes

Soil fertility Water management

Impact of hazardous

pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers

Burning of crop residue

Alkalinity of soils

Crop Water

Soil Climate

Energy Environment

NREGAThe primary objective of the act is poverty

alleviation, a further objective is stated “...as creation of durable assets and strengthening the livelihoods base of the rural poor...”

NREGA links two of the most critical problems of our times: namely, extreme poverty and climate change.

The linkage is forged through environmental services which are provided by rural households when they engage in works under NREGA.

The livelihoods of the rural poor are directly dependent on environmental resources — land, water, forests — and are vulnerable to weather and climate variability — as water stress increases, groundwater levels recede, soil fertility declines and forest habitats disappear.

NREGA ObjectivesPrimarySupplementing employment opportunities(Additional not substituted)AuxiliaryEco-restoration & regeneration of natural

resource base for sustainable rural livelihood Process Outcomes

Strengthening grass root processes of democracy Infusing transparency & accountability in rural governance

Vulnerability of poor in rural areasLivelihoods of rural poor based on natural resources - Land,

Water, Biodiversity, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Forest Produce

Two-thirds of households derive income directly from natural sources

Natural resources are threatened by stresses Biotic & Abiotic

Climate Change -- an additional stressPoor are most vulnerable to Climate ChangePoor are first and worst affected – least contributed to itAgriculture & natural resource based livelihoods at

immediate risk Rural poor do not have resources to cope

Nature of Works Water based• » Water conservation • » Water harvesting• » Micro and minor

irrigation works• » Provision of irrigation

facilities• » Desilting of tanks• » Renovation of traditional

water bodies• » Flood control and

protection works

Land based• » Land development

Forest/ Agro--Forestry• » Afforestation• » Horticulture

Infrastructure• » Rural roads

Of the 2.7 million works being undertaken in over 600 districts, nearly 80 per cent are water, land and forestry-related. These not only provide local environmental services, they have the potential to yield co-benefits of adaptation and mitigation to global climate change; the former through rejuvenation of the livelihood base and thereby strengthening resilience of rural communities, the latter through enhanced carbon sequestration in agricultural soils, pasturelands and woody perennials.

NREGA Types of Works Andhra PradeshNature of works taken up 70 % water conservation 10 % Irrigation related 5% Plantations 2 % road connectivity 13 % others

Water Conservati

on- 51% of the works undertaken- Water Conservation and Water Harvesting - Renovation of Traditional Water Bodies- Micro Irrigational Works- Drought Proofing

Afforestation

- 14% of the works undertaken

- AP and MP leading in the forefront in these activities

Rural Connectivity- 17% of total works undertaken- UP, MP and Bihar leading in the number of works undertaken

CARBON SEQUESTRATION – BIOCHAR OPTIONS

Or

In slide sharehttp://www.slideshare.net/saibhaskar/agriculture-crisis-and-biochar-saibhaskar2

SL framework: Determinants of adaptive capacityLivelihood resources

Examples

Human Knowledge of climate risks, conservation agriculture skills

Social Women’s savings and loans groups, farmer-based organizations

Physical Irrigation infrastructure, seed and grain storage facilities

Natural Reliable water source, productive land

Financial Micro-insurance, diversified income sources

Policies, institutions and power structures

Defined and prioritised under the act, works can significantly change the environment through rejuvenation of the natural resource base. Water conservation, land development and afforestation through NREGA can provide local services such as ground-water recharge, enhanced soil fertility and increased biomass. These, in turn, can generate global benefits such as adaptation to and mitigation of climate change and biodiversity conservation.

NREGA works with programmes of agriculture and allied sectors are leading to enhanced yields. With the scope of works under NREGA expanded to include lands of small and marginal farmers, it is possible to significantly enhance the irrigation potential in rainfed areas and drought-proof small-holder agriculture, leading to sustainable, higher yields.

Conservation technologies — stress-tolerant, climate-resilient varieties of seeds, drip irrigation, zero-tillage, raised-bed planting, laser-levelling, Systems of Rice Intensification (SRI), can build adaptive capacities to cope with increasing water stress, providing “more crop per drop”.

Similarly, strengthening land development practices such as land levelling, conservation bench terracing, contour and graded bunding, and pasture development prevent soil erosion and loss of organic matter. Reclamation of wastelands and degraded lands together with afforestation, horticulture plantation and agro-forestry have the potential to sequester carbon both above and below ground, thereby contributing to carbon mitigation.

Category of worksPriority wiseWater conservation & Water

harvestingDrought Proofing including

AfforestationIrrigation Canals including

Micro/Minor Irrigation WorksProvision of irrigation facilities to

SC/STRenovation of traditional Water

bodiesLand developmentFlood control & Protection WorksRural connectivityAny other works approved by GOI

Thank You….

Ref: http://...Mainly presentations of Dr. Rita Sharma