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