COMPREHENSIVE PILOT ON REVITALISING RAINFED AGRICULTURE SAMAJ PRAGATI SAHAYOG MADHYA PRADESH MAY 2013 BAGLI BLOCK, DEWAS, MP

Located in Bagli Block – Dewas District, MP A Cluster of 44 Tribal Villages in Bagli Block SPS has been working in this area –Area – –Population –Households – 7400 –Gram Panchayats – 28 Primarily agricultural with low non-farm jobs Before watershed interventions, heavy external migration and low incomes Background Information on CP

Low incidence of landlessness – less than 8%; but mainly, small and marginal farmers Main crops: Maize, Wheat, Soybean, Red Gram, Black Gram, Green Gram, Chickpea, Cotton High incidence of forests – forest used to be a major source of livelihoods High incidence of livestock population – dairy animals, work bullocks and small ruminants Located far away from organised markets Poor banking penetration (pre-SHG years) PRI system is very weak or non-functional Background Information on CP

Some Watershed interventions had already taken place in the area; CP Villages include: –13 villages in old/closed watersheds; –16 villages where watershed work is ongoing; and –15 villages where new watershed work is proposed Pilot Strategy 1: Layer rainfed agriculture interventions on water-based interventions Pilot Strategy 2: Converge interventions with ongoing public investment programmes Pilot Strategy 3: Scale up rainfed agriculture interventions to the block as a whole over time Design of CP and Strategy

Situation Analysis: Analysis conduced of production systems, their constraints and potential in the CP Location Formulation of the Action Plan for three years Initiation of Project Activities in Rabi Season 2012 Deployment of Dedicated Human Resource for Pilot Implementation (2 Co-ordinators and 7 Full time Persons) Build the Institutional base for Implementation in the CP Location: SHG federations and co-operatives Link smallholder farmers with markets – formation of a new producer company, Ram Rahim Pragati Producer Company Limited (RRPPCL) for crop produce aggregation. Strengthening Linkage with Government Departments and ongoing public investment programmes Leveraging of Public Funds for implementation Highlights of Work Done

Low Rainfall and Associated Water Shortage High runoff; annual water deficit (P-PET) of 540 mm Soil moisture deficit – LGP of less than 180 days Gaps in the rainfall at crucial periods in the crop growth cycle can prove fatal for the crop Groundwater availability variable on account of on account of the underlying hard rock geology. Traditional, less water-intensive crop varieties have been replaced with varieties that require high irrigation Situation Analysis: 1.Water

High rate of soil erosion - loss of soil fertility (biological function) and low capacity of soils to hold water (hydrological function) Declining levels of soil organic matter application in the soil Low recycling of agricultural residues; burning of crop residues Depletion of soil fertility due to poor land management practices – rotation of crops and intercropping systems are fast disappearing To compensate -extensive use of chemical fertilizers No practice of soil testing Situation Analysis: 2. Soils

Timely availability of good quality seed material at affordable prices Scarcity of seed for repeat sowing with early dry spell after sowing Non-availability of seed late in the season for contingency crops and traditional intercrops Poor availability of seeds and planting material of fodder grasses, fodder trees, horticulture and seeds of green manuring crops No practice of seed treatment Situation Analysis: 3. Seeds

Low milk yield of animals Lack of veterinary support for livestock, resulting in –High incidence of animal diseases –High mortality of animals, esp. high calf mortality Poor coverage and reach of cattle insurance Lack of nutritive varieties of fodder Inadequate feeding practices of large and small animals High mortality and danger of theft of small ruminants Inadequately developed marketing system for small ruminants – mostly local sale Draught Power – most neglected aspect Situation Analysis: 4. Livestock Systems

Low use of potential – large number of small tanks exists but are not productively used for fisheries Licensing systems of community tanks unclear. Usually, these are given on lease and the lessee implements his/her own management practices No awareness of land management required for fish production Lack of awareness on feeding practices of fish Low quality fish seeds/fingerings Fish mostly sold in local market. No effort at value addition or processing Situation Analysis: 5. Fisheries

Distance to big markets, mandis and electronic commodity exchanges High distress sale, especially in the immediate post harvest season Long chain of intermediaries, reducing farmers’ share in the price paid by the final consumer. Need for “Tide over” finance to take care of immediate consumption and production needs of the poor farmers while they wait for good price High price risk which is difficult for smallholder farmers to take Banking systems not tuned to meeting requirements of marketing of agricultural produce Situation Analysis: 6. Markets

1.Operationalisation of the idea of “water-as-security” 2.Location-specific package of soil fertility enhancement (land treatment and organic matter incorporation) 3.Non-pesticide Management (NPM) agriculture and creation of identity for NPM produce 4.Package for animal healthcare for better survival (reduction of mortality & diseases) 5.Establishment of pond-based fisheries as a livelihood option in the area 6.Linking smallholders to outside markets – organisation, financing, institutions and value addition Emerging 6 Key Propositions

Develop proof of concept on key propositions Link these with ongoing government programmes and leverage resources Create a demand system for services at the grass- roots level Create institutions and institutional platforms to generate demand and manage program components – PRIs, SHG Federations, co- operatives, producer institutions, companies Build capacities in institutions for decentralised planning and implementation Scale up the key propositions (and ancillary ones) to the block as a whole How to Scale Up? “Building Redundancy”

The RRA-CP has established links with five line departments and their programmes: –District Panchayat / Rural Development – MGNREGA and Integrated Micro-Plan Project (GoMP) –Agriculture Department – RKVY, Seed Villages –Horticulture Department – National Horticulture Mission –Animal Husbandry Department – Animal Health, Animal Feed, Goat Rearing, Poultry –Fisheries Department – pond-based fisheries Main Challenge: Creation of Institutional Capacities at district, block and village levels for design, plan, implementation and monitoring of programmes Crucial gap: Human Resource at required level What is the Main Takeaway from 1 st Year?

Develop detailed plans in consultation with each of these departments at the block level Link these plans with ongoing programmes being implemented by the district/block Establish systems for implementation of plans and careful monitoring of results Document and disseminate of processes and results for wider advocacy Develop an evidence-based policy argument for more investment in rainfed agriculture Build people’s institutions capable of playing a leadership role in implementation of programmes Way Forward

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