Suhas P Wani International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Patancheru , Andhra Pradesh, India Suhas P Wani International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Patancheru , Andhra Pradesh, India

 A livelihood comprises the capabilities assets (including both material and social) and activities require for a means of living. A livelihood is sustainable when it can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks, maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets, while not undermining the natural resource-base. Livelihoods

 For sustainable development  To achieve poverty elimination  Without sacrificing future resources What we are aiming?

Component Parts of Livelihoods Resources Activities Strategies Access Social process and structures Policies, laws, social relations Institutions and organizations

Current Status of Agriculture Water scarcity Climate Change Poverty Population growth Land degradation Health and Malnutrition-HIV Food security Energy and Sustainable development

Number of poverty–affected people living in water-constrained, rainfed agricultural areas The three circles indicate the occurrence of global hotspots where more than 100 million people may be affected (Rockström & Karlberg, 2009). Source: Barron and Keys 2011

 More complex  Spread across the geographical areas  Prone to impacts of externalities – vulnerable to shocks Agriculture-based Livelihoods Source: Barron and Keys 2011

Rainfed Agriculture – A Large Untapped Potential  Current farmers’ yields are lower by 2 to 5 folds than the achievable yields  Vast potential of rainfed agriculture needs to be harnessed

Agriculture–based Livelihoods Land holders Landless people Women Children and Livestock

Watershed as entry point for:  Increasing productivity  Improving livelihoods  Protecting environment  Empowerment of poor  Social capital development Watershed as entry point for:  Increasing productivity  Improving livelihoods  Protecting environment  Empowerment of poor  Social capital development Watershed Management: Engine of Agricultural Growth and Development in Rainfed Areas

Watersheds are Revolutionalising Drylands: Meta-analysis – 636 Case Studies ParticularsUnit No. of studies MeanMinimumMaximumt-value EfficiencyB:C ratioRatio IRRPer cent EquityEmploymentPerson days ha -1 y Sustainability Increase in irrigated area Per cent Increase in cropping intensity Per cent Runoff reduced Per cent Soil loss savedt ha -1 y

STEPs are holding back the potential of watershed program in India S = Sustainability T = Technology inputs E = Equity P = Participation S = Sustainability T = Technology inputs E = Equity P = Participation  Less than 1% watersheds are economically non-remunerative  Two-thirds of watersheds’ performance can be improved  Less than 1% watersheds are economically non-remunerative  Two-thirds of watersheds’ performance can be improved

 Participation of villagers as individuals, as groups or as a whole, increasing their confidence, enabling their empowerment and their ability to plan for the future and for self-determination is needed  For harnessing market potential to capture scale of economies federation of groups, villages is needed  Tangible benefits to individuals for promoting quality participation are must  Targeted income-generation activities for landless and women groups are needed for improving livelihoods Our Challenges

 One size fits all approach did not work and it should be a tool box approach rather than straight jacketed approach  It should be holistic approach for improving livelihoods thru convergence, capacity building, collective action and consortium approach  Community contributions in cash/kind for construction of basic infrastructure for better participation thru demand driven interventions rather than supply driven interventions Our Challenges Contd..

 Science-led development thru PR&D approach with a learning approach for researchers, development workers and investors  Involvement of private sector and should be a business model approach in place of subsistence agriculture  Market-led diversification of crops and sysems to achieve higher economic returns Our Challenges Contd..

Shocks and Stresses of a Degraded Indian Watershed Source: Barron and Keys 2011 Management activities, which interrupt the cycle of soil degradation, and encourage system stability/ resilience

Rehabilitated degraded CPRs thru community involvement Rehabilitated degraded CPRs thru community involvement NOVOD project: Novel initiative

Capacity Building is Must for Sustainable and Increased Impact

ICT has Important Role in Empowering Community  Seeing is believing  Community information hub  Audio video training material  VASAT  Seeing is believing  Community information hub  Audio video training material  VASAT

 Not possible to improve livelihood of everyone  People like to exercise their own choices for livelihood  Potential opportunities only can be shown  Sustaining livelihoods involve more and separate issues from improving livelihoods Be Aware of Limitations

 How to maintain dynamic balance between policies and actions?  How to promote sustainable livelihoods for millions of small-holder farmers?  How to manage natural and physical environment in a better manner?  How to build resilience of the communities and natural resources to changes in future including due to climate change Our Challenges

How do we improve five capitals and assess impact Challenges to be Faced

Access –Institutions – Policies and Laws How to achieve following Efficiency Equity Environment protection Economic gains

Thank you!