Assured food security for the rural poor is one of the major aims of RRIDMA & ITC. Increased food production in the country does not necessarily ensure food security for all. There is need to increase food production and employment generation opportunities especially for small farmers to enable them to achieve self sufficiency at the house hold level.
Operational Area : Bundi district (Covering Phetahgarh, Bishanpura, Phalenda, Vijaygarh and Salawlya villages)
1 District: Bundi
2 Selected Block: Hindoli
3 Selected Villages: Fatehgarh, Bishanpura, Salavalya, Phalenda and Vijaygarh
Present Status :
Geographical Area: Tonk district is situated between 24°59’ and 25°53’ north latitudes and 75°91’ and 76.19’ east latitudes in the south-eastern portion of the state.
Climate: Moderate
Agro climatic Zone - V – South-Eastern Humid Plain (Rainfed)
District falls under the sub tropical climate which has four seasons
Winter (Dec to Feb)
Summer (March - June)
Rainy (July to Sep)
Post Monsoon (Oct to Nov)
Rainfall: 450-600 mm
Annual potential Evapo-transpiration: Medium
Total Watershed Area: Total area : 3909.25 ha.
Status of Water Resources, Waste / Pasture land:
Topographically area: Undulated and Stony
Slope: 3-20 %
Soil Type: Sandy,Clay Loam,Loam
Soil Depth: 6 inches to 1.5 feet
Soil pH: 8.05 to 8.25 with low NPK and Sulphur,Boron,Zinc
Crop :
Kharif : Maize Sesamum, Kidneybean, Black gram, Guar.
Rabi : Wheat, Mustard, Gram, Lentil.
Main Spices : Chilly,
Main Vegetables : Ladyfinger, Brinjal, Onion, Garlic, Yam, Pea
This project’ is based on water shed approach and proposed for Hindoli block of Bundi district. The details of the area are given in table mentioned above. As the area have planes as well as hilly tracts and most of the hillocks are denuded, with sub-soil horizon exposed and in many cases barely possesses rocks. The soils in the upper reaches are mostly stony with patches of medium to shallow black in transitional zone and valley possessing patches of black soil. The area ability of water and its distribution passes serious social problems. The community’ need for drinking water is mostly met with open dug wells or hand pumps occasionally installed at few places. There are two distinct cropping seasons i.e. Kharif and Rabi. The rabi crops are mainly cultivated on residual moisture and supplementary irrigation. Agriculture is mainly undertaken for subsistence needs and returns are usually insufficient to meet food security and livelihood requirements of the small and marginal farmers. Major objectives of the project are
OBJECTIVES: Identification and development of water resources for food security through application of modern technologies for improvement of product and productivity of land and livestock with active participation of local communities.
· Searching of possibilities for generation of rural employment.
· Enhancement of capacity of local community
· Development of market linkages.
MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT
WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT :
AREA TREATMENT :-
· Afforestation
· Horticulture
· Silvi-pasture Development
· Field Bunding with Vegetative Protection
· Land treatment
DRAINAGE LINE TREATMENT:
· Construction of Water Harvesting Structures
· Construction of Gully Plugs & LSCDs
· Construction of Chain Linked Gabions
· Construction of Farm Pond ( Desilting / Revival)
CAPACITY BUILDING:
CATTLE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME:
Silvi-pasture (Common land) and Afforestation (Private land) :
Under this programme, community/family takes up intensive land development and plantation work on private / community land, to convert this land into a productive, grass land. The work is done on community land as well as private lands, main activities are formation of local institution, fencing, contour bunds, trenches, pit digging and fodder/fuel plantation, grass sowing. The species of plants are chosen according to their suitability to the project area and liking and requirement of the community. It is contributing in the income of the participating family.
Horticulture plantation (Wadi):
As the proposed area falls into the drought prone zone, there for, the fruit plants with low water requirement (e.g. Aonla, Guava, lemon) are planted in the wastelands/ cultivated land to increase the family income from the WADI’s. At the same time cultivation of the suitable intercrops both for food & cash incomes is introduced after the land development works it is providing additional income to the participating families.
Field Bunding with Vegetative Protection
The proposed area has slope on cultivated land and its percentage ranges from 1 to 3%. This slope doesn’t allow the water to percolate in the soil and it goes as waste. Field bunding provided with plantation of grass seeds on these bunds is the best way to retain this water. It also helps to check make available fodder for the animals.
Construction of water harvesting structure:
Small storage structures have immediate and direct benefits. These structures are instrumental in maintaining moisture for long duration and also the stored water is used as life saving irrigation for the crops. These structures help in coping water shortage during dry spells and create more vegetation, which act as a lasting protection against extreme drought conditions.
Farm ponds:
This is another traditional source of rainwater – harvesting structures, which provides water in the distress period. Farm ponds are the depressions with embankments ranging in height from 1-3 meters, generally built on the upper reaches. The embankments are made up of loose stones and earth. Farm ponds are fed by surface run off from the surrounding Catchment area. The stored water is used for irrigation purpose.
LAND DEVELOPMENT:
· Barren land should be treated with Gypsum.
· Organic Farming through promotion of super compost and Vermi-compost.
Barren land :
Barren land is treated with Gypsum because of 8% of the cultivated land is under barren (Saline) in the targeted villages having pH 8.5 to 9.
Vermi-composting:
In the concept of Organic Farming soil is treated like a bridge connecting living and non-living entities on the earth. Although soil appears dead, there is a living component present in it – the microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and viruses) and macro fauna (insects, termites and earthworms) which are responsible in part for health of Soil. Soil organisms play an integral role in break down and decomposition of organic matter and recycling of plant nutrients. These organisms rearrange soil and improve its physical properties. Earthworms have capacity to influence this biological process of improving fertility of soil.
The existing agricultural practice is not up to the mark due to lack of awareness, in optimum use of degraded and unproductive lands through use of organic farming. It is therefore important to increase productivity of degraded unproductive lands through introduction of organic farming through the establishment of VERMICOMPOST UNIT on their farms for improving conventional agriculture.
Agronomical practices with package :
While working with the farmers in the area it is observed that farmers are still growing traditional varieties of different crops with low production potential and practicing traditional cultivation practices. It is therefore necessary to motivate the farmers for adopting new varieties and required agronomist practices for higher productivity. Through there are technologies available but these have not reached where they are needed most. The project demonstrated cultivation of new varieties along with appropriate agronomic practices to the farmers at the farmer's field for different crops. It helped the farmers to learn practices, gained knowledge and confidence in the new practices to increase crop productivity.
CATTLE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME:
Dairy farming is a reliable source of livelihood for small and marginal farmers. According to farmer’s demand as well as available breedable cow/buffalo population, cattle breeding centre is established in the project area to provide mobile services of doorstep of the farmer. Preventive health coverage is being carried out by deworming and vaccination in large ruminants as well as small ruminants on cost basis.
CAPACITY BUILDING:-
Training is conducted to improve self – capacity among the community members. Training includes awareness sessions on various topics, which ranged from very specific to broad. Men and women are encouraged to participate in different trainings. Training can enhance knowledge, attitudes skills and relationships.
It plays an important role to establish trust and build up confidence among farmers, scientist and implementing agencies regarding planning, execution, conflict resolution, benefit sharing, monitoring and evaluation of the project through organization of various types of skill and job oriented training programme and exposure visits to develop area.
PROJECT BENEFITS :
The direct benefits are-
a. Reduction in soil loss through checking erosion.
b. Improvement in ground water table through in situ- conservation.
c. Increase in fodder, fuel and timber production.
d. Increase in agriculture production through improved agricultural practice and use of scientific farmyard manure.
e. Increase in milk production through enhanced fodder production.
f. Evolution of local institution, Village Ayojan Samiti and SHG’s
g. Transformation of small patches of wasteland into orchards, agro-forestry and medicinal plots.
h. Reduction of migration to the greater extent.
i. Rehabilitation of participating families on their own land & environment.
Project Period: 5Years (2005-09)
Area Covered: 3909.25 ha.
Villages: 5
Families Benefited: 1023
Beneficiaries household: 316
Achievements:
- Gabbions: 12
- Gully plugging: 300
- Temp. Check bund: 41
- Water harvesting structure: 1
- Catchment treated: 1010 ha.
- Persondays generated: 3900
- Revenue generated: Rs. 120375
- Bunding with vegetative protection: 2540CMT (Bene. H/Hs 316)
HIGHLIGHTS
· Waste land turned in to source of income to the community by intercropping of Sesamum and castor in afforestation.
· 30-50 % People participation in kind of cash, labour, time and means
· Increase of women participation in development activities for decision-making, planning, execution and CPR management through SHG, VWC & Charagah Samiti.
· Control of soil erosion and increased rain water percolation, soil moisture and green cover.
· Improved availability of wood biomass ,fodder and fuel wood by active participation in Afforestation, Silvipasture and Field bunding.
· Change in people’s attitude and reduced hesitation for cultivation of fruit plants in their cultivated land. It is assumed that fruit plants will create extra source of income to the participants throgh cultivated land .
· Availability of green grass for the animals round the year through silvipasture and field bunding.
· Beginning of wild life diversity in silvipasture.
· Replication of Silvipasture model by GO and local people.
· Village common land has been developed as a model of Silvipasture and replication has been started.
· Increased water level and Reduction of time for recharging of open wells and bore wells which resulted Increased no. of irrigation and irrigation implements.
· Availability of water round the year for men , animals and plants in project area.
· Increased cropped area (50.2 to 73.75 %) and increased crop productivity.(Kharif-24 -90% , Rabi-21 to 91 %).
· Encouraging people to use improved varieties of seeds. (100 % families in Kharif season and 92 % families in Rabi season.)
· Developed technical & managerial skill to 9 Watershed Committee,14 Self Help Group and 2 Charagah Samities to manage developed resources. (SHG are working as a small credit and saving facilities.)
· Saved 25% cooking time saved 25% fuel and Saved 25% time to fetch drinking water.
· Availability of safe drinking water through out the year in project area.
· Improve technical & managerial skills of field staff and beneficiaries for effective implementation and management of the proposed activities.
· Sustainable management of the environment (chlorenation of open wells cleaning of animals tubs, formation of soak pits by the members of environment club) resulted No water borne diseases.
· Gradually local breed improvement (each family has 1 cross bred cow and graded buffalo)
· Gradual improvement in health and hygiene and productivity.
· Gainful self-employment by selling of surplus milk and animals.
· Frequent repayment of loan.
· Improved social status.
· Generation of casual employment .
· Increased enrolment of girls in school.
Ours visitors :
1- Study & Evaluation of impact of watershed of ICEF Project – Bundi carried out by WASAN & ARAVALI (NGO based on new Delhi & Jaipur)
2- ICEF Project KGBK NGO Ranchi
3- SARD – NGO Jhalawar
4- Continuous visits of GO & NGO’s
5- District Collector visit on 22.2.2006
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Food security and employment generation through watershed management approach
