Short description of the best practice

The project design is based on family approach and centred on the development of ORGANIC WADI (Orchard) enhancing livelihoods of the underpriveleged tribal community. The participating households spare a minimum of one acre land for wadi palntation.

Location

Bajna Block of Ratlam district , Madhya Pradesh |

If the location has well defined boundaries, specify its extension in hectares:

17201.0

Estimated population living in the location:

43500.0

Brief description of the natural environment within the specified location.

The typical soil in this area is chemically matured but texturally immature. The soil type varies from red loamy to sandy, gravelly to shallow black soils. Black soil fields are located at lower reaches and red soil areas at middle or upper reach of project area. |
The climate is semi-arid with annual average rainfall 895.9 mm with maximum temperature around 420C and minimum 80C. The winter season is from December to February, followed by summer from March to June|
The lowland and medium lands are bunded and leveled with gentle or moderate slope in some areas.  The uplands, which account for over 40-50 % of private land holdings, are sloping (3 to 10 % slope in arable land and up to 25% on hillocks), often un-bunded and prone to runoff and erosion. |

Prevailing socio-economic conditions of those living in the location and/or nearby

The participating families in the project are land owners with clear land titles; the land right and tenure issues do not hinder the present initiative and are supportive ensuring sustainability of project. Farmers have their own patta for particular piece of land use for WADI.  
Over 90% of the beneficiary households are tribal and more than 2/3 of them are living below poverty line. The income is below subsistence. More than 75% households from tribal community are always in debt whereas > 40 % households take short-term credit every year.
According to Livelihood pattern the community in the area can be classified as small and marginal farmers, agriculture labour and migrants. A few of the household are engaged in ancillary activities or small business like sell of poultry bird, goats, vegetable, and non timber forest produce. |

On the basis of which criteria and/or indicator(s) (not related to The Strategy) the proposed practice and corresponding technology has been considered as 'best'?

Consensus evolved during the National Consultation process.

Main problems addressed by the best practice

Soil erosion |Depletion of ground water |Land degradation, Poor soil health|Lack of assured source of livelihood
Lack of involvement of poor community and women

Outline specific land degradation problems addressed by the best practice

Project area comes under rainfed dryland in Malwa plateau. Soil surface is exposed in dry period. Land in middle and upper reaches is untreated and promote soil erosion. Plowing along the slop, continuous mono cropping of maize which permits erosion.|

Specify the objectives of the best practice

Effective utilization of available land, water and manpower resources of selected tribal families through participatory approach|To arrest the degradation of land and change the land use according to its capability class |To maintain and increase long term fertility of soil. Increases the micro nutrient in the soil. Improve Quality of soil health. |Improve in the economic status of the farmer through value chain development under certified organic production system for perishable crops like seasonal vegetables and fruits|Development of farmers through promoting village institutions

Brief description of main activities, by objective

Formation of village level institutions |Capacity building of para professional
Use of IPM, INM and other certified package in the field |Use of organic inputs in the crops|Vermi-composting, Use of compost (organic ) in field |Soil testing and soil health management
Orchard development by use of cultivable waste land |Multiple cropping according to land class
Land development by soil and water conservation activities like field bunding, gully plug, gabion etc |Effective water management by use of water tank through gravity system |Individual or small group lift system for judicious use of water

Short description and technical specifications of the technology

WADI as a systematic orchard development helps to reduce the soil erosion & land degradatio. WADI increases vegetative cover of the area; enhanced Soil organic matters which improved soil health which resulted in improve the productivity of land. Farmers use the land according to its capability.

Name and address of the institution developing the technology

National Livelihood Resources Institute, Gramin Vikas Trust |Field Office- Gram Bhadwas, Mhow Neemuch Road, Near Malini River
Gramin Vikas Trust "KRIBHCO Bhawan"
5th Floor,
Sector 1A-10
NOIDA, Distt Gautam Budha Nagar
Uttar Pradesh 210301

Was the technology developed in partnership?

No

Specify the framework within which the technology was promoted

• National initiative – non-government-led

Was the participation of local stakeholders, including CSOs, fostered in the development of the technology?

Yes

List local stakeholders involved:

WADI members
Community Members
Para professional (village youth)
|National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
|Village level institutions
|SHGs
WADI group
|Apex cooperative society/federation
|Cooperative society /Federation

For the stakeholders listed above, specify their role in the design, introduction, use and maintenance of the technology, if any.

participating households develop their plan and execute the activities with facilitation from village level institution and technical support from the GVT. SHGs involved in the process take collective decisions during the implementation and proactively promote micro finance initiatives.

Was the population living in the location and/or nearby involved in the development of the technology?

Yes

By means of what?

• Participatory approaches

Describe on-site impacts (the major two impacts by category)

Soil health improved; Soil erosion reduced
The WADI implemented in their field will certainly provide the sustainable income to the family after two years. It is more than 30-40 % of present income.
Land quality improved, land and water pollution reduced|
This is third year of project and it is perceived that in fifth year and later on production and productivity will increased significantly
The small and marginal community got opportunities in planning of project and decision making. Women got special focus and involved.  Improve their livelihoods by creation of durable assets.

Describe the major two off-site (i.e. not occurring in the location but in the surrounding areas) impacts

Many farmers adjoining to project area and from many districts, institutions, CSOs, NGOs came and appreciated the GVT efforts and doing efforts for organic farming in their own areas|
NABARD has sanctioned many new projects after seeing impact of pilot project with GVT. Now Organic WADI concept has been launched in M.P, Gujrat and Rajasthan also.|

Impact on biodiversity and climate change

Explain the reasons:

The Organic WADI on the waste land with well spread vegetative cover may enhance the opportunities for carbon sequestration in soil. The project may improve the bio mass in the village to sustain livelihoods of communities and eco-restoration.
GVT staff sensitize the farmers of project area about soil health management, need of organic farming, land development for reduce desertification and water management techniques. |

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

No

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Yes

Where?

several places in Madhya Pradesh

Can you identify the three main conditions that led to the success of the presented best practice/technology?

Consistent & sustained funding support to the initiatives
GVT's rapport in the project area due to successful implementation of previous project in neighboring area.
GVT’s rich experience in tribal areas of community based natural resource management project

Replicability

In your opinion, the best practice/technology you have proposed can be replicated, although with some level of adaptation, elsewhere?

Yes

At which level?

• Local
• Sub-national

Related to human resources

Community own the project and manage the assets after establish a good rapport of the organization, so in inception phase, a lot of efforts required to mobilize the community for sustainability of project. Paraprofessional (Jankar) work as a link between community and organization|Communities may organise for common concerns if they realize significance / relevance of the same. They are ready to become member of the different institutions like SHG, VPC, cooperative etc  and actively participate in decision making|Capacity of identified community member from a village may be develop to perform the role of paraprofessional and community organizer. It requires a series of efforts for long term vision.  

Related to financial aspects

Organic Farming reduces the input cost of the farming system and more production at high rate compare to conventional farming system.|Organic farming provide a way to farmers to earn the money in a consistent manner |WADI is a concept to generate alternate livelihood source for sustainable livelihoods

Related to technical aspects

Organic WADI is a technical approach to improve the soil organic matter. |Peoples institutions at village level and apex federation helps to resolve the grass root level problem, marketing of produce, input supply etc |Organic WADI is a unique approach (cover all aspects like soil and water conservation, water resource, irrigation management, improve agriculture technology, social and gender development, health etc) to prevent the problem to land degradation, desertification. it helps to prevent, mitigate and adapt the effect of climate change|Planning with technical backstopping can help in prioritizing interventions based of social, financial and ecological considerations