Breve descrição da melhor prática

The origin of the Community Managed Bio-industrial Watersheds Prof. J.S. Bali who called it “Agro-industrial Watershed Management”. The project works on the premise that watershed could go beyond natural resources management, where processing, storage and marketing is integrated with land use system. Thus, the approach builds on the conventional system of watershed management through value addition and new markets with appropriate socio-economic and institutional support systems, owned and managed by the community. |

Localização

Community Managed Bio-industrial Watersheds project is implemented by MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in Pudukottai and Villupuram Districts of Tamil Nadu.

Breve descrição do ambiente natural dentro do local especificado.

Semi-arid, Average Annual Rainfall 1154.14 mm|
Soil texture is black clay. The bulk density ranges between 1.18-1.22 (2007-pre project), particle density ranged from 1.81 – 2.25 and water holding capacity ranges from 45.95 – 53.75. In 2011 (post project), the bulk density ranged between 1.15 – 1.22, particle density ranged from 2.10 – 2.27 and maximum water holding capacity ranged from 45.80 – 54.63.
Soil samples showed an increase in pH observed (ranging from 7.74 to 8.21) in 2011.

Condições socioeconômicas prevalecentes das pessoas que vivem no local e/ou nas proximidades

Agriculture activities

Com base em quais critérios e/ou indicadores (não relacionados com a Estratégia) a prática proposta e a tecnologia correspondente foram considerados como "melhores"?

This model of watershed management incorporates suitable land and water management through Capacity Building and Awareness,  trainings, exposure visits and most importantly by bridging the digital divide in a rural context through the VKCs.  Knowledge Management is therefore an important component of the model. The implementation also looks at the particpation of all stakeholders through a District Advisory Committee (DAC) ensuring a  scaleing  up with the participation of the concerned  line departments.|

Principais problemas abordados pelas melhores práticas

Land & Water Management: Repairing and rejuvenation of traditional Water bodies:  The  sluices and weir of Periya Eri (Big Tank) in the village repaired, leading to  maximium storage of water. Community wells located in the village were also repaired. Work carried out under convergence of work with the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Eeffective water governance also facilitated by creation of a  water user group. Increase in water storage has benefitted poor and marginal farmer|Area under cultivation of each farmer has increased, and most farmers now raise 2 crops in a year. Casurina plantations  reverting to food crop cultivation.|Improving soil health. Soil health cards issued. Green manuring facilitated.  |Diversified livelihoods, especially dairy activities  promoted to enhance the income of poor and marginal farmers. Crop diversification also encouraged for income enhancement. |Water wastage and over use of chemical countered by practices of SRI, IPM and INM through capacity building and Multi Media Package for Crop Pests.

Esboçar problemas específicos de degradação do solo abordados pelas melhores práticas

1. The micro watershed comprises 468 ha land covering wet and dry with a major portion of land being utilized as quarries or as casuarinas and eucalyptus plantations due to scarcity of water for irrigation.
2. The traditional irrigation tanks (eris) and few smaller tanks had  either fallen into disuse or not being utilized to its optimal level due to siltation and damage to the sluice, weirs etc., contributing  to the decline in land productivity.  The community open wells are placed far, so the cost of pumping increases leading the farmer to dig their own wells, but since proper lining is not done, the walls often caved in.
3. Because of Uncontrolled grazing land was being left fallow. Farmers’ were not able to take advantage of the schemes and subsidies of the government for drip/sprinkler irrigation systems since the as the fertile lands are small and split.
4. Granite Quarrying has caused land degradation and damaged the aquifers

Especificar os objetivos das melhores práticas

1. Conservation and Enhancement of Natural Resources – Participatory management of common resources through awareness, infrastructure development and facilitation of community based institutions to ensure equity and rights of the socially and economically marginalised; convergence with Panchayati Raj Institutions and Government Departments for bringing in synergy.|2. Improving On-farm Productivity & Profitability – Adopting a Participatory Technology Development (PTD) approach to improve farm productivity through Farmers Field Schools (FFS) and Training of Trainers (ToT), and promoting a holistic Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) for sustainable resource management.|3. Generation of Non and Off-farm Market driven Enterprises – Promoting diversified livelihood options for the watershed community with backward and forward credit, technology and market linkages and using ecotechnologies for livelihood security.

Breve descrição das principais atividades, por objetivo

Effective mechanisms for technology diffusion developed, tested and implemented – ICT initiatives.|
Bio-industrial initiatives identified, protocols developed, tested and implemented as alternative livelihood sources.|Project Learning Dissemination System established, policy advocacy carried out for agricultural research and planning.
Sustainable farming systems models and /or eco-friendly technologies developed and implemented.
Participatory Technology Development (PTD) protocol developed and tested addressing researchable issues related to soils, water, nutrients & pest management, value addition and processing.|

Breve descrição e especificações técnicas da tecnologia

Community Managed Bio-industrial Watersheds project is implemented by MSSRF . The project works on the premise that watershed could go beyond natural resources management, where processing, storage and marketing is integrated with land use system. Thus, the approach builds on the conventional system of watershed management through value addition and new markets with appropriate socio-economic and institutional support systems, owned and managed by the community. |

Nome e endereço da instituição que desenvolve a tecnologia

MS Swaminathan Research Foundation|Chennai, Tamil Nadu

A tecnologia foi desenvolvida em parceria?

Sim

Liste os parceiros:

The project got financial support from the Jamsetji Tata Trust, Mumbai.|

Especificar a estrutura dentro da qual a tecnologia foi promovida

• Iniciativa local

A participação das partes interessadas locais, incluindo as OSCs, foi fomentada no desenvolvimento da tecnologia?

Sim

Lista das partes interessadas locais envolvidas:

1. Women’s Federations and Farmers’ Producer Groups
2. Water user groups
3. SHGs
4. The Bioindustrial Watershed Committee

Para os participantes listados acima, especifique seu papel no projeto, início, uso e manutenção da tecnologia, se houver.

Women’s Federations and Farmers’ Producer Groups formed for enhanced strength to access credit, technology know-how, markets etc . Gender mainstream is seen.  SHGs have been only focused on women and All SHGs are enrolled in the women’s federation. Any intervention MSSRF does in the village, it is  mandatory that the beneficiaries  get approval letter from the federation.
The Bioindustrial Watershed Committee plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the community participates in all the watershed interventions and do so, the members have to be given timely and appropriate orientations and trainings.

A população que vive no local e/ou nas proximidades estava envolvida no desenvolvimento da tecnologia?

Sim

Por meio de quê?

• Abordagens participativas

Descreva os impactos no local (os dois principais impactos por categoria)

The organic carbon ranged between 0.208–2.179% during 2007 which was higher than the recommended level of 0.5 – 0.75%. In contrast, the organic carbon decreased in most of the fields and the range was 0.341 – 1.03% during 2011. |
As a result of project  intervention there  has been the increase in water storage. A number of  poor and marginal farmers from the Scheduled could benefit by the recharge in their wells.The pumping hours of the wells has risen to one hour from the earlier half an hour.
2. Increase in  acreage and number of  farmers . Yields have gradually increased from 3 tonnes to 3.6 tonnes/acre for the local variety while that of the improved variety from 3.6 tonnes to 4 tonnes/acre. As a result of such efforts, survival rate of the seedlings in the nursery was close to 80%.|
1. Improvement of soil health: Due to the project intervention, the soil analysis based fertilizer application led to an increase in the phosphorus level during 2009 (3.9 to 28.7 Kg/acre). The available potassium ranged between 53.0-465.0 Kg/acre in 2007 which was higher than the recommended level.|
On a gender perspective, the watershed activities focus upon participation from the women and priority is given to women to work in the watershed activities. The BIWS Committee has given importance of bringing people together to represent caste, class and gender on an equitable manner.
System of Rice Intensification (SRI) introduced to substantially improve cultivation practice with reduced cost of cultivation and efficient management of available water.
Acres of permanent fallow could be brought back under cultivation, water for critical irrigation for paddy was made available. Moreover, the farmers could go in for two crops paddy followed by onion and vegetables leading to an increased net area and farmer can also go in for SRI cultivation.
The farmers are cultivating seasonal vegetables, area under cultivation of each farmer has increased, and farmers now raise 2 crops in a year.
With the assurance of water, farmers who were earlier unwilling to take the risk of cultivation land have gained confidence enough to even go cultivation.

Descreva os dois principais impactos fora do local (isto é, não ocorrendo no local, mas nas áreas circunvizinhas)

Water recharge
Prevention of outmigration of farmers.

Foi realizada uma análise de custo-benefício?

Foi realizada uma análise de custo-benefício?

Sim

A tecnologia foi disseminada/introduzida para outros locais?

A tecnologia foi disseminada/introduzida para outros locais?

Não

Você pode identificar as três principais condições que levaram ao sucesso das melhores práticas/tecnologias apresentadas?

Promoting diversified livelihood options for the watershed community with backward and forward credit, technology and market linkages and using eco-technologies for livelihood security.    |
Ecology, economics, employment and equity are dealt in a holistic manner. |
Participatory management of common resources through awareness, infrastructure development and facilitation of community based institutions to ensure equity and rights of the socially and economically marginalised; convergence with Panchayati Raj Institutions and Government Departments for bringing in synergy.|

Replicabilidade

Na sua opinião, a melhor prática/tecnologia que você propôs pode ser replicada, embora com algum nível de adaptação, em outro lugar?

Sim

Relacionado a recursos humanos

As a result of project  intervention there  has been the increase in water storage. A number of  poor and marginal farmers from the Scheduled could benefit by the recharge in their wells. The pumping hours of the wells has risen to one hour from the earlier half an hour. The farmers are cultivating seasonal vegetables. Area under cultivation of each farmer has increased, farmers now raise 2 crops in a year. |Land that had been converted into casuarinas plantations is reverted to food crop cultivation. The beneficiary capacity has been raised to manage the entire activities. Improvement in quality of life of women especially. Equitable water sharing with the tail-end farmers also getting water for irrigation. With the assurance of water, farmers who were earlier unwilling to take the risk of cultivation land have gained confidence enough to even go for paddy cultivation

Relacionado a aspectos técnicos

Due to the project intervention, the soil analysis based fertilizer application led to an increase in the phosphorus level during 2009 (3.9 to 28.7 Kg/acre). The available potassium ranged between 53.0-465.0 Kg/acre in 2007 which was higher than the recommended level of 58.0–138.0 Kg/acre. The organic carbon ranged between 0.208–2.179% during 2007 which was higher than the recommended level of 0.5 – 0.75%. |In contrast, the organic carbon decreased in most of the fields and the range was 0.341 – 1.03% during 2011. The exchangeable calcium during 2007 ranged between 18.0 – 36.0 m.equ/100g soil, this was higher than the recommended level of 5.0 – 10.0 m.equ/100g soil. In 2011, the exchangeable calcium decreased to 24.0- 31.0 m.eq/100g soil. Magnesium ranged from 5.6 -24.0 m.eq/100g soil (2007). Exchangeable magnesium decreased in 2007, to ranges of 5.0 – 12.5 m.eq/100g soil. |Ninety eight soil health cards for paddy farmers and thirty four for onion farmers have been issued. Green manuring  and summer ploughing has been adopted by farmers .  Improved water infiltration and water holding capacity and control over weeds and pests has helped influence the yield.|System of Rice Intensification (SRI) introduced to substantially improve cultivation practice with reduced cost of cultivation and efficient management of available water. Testing, demonstration and extension of demonstration trials based on Integrated Pest, Nutrient and Crop Management (IPM/INM/ICM) carried out.  |This was adopted for different crops based on the Participatory Technology Development (PTD) approach, involving a participatory approach to strengthen the farmer’s skills on agriculture; building confidence and dissemination of technology.