Short description of the best practice

WADI (small orchard) programme was introduced during 1980s in Vansda District in Gujarat by BAIF Development Research Foundation, Pune as Comprehensive Tribal Development Programme. This provided to be one of the most successful among various initiatives taken by the Government and Non-Government Organization (NGOs) to improved the economic status of the Tribal poor. “WADI” programme is basically an agriculture based farming system in the rain fed tribal areas envisaged empowering women through community participation, initiatives for micro-financing as well as processing and marketing of products. The project is focused on development of small fruit orchard (WADI) and restoration of denuded land through ecological intervention and soil and moisture conservation measures. It was observed that this pilot programme is an effective tool for addressing the livelihood problems of the tribal families and there is a need to replicate this development model in all respective tribal area of the country. Wadi is an attempt to reverse the cycle with concurrent gains to the marginal farmers who have been the victims of sustained stresses, social, economic and environmental. Tribal have been at the receiving end of much of the mis-directed development in the country in the recent past, over 94,000 tribal villages being influenced in the process. Within the ambit of tribal development, Wadi has been positioned as a system that has clearly defined and structured horizontal and vertical linkages. Wadi systems’ strength lies in its unique capacity to not only mobilize individual household to better its own conditions but to link it to the community (in a cluster) to upscale the gains through post-harvest processing and market linkages. Further, being a pilot scale initiative a successful establishment of Wadi system in a cluster can help leverage resources from other schemes/programme as well. In many ways, Wadi has been presented as a multidimensional approach to addressing the core issue of environmental vulnerability and economic stresses through a household-based intervention that links it up through the community/cluster to market as well.|

Location

Banswara, Rajasthan, India|

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

508.0

Estimated population living in the location:

1501589.0

Brief description of the natural environment within the specified location.

It lies invariably in the agro-ecological zone named 12th Hills zone. The annual precipitation is around 800-900 MM with more than 90% received during June to September through south-west/ east Monsoon. It receives good winter rains once in 10-year cycle. Agriculture Zone IV–B comprises Banswara and Dungarpur districts are known as Humid Southern Plain. This zone characteristically identifies dry land agriculture undulating topography, high temperature during summer.
The region represents a rugged terrain undulated by short ridges west of Banswara. The eastern part of it is occupied by flat-topped hills of the Deccan trap. It has the southern end of the Aravalli mountains. Most of the hillocks are denuded, with sub-soil horizon exposed and in many cases barely possesses rock crops. Around 25 % are land are in flat while at 75 % places, topography are highly undulated dominated by small hillocks. |
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 vertisole. The black  clayey cotton soil are largely found in many places particularly in low plain while in hillocks gravelly coarse textured soil are available.

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

The produce from the land lasts most families for 3-5 months. In a better-endowed situation this may stretch to 8-10 months. Very few families have enough produce from the land to last them for the whole year. Barring these, the remaining families have to generate sufficient income in cash/kind from skilled/unskilled manual labor, providing services, trading to see them through the months of shortfall. |
Major livelihood occupation is agriculture based and in majority of area, farmers are growing traditional crops (Maize, Gram, Paddy, Pulses) as well as Commercial crops like Cotton soybean etc. Somehow, animal husbandry also play major role in Livelihood economy. In lean period, livelihoods of communities are dependent on labour wages through construction activities, agriculture labour and migrate to urban area to get employment in big cities like Kota, Baroda Surat,Ahemdabad,Ratlam and Indore.|
NA

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'?

Wadi, local term meaning backyard farming, has gained currency over the recent past in ameliorating the plight of the poor under vulnerable conditions. Its strength lies in putting to productive use of abandoned or wastelands around the household through multi-rooting cropping system without putting significant additional stresses, both on humans as well as on the land. Wadi or Home garden by definition is multidisciplinary approach that draws inputs from agriculture, forestry, horticulture and animal husbandry. The net gains from such land use change reflect in increased availability of food, fuel, forage, fiber etc. The indirect gains through soil improvement and environment ameliorations often go noticed under such interventions though these, to a significant extent, determine the long-term sustainability. It isn’t as if integrating tree-crops at the farm-level has been a new innovation, it has been side-lined due to a swing in favor of economic gains through increase in cropping.|

Main problems addressed by the best practice

Generation of supplement income in addition to traditional cereals and pulses crops for small and marginalized farmers through multi-tier cropping system through WADI model.  Many times recurrent drought occurs in tribal region, resulted low crop productivity , leads to insecurity of food grains as the area is mono-cropped area. In that case Wadi model, ensures food security  through provision of supplement income obtained due to additional produces from horticulture, vegetable and silviculture.|

Outline specific land degradation problems addressed by the best practice

Farmers having backyard space which generally lying fellow, not used for any productive purposes, can be used for improved cropping system. The best practices i.e. Wadi model ensures proper land development measures to make it suitable for home garden for sustained income.  Ground water recharging measures, development of water reservoirs and improved tillage operation helps land upgrade in many ways through Wadi model intervention.
The wadi  beneficiaries groups are mobilized as resource unit under Village Development Committee (Village level Federations)  to canalizing the resources for community empowerment, building leadership, facilitating linkages, promoting   viable economic activities i.e small home gardens which contributes effectively in livelihood development.|

Specify the objectives of the best practice

To improve the quality of life of tribal families through integrated Natural Resource Management based “Wadi” approach.
To enhance the capability of local communities through intensive training and exposure on improved NRM practices and environmental regeneration
To develop and implement environment friendly IGA through SHGs
To generate water reservoirs and recharge ground water through best practices of WRD and SWC for increasing irrigation efficiency

Brief description of main activities, by objective

To enhance the capability of local communities through intensive training and exposure on improved NRM practices and environmental regeneration.
1. Organizing Awareness Campaign
2. Imparting pre and post technical training programme  
3. Exposure visit to within and outside state
To improve the quality of life of tribal families through integrated Natural Resource Management based “Wadi” approach.
Establishment of Agr-silvi horticulture system (Wadi model) in backyard space.
|Establishment of Agr-silvi horticulture system (Wadi model) in backyard space.
|Promote improved agriculture for enhancing the productivity per unit area with inclusion of diversified agricultural input through minikit distribution, FLD on IPM, INM, etc.  
To generate water reservoirs and recharge ground water through WRD and SWC for increasing irrigation efficiency
1. To construct farm ponds to develop water storage for lean period
2. To promote Moisture conservation measures to control run off losses
3. To practic suitable micro-irrigation model.
Development and implementation of environmental friendly income generating activities though peoples organizations
1Establishment of Agro processing centre for value added products in grown horticulture crops
2. Setting up of power operated equipment for various farming operation as well as income.

Short description and technical specifications of the technology

Within the context of improving land and water productivity, wadi is pivoted around a hardy fruit tree species that has potential post-harvest processing and marketing linkages. Although wadi encourages farmers’ choice of species to be planted, experience indicates that cluster approach provide produce of a `kind’ to economize post-harvest processing with viable market potential. This can only be achieved if critical mass of `raw material’ of a `kind’ is ensured. Typically, an acre of wadi may accommodate 60 plants but to be effective across a large area, experience shows that a minimum number of 40 plants in an acre should suffice to be an economically viable unit. For each target family one acre of land will be targeted for developing an orchard (wadi) by planting combination of 40 Mango plants, 10 Sapota plants, and 350 multipurpose forestry plants this would be a high density cultivation of horticulture crops.|
Plot size = 80 X 50 = 4000 sq m
#Activity name Crop Spacing (m) Total Plants Total Area (sq m)
1 Orchard Sapota (S) 10X10 10           1000
2 Mango (M) 5X5 30            750
3        10X10 10           1000
4Border plantation Fodder               350           1000
 / fencing        & fuel tree
5 Water harvesting Structure            100
6 Nursery and other activity            150
6 Intercropping (interspaces) Vegetable, flower and field crop
Total                    4000

Name and address of the institution developing the technology

BAIF-RRIDMA |Regional Office-Rajasthan
                                                           BAIF Bhavan
                                                           Near Community Centre, Sector-14
                                     

Was the technology developed in partnership?

Yes

List the partners:

                                                                               1. BAIF, Pune, India
                                                                               2. NABARD, India  

Specify the framework within which the technology was promoted

• National initiative – non-government-led
• Programme/project-based initiative

Specify:

NA

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

Yes

List local stakeholders involved:

1. Gram Panchayat
2. Self help group
3. Line department like Agriculture,horticulture,Health,Verinery etc

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

NA

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

No

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

Through Wadi model, of course biomass cover has been increased through plantation of fodder timber trees around housing, resulted in remarkable changes in improving the surrounding environment.|
Additional farm income generated through horticulture and vegetable crop cultivation, resulted in increase of per unit productivity area .|
The family of five members earn Rs. 5000 from farm and Rs. 5000 as seasonal labourer and as migrant labourer.  Family needs minimum of Rs.25000 for meeting the basic requirement like food, clothing and health etc. The deficit Rs 15000 can be met from return from horticulture and forest species.|

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

Through exposure on Wadi model in the Banswara location, farmers from other districts like Pratapgarh, Udaipur are also adopting same technologies and developing mini orchards with improved agri and silviculture system in their backyard space.  |

Impact on biodiversity and climate change

Explain the reasons:

Earlier, tribal communities were not used to take different crops like fodder tree, vegetable crops, horticulture/medicinal crops due to limited resources and awareness and only they grew traditional crops like maize, paddy or gram. Gradually with adoption of Wadi model, now farmers are growing different crop combination  with inclusion of horticulture/medicinal/ vegetable crops and fodder trees plantation, and this leads to increase in biodiversity in existing cropping system.  |
Erratic rainfall occurs in tribal region which leads to insecurity of food grain and then, they forced to migration to earn labour wages for compensating farming losses. With Wadi intervention, it was found that seasonal migration has been certainly reduced as they were found fully engaged with Wadi management practices because it gives bonus income through out the years which suffice the day to day requirement in terms of food, fuel wood, fodder, timber etc in case of total crop faliure. Overall, it has been seen that wadi practices found very significant in climate change adaptation. |

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

Yes

Specify:

1. Average cost per acre of wadi including in-situ soil & moisture conservation, water resource development works out to Rs. 34248. Cost per wadi family including all the components of development, and contingencies works out to Rs. 34932 per family.
2. The family of five members earn Rs. 5000 from farm and Rs. 5000 as seasonal labourer and as migrant labourer.  Family needs minimum of Rs.25000 for meeting the basic requirement like food, clothing and health etc. The deficit Rs 15000 can be met from return from horticulture and forest species.
3. The Financial Rate of Return (FRR) for one-acre wadi for 1 to 20 years of the project period works out to 20% respectively. The FRR of the project taking into consideration aggregated costs and benefits for the 20 years of project period works out to 18%. The cost benefit of the model works out to C:B: 1:4.51
4. The estimated contribution of the project to the economy of the country are given below:
Contribution to the economy of the country
Sl.No Particulars                    Indicators
1 Increase in production of Mango     2000 MT per annum after stabilization of yield
2 Increase in production of Sapota    1500 MT per annum after stabilization of yield
4 Increased forest cover            3.5 lakh trees over a project period
5 Contribution to GDP            Rs 20000 per annum after stabilization of yield
6 Generation of employment            18 lakh during the project period    
(man days)and additional employment opportunity.

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Yes

Where?

Banswara,Pratpagarh, Dungarpur, Udaipur (Rajasthan) India|Jhabua, Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh),India|Dahod Godhra (Gujarat),India

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Yes

Specify which type of incentives:

• Financial incentives (for example, preferential rates, State aid, subsidies, cash grants, loan guarantees, etc)

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

The technology should be supported with adequate awareness and technical know how on improved cultivation practices to the beneficiaries so that the community is able to fetch good income from Wadi intervention.
The present technology only confined to poor marginal farmers who have less access to fertile land with limited resources. The Wadi technology requires only 1.5 -2.0 acre lands in backyard space with limited irrigation sources.

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?

• Sub-national

Related to financial aspects

A high percentage of community contribution in all project activities to inculcate the good credit habit among beneficiaries.

Related to technical aspects

Developed awareness and technical know how on effective utilization of available land, water and manpower resources. |