The project was implemented in the typical
rainfed region of central India, and covered
60 villages; 30 from district Chhindwara,
Madhya Pradesh and 30 from Amravati, Maharashtra.
Villages showing prominent signs of degradation
in land, water and vegetation were selected
in clusters. No major irrigation project
existed in these villages and thus the
farmers were completely dependent on the
vagaries of rainfall. The objective of
the project was environmental improvement
through conservation, development and
management of natural resources by community
institutions.
'Stop
Dam' harvesting rain water in Amravati |
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The
project was implemented through
two field offices set up at Chhindwara
and at Amravati under the guidance
of a central project management
cell at IPL, New Delhi.
A
community-based process approach
was adopted wherein the capacity
of IPL and the local communities
were to be built up so as to continue
the process initiated by the project.
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The
project began by establishing Village
Environment Committees (VECs) in all the
60 villages and helped empower these community
institutions by involving them in the
process of planning and implementation
throughout the project period. Activities
completed during the tenure of the project
are soil and water conservation (in 8647
ha), afforestation in community and private
wastelands (24 lakhs plants), Nadip compost
pits (1375), vermi-compost beds (160),
crop demonstrations (775), water harvesting
structures (75 check dams, 25 small reservoirs
and 127 farm ponds), Nalla dressing (24
km), renewable energy development (1802
bio gas plants, 3157 improved chullhas),
latrines (554), and community centres
(59). Income generating activities were
also initiated through 244 self-help groups.
Progress during the year
The
project performed very well in terms
of achievements of physical activities.
During the year the project completed
790 ha of farm bunding, plantation
of 31,985 plants, 35 crop demonstrations,
construction of 573 Nadip pits,
69 vermi-compost beds, 37 check
dams, 16 reservoirs, 42 farm ponds,
15.65 km nalla dressing, 947 bio-gas
plants, 30 community centres and
promotion of 100 sprinkler sets. |
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Assessment
There has been substantial increase in
green cover due to plantation in and protection
of community waste lands. Although, the
respective VECs are looking after these
plantation areas, not many VECs have been
able to put in place a working mechanism
for benefit sharing. The mechanism of
benefit sharing from plantation in common
wastelands must therefore be developed
right at the time of commencing plantation.
Initially
the SHGs that were formed in the project
area, were functioning merely as small
local level debit/credit groups, but in
the end these groups became very active
grassroots level institutions.
The
vermi-composting activities which started
in a small way, became very popular income
generating activity. The preference of
most farmers for low cost bio-fertilizer
over high cost chemical fertilizer was
very apparent. Similarly, bio gas plants
were useful and well accepted by the users.
These two activities were implemented
in collaboration with the local State
government departments on cost-sharing
basis and worked well.
As
the reporting year was the year of project
completion, emphasis was given by the
project staff more on the completion of
physical activities to compensate for
the shortfalls in targets. Consequently,
capacity building of village institutions
did not receive as much attention as it
required.
The
VECs have been federated to provide micro
credit to the SHGs and to carry forward
the development process initiated in the
project. |
