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An Overview Of Our Solution

Our objective is aimed to provide a long term solution for selected area to ascertain the application of ecosystem-based approaches and draw specific lessons for effective integrated resources management. The studies represent regional variables while attempting to showcase and address a range of stresses and ecosystem service vulnerabilities. Understanding and enhancing the role of biodiversity and ecosystem functions is essential. Biodiversity underpins to food security, sustainable livelihoods, ecosystem resilience, coping strategies for climate change, adequate nutritional requirements for sustainable agricultural production. A basic challenge to improving food security by capitalizing on agricultural biodiversity over the next few years, is to balance relevance and realism.

Who is this solution impacting?

Organization type

À but non lucratif

Ecosystem (select all that apply)

Forests

Population impacted

33,000

Size of agricultural area

1290 hectares

Production quantity

1935135 kgs

People employed

Describe your solution

MYKAPS in partnership with ITC Limited is working in Mysore district for rehabilitation of tanks through de-silting and treatment of tank catchment areas which are part of ITC Limited’s larger watershed development programme. Main responsibilities include mobilizing community participation, providing training and capacity building for project participants to fulfill their role, coordinating and monitoring all activities to ensure that project objectives and targets are met. Tank User Groups (TUGs) mobilized from within target communities, consisting mainly of small/ marginal farmers are key decision-makers and carry out the majority of project activities, e.g. assessment of damage, time and extent of de-siltation, quantum of individual contribution, utilization of corpus fund, e.g. hiring agri. equipment, collectively procuring agri. inputs, fish rearing, etc. The programme also carried out bio diversity promotion by selecting about 600hectares of area in a cascade. A dry pocket was selected for intervention with moderate rain fall and under dry land farming conditions, where tobacco is grown largely. All the tanks in the area were renovated training the drainages in the catchment area along with trench cum bunds to protect further siltation of soil. Older native species trees in the cascade area were identified and protected them with stones available locally.Tree planting was taken in a large scale in agricultural lands & common lands.

Describe your implementation

• Desiltation of tanks in the cascade area of 2280 hectares. • Treatment of catchment area with trench cum bunds to avoid soil erosion. • Treatment of drainage lines. • Tree planting in individual lands, common lands and avenue plantations • Planting of fruit seedlings such as guava, mango, jack fruit, sapota etc., in kitchen garden along with trees such as fodder trees, drum stick, curry leaf etc. • Compost making by establishment of NADEP units • Establishment of biodiversity plots with protection • Fodder promotion on bunds of individual lands, bio-diversity plots and on tank bunds Social mobilization of the community through the following ways. • Awareness to farmers about the need for biodiversity promotion • Exposure to farmers to neighboring areas where MYKAPS has already taken up bio-diversity promotion • Identification of native species in cascade area and stone pitching around trees • Awareness on need for protection of trees and planting of trees with tin boards on the trees • Awareness on environment to school children • Drawing and quiz competition in schools about environment • Distribution of prizes to the winners competing in the various competitions • Distribution of labels with a message on environment • Promotion of tank user groups • Training and exposure to tank user groups • Federating the existing SHGs to the tank user groups • Training of SHGs in biodiversity promotion. Since we have already promoted tank user groups it will enable us to promote more such groups. We and under a govt. project namely; Shree Shakthi women SHGs have been promoted by relating them to the tank user groups, women participation can also be assured. The representatives of women SHGs have acquired the leadership skill so they can also involve in management of TUGs. Due to involvement and participation of the community success can be achieved. The sustainability of the project depends on community involvement and participation.

External connections

We work closely with the government departments. We engage services of Krishi Vigyan Kendra which is a central govt. sponsored research organization in the district. It provides technical services to the project activities such as training demonstration etc. We also closely associated with another organization namely Forestry college which provides technical assistance for designing of bio diversity promotion, identification of native species etc. The services of the agriculture department of Karnataka are utilized for funding the projects such as organic farming and also technical services are utilized from the department for training and orienting the farmers. We work closely with Revenue department and Gram Panchayat from whom the required permissions are obtained before taking up activities such as tank desilting. They also support the project partially under a scheme termed as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act which provides 100 days of employment for a job card adult in a year. The assistance of forest dept. is taken for getting quality seedlings raised by them at subsidized schemes of the government. The services of forestry college are availed to plan the biodiversity program which requires technical consultation.

What is the environmental or ecological challenge you are targeting with your solution?

Agriculture is the predominant occupation of people. The project area comes under dry agro climatic zone. Tobacco & Millets are the major crops in the area. The lands are undulated with heavy slopes which are also leading to soil erosion during heavy runoff. Farmers are extracting ground water for irrigating water stress crops such as sugarcane, vegetables etc. The Water harvesting structure which acts as a lifeline for this region are also deteriorating because of improper attention. Adding to the severity of the situation, for the past two years there was severe drought in this area resulting in scarcity of water for irrigation and domestic purposes. This has resulted in migration of farming community to other cities in search of livelihood.In these conditions, the biodiversity which provides us food, water, materials and carbon sequestration will always be under threat. Continuous monoculture puts food supply chain at risk.

Describe the context in which you are operating

We believe in rural development through sustainable management of land and water resources give a plausible solution for alleviating rural poverty and improving the livelihoods of the rural poor. Based on the experience & performance of the integrated community watersheds in different socio-economic environments, we have built a strong base on ﬁnancial, technical and organizational capacities of local communities to internalize and sustain interventions. We have promoted 804local community groups who participate and promote watershed activities and also on-Farm & off-Farm interventions such as bio-diversity promotion & conservation, trainings, health, additional income generation etc. Common lands were identified for tree planting and individual farmers are motivated to grow native species in their land. Kitchen gardens with fruit trees& nutritional substitutes were implemented at household level. Village Tanks will be desilted to increase the storage of rain water.

How did you impact natural resource use and greenhouse gas emissions?

The Earth’s natural environment provides the platform upon which all life is based. Ecosystems provide regulating as well as supporting services that are essential for agriculture. This includes provision of food, fibre and water and essential for living beings such as air, water and climate regulation, pollination and pest control; and providing resilience against natural disasters and hazards. In spite of the fact that agriculture is the base for providing food to living beings it affects genetic erosion, species loss and conversion of natural habitats. Increase in agriculture area due to demand for food from over growing population there is pressure on forest which is leading to depletion of forest in the area. The demand for increase in food production for feeding large no. of population led to India introducing green revolution to increase production by using chemical fertilizers. This has led into unsafe drinking water, affected human & soil health.

Language(s)

Spanish, Hindi

Water

Availability of water for domestic and irrigation purpose is a major issue in the area. With our soil and moisture conservation interventions the soil fertility & ground water levels are improved considerably in the project areas. Farmers were educated about the effective irrigation practices to minimize water losses. We have promoted the use of organic manure composted from household & agricultural waste which will help to increase the moisture holding capacity of the land, organic content & al

Food Security/Nutrition

We are in the way of achieving food security in the area by implementing sustainable practices, including responsible fisheries, improved resource use, protection of the environment, conservation of the natural resource base and enhanced use of ecosystem services. Encouraging the consumption of foods, particularly those available locally, that contribute to diversified and balanced diets. (Kitchen & Nutrition gardens). Increase in production with through access to improved seed and inputs. Reduc

Economic/Sustainable Development

The self-help groups promoted by NGOs such as MYKAPS along with the Government schemes have contributed to a large extent to the economic development of the families since they have access to credit. Transfer of technology from NGOs and govt. also has contributed to economic development. There are projects such as better cotton has reduced the cost of cultivation thereby profitability to farmers has enhanced. Marketing of farmers’ produce is addressed by agriculture marketing committees at vario

Climate

Changes in global climate are expected to have considerable effects on agricultural production, although with significant differences across regions. The climate in the area is moderate which ranges from 160C to 240C during winter while the summer starts from March up to end May. The temperature ranges from 280C to 380C. Though we are in the early stages of our perspective goals we have made the positive impact to the climates natural resources. The soil organic content is increased.

Sustainability

Economic sustainability is surely not dependent on subsidies from the government. Farmers find their ways in generating their livelihoods through agriculture and labour available locally which is about Rs.300/- a day. However the most marginalized depend on govt. subsidies for their livelihoods

Return on investment

To implement these activities, we have to invest Rs. 608,947/- & community also had to contribute Rs. 665,835/- There is a reduction in cost of cultivation by use of silt in place of chemical fertilizers & the crop yields have increased. As per two external evaluations conducted by the following agencies revealed that there is ROI. Cauvery Watershed Development & Training Organization • Tobacco has increased from 1,840 kgs/ha. to 2,111 kgs/ha. as against 1,500kgs of average production in the area • Ragi has increased from 792 to 914kg/Ha • Maize has increased from 667 to 1,250 kg/Ha JSS KVK, Suthur • The yield from Tobacco was lower during the year of evaluation. The yields were 646 kgs/acre as against 750kgs/acre

Entrant Image

How could we successfully replicate this solution elsewhere?

We have desilted 159 tanks in three taluks namely; H.D. Kote, Periyapatna and Nanjangud with a total cost of Rs. 105,806,958/-. In Ravanduru cascade 13 tanks were de-silted with command area and drainage line treatment. 18873 native species have been planted. 80 trees were protected with stone pitching, painting and put awareness boards like wall writing about bio-diversity and two bio-diversity park were implemented in the cascade.

Overview

MYKAPS