Rainfed agriculture in dry regions is facing serious problems. Extensive degradation, fallowization, falling ground water levels, insecurity of investments on ground water, disrepair of surface irrigation infrastructure, increasing debt burden due to increasing costs and risk, and farmers’ suicides are symptoms of such a crisis. Several of these problems are a result of extension of the paradigm of irrigated agriculture into these areas. The overall public (policy) support systems couched in the ethos of ‘green revolution’ could not provide a framework for the rejuvenation of agriculture in these regions.   The watershed development programs could conserve and regenerate ground water resources. But the usage of such conserved resources is dictated by an exploitative agriculture framework; thus virtually nullifying the benefits.

Several alternative experiences emerged during the last 10 years on sustainable rainfed agriculture initiated by various organisations. However, many of these alternate experiences are isolated (thematically), dispersed and component based; and need to be integrated into a coherent farming system. Also, the mode of promotion such initiatives also need to be embedded within the mainstream situation/ constraints. The process of evolving such a system through synthesis and action research will provide a basis for identifying the support systems required for revitalizing rainfed agriculture and advocating for their incorporation in to public policy.   It is in this context a need is felt to locate the prime movers for revitalising rainfed agriculture. The required public support systems, institutional mechanisms and technology options need to be identified to provide a basis for a sustainable rainfed agriculture policy.

Premises: 

• The basic premise in the program  is that diversified farming systems are an ecological and economic imperative for rainfed agriculture systems. They not only provide for restoring the ecological processes but also underwrite the risks involved for the small and marginal rainfed farmers.

• For individuals to tend towards such desirable systems, a strong community institutional base for managing natural resources (community norms, regulation, collective action and management) is an important prerequisite.

• Such systems at the community/ farmers’ level cannot be established in a sustained way without congenial public support systems.

• The present public support systems are packaged into the ‘chemical and external inputs’, which are neither desirable nor accessible for the poor rainfed farmers.

• A relevant public support system need to be evolved, the gravity of which is located within the requirements of the rainfed regions rather than as an extension of the irrigated agriculture.

• Such an alternative dynamic farming systems supported within a relevant policy framework will help in enhancing and diversifying livelihoods of the poor and near poor; it also will pave way for a ‘healthy’ growth of rainfed agriculture system.

Core Elements - 'Action’ and  ‘Advocacy’

The program has inherent elements of ‘action’ and  ‘advocacy’. At one end it tries to generate field experiences at a reasonable scale on diversifying farming systems of the small and marginal farmers, and at other end, it evolves a relevant policy framework for rainfed agriculture in dry regions from the experiences. The new experience will be generated on the foundation of already available experiences.

Goal:

A relevant and integrated policy framework is established to revitalize rainfed agriculture in India on a sustainable and equitable basis for enhancing livelihood opportunities of the poor.

Specific Objectives: 

• To synthesize the present experiential base on revitalising rainfed agriculture

• To evolve an integrated action-framework for generating new experience

• To generate working experience on the integrated action-framework generated both within and outside the mainstream natural resource development programs of the government.

• To build a pool-of-resource persons who can support the wider upscaling process.

• To formulate policy options and an advocacy strategy.

• To initiate advocacy process.

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