Efforts and Strategies to Scale up APDAI initiatives

AP DAI aims at developing packages of tested measures for drought adaptation. Pilot initiatives were started at a small scale and successful pilots were scaled up within the project Mandals and then at District level, through ongoing rural development and other programs of the government.

In the first Phase, individual pilots were tried out with integration of comprehensive package of measures. The second phase further pursued this approach. Focus was not only on technical aspects, but also on institutional and organizational modalities for up-scaling, in terms of; participatory processes, institutional mechanisms, facilitation structures, technical support and budgets etc. Based on this approach the following options emerged; Integrating with ongoing government programs: This process takes the district government departmental nodes and programs as the anchorage to up-scale AP DAI experiences.

Integration with the Watershed Development Program: The Watershed development program is a comprehensive program related to natural resources management with a livelihoods orientation. Several options are being pursued in cooperation with this program.

• Scaling up in watersheds in Mahabubnagar district: This is already initiated in 80 watersheds in Mahabubnagar district, by the district agency. Trainings and exposure visits are organized for watershed team members and plans are being evolved.

• Integration with Prime Minister’s Relief Package: Currently, about 250 watershed development programs are being implemented under the Watershed Development Fund, NABARD. WASSAN is supporting 100,000 ha under this program and initiatives have already been taken to expose functionaries working in those areas to AP-DAI experiences.

Integration with Livestock Programs: Several of the APDAI initiatives are related to livestock services and they have been developed in close collaboration with the district Animal Husbandry (AH) department. The livestock related pilots are already being integrated into watershed development programs.

Integration with the Department of Fisheries: The Fisheries department is intensively involved in the tank-based fisheries pilots. Efforts to integrate and upscale have already yielded into a fisheries program for 3 districts, with 300 tanks.

Convergence with National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS): NREGS has a presence in all the villages and is a demand based program with substantial budgetary allocations. Its basic objective is to provide guaranteed minimum employment for the poorest of the poor. Pilots with strong labour component like Diversified Farming Systems and Inland Fisheries have already considered under NREGS. In order to include such pilots under the NREGS, it is necessary to prepare detailed estimates with regard to the labour that is required for each step in the process as well as monitoring and assessment methods. WASSAN is focusing on providing such support for NREGS machinery.

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