Mid Term Report

On scaling up of NPM in Mahabubnagar district

 

 

The NPM program is being upscaled to cover all the SAPAP mandals of Mahabubnagar district. The programme is implemented by the MMS and WASSAN is providing technical backstopping and support services. DPIP coordinates the programme management.

 

Inception report on NPM programme was submitted on 5th September 2005 along with a set of all the resource material. It also detailed the activities taken up to that point. The present Mid-term report details the progress from September to November 15h.

 

District Advisory committee meeting was held on September 3rd at DPMU. DPIP organized a field visit to the District Advisory Committee on September 13th to Nakkalapally village of Peddakothapally mandal to see the castor crop. They interacted with both NPM and non-NPM farmers to know about pest situation and to see what knowledge they gained. The Committee also visited Peddakarpamula to inaugurate NPM shop. In the evening they discussed with executive members of Samakhya and appreciated the work up by Samakhyas.

 

NPM Shop: (sahja purugu mandal dukanam) This effort is to initiate marketing of the NPM inputs through the Village Organisations. The effort is also generate enterprise options for the members of the VO. The raw material (neem powder), various concoctions and sprayers are available in these shops. Farmers can get, what they required to do NPM on price basis. Five such shops are opened in the district - at Peddakathapaly, Addakal, Kosgi, and 2 in Dowlathabad mandals. This is essentially a late mid-term innovation with very little investments; though not very successful in all places, it has  generated required experience for the next year. The MMS has purchased the necessary material for the shop consisting of a board, drums and a weighing scale from the program budget. The logistics of organizing such shops is a problem area; like who runs the shop, what remuneration etc. These shops can be converted into individual enterprises started from the beginning next year.

 

World Bank representative, Vaideeshwaran along with the SERP team visited villages of Peddakothapally mandal on September 22nd 2005. The team had detailed discussions with NPM and non NPM farmers, EC of Samakhya and also visited NPM and non-NPM plots and NPM shop.

 

On field trainings:

 

In redgram crop, the major pests can be seen from bud formation onwards. To get practical knowledge to activists, CPRs and farmers WASSAN has organised on field trainings. These training programmes started in September continued up to 1st October.  Due to variation in the date of sowing and duration of the crop flowering time will be different in plots. The plots with early flowering are identified. During these training programs pest and predator complexes are identified by the village activists, CRPs and farmers. This is to impart knowledge ahead of the season. These field trainings are found to be of great use.

 

These On-Field trainings are organized at Mandal and cluster levels. At the Mandal level one Activist, 3 farmers from each village, CPRs and the Mandal Coordinator participated.

 

At Cluster level – one activist and 10 farmers per village and the cluster resource person are the participants. WASSAN team facilitated these programs.

 

The Process:

 

1.                  Participants and resource persons will meet at selected field

2.                  Review the programme – covering activities taken up, crop and pest status.  The views of farmers on whether services of activists are reaching or not are also taken.

3.                  Making the large group in to small groups – Participants collected insects, eggs, etc in polythene covers individually in allocated area. Members of small groups, meet at one place and separate the same type of insects, eggs, etc. In the group, they discuss about every insect. Each group have one resource person. The discussion is mainly on name of the pest and predator, when it occurs, nature of damage and NPM options to control.

4.                  Every group would make a presentation on their observations in the large group. Technical resource person will fill the gaps. After all presentations technical resource person summarizes the whole exercise and demonstrate the preparation of concoctions.

5.                  Feedback – what they learned newly or what they seen lively

 

On field trainings

 

Sl. No.

Name of the mandal

Mandal level field training dates

Resource persons

Cluster level field training dates

Resource persons

1.

Dowlathabad

On 27th September at Polkamapally

*      Dr. Qayum,

*      Ms. Bhagya,

*      Ms. Jaya

Dowlathabad cluster at Dowlathabad on 10th October

*      Dr. Qayum,

*      Ms. Jaya

 

 

 

 

Chellapur cluster at Yamki on 10th October

*      Mr. Madelati

*      Ms. Bhagya

 

 

 

 

Gundaepally cluster at Balampet on 10th October

*      Mr. Parusha

2.

Kosgi

On 1st October at Kosgi

*      Ms. Bhagya

*      Mr. Janaki Rao

Musrifa cluster at Bijjaram on 18th October

*      Dr. Qayum

 

 

 

 

Chandravancha cluster at Mukthipahad on 18th October

*      Mr. Parusha

 

 

 

 

Kosgi cluster at Easipur on 18th October

*      Mr. Madilati

 

 

 

 

Gundumal cluster at Mudireddypally on 18th October

*      Mr. Narsimulu

 

 

 

 

Masayapally cluster at Thimmaipally on 18th October

*      Mr. Janaki Rao

*      Ms. Bhagya

*       

3.

Bomraspet

On 8th October at Chilman mailaran

*      Mr. Ravindra

*      Ms. Bhagya

*      Mr. Parusha

*      Mr. Narasimulu

B’pet cluster at B’pet on 9th October

*      Mr. Parusha

 

 

 

Hakeempet cluster at Hakeempet on 9th October

*      Mr. Madileti

*      Ms. Bhagya

 

 

 

Nagireddypally cluster at N’pally on 9th October

*      Narsimha

4.

Kodangal

On 6th October at Kodangal

*      Mr. Parusha

*      Mr. Madileti

Kodangal cluster on 7th October

*      Mr. Madileti

5.

P.K. Pally

On 4th October

*      Mr. Parusha

 

 

6.

Pangal

 

*      Mr. Madileti

 

 

7.

Addakal

On 29th September at Janampeta

*      Dr. Qayum

*      Ms. Bhagya

*      Mr. Madileti

*      Mr. Parusha

 

 

 

Mid-Term Internal Review:

 

After the completion of the field trainings WASSAN team internally reviewed the program status village-wise. The villages were categorized into Green, Yellow and Red villages –indicating the program status as Good, Ok and Bad respectively. The team also analyzed the reasons for weak performance. Many of the Red villages have problems of placement and functioning of the Village Activist and Cluster Resource Persons.  Considering the urgency of the situation is some villages, WASASN team was allotted clusters and a target was set to streamline the program in all Red villages within five days i.e. 14th to 18th October. All the resource persons were placed in the respective clusters (one per two clusters). Flowering is delayed by 20-30 days this year because of late rains.

 

            For effective technical support during the peak season, WASSAN team members are allocated 2 adjacent clusters. This is followed from 20th October. Samakhya organized a meeting with office bearers, advisory committee, NPM committee, Samakhya staff (CV & CCs), CRPs and WASSAN team members. In this meeting, office bearers reviewed the CRPs and WASASN team presented the situation in the villages of the Mandal. Samakhya members discussed on the situation and prepared a 10 days of intensive action plan from 20th to 30th October.

 

Sl. No.

Name of WASSAN person

No. of cluster

Mandal

Name of clusters

1.

Ms. Jaya

2

Dowlathabad

*      Gundaepally

 

 

 

Dowlathabad

*      Dowlathabad

2.

Parusharam

2

Dowlathabad

*      Chellapur

 

 

 

Kosgi

*      Musrifa

3.

Narsimulu

2

Kosgi

*      Gundumal

 

 

 

Kosgi

*      Masaypally

4.

Janakiram Rao

2

Kosgi

*      Kosgi

 

 

 

Bomraspet

*      Hakeempet

5.

Narsimha

2

Bomraspet

*      Nagireddypally

 

 

 

Bomraspet

*      Bomraspet

6.

Madileti

2

Kosgi

*      Chandravancha

 

 

 

Kodangal

*      Kodangal

 

Tasks for 10 days:

 

*      Conducting meeting with all registered farmers, followed by field visit

*      Generate farmer-wise data base on the status

*      Changing the lures in pheromone traps according to the date of installation

*      Installation of bird perches (remained)

*      Data collection on NPM options adopted by farmer (format)

*      Regular field visits

*      Purchasing Bacillus thurengiensis (BT) by Samakhya

*      Identifying two EC members per cluster to monitor the work

*      Dates blocked for cluster incharges (CV’s and CC’s) to problematic villages

 

Involving two Executive Committee members of the MMS in the field level monitoring and in helping mobilizing farmers to install bird perches has started during this period.

 

3rd November – 13th November

 

2nd Review meeting organized by Samakhya with office bearers, advisory committee / NPM committee, CV’s and CC’s, CRPs and WASSAN team.

 

Samakhya reviewed the CRPs particularly on the progress from 20th onwards. WASSAN team also presented the progress achieved. Samakhya members appreciated the work of CRP’s.  They have also prepared a 10 days action plan.

 

1.                  Explaining the work carried out by MMS and VO in NPM programme to Sarpanchas personally

2.                  Organizing field visits to sarpanchas along with VO office bearers

3.                  Regular field visits

4.                  Collecting data on cost incurred on pest management of NPM and non-NPM farmers till now (2 farmers / village)

5.                  Success stories – 10 case studies / 2 clusters

6.                  Changing the lures in pheromone traps, installation of bird perches

 

Regular Technical Support from WASSAN:

 

In addition to the trainings and review meetings, 6 members from WASSAN team has been deployed in the field for ongoing support.  These resource persons stay fulltime in the clusters. In addition there are regular field visits by Dr. Abdul Qayyum, Dr. Ranganath (from Centre for Sustainable Agriculture) and Ms. Bhagya Laxmi. The problem areas are identified keeping in view the pest status and levels of knowledge of field persons. 

 

Neem Crushers:

 

Total 12 Neem pulverisers are purchased for the four mandals. All these machines are installed except the one with Kodangal MMS. These pulverisers though had some initial hiccups, operated successfully later on. However, the operational systems need to be further streamlined to convert them into sustainable enterprises. The data on performance would be generated in course of time.

 

Preparation of NPVirus (NPV):

 

Kosgi and Daulatabad MMS are selected for establishing NPV units in collaboration with ICRISAT. Women from these MMS went to ICRISAT for the training program on production of NPV. They will be give one complete unit each as a part of this program for production of NPV.

 

Meanwhile, a linkage with the Bio-Control laboratory is established to supply the Heliothis worms for production of NPV. Some women in Daulatabad are into this enterprise which is at  a nascent stage.

 

Pest Management Contract:

 

The concept of Pest management on contract has good potential for labour groups to become knowledge based entrepreneurs. This concept is grounded in  Udimeshwaram village of Kodangal mandal. Four large farmers have entered into contract for pest management in 30 Acres of redgram. Many rounds of discussions have taken place. Dr. N.K. Sanghi, Mr. Ravindra and Mr. B. Ramchander, Ms. Bhagya, Mr. Madileti participated in these discussions. Labour groups are identified in the villages Udimeshwaram and Gundlakunta and are tied up with the land. Two sprays are over.  There is already some difference in the cost of pest management.

 

In all these cases, with proper technical backstopping the cost of pest management with NPM methods comes to about Rs.700/- to at the most Rs.1000/- per acre. The existing farmer expenditure on pesticides alone is of the order of Rs.2000 per acre. At a contract rate of Rs.1500 per acre labour can profit by about Rs.500/- per acre. If 50 acres are taken under contract the benefit could be Rs.25,000/- per season of 3 to 4 months. This benefit could be for a group of 10 to 15 labourers. This profit is over and above the wages and cost of material, which are covered under the Rs.700 to Rs.1000/- cost of pest management.

 

Village-wise status of NPM:

 

*      Castor:

Pest management in castor crop in P.K.Pally, Addakal and Pangal has crossed the season and final data would be available after the harvest of the crop. Data is being compiled on the impacts and status of the program by the MMS. There is substantial reduction in the costs of pest management and the transfer of knowledge is also substantive. There is already demand for NPM in Rabi on groundnut crop in Pangal mandal. However, the castor crop in general is damaged due to the heavy rains followed by infestation of Botritis disease. Data formats are given to the MMS for generation of data.

 

*      Redgram:

Several case studies on the program are being compiled. Data is also being generated on farmer-wise adoption of the NPM practices and costs.  The following table presents a summary overview of the status of the program in the three mandals: Kosgi, Daulatabad and Bomraspet. Green (G), Yellow (Y) and Red (R) indicates the status Good, Ok and Bad respectively. The main reasons for Red are lying in the logistics and deployment of field personnel.

 

Sl. No.

Mandal & Village

Present status (R/Y/G) «

A.

Kosgi mandal

 

1.

Pothureddypally

R

2.

Easipur

Y

3.

S.K. Pet

Y

4.

Thogapur

Y

5.

Musrifa

Y

6.

Bhavanipally

Y

7.

Murjapur

Y

8.

Bijjaram

G

9.

Hanmanpally

Y

10.

Chennaru

G

11.

Gundumal

R

12.

Mudireddypally

G

13.

Amlikuntla

G

14.

Bogaram

Y

15.

Masaypally

Y

16.

Nagasamipally

Y

17.

Mulreddypally

G

18.

Gundlapally

Y

19.

Thimmaipally

R

20.

Mukthipahad

Y

21.

Naacharam

Y

22.

Mungimalla

R

B.

Doulthabad mandal

 

1.

Doulthabad – I

Y

2.

Doulthabad – II

Y

3.

Mandaram

Y

4.

Neetur

Y

5.

Matur

Y

6.

Salampet

Y

7.

Gundarpally

Y

8.

Antharam

Y

9.

Thimmaipally

R

10.

Dolkampally

Y

11.

Chellapur

Y

12.

Gokafasalvad

G

13.

Imdapur

Y

14.

Sangirpally

G

15.

Yamki

G

C.

Bomraspet mandal

 

1.

Bomraspet

Y

2.

Mellakunta

Y

3.

Madanpally

Y

4.

Dupcherla

Y

5.

Nagireddypally

Y

6.

Enkepally

R

7.

Kottur

G

8.

Chowlupally

Y

9.

Haleempet

G

10.

Ananthapur Thanda

Y

11.

Lagacherla

G

12.

Gauvravam

R

13.

Nandaram

R

 

*      R = Status Bad

*      Y = Status Average/ OK

*      G = Status Good

 

WASSAN would submit a detailed farmer-wise impact analysis at the time of conclusion.

*****