WASSAN is an organisation specializing in analysing, designing and capacitating the processes of upscaling. It aims to fill in the void between identifying a successful or a creative solution and taking it to scale.

Distilling processes from the field experiences/ generating new experiences, converting them into participatory process, institutional designs, administrative procedures and identifying and formulating the required policy spaces (including investment) are unique capacities of WASSAN. This strategic thread is inbuilt into all activities. Much of this effort is rooted in the actual experiences on the ground.

The capacities for policy analysis and formulating policy options are growing in strength during all these years. Accumulating experience from the engagement with state level policies and the benefit of working closely with people like Mr. B. N. Yugandhar, Dr. J. Venkateswarlu, Dr. N. K. Sanghi and several of the Board members who have played a significant role in shaping national and state level policies related to watershed development helped in nurturing the capacities of WASSAN team. The long-standing experience of the network members and partners is contributing immensely to the policy advocacy processes.

The Annual Network Meetings, a legacy of WASSAN since its inception are emerging as a major interface between NGO/CBO and Government officials and becoming advocacy platform.

WASSAN has also representation in several state level committees like State Watershed Development Committee, Core Group on Capacity Building, District Watershed Advisory Committee (Ranga Reddy district), Review committee on Indo-German Watershed Development Program - A.P etc. As a member of these committees, WASSAN is able to facilitate the changes in policy and thinking process at different levels. WASSAN is anchoring the Secretariat of the Consortium of NGO Resource Organisations at the state level formed by the government to support the process of upscaling of APRLP.

Research and networking are the two major tools of policy analysis, advocacy and formulating policy options. WASSAN has taken up several research studies during the last five years, many of which have led to new insights into policy and advocacy initiatives. The research studies many a time, were also assignments to give mandate/ legitimacy for initiating policy dialogue.

Partnership with the network members is a unique strength in taking up the research studies. The attempt is to take research closer to the grass-roots workers and vice versa. Evolving researchers from the CBOs and community itself is presently being tried. This process helps in bringing grass-roots perspectives and insights into formal knowledge base.

Advocacy and Studies on Watershed related guidelines and Processes

Process Evaluation studies of watershed development programs in Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy districts gave an assessment of what is happening on the ground. The study suggested the reforms needed to bring in more enabling participatory environment and effective administrative and management systems.

The Process Evaluation Studies provided a basis for Macro Policy Working Group anchored by WASSAN and supported by PSU- AP Rural Livelihoods Program. The experiences across the country were reviewed including those within the state. Detailed process guidelines were prepared elaborating on the participatory processes and equity and livelihoods mechanisms. Introducing a budget node for Livelihoods and Productivity enhancement as part of the works budget was a major achievement in the guidelines.

After several rounds of discussion the Process guidelines were issued by the Government of Andhra Pradesh vide the Government Order: No.438 dated 5-12-2002. State specific Process Guidelines thus, evolved as tool for creating locally appropriate mechanisms and areas of focus within the framework of the national guidelines. Training modules on the Process Guidelines were developed and WASSAN organized several orientation programs for different stakeholders in collaboration with AMR APARD.

The framework of the watershed program was changed with Government of India issuing the Hariyali Guidelines. At the behest of Government of Andhra Pradesh Consultations on Hariyali were organized at local, district, state and national levels by WASSAN. About 100 representatives of watershed committees, PRIs, NGOs and Senior Government officers participated in the deliberations and made important suggestions.

The key recommendations were: revising the institutional arrangements at different levels vesting more operational functions with participatory groups and their apex body at village level, inclusive policy and criteria for selection of Project Implementing Agency and giving priority to voluntary organizations and enhancing the budget for capacity building (community organization and training). In view of these recommendations, Government of Andhra Pradesh has written to Government of India to revise some of the provisions in Hariyali.

There were intense deliberations during the Annual Network Meeting 2004 on the Hariyali guidelines. In continuation, the Commissioner, Rural Development organized a three days Conference of all Project Directors, where NGOs were invited as resource persons. WASSAN did the preparatory work for this workshop and anchored the NGO representation. Synthesising views emerging from this workshop, WASSAN anchored a process of wider consultation and prepared a draft Process Guidelines within the framework of Hariyali. After several rounds of discussions the Commissioner, Rural Development officially issued Process Guidelines for adoption in A.P.

With inspiration from the success in A.P, National Process Study was conceptualized to take this process forward in other states. Indo-Canada Environment Facility (ICEF) is supporting this research process in seven states across the country viz., Orissa, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, M.P, Rajasthan, U.P and Nagaland. The research and consultation process in each state is anchored by a reputed state level organisation. Orissa Watershed Development Mission and the government of Nagaland are anchoring this process in the respective states. The OWDM is already planning to initiate the process of developing process guidelines for the state. This is a large network initiative towards influencing national watershed policy.

A research network consisting of WASSAN, WOTR (Ahmednagar) and Poverty Learning Foundation (PLF, Hyderabad) studied the Experiences of DANIDA supported projects in Maharashtra, Orissa and Karnataka on the themes of user rights, sustainability of watershed interventions, capacity building strategies, targeting poor and participatory monitoring and evaluation systems. Experiences of other organisations and programs like KAWAD, ISPWDK, World Bank projects etc., from across the country were also drawn from the working group meetings on the three main. Drawing lessons from these experiences over several consultation processes, the operational strategies and policy recommendations are conceptualized. The outputs were shared with wider audience in the National Workshop organized in Delhi in May 2005. These outputs are expected to contribute to improving the watershed policy framework on these themes at the national level.

Studies and Advocacy on Livelihoods, Equity and Gender concerns in watershed and related programmes

A study on Livestock - Environment Interactions in watersheds was taken up as a part of the national study taken up by International Water Management Institute and supported by a consortium including SDC and FAO. WASSAN anchored this study for Andhra Pradesh. An advocacy platform - LEAD Advocacy Network emerged from this initiative to take forward the issues of livestock and livelihoods in various policies/ programs. WASSAN is an active member of the platform, anchored by WOTR.

Study on Livelihoods of Small Ruminant Rearers for the Small Ruminant Development Project of NRM Program Andhra Pradesh of SDC-IC profiled and analysed the growth paths and livelihood profiles of a cross section of small ruminant rearers’ households and has drawn larger implications. In another study for Indo-German Watershed Development Program - A.P on Livestock Issues in Watershed Development (2004) WASSAN partnered with ANTHRA. The issues of livestock in watershed programs were analyzed and recommendations made.

Gender Issues in Watershed Context (2004) were studied in 10 watersheds across the state to understand the discrimination in watershed programs. Based on an analysis of how men and women access the benefits of watershed development program the factors that help in promoting the role of women within watershed development program were enlisted. Similarly the process of sharing opportunities, resources and power between men and women in the context of watershed development program were also conceptualized.

WASSAN was given an assignment by SERP to develop NRM strategy for the AP Rural Poverty Reduction Project (APRPRP) supported by the World Bank. This study closely studied number of NRM initiatives across the state that has an impact on poverty. This was taken up in collaboration with Centre for World Solidarity. A study on Inclusion and Exclusion of Poor in Watershed Program was also part of developing NRM strategy for the APRPRP. It looked closely at assessing the processes that have contributed to inclusion and exclusion of the poor.

Dalit Watershed Program of DDS focused on improving land and livelihoods of Dalits. The study of this provided several insights into making the assigned lands productive and is instrumental in conceptualizing the Comprehensive Land Development Program of the government. The study report was jointly published by DDS and WASSAN.

Wages Issues in Watershed Development was a study and was a part of the advocacy process. This was taken up along with agriculture labour unions. It has oriented the leaders of some prominent unions on watershed program who have analysed the wage issues. The results were presented in the Annual Network Meetings 2004 which created a good impact.

Technological issues and Impact Assessment Studies of Watershed Development Projects:

Study on Continuous Contour Trenches in Watershed Development Program (2001) was taken up by the Technology Resource Group in response to the large-scale promotion of CCTs using hydraulic excavators (replacing manual labour). A team from CRIDA, APARD, AFPRO, PROGRESS and WASSAN made a detailed analysis of the implementation of CCT in several parts of the state. The group recommended that CCTs of smaller dimensions constructed with manual labour are more sustainable.

Another study taken up with the support of Technology Resource Group is ‘Expanding Boundaries - From Soil Conservation to Land Husbandry’ (2003). Scientists from CRIDA and researchers from AFPRO and other organisations participated in this study anchored by WASSAN following the controversy on not allowing bunding interventions in watersheds by the rural development department. The study emphasised the need for a shift from soil conservation to land husbandry i.e. from mechanical structures to taking ‘care’ of land including soil health.

An Assessment study - ‘Understanding Investments and Impacts’ was done (2003) for Water Conservation Mission, Government of Andhra Pradesh. It looked in depth at the impacts of watershed programs in 5 watersheds in four districts. It analysed the investments and impacts of various watershed interventions. Water Conservation Mission published the study report.

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Other Studies

Assessment of Probationary Period of Watershed Projects
This was taken up for the DWMA -Nalgonda district. It has evaluated the processes in the probation period of all the watersheds under AP Rural Livelihoods Program and assigned grades. Based on the grades the DWMA planned capacity building activities.

Convergence of CBOs and PRIs in NRM
This was a short study preceding a workshop on the themes supported by SDC-IC. It was in collaboration with Pilupu and SDC-IC. The workshop proceedings on the subject were published.

Capacity Building Strategy for IGWDP-A.P
As a part of this assignment with NABARD, a project cycle for IGWDP was developed detailing the processes and deriving the capacity building needs and strategy to be followed.

Enhancing Fodder Options
This study in collaboration with International Livestock Research Institute has just been initiated. It aims to study the fodder-livestock-livelihood issues and opportunities for enhancing livelihoods of poor.

Potential of CBOs to undertake watershed development and NRM Programs (2004)
This is an internal study to provide a greater understanding on institutional strengths and weakness for CBOs to take up NRM initiatives. Ms. Shashi Rekha Rajgopalan and WASSAN team anchored the study. Team members from APMAS also joined the study process. Based on field interactions with several CBOs across the state, the study team put together some recommendations for WASSAN. This study was taken up as a part of the SDC-IC support to WASSAN.

Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture (2005- emerging)
This is a major initiative which is unfolding in collaboration with Centre for Sustainable Agriculture to be supported by the Ford Foundation. This is a larger advocacy process to generate policy options for revitalising rainfed agriculture by recasting the present agriculture support systems and subsidies. It makes a case for differentiating agriculture policy support between irrigated and rainfed agriculture and developing a program/ institutional/ public investment support architecture for rainfed agriculture in its own merit rather than extending the green-revolution architecture for rainfed areas.

Strategies for ICCO in Southern Deccan Region of India (2003)
This study was taken up to prepare development intervention strategies for ICCO (a Netherlands based funding organisation) for South Deccan region consisting parts of Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh. The study involved characterization of the districts and identification of development issues of concern through wide ranging consultations with NGOs in the respective states.

Preparation of Perspective Plan for National Food for Work Program (2005)
WASSAN was given an assignment to facilitate developing a perspective plan for NFFWP for Mahabubnagar district, which is one of the 150 districts chosen for the initial phase across the country. WASSAN developed the methodology, trained all the district and Mandal level officers and field workers in the process and is compiling Gram Panchayat wise action plans (about 1400). Special workshops were held to involve various CBOs including fishermen cooperatives, sheep rearer’s cooperatives, Mandal and Zilla Samakhyas. Apart from works, including services and products that help in reviving the sustainable agriculture and build livelihoods assets is a major advocacy agenda that is emerging. Efforts are in progress to get the programme control into the hands of the community.

Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India has formed an Expert Committee headed by Mr. S. Parthasarathy to look into the implementation of area development programmes. WASSAN is actively engaged with Mr. Parthasarathy in his tour to various regions and getting acquainted with field realities and best practices.

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