In the process of facilitating NPM program in different crops, several capacity building initiatives were taken up. Orientation trainings, on field trainings and refresher trainings were undertaken at village, cluster and mandal level. Farmers, field level functionaries and representatives of village and mandal level organizations have participated in these trainings. In some of these trainings, farmers were also helped as resource persons.   

Training Programs

 Inception Training Programs:

 WASSAN organized a TOT workshop with selected farmers on technical support services in the NPM program up scaling. A communication campaign was launched, where in the MMS organized village level meetings where the video films were screened and discussions took place. This was to aid in the farmer enrollment. The themes covered include the natural principles of pest management, current trends in agriculture, situation analysis, ill effects of pesticides, understanding the life cycles of insects, pest & predator complexes and demonstration of various NPM concoctions. The programs were organized at TTDC. DPIP coordinated the program and organized the logistics. WASSAN provided the resource persons support. The programs were organized on the following dates:

• 1st batch        :           14th to 16th May, 2005

• 2nd  batch     :           18th to 20th May, 2005

• 3rd  batch      :           22nd to 24th May, 2005

• 4th batch        :           26th to 27th May, 2005

Out of the total expected 457 persons, 321 persons attended the training programs. 2nd Batch of Trainings  were taken up to cover the shortfall in the first batch of trainings.At Cluster level - one activist and 10 farmers per village and the cluster resource person participated. WASSAN team facilitated these programs.

Mandal Level Trainings:

Training programs were also organized at Mandal levels to cover the untrained activists and also as refresher trainings.

 District Level 3 Day Workshop: (31st July to 2nd August)

 A workshop with all Cluster Resource Persons (19) was organized on 31st July & 1st August for orientation on program management and action planning. The MMS office bearers from 5 Samakhyas (of the total 7) and village activists also joined the workshop on 2nd August. The progress of work and constraints were reviewed. The CRPs shared their experiences. CRP-wise future action plans for trainings were evolved. The position of availability of neem seed was also taken stock of and MMS-wise plan to procure neem was chalked out. The DPM shouldered the responsibility of sourcing information on neem availability within Mahabubnagar and outside. Non-payment of salaries of the CRPs and Village activists was observed to be a major constraint. The discussions were presented to the Project Director, DPIP who chaired the concluding session. The need for procuring neem seed and the issue of non-payment of salaries to the field level workers (village activists and CRPs) were brought to the notice of the administration for further action and facilitation.

On Field Trainings

Several on field trainings were organized during the crop season both for the resource persons and the farmers. These are mainly on live identification of pests and predators, preparation of various bio-pesticides etc. 

In red gram crop, the major pests can be seen from bud formation onwards. To get practical knowledge to activists, CRPs and farmers, WASSAN organized 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.

Process:

• Participants and resource persons meet at the selected field.

• Review the programme - covering activities taken up, crop and pest status.  The farmer’s view on whether services of activists are reaching or not.

• 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 has 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.

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

• Then they give the feedback on what they learned or what they had seen live.

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

Refresher Trainings

Refresher trainings were organized in all the villages within the district to all NPM farmers at village level at nights thrice during the peak season. WASSAN team facilitated all the training programs.

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