SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR PROMOTING RURAL LIVELIHOOD AND MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE

1. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR PROMOTING RURAL LIVELIHOOD AND MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE Dr. Narayan G. Hegde, Trustee BAIF Development Research Foundation Warje, Pune 411 058 Presented at 6th International Conference in India Working Together (NRIs, PIOs, NPOs, NGOs, and Others) to Mitigate Climate Change and Eradicate Poverty Organized by India Development Coalition of America At IRRAD, Gurgaon, January 12, 2010

2. BAIF IN RURAL INDIA Status Public Charitable Trust, Research Institution Contributions exempt from Income Tax U/s 35.1.ii Coverage 3.0 million BPL families, 55,000 villages in 12 states Salient Features Secular, Non-political, 3500 Professionals Annual Budget (2009-10) Rs. 1500 million BAIF’s Mission To create opportunities of gainful self-employment for the rural families, especially disadvantaged sections, ensuring sustainable livelihood, enriched environment, improved quality of life and good human values. This is being achieved through development, research, effective use of local resources, extension of appropriate technologies and upgradation of skills and capabilities with community participation. Dr. Manibhai Desai, Founder, BAIF

3. PROBLEMS OF THE POOR • Degraded Resources • Outdated Technologies • Lack of Finance and Management • Poor Infrastructure and Support Services • Illiteracy and Poor Health status • Lack of Confidence among the Poor

4. LIVELIHOOD PROGRAMMES On-farm Activities • Livestock husbandry: Dairy cattle, Buffaloes and Goat • Watershed Development and Crop Improvement • Agri-Horti-Forestry and Sericulture Off-farm Activities • Cottage Industries, Consumer stores • Processing of Food and Forest Products • Production of building materials

5. LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT • Activities • Breeding at doorsteps in 55,000 villages • Support Activities: Nutrition, Forage • production, Health Care, Milk marketing • Training and Advisory Services • Outcome • Large unproductive herd to • small herd of high yielding cattle • Food and Nutritional Security • 3 million families availing services, • of which 60-70% are out of poverty

6. COMMUNITY PASTURE MANAGEMENT Problems • Lack of ownership of the community • Poor control by the Local Government • Lack of People’s Participation Opportunities • Viable Investment • Fodder Security • Soil and Water Conservation • Improved Eco-system

7. MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES • Activities • Watershed Development • Soil and Water Conservation • Efficient use of Water Resources • Sustainable agriculture • Outcome • 30% increase in crop yields • Year-round supply of safe drinking water • Improved Eco-system, Safe Environment

8. SERICULTURE • Activities • Development of degraded lands • Efficient soil and water conservation • Capacity building • Development of value chain • Outcome • Sustainable livelihood • Year-round employment • Extensive green cover • Development of new enterprises

9. AGRI-HORTI-FORESTRY FOR • TRIBAL REHABILITATION • Activities • Soil and Water Conservation • Development of Agri – Horti – Forestry • Processing and Marketing of Produce • Development of People’s Organisations • Promotion of Micro-finance

10. OUTCOME • Poor families earning sustainable livelihood from • degraded lands (0.4 ha orchard/ family) • Production of food, fodder, timber and fuelwood • Generation of non-farm enterprises • Conservation of nature with self-employment, • benefitting 0.2 million Tribal Families Before development ORCHARDS FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE WITH POVERTY ALLEVIATION

11. WOMEN EMPOWERMENT • Drudgery Reduction • Maternal and Child Health; Family Welfare • Safe Drinking Water Sources • Energy Sources: Improved wood stoves, Biogas • Aanganwadis and School facilities • Gender Equity • Sensitisation of Men • Equal share in Family Assets • Ability to negotiate and take effective decisions • Capacity Building • Exposure visits: micro-credit; Rural Development • Self Help Groups mobilise savings and credit • Develop Corpus and Community assets • Involvement in Planning and Development

12. COMMUNITY HEALTH • Activities • Safe drinking water • Sanitation, Hygiene awareness • Primary medical care • Revival of traditional system of medicine • Reproductive and child health, family welfare • Nutrition mix for children and women • Outcome • Safe drinking water all round the year • Trained local volunteers working as health guides • 50 Ayurveda centres by Traditional healers • Reduction in child mortality • Reduction in family size Trained mid wife Traditional healer Health Guide Special focus on Malnourished

13. CAPACITY BUILDING AND LITERACY • Activities • Training at CRS, Urulikanchan and Regional campuses • Field demonstrations, Group discussions, Study tours • Workshops and technical manuals for field • Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Chaswad, Gujarat • Production of documentary films, posters and articles • Promotion of Anganwadis, Enrollment of girls in schools, • Orientation of students in Tribal boarding schools • Outcome • Increase in rate of literacy • Empowerment to initiate community development • Sustainable development and Global warming • Gender equity, women empowerment • High moral value and better quality of life

14. ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS • Production and distribution of handouts, • books and audio-visuals • Awareness campaigns in schools • Plant nurseries and afforestation • Field demonstrations • Seminars and Training

15. Impact OF BAIF PROGRAMMES • 75% of 3 million participant families have come out of poverty • Improved quality of life: Literacy, Community health and Gender equity • Programme sustainability through linkages with PRIs, FIs and Markets • Significant Contribution to UN Millennium Development Goals • Environmental Protection and Reduction in Global Warming: - Small but productive livestock herds promote stall feeding, organic farming, biogas plants, biodiversity protection and reduce Greenhouse Gases - Watershed and degraded land-based development activities promote soil and water conservation and improve the micro-climate - Awareness on hygiene and sanitation lead to clean environment