Various watershed development activities will be carried out in 20 project areas including: agro-met stations, soil conservation/water harvesting, micro farming, community well with delivery efficiency and capacity building activities.

Narrative

A. Agro-met stations: -

The objective of installing agro-met stations in projects villages has been to assist the farmers to get timely and accurate meteorological information. With this in view, 6 projects were selected for this activity. In 5 project villages, agro-met stations ( 1 in each project) has been installed; Darewadi, Sattechiwadi, Shirasgaon, Kohane and Wankute project (IGWDP) for field testing and monitoring the following data continuously-

1. Ambient temperature
2. Relative humidity
3. Precipitation
4. Wind speed
The data for the ambient temperature, relative humidity, precipitation and wind speed is being collected by fully automated weather collection units, and transmitted hourly to the Weather and Water Budgeting Unit (WWBU).

In each project village, one person has been provided with basic training in collecting the information and maintain the records and measurements on a daily basis. The information collected at this center is shared with the farmers of the villages. The software will be installed in each project to generate and use the data which is available in devices in next quarter.

While the agro-met station at Darewadi was established sometime in June 2008, the remaining stations were installed late in the year.

During the year the ECO students have been trained to take the readings and handle the equipment. They were also given inputs on climate change and its possible impacts and the role that the agro-met stations could play in adaptation.
The agromet stations have been installed in five villages. The farmers are very enthusiastic about the project. The agromet stations are already providing the raw data. This data is available to the farmers. We are in process of providing training and establishing protocols for making this available in more meaningful form. Rahuri Agriculture University has assured us that they will work with WOTR to establish protocols and work-flows to integrate this raw data with the five-day forecast which they provide at district level.

The University have agreed that they will provide us with data and rules-set to integrate into our agro-met software, to issue adjusted advisories.

At present the agromet stations are in testing phase and we are is process of setting up work-flows that will ensure uninterrupted and high reliability of services. These five Agro-met stations will be integrated with the additional agromet stations which will be setup during the Climate Change Adaptation Project.

B. Soil conservation and Water Harvesting :-

During the reporting period, a total of 648 ha area has been treated against the total planned area of 617 ha in 8 projects. It includes the treatment on forest land of 15 ha in Sattechiwadi project and 5 check dam/check-weirs and 1 gabion structure are constructed under drainage line treatments. Two common lift irrigation schemes and repair of one existing check-dam is completed in Kaluchi Thakarwadi project. A total of 8 training programs are conducted for CBOs.

Besides the above, in 8 projects a total of 34 SHGs have been promoted and are actively functioning involving 425 women members. The total saving of these groups is Rs.7,22,110/- Internal lending is practiced.

Bio-village project : WOTR is implementing the Organic Farming through Bio-village project in seven villages across Maharashtra. These villages are Dhondbar in Nashik district, Shirasgaon in Sangamner, Sundarwadi in Aurangabad, Naralewadi in Jalna, Ozarde in Dhule, Ranwadi in Wardha, and Pusner- Sultanpur in Amrawati district. Under the Bio-village project, a total of 30 trainings and demonstrations were conducted in all 7 villages. The farmers are made aware about the problems they face in conventional farming practices and benefits of organic farming. The trainings include the use of biodynamic calendar for various farming operations, root treatments for horticultural crops, biodynamic sprays, some IPM techniques and demonstrations of Cow pat pit, liquid manure & biodynamic compost. Farmers started practicing these techniques on their farm and benefiting from the organic farming practices through reduced expenses on fertilizers and pesticides and increased net profits. These practices has also enhanced the self sustainability of agriculture in these watershed villages

C. Micro farming

Micro-farming is being implemented in three Regional Resource Centres (RRCs) of Aurangabad, Dhule and Sangamner.

The programme has been designed to equip the farmer with the ability to start micro farming practices on his own as well as build capacities of other farmers in his local. It is our view that once there are clusters of multiple micro farms, they will also promote inter-farm exchange of their produce and make the entire system even more robust. There will be a greater amount of diversification, experimentation and localization.
It was planned to have a demonstration in each cluster with expectations of the farmer and he would come forward to replicate this activity after seeing the good results.

(1) During the reporting period, 1 micro farm of 10 gunthas (10,000 sqft land) has been setup in the Darewadi Training centre campus. Out of 10 gunthas, 3 gunthas of land (1 each respectively) is being utilised as follows –
As the roots play a critical role in nutrient uptake and provide support to the plant. The roots of various plants also interact with roots of other plants placed close by. The “root treatment” therefore plays an important and crucial role in optimising the output. We have done this treatment to fruit plants within the DTC Campus

(i) On 1 guntha (1,000 sqft.), a Gangamamandal (this is similar to the kitchen garden activity, wherein vegetables and fruits are sown on a circular bed of soil) has been developed. (ii) Further, 1 guntha land has been used for preparing Amrutjal; (iii) and additional 1 guntha land a water tank has been constructed and water is used for farming activities and free space is utilised for related activities. (iv) The remaining 7 gunthas land is being used for farming purposes. This farm is in the developing stage and 450 heaps of the size of 10*3*1 ft. has been prepared. Crops on these heaps would be cultivated in this quarter.
(2) One farm has been setup at Ghulewadi (small training center and nursery of WOTR at Sangamner) and DTC for demonstration.
(3) Water is the only external source used. At Darewadi and Ghulewadi demonstration plots, the sprinkler sets are used to manage the available water for plots.
(4) An exposure visit was conducted for the farmers group to Malegaon to familiarize them of the latest agricultural practices. A total of 28 participants from Pimpalner, Sangamner and Aurngabad region attended the same.

(3) A 2 day residential training program on Micro-farming was conducted for the farmers at the Darewadi Training Centre. As finalized during the exposure visit, only those farmers who collected a biomass of 2 quintals were permitted to attend the training. The farmers who took the initiative of collecting the biomass were able to attend the training.
A total of 12 participants from different villages of Sangamner, Aurangabad and Pimpalner region, ECOs working for the micro-farming, and the field-in-charge of Sangamner, Aurangabad and Pimpalner participated in the training. The group was familiarized with the concept, process and practical experience of Micro Farming.

A video-show on micro farming, explaining the process of soaking biomass, preparing Amrit Jal and beej sanskar, virtuous and vicious cycle of economics of green revolution, concept and basic principles of micro farming (what is micro-farming, importance and need), process of Ganga Mandal, live fencing, biodiversity, preparation of heaps, seed treatment and sowing, record maintenance etc. was briefed.

Initially the farmers are asked to start with the gangama mandal (1 guntha), and not for the entire 10 guntha. If are found interested then we would allow them to implement on a larger scale.

(4) The farmers are convinced of the benefits of micro-farming and would take some more time for other farmers to implement this in their farms. Once the impacts are visible, more farmers would opt for this.
Presently, a total of 10 farmers of 7 villages are doing micro farming with the support of ECO’s. Around 450 heaps have been prepared. The monitoring visits have been conducted and during the visit methods and results of the demonstration to the farmers have been explained. The result of the demonstrations has also been discussed in village meetings.

(5) We are in the process of preparing process documentation on Micro farming and the process, learning’s and difficulties would be included.

(6) During the last year, total of 52 trainings/ exposures have been conducted at DTC, in which 1,180 participants have attended the trainings. They have visited the demonstration plots.
Also 12 trainings for villagers were conducted at Ghulewadi, 179 villagers participated and have visited demonstration plot. Several village exposure visits were conducted to Sattechiwadi and Naralewadi, where the visitors were exposed to the demonstration plots.

We are working towards forging an extensive partnership with Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, which is a leading Agricultural University in Maharashtra, with a view to explore various areas of collaboration, and specifically to share and validate the experiences of Micro-farming, Agro-met Stations and sustainable agriculture.

D. Community well with delivery efficiency: Six projects have been identified from 3 regions of Aurangabad, Sangamner and Dhule of Maharashtra for this activity. Activities would be implemented through government linkage and from government funds.