Proceedings of the State Level Workshop on Operationalizing NMSA

State Level Workshop on

National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) Directorate of Agriculture, Government of West Bengal Venue

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State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (SAMETI), Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Narendrapur, Kolkata, West Bengal

Date

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February 4, 2015

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP West Bengal Department of Agriculture organised one day deliberation on National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) with officials from various departments involved in implementation of NMSA, State Agricultural Universities and NGOs on 4th February 2015 at SAMETI, R K Mission, Narendrapur, West Bengal. The workshop was facilitated by Revitalizing Rainfed Agriculture Network (RRAN) and National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) Consortium.

INAUGURAL SESSION

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Dr Manas Ghosh, Director, SAMETI, welcome all dignitaries for the inaugural session of the workshop. Swami Sarvagananda, Secretary, Ram Krishna Mission, Narendrapur, in his welcome address stressed on need of sustainable agricultural practices in the state. Mr. Ravi Kant Sinha, CEO, State Watershed Development Agency West Bengal, expressed his happiness that NMSA has moved in cluster approach as it is done in watershed programme. He also gave commitment to extend full support for NMSA programme for convergence with IWMP project areas. In his opening remarks the Principal Secretary, Shri. Subrata Biswas, pointed out need of institutional framework for implementation of NMSA in the state. He also mentioned that the Directorate of Agriculture should pursue bottom up approach to prepare plan for the year 2015-16.

He reiterated the need for considering at least 20 per cent of the program to be implemented by NGOs. Mr. Atanu Dutta Majumder, JDA, Soil Conservation and Nodal Officer for NMSA in West Bengal, informed that 30 Clusters from same numbers of Blocks of Eight districts, namely, Purulia, Bankura, Burdwan, Paschim Medinipur, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas have been notified by the state for implementation of NMSA. Annual Action Plan for RAD component for year 2014-15 have been submitted to Government of India which approved Rs 907.78 Lakhs against the plan. However, he informed that West Bengal state has not notified any block for CCSAMMN component till now. CCSAMMN will be taken up in the year 2015-16.

TECHNICAL SESSION In the technical session of the workshop, PIAs (Project Implementation Agencies) of the districts presented their plan, progress so far and major challenges during implementation of the programme. These are consolidated in the following paragraphs: 1. While the efforts made by the Department in the selection and developing plans are highly appreciated, there are several problem areas identified. The following are the major problem areas flagged in the discussions. a.

The program is mostly seen in terms of identifying the locations, numbers and beneficiaries for taking up works listed in the Operational guidelines of NMSA issued by Govt. of India.

Even in this mode the contribution is observed to be a major stumbling block in the following ways: i.

Farmers unwilling to contribute – as the contribution levels are high (50%) for the poorer farmers in the rainfed clusters.

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Even if convergence is planned, the converging investments from other programs are difficult to come by as those are determined by different departments, have different time line and uncertain fund flow.If releases from other programs are not regular, work under NMSA will suffer

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If allocations under NMSA are made taking into consideration the possibility of convergence from other programs, the NMSA works will suffer if the related department has not allocated for these works in the next three years.

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Different programs of departments have different norms for contribution (free in MGNREGS, 10% in IWMP and 50% in NMSA) operational in the same village causing confusion in the field.

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The works are done in e-fms mode involving treasury withdrawal. Organizing training meetings / capacity building is also having problems since no advance drawal provision is there.

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Further planning and progress in the above mode of functioning seems very difficult or ridden by road blocks.

As regards the CCSAMMN component of NSMA – this program has not yet started. It is being planned to distribute among the notified Blocks. However, CCSAMMN has to be implemented as comprehensive pilot block. State Government of West Bengal needs to notify 2 blocks in the states for intensive implementation.

There is also consensus on the need to re-look at the approach and consider production-systems assessment and planning (for the objectives of NMSA) as a way forward. There is also a need to identify the existing gaps in the local production system and suggest appropriate location specific and need based measures to bridge the gap.

DELIBERATION & RECOMMENDATIONS After presentations of selected PIAs, resource persons from MANAGE-RRA Network, deliberated on background work done during 12th FYP process which lead to formation of NMSA programme that aimed to Revitalize Rainfed Agriculture in the country. Planning framework for NMSA was

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introduced to the participants. Following recommendations emerged during the deliberations with participants in the workshop.

1. There is an urgent need to shift from the current ‘menubased works’ approach towards a ‘community-institution based planning approach’. NMSA program must not be looked at as implementing a set of works listed in the guidelines. Understanding and assessing location specific issues and problems of rainfed agriculture must be the basis for action. There is a need to identify the existing gaps in the local production system and suggest appropriate location specific and need based measures to bridge the gap. So a bottom up approach is required i.e. the planning from project / block level programmes should move upwards to District level. Compiled at the district level considering the avenues of inter/intra departmental convergence for preparation of Annual Work Plan at the District Level Committee. Incorporation of it into the District Argil. Plan and then to forward the same to the state level for necessary approval and inclusion in State Agricultural Plan.

2. For the above shift to be made the following changes may be brought into the operationalization of NMSA in West Bengal. a. Expand the Cluster Area to about 2000 ha so as to enhance the scale of operations. Several initiatives will become viable and demonstration-impact level will be higher. Moreover, it provides a basis for organising the farmers into an FPO in course of time and makes it possible to have dedicated human resources for mobilisation and facilitation. Expansion can be made around the existing clusters by including new Mouzas. This will also in better areas based plan and bring in more investment. b. Identify a Facilitating Agency for each Cluster. The respective Departmental PIAs will implement the respective work components in a cluster which will be facilitated by an Agency may be ATMA, NGOs, KVKs with fulltime dedicated staffs. Role of facilitation agencies would be mobilize communities, forming Farmers Interest Groups (FIGs), support PIAs in convergent planning and execution of the programme. The District ATMA committee will take the decision that who will be the facilitating agency. c. The small marginal farmers are unable to contribute 50 % particularly in case of permanent asset creation. A policy decision for augmentation of the 50 % contribution by the beneficiary particularly in case of permanent asset creation may be taken by respective departments. Departments may involve state contribution from available provisions or reconsider in this line. Because the convergence programme involving other departmental schemes particularly for permanent asset creation may not materialized due to lack of synchronization of availability / release of fund at the same time. As a result the programme will fail. d. The Scale of the programs can be arrived at as the following: i. 8 districts are identified for implementation of NMSA ii. If four Clusters of the size of about 2000 ha in each district (by including more villages in the existing clusters) – there will be about 32 clusters/30 clusters for the state. iii. For each cluster an indicative allocation is made at about Rs.15,000 per ha i.e. @ about Rs 3 crores per cluster/@ about 3.5 crores per cluster with a promise of mobilising about 6 to 7 crores through convergence of mainstream programs i.e. reaching about Rs.10 cr per cluster (including NFSM, RKVY, ATMA, BGREI, MGNREGS, IWMP, BRGF, IAP, NRLM, micro-irrigation, etc., and bank linkages). iv.The total NMSA plan allocation can be made of the order of about Rs.100 crores for the state i.e. 32 x 3 or 30 x3.5= Rs.96 crores or Rs. 105 Crores. Additional 5 % administrative cost. v. With such intensive planning – substantial impact can be seen at the area level at a meaningful scale for the state

government to consider scaling up the emerging approaches universally to all the NMSA Blocks within 3 years time. Else, the program will be reduced to distribution of subsidies to identified beneficiaries. vi.The three components of NMSA – i.e. RAD, SHM, OFWM can be integrated into these clusters. e.

For the purpose of Comprehensive Pilot Block under CCSAMMN at the most 2 priority Blocks may be chosen for intensive implementation. i. The Comprehensive Pilot Block need to be seen as an intervention at an administrative Block level. ii. The purpose of the Comprehensive Pilot Block under CCSAMMN is to make a pioneering effort in setting up convergence mechanisms, institutional systems and operational processes for making a large scale impact on various production sectors i.e. agriculture, livestock, fisheries, commons etc. so as to achieve a higher level growth rate at the administrative Block. iii. A consortium of organisations with competencies in working at the grassroots, analysis, planning and implementation may be chosen as facilitating agencies for implementation of NMSA in the Comprehensive Pilot Blocks. A combination of a leading NGO with local KVK in the district, Block level ATMA may be chosen as the consortium. Such consortium may partner with Agriculture Universities and ICAR institutions for scientific and knowledge inputs.

PROPOSED SUGGESTIONS MANAGE and RRA Network consortium during the workshop, proposed following suggestions to Directorate of Agriculture, Government of West Bengal. i. A strategic and convergent Planning approach was shared with the participants. This approach is based on an analysis of the Production Systems in the location to identify critical gaps (technical, infrastructural, institutional and investments) and plan for filling them to strengthen the production sectors in terms of making them productive and resilient to Climate change. ii. If the Facilitating Agencies are identified with their human resources – they can be trained by MANAGE-RRAN consortium on the planning. iii. MANAGE-RRA Network can support the districts/ ATMAs in developing 2 such cluster level NMSA plans on a sample basis immediately. These can be used for finalising the approach and training. With this approach it might be possible to develop proposals for all the clusters identified in about one month’s time if resource persons are identified. iv. MANAGE-RRAN are working in Hirabandh Block in Bankura district in a Comprehensive Pilot program in collaboration with PRADAN in a consortium mode. This location can be taken up under NMSA as an action-research site useful for testing planning and implementation approaches and for training.

Hirbandh block of Bankura district may be notified as one of the two Comprehensive Pilot Blocks for CCSAMMN. Another such block may be notified from coastal region.

CONCLUDING REMARK In the concluding remark, Shri Subhash Sinha, JS (Agri), Agriculture asserted that the department needs to develop overall vision for NMSA programme in the state. He stressed on need of shift from individual beneficiary to community institutions for implementation of the programme. Shri Sinha also urged participants to evolve convergent mechanism in order to converge with other funds. Shri Atanu Dutta Majumder, Nodal Officer, NMSA explained future processes that the Directorate of Agriculture will carry out to ensure effective bottom up plans for the year 2015-16. The workshop was ended with Vote of Thanks.

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