ASDS work with APIIATP Project under the Water Resource Department in East Godavari District

The state of Andhra Pradesh has proposed a next-generation Irrigated Agriculture Transformative Project by Name Andhra Pradesh Integrated Irrigation and Agriculture Transformation Project (APIIATP) The Government of AP I & CAD has entered into the agreement as per the guidelines of World Bank, the Agreement made between District Project Unit and SO VYAVASAYAKA MARIYA SANGHIKA ABHIVRUDDI SAMSTHA (ASDS) from27.03.2019 till now with Agreement number 1/2018-19

The SO has to assess the present status of the Project, According to the assessment report, an action plan for the coming 1 year should be prepared and submitted to the PMU/DPU.  The assessment has to be made through check slip filling pertaining to the previous activities have taken and their progress by involving the WUA members, FPOs, Para Workers, and competitive authorities along with SO staff.

As per the agreement concluded with DPD, DPU, Peddapuram we have prepared reports and taken up implementation support activities in 35 MI tanks. Geographically all the tanks are located in the remote places of the district where the Water User Association members, as well as committees, are not in a

Position to access the service providers (line departments).

We have to work with FPOs supporting from the Agriculture Department in 35  MI tanks and strengthening and Capacity-building under the APIIATP project in East Godavari District and sufficient staff working under this project as per project norms.

The agriculture sector has recorded phenomenal growth in the state in recent years. However, the sector faces serious challenges in terms of sustainability and maintaining growth in an environmentally friendly manner. It is now essential to increase the understanding of farmers on climate-resilient technological options for bringing the desired improvement in production and productivity and moving towards sustainable farming systems. Current farming practices are less sustainable ecologically as they overuse natural resources, reduce soil fertility, and contribute to climate change. The promotion of sustainable agricultural practices will restrict a gradual fall in soil fertility and minimize its quality deterioration. In view of these, the project will make efforts to:

1. Enhance the production/productivity of crops using climate-resilient seed

Varieties;

2. Input management;
3. Increase efficiency in irrigation;
4. Improve water productivity with improved area coverage
5. Promote sustainable farming technologies.

It is to enhance farmers’ profitability by improving farmer’s access and linkages to markets by providing alternate marketing channels and promoting farm level aggregation, post-harvest management, and value addition for agricultural/horticultural crops. The project will support farmer producer organizations (FPOs); develop their capacity and skills for accessing wider input and output markets, and invest support to the FPOs for establishing common service centers for aggregating agriculture and horticulture produce. This component will focus on a resilient value chain and address gaps in the value chain and facilitate the linkage of FPOs and value chain operators to local, national, and wherever appropriate-international markets.

Project Coverage in East Godavari District

In order to work with the WUA, the SO VYAVASAYAKA MARIYA SANGHIKA ABHIVRUDDI SAMSTHA (ASDS) Organization has been allotted the following WUAs in 8 manuals 1.Peddapuram. 2. Prathipadu 3. Rangampeta, 4.Gandepalli  5. Jaggampeta  6. Yeleswaram, 7. Gangavaram, 8. Rajavomangi 9.Devipatnam, 10. Addateegala 11. Biccavolu, Tanks list given

 SO Key Staff details

Structured monitoring tools were developed for implementing the project towards sustainability and the key staff involved to fulfill the objectives of the project and collected required data regularly.

We hereby mentioned the above Team coordinating each other for better implementation of the project and for good relation with DPU as well as concerned WUAs.  The internal reports were helped for regular monitoring and gaps identification. We have been finding the gaps in the process of project implementation and our deliverables at various activities during the review meetings. Accordingly, we have been preparing monthly action plans and following them properly. Regular meetings were conducted by our team members and reviewed the Project progress on monthly basis.  Even regular field visits were conducted at a project level and interacted with WUA members for better progress.

CMS/TL, Community Organizer (ID), and CO-SAP have capacitated the WUA members on the project implementation and their role in the project, this will help the WUAs for their own monitoring and sustain Conduct awareness meetings on project objectives, interventions, and implementation. Create awareness and community mobilization supporting and strengthening WUA’s through awareness meetings.

Ensuring the collection of water tax and fish lease amount. Need-based training program for the tank ayacut farmers. District level convergence meeting with all line departments Agriculture, Horticulture, Aqua, and groundwater etc.

Associated with all project implementation activates. To create awareness to WUA members and stakeholders on project activities through wall writings. Conduct training to WUA members on bookkeeping.

 Approach to planning

Initially, the SO Team conducted meetings at the WUA level and collected Tank wise data. After collection of data in each WUA and then consolidated, and then prepared to Annual Action Plan. Month wise Action plans prepared / Developed by the Instructions of DPU, as per the formats provided by DPU.  Planning will be done at SO level after reviewing the status of the project and accordingly, necessary modifications will be carried out.

The information collected from the WUA through meetings will help the team to find out the gaps and required inputs to move further. The gaps identified will be sent to DPU for their concern and also approval to implement the same at the WUA Level/Cascade level Development activities.

 Field Office:

The field office has been opened at Rajahmundry for office administration and easy access to the District Project Director and Assistant Project Directors. And traveling to field visits to Tank villages/WUAs.

WUA meetings in last year

It will be ensured that the WUA organizes its monthly meetings, GB meeting,s and CIG meetings with the required percentage of participation regularly and maintains proper minutes of the same.

Water management and related record keeping

It will be attempted that each WUA undertakes crop planning activity before each season starts and organizes water management and irrigation scheduling that is rigorously recorded. Ensure that WUA updates and maintains farmer-wise, season-wise, and crop-wise irrigated area data.

Facilitation will be undertaken with the concerned authorities (Revenue, Agriculture, and Irrigation) to undertake joint admonish with the WUA. The SO should further facilitate the visit by the Revenue Authority to the village for water tax collection and motivate the WUA members to pay water tax in full. WUA should be assisted to maintain data on area irrigated, water tax demand raised and water tax collected. This year we are conducted all 23 tanks monthly meetings completed regular basis.

As per the APFMIS Act -1995, every WUA has to organize Executive Body meetings in every month, and General body meetings to organize 2 meetings in a year, i.e in before Kharif and before Rabi.

• SO staff was conducting monthly Executive Body meetings in every month 23 Tanks.
• Attendance of MC members in the monthly meeting is on an average 85 %
• In this meeting SO staff was explaining APIIATP Project activities.
• Minutes will update in WUA records.
• SO observed that Women ayacutdars / EC members are not attending the monthly meetings.
• SO staff was explained the importance of Gender equity and the involvement of Women members in the meetings.

Para workers also attending the meeting and Minutes books were updated by Para workers.

Agriculture  :

• Regular Interaction with Mandal Agriculture officers and discussed project activities.
• Inviting the concerned Mandal Agriculture officers to the meetings and Training at Tank

Identification of site for  Rural Godown :

• 2 Sites identified by the WUA members for Rural Godowns at Vemulova (V)Gangavaram (M), Gandepalli(V) Gandepalli (M)

To Read  the Full Report click on  the below PDF

APIIATP