Adaptation Practitioners Days: Adaptation in Asia – India: “Adaptation to Climate Change in Drought Stricken Areas of South India” Dr. S. V. Govardhan Das Reversing Environmental Degradation and Rural Poverty through Adaptation to Climate Change in Drought Stricken Areas in Southern India: A Hydrological Unit Pilot Project Approach 1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das COP 18: Development and Climate Days United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Red Cross / Red Crescent Centre (RCCC) International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) Global Environment Facility (GEF) 1

Socio-economic Context India is 10 th largest by Nominal GDP (IMF, 2011) 3 rd largest by purchasing power parity (PPP) Ranks 140 th by GDP and 129 th by PPP Agriculture sector constitutes only 7.8% of GDP 50% of the work force engaged in Agriculture About two-thirds of the agriculture is rain-fed Drought seriously affects rain-fed agriculture 60% Irrigated Agriculture is groundwater based 1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das2

Socio-economic Context The United Nations World Water Development Report (2003) states that, in India: – 69 percent of people in non-irrigated areas are poor – in irrigated areas this figure falls to 2 percent In India, 76 percent of operational landholdings are small (2 ha or less) Therefore, poor in India are represented by: Smallholders with no irrigation source Landless agriculture workers 1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das3

Genesis of the project : APWELL project provided bore-well irrigation facility to 3,500 smallholders 2000: Sustenance of wells became a major concern 2000: Participatory Hydrological Monitoring Pilot 2001: Crop Water Budgeting : APFAMGS Project 2010: Strategic Pilot on Adaptation to Climate Change 2012: The approach adopted in the Twelfth National Five Year Plan ( ) 1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das4

Location 1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das5

Stakeholders 1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das6

Objectives Global Environmental Objective: Contribute to knowledge building and experience in integrating climate change adaptation in sustainable land and water management, in drought prone areas Development Objective: Strengthen the knowledge and capacities of communities in pilot Hydrological Units in Andhra Pradesh, India are to respond to climate change impacts 1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das7

Components and Outcomes Component 1: INFORMATION TOOLS – Baseline Study – Participatory Climate Monitoring Component 2: PILOTS – Famer Climate Schools – Sustainable Land and Water Management Pilots Component 3: DISSEMINATION AND UPTAKE – Community level – District level government departments 1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das8

Progress Component 1: INFORMATION TOOLS – Baseline Study completed – Participatory Climate Monitoring established Component 2: PILOTS – Famer Climate Schools: 6 sessions organized – SLWM Pilots: Started Component 3: DISSEMINATION AND UPTAKE – Community level: Started – District level government departments: Started 1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das9

1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das10 Participatory Climate Monitoring

23/11/2012S V Govardhan Das11 Farmer Climate Schools

SSL 1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das12 SLWM Pilots

1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das13 Documentation and Dissemination

Challenges Demystifying weather science and its uncertainties Land use changes Rural conflicts Ensuring participation of vulnerable groups and women Dealing with multiple stakeholders High level of reporting Recruiting and retaining professionals 1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das14

Way forward 1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das15 Integration of PCM data with FCS and SLWM pilots Climate monitoring against baseline values Monitoring impact of climate variability on crops Piloting and finalizing PCM curriculum Piloting crop-specific SLWM packages Manuals on: PCM, FCS and SLWM packages Documentation: reports, leaflets, farmer records Dissemination: website updating, media contact and policy advocacy workshops

1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das16 Reach Us: Contact: Dr. S. V. Govardhan Das Project Manager For more information

1/12/2012S V Govardhan Das17 Thank You