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Strategic
Empowerment of
People & Partners: Karnataka |
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| 64 drought-affected
villages develop their own sustainable drinking water systems
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| KROSS
& Partners help create an ‘Oasis in the Desert’ |
| With
the partnership of Karnataka Regional Organisational of
Social Services (KROSSS), 10 local Diocesan Social Service
Societies undertook a comprehensive drought-proofing intervention.
With the core ownership of the people, 64 villages now
have a sustainable safe drinking water systems, 30 rainwater
harvesting structures delivering 12,000 litres of water
and watershed development initiatives for sustainable
agriculture. Caritas India provided support to this drought-proofing
project in Karnataka. |
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| The
Year 2006 has been designated as the “International
Year of the Desert.” And the battle against desertification
has begun! In keeping with the vision of Caritas Internationalis,
the mission of the Karnataka Regional Organisation for Social
Service (KROSS) is to “restore God’s creation”
by bringing about a substantial change for the better in the
arid land and drought-prone areas of Karnataka state. KROSS
took a major step in this direction by implementing a ‘Drought
Mitigation Project’ with the help of its 10 Partner-organisations
and with financial support from Caritas-India from July 2002
to August 2004.
For effective implementation of the Drought Management Project,
KROSS introduced a Participatory Monitoring System which involved
the Directors and staff of the Diocesan Social Service Societies
at the local level, who interacted with community-based organisations
such as farmers, field workers, local leaders and Sangha women. |
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| KROSS’
Drought Mitigation Project consists of: |
| 1) a |
Natural
Resource Management to conserve water, check top-soil
erosion and plant vegetation through local communities
and help farmers to adopt alternative methods of farming; |
| 1) b |
The initiation
of Watershed Programmes in collaboration with the Partners; |
| 2) |
Micro-movements
for safe and sustainable drinking water in drought-prone
villages and for planting vegetation; |
| 3) |
Starting rain-water/roof-water
harvesting projects. |
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| The goal to create
an ‘Oasis in the Desert’ was carried out in right
earnest. |
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| What has been
achieved to date: |
Under the present Drought
Mitigation Project of Caritas, KROSS and its member-Partners
BMSSS, Bangalore worked with marginalised and poor farmers in
136 villages of Kolar and Tumkur districts covering 19,456 hectares
of land and benefiting 15,508 families. While the work of the
BDSSS-Belgaum covered 8,500 hectares of land in 14 villages
and benefited 21,000 people, people’s organisations in
Belgaum were able to claim Rs. 2 lakh from the Government for
the construction of new roads and for desilting a tank. Similarly,
under the aegis of a Resource Person of KROSS, Nisarga of the
SMSSS-Shimoga worked in 25 villages covering 5,671 hectares
of land and benefiting 3,700 families. The major achievement
in Belthangady was a 25 per cent increase in crop production.
After KROSS’ intervention in the CMSSS-Chikmagalur area,
there is now sufficient water both for the people and for their
livestock. Participation in the project by several farmers and
community members of villages surrounding Bidar resulted in
a rise of the groundwater table, more crops, afforestation and
the adoption of scientific methods for ploughing and inter-bunding.
Farmers living in the working areas of the Organisation for
Development of People (ODP), Mysore, are now able to grow two
crops a year compared to one in previous years thanks to the
effective water management guidelines provided by KROSS. Their
project has become a replicable model for many visitors to the
area who come there to learn the basics of watershed management.
Before the project began only one diocese was aware of the advantages
of micro-watershed programmes. Today all the 10 Partner-organisations
of KROSS are implementing these programmes.
Under this project, 3,183 acres of land were treated. Water
was conserved and top-soil was checked by implementing various
measures such as stone clearing, field-bunding, trenching, gully-plugging,
desilting of ponds, digging farm ponds, etc. These measures
benefited 16,000 poor, small and marginalised farmers. KROSS
conducted 44 training programmes on drought mitigation and 45
training programmes on safe and sustainable drinking water projects
in 64 villages. The Partner-organisations conducted 756 training
programmes which benefited 10,237 individuals. |
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| Impact |
| Because of KROSS’
Drought Mitigation and Safe and Sustainable Drinking Water project,
the people of 64 drought-prone villages of Karnataka now enjoy
drinking water both for themselves and for their livestock. |
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Farmers
are now able to grow two crops a year, enjoy a better
lifestyle and improved health, and consume more nutritious
food; |
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School attendance
has also increased because the incomes of parents have
increased; |
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Nine DSSS have
gained experience in implementing watershed projects and
the participant beneficiaries have acquired knowledge
and skills in watershed programmes; |
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Five DSSS (namely,
CODP, ODP, SMSSS, BDSSS and CMSSS) have maintained funds
as a major step towards sustainability; |
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Resource teams
have emerged in all the DSSS; |
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Women have learnt
to use water sparingly. Women’s groups are now stronger
because they work collectively as a group; |
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The communities
are taking steps to conserve water and check soil erosion
in their project areas. Farmers and labourers are beginning
to give up modern ways of cultivation and are following
traditional, simple methods of digging soak pits and trenches.
They are also recharging borewells to conserve water. |
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The 30 roof-water
harvesting tanks installed can collect from 3,500 to 12,000
litres of water. |
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The project area
has become lush green because tree saplings have been
planted and because of good vegetation in many areas that
resulted from timely rains. |
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| KROSS is proud that
it worked with all the 10 Diocesan Social Service Societies
and Caritas- India on natural resource management projects.
KROSS is pleased that the community is prepared to adopt the
watershed concept, take the necessary measures required to tackle
the present drought and be prepared to face unforeseen future
drought challenges. |
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| KROSS conveys its sincere
thanks to Caritas-India and to the DSSS for their partnership,
encouragement and co-operation. |
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A
thought for reflection:
“The country is yours,
The land is yours,
Rivers flow for you,
The forest is for you.
You have moved forward,
Now there is no looking back,
Because you have created
An ‘Oasis in the Desert.’ ” |
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| Dr.
Sr. Jovita Noronha |
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| Extent of Coverage
– Results – Community level benefits |
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| Partner
Organisation |
No.
of villages covered |
Districts |
Land
coveredIn acres |
Families
benefitted |
| Bangalore
Multipurpose Social Service Society (BMSSS) |
136 |
Kolar
& Tumkur |
19,456
(Peoples Involvement) &448 (KROSS) |
15,508
(Peoples Involvement) &152 (KROSS |
| Belgaum
Diocesan Social Service Society (BDSSS) |
14 |
Haveri
& Dharwad |
8,500
(Peoples Involvement)&300 (KROSS) |
21,000
(Peoples Involvement)&66 (KROSS) |
| Shimoga
Multipurpose Social Service Society (SMSSS) |
25 |
Chitradurga |
5,671
(Peoples Involvement)&390 (KROSS) |
3,700
(Peoples Involvement)&112 (KROSS) |
| Chikmagalur
Multipurpose Social Service Society (CMSSS) |
1 |
Hassan |
358
(Peoples Involvement) |
140
(Peoples Involvement) |
| Dakshina
KarnatakaRural Development. Society, Belthangady |
2 |
Belthandagy
(Dakshina Kannada) |
90
(Peoples Involvement) |
28
(Peoples Involvement) |
| Organisation
for Development of Peoples (ODP) Mysore |
1 |
Chamarajnagar |
800
(Peoples Involvement) |
120
(Peoples Involvement) |
| Canara
Organisation for Development & Peace (CODP) - Mangalore |
1 |
Mangalore |
116
(Peoples Involvement) |
28
(Peoples Involvement) |
| Bellary
Diocese Development Society (BDDS) |
2 |
Raichur |
307
(Peoples Involvement) |
116
(Peoples Involvement) |
| The
Organisation for Bidar Integral Transformation (ORBIT),
Bidar(Gulbarga Diocese) |
1 |
Bidar |
302
(Peoples Involvement) |
90
(Peoples Involvement) |
| Karwar
Diocesan Development Council (KDDC) |
3 |
Karwar
& Haliyal Taluk |
72
(Peoples Involvement) |
30
(Peoples Involvement) |
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| KROSS –
OASIS IN THE DESERT (Photos) |
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| Farm Pond –
Drought Mitigation Project, Bidar |
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| Farm Pond
– Drought Project, Nagenahalli |
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