April 2009: Networking for Partnerships

CInI had though done a preliminary screening to select its partners in KMS Pilot Phase, it left no stone unturned to comprehend the view point of its partners, on maize stablisation.

Accordingly meeting was done with SADGURU Foundation (Dahod, Gujarat), Grameen Vikas Trust (GVT Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh) and People’s Education and Development Organization, (PEDO Dungarpur, Rajasthan).
• Main things those were discussed were sharing concept note on KMS [Document available in side bar]
• Vision and Mission of KMS.Interest of NGO Partner to work on Maize Stablisation
• Doubts (if any ) of the regional partner

Views of SADGURU Foundation : Mr. Harnath Jagawat, Director SADGURU Foundation, on one side expressed to see ‘sea changes’, through yield enhancements, he also shared their bad experience of being a partner to ‘yellow maize’ Monsanto seed distribution (100% subsidy) program in previous season. He shared that in whole of central Indian Tribal belt, farmers take maize as their staple food and tribals of North Gujarat and western M.P., for consumption, prefer white maize produced with low chemical inputs.

SADGURU also shared a heavily loaded (technically) Package of Practice (PoP) of some university, which they diffused among the farmers in previous season. SADGURU however, also admitted that it was not used in full by the farmers for various reasons.They opined, demonstrations and experiments should now be replaced with some better extension strategy.

Views of GVT Jhabua : GVT on the matter of PoP, was clear that few critical strategic points should be put in front of farmers and they should not be suddenly told to take up the heavily loaded PoPs, as this may lead to sharp decline in adoption of technique, once extended support is withdrawn. They also expressed that full program should be farmer participatory. If demonstrations are planned, they should be planned for a single variety of maize for a long patch of land or that in whole village.

Views of PEDO Dungarpur: Mr. Devilal Vyas, Director PEDO, shared that they are already implementing National Agriculture Innovation Project (NAIP), with Udaipur university., taking Hybrid varieties. This program is in 5 villages. Though he was more inclined towards hybrid intervention, he expressed to be a part of KMS even if it is taken with non hybrids.

Cost Sharing & Program building Partnership: As resources were found to be limited with KMS, regional partners were request to share some cost i.e. seed money & attending workshops of KMS. [Details in KMS Partnership Document]

Meeting with Agriculture Extension Department (Udaipur Technical and Agriculture University): Efforts were also done to convince Agriculture extension department, Udaipur University, to be a part of KMS program but they expressed their extreme business in assignments already in hands. In order to better analyse the current situation and gaps existing, Gap analysis study was planned and conducted with the partners.

Maize Value Chain Study: A Maize Value Chain study was also initiated to identify the missing link on different value enhancing points. Findings of preliminary visits indicated that highest demand in local maize market is that of maize as grain for house hold consumption. Thus a high scaled maize production was required for filling gap of food deficiency.