Updated: Sep 11, 2020
2nd May 2019, Block Office, Betalghat, Uttarakhand
WAPRO has been successfully running in Uttarakhand from last 8 years now. With community’s cooperation and our partner organisations’ support we did manage to increase water productivity as well as improved quality produce benefiting the farmers and the society. In order to disseminate information about our past progress as well upcoming planned activities, a block level advocacy meeting was organised in coordination with government representatives. It witnessed participation from multifarious stakeholders like the farmers, gram panchayats, government officers from different departments like Irrigation, Agriculture and Water and Environment groups. Discussions revolved around Partner in Prosperity’s ongoing projects like Biogas slurry in fields that helps enhances crop productivity; the role of Jal Sakhi’s in mobilising community to raise their awareness level on optimum utilisation of water in agricultural farms and maintenance of water infrastructures through a water stewardship model. PnP’s team discussed technical aspects of WAPRO’s success so far, achieved through the PUSH-PULL-POLICY approach. The upcoming Skill Development training programme’s aims, agenda and schedule was also discussed briefly for the youth candidates. The highlight was Mr. Yadav’s speech, (ADO AG) who informed the assembly about National mission for sustainable agriculture, subsidies on agriculture implements according to which 80% subsidy is provided under the scheme if the amount of equipment is Rs 7 Lakhs. The subsidy will be less than 50 % if the amount of equipment is less than Rs 7 lakhs. Increasing water shortage both for drinking purposes and other uses became the boiling point. The meeting was concluded by realising the need of water management which requires consistent and coordinated efforts from all sections of the society- the citizens, the government, the civil society as well market leaders. While drawing examples from around the world, a consensus was built regarding water governance as a shared responsibility. The meeting’s success was also recognised by the media with a brief report being published in Dainik Jagaran, Uttarakhand dated 6th May 2019.