Project objectives:

The key objective of the project is to create awareness and build the capacities of the local communities for the Sustainable Land Management [SLM] in Baghbana Union Council of Khuzdar District Balochistan through:

· Organizing the Local Communities and Creating Awareness among them about the Threats of Land and Groundwater Resource Degradation and the Benefits of Sustainable Land Management [SLM] Practices
· Developing the Skills of the Local Communities for the Sustainable Land Management [SLM] Practices
· Introducing Appropriate and Indigenous Technologies and Practices for Preventing Land and Groundwater Degradation
· Engaging in Policy Advocacy on the Issues of Sustainable Land Management [SLM]

Activities to be carried out under project:

· Conduct Baseline Survey of the Selected Villages of Union Council Baghbana
· Organize 12 Mobilization Meetings With the Villagers of Six Villages of Baghbana Union Council [Two Meetings in Each Village] for Organizing the Village COs/CCBs and Creating Awareness on Land Degradation Issues
· Organize Grand Village Meetings in Six Villages for Launching their Village CCBs
· Arrange Organizational Management Trainings for the Six CCBs [ For the President, General Secretary and Treasurer of All the CCBs]
· Organize Financial Management Trainings for the CCBs of the Six Villages
· Project Cycle Management [PCM] Training for the CCBs of Six Villages
· Organize Six Training Workshops For 180 Growers on Organic Farming Including the Use Of EM Technology to Replace the Chemicals and Pesticides
· Organize Six Training Workshops For 180 Growers on the Modern Irrigation Systems Including Drip / Trickle and Sprinkle Irrigation Systems
· Organize Six Training Workshops for 180 Growers for Alternative Livelihoods Including Poultry Farming, Fish Farming, Livestock Management, Local Embroidery and Its Marketing Mechanisms Etc.
· Exposure Visit of 20 Member Community Delegation to The Model Farms Of Punjab to Observe the Modern Irrigation Systems, Integrated Pest Management And Organic Farming Including the Use Of EM Technology
· Establish Drip Irrigation Systems at 2 Orchard Farms as Demonstration Plots
· Construct 10 Recharge Bunds for Improving Groundwater Table
· Construct Five Fermenters for the Use of EM Technology /Organic Farming
· Plantation of 3,000 Orchard and Wild Trees for Environmental Rehabilitation and Livelihood Enhancement of the Local Communities
· Study on Land and Groundwater Degradation & Policy Flaws in Balochistan
· Printing and launching of the study on the land and groundwater resources in Balochistan
· Documentary, Posters and Pamphlets About Land Degradation Issue and Project Activities
· Provincial Level Seminar on Land and Groundwater Depletion and Issues in Sustainable Land Management [ SLM] in Balochistan

Project stakeholders and beneficiaries:

The key stakeholders in the proposed project include the local communities, other civil society organizations, local elected representatives, government departments including Irrigation Department, Agriculture Extension, Agriculture Engineering Department, Khuzdar University of Engineering and Technology, Agriculture Research Farm Baghbana, UNDP and other institutions and departments.

20,000 Population of Union Council Baghbana including 5000 population of six project villages are the direct beneficiaries of the project. However, the indirect beneficiaries of the project include other communities of the district, local civil society, local government and its elected representatives etc

Anticipated output of project:

· 5000 villagers of six villages of Union Council Baghbana are mobilized, organized and aware on the issues of land and groundwater degradation in their area
· CCBs launched in six villages and the organizational management skills of 54 office bearers of the CCBs elected and those CCBs are active in local level development activities
· Trained 570 growers in Organic Farming, Modern Irrigation Systems and Alternative Livelihoods.
· Those farmers adopt those technologies resulting in greater positive impact on the land and groundwater degradation process and reduction in the poverty of those growers with more than 50 percent reduction in the input cost in agriculture production. [Reduction in the expenditure on pesticides from Rs 7000 to 3000 Per Grower Per Season]
· Reduction in health hazards due to the minimum use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers
· More than 10,000 communities of the Union Council observe the demonstration farms using Drip Irrigation system and EM Technology Fermenters. The growers are aware of the modern appropriate technologies and inclined to adopt the same technologies.
· Plantation of 3,000 orchard and wild trees have positive impact on the environment of the local area and also contributes in the enhancement of the livelihood and poverty reduction of the local communities
· Policy advocacy activities sensitize the policy makers, civil society and communities in large number on the growing threat of land and groundwater degradation and the Government is sensitized to introduce and implement laws and regulations to prevent such disaster


FINANCE:
Estimated total project cost: Rs. 4660, 000/- US$ 77123.96
Amount requested from the GEF ? SGP: Rs. 2997, 000/- US$ 49537.19
Recipient contribution (in cash or in kind):PDI Rs 1,185, 000/- US$19,586.77
Communities Rs 484,000/- US$ 8,000.00
Amount (s) expected from other sources: Nil
Proposed payment schedule for the award based on annual disbursements:

Date Amount Date Amount

December 2006 878,417 April 2007 894,417
August 2007 892,417 November 2007 331,750

Details of bank account in which the GEF ? Small Grants Programme award would be deposited:

Account title: Participatory Development Initiatives [PDI]

Account number: 010-4477-7

Bank name and address: UBL Clifton Karachi






Submitted by: Sikander Brohi, Director Date: 16/10/2006
(Name and position)

PROJECT PROPOSAL

1. Profile of Implementing Organization

With the mission of promoting participatory, pro-poor, sustainable, environment friendly and gender balanced development, for creating equal opportunities and benefits for all, Participatory Development Initiatives [PDI] was launched on January 29, 2000 by a group of young community development professionals, human rights activists, trade unionists, researchers, media professionals and concerned citizens. Registered under Societies Registration Act 1860 PDI is engaged in community awareness, mobilization, participatory community development advocacy, campaigning, and networking on the livelihood and socio economic and environmental issues of the local communities.

PDI has been actively working in Khuzdar district with the local communities on the issues of community awareness and sustainability in their livelihoods through community mobilization and organization process. PDI has been working with the communities Moola, Baghbana and Arranji Khuzdar mobilizing them as well as organizing them in groups, CBOs and CCBs. With this awareness and organization the local rural communities have become active for securing their livelihood rights and sustaining their natural resources.

Natural Resource Management & Sustainable Livelihoods has been one of the key programs of PDI. Under this program PDI has been engaged in community awareness, community skill development, research and advocacy on the issues of Natural Resource Management and Sustainable Livelihoods. In this connection, PDI has been engaged in forming groups of the local communities mainly depending on agriculture and livestock and had been creating awareness among them about the sustainable use of their land and other natural resources through community meetings, training workshops and the performance of its theater group.

PDI has been working jointly with Oxfam and other international relief agencies in Khuzdar to mitigate drought conditions, sustaining the livelihoods of the local communities and building their skills on community based drought management. PDI jointly with Actionaid Pakistan has been engaged in the organization and mobilization of the local communities on their livelihood issues in Khuzdar as well as the coastal region of Sindh.

PDI is a membership organization with more than 200 Membership. The members of the organization form the General Council of the organization which is the key policy making body of the organization. The Chairman of the organization is responsible before the Board Members as well as the General Body of the Organization which elects the new board after the tenure of two years. The organization staff includes the Director, Program Manager, Manager Finance and two Social Mobilizers. The organization members, volunteers as well as staff have variety of skills and expertise which they have achieved as a result of receiving different trainings and working on different projects and programs. The annual budget of the organization during the financial year 2005 was Rs 1300,000.

PDI has capacity, skills as well as organizational strength to carry out this project. PDI has already been carrying out projects of Oxfam GB in the area on drought management and rehabilitation program. Besides, another project on the community organization and awareness on the livelihood issues is being run by PDI with the support of Actionaid International Pakistan. PDI has not only office and other infrastructure but also a sufficient number of staff and volunteers with different kinds of expertise and skills. Besides the organization has a good linkage with the other local level government, academic research and other civil society organizations.

2. Justification for Support - Linkages with GEF Themes and
Operational Programmes

Groundwater has drastically depleted and degraded in whole Balochistan in general and Baghbana Union Council of Khuzdar district in particular as a result of use of unsustainable methods of irrigation. Groundwater has lowered to the extent of 700 feet at many areas of Baghbana. This has resulted in degradation of vast agriculture and orchard farms in the Union Council. Orchards standing on the thousands of acres of land have been cut down due to the depletion of the groundwater resources which was the only water resource in the area. In a number of vicinity of the area groundwater has not only depleted but has also become saline. This has threatened the livelihoods of thousand of local communities and brought poverty in the area.

Besides, increased and irrational use of chemicals and pesticides in the area by the growers due to lack of awareness has also threatened the local environment including the land and groundwater resources. This has also resulted in health hazards in the area. Besides, this has also increased the growers? expenditure on the crop production, resulting in growing poverty in the area.

The intended project seeks to address the above mentioned environmental problems through the introduction of Sustainable Land Management Practices. The proposed project seeks to organize the local communities, create awareness among them about the land and water resource degradation in the area and built their skills and capacities to prevent the further degradation of land and groundwater resources through the use of Sustainable Land Management Practices. The proposed project also seeks to practically implement the appropriate technologies and indigenous methods for sustainable land management and also engage in advocacy with the local and the provincial government to take legal and administrative steps for preventing land and groundwater resource degradation in Balochistan in general and in Baghbana Union Council in particular.

The project has direct relevance with GEF/SGP Operational Program on Sustainable Land Management (OP #15). The principle reasons for development of this project are extensive land degradation due to un-sustainable irrigation, agriculture and horticultural practices, indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides & fertilizers in Baghbana Union Council of District Khuzdar Balochistan, which has adversely affected the land, and other natural biodiversity of the area.

Land degradation is a key local as well as global problem threatening the livelihoods of the poor communities as well as the environment and biodiversity of the earth. Global as well as local studies confirm that land degradation has created poverty, further resource degradation and has jeopardized the environment and biodiversity at larger scale.

The project intervention which would result in sustainable land management and would mitigate the causes and effects of land and groundwater degradation has a greater local and global significance as it would greatly contribute in the sustainability of land and improvement in the local environment and livelihoods which has linkages with the regional and global environment.

Excessive use of groundwater, growing use of pesticides, irrational use of irrigation water as well as improper land management practices are the key problems of the area, GEF/SGP resource would be used towards the awareness, skill development and advocacy activities to achieve the solution of the above mentioned problems.

3. Context/Baseline

Balochistan province has been in the grip of drought since 1999 due to alarming reduction in the rainfall. This has had severe negative impact on the local communities, their livelihoods as well as the overall economic condition of Balochistan. According to a recent study, about 70% of the livestock population has been depleted in the past 5 years, from a previous total of 20 million ruminants (sheep and goats). Food and cash crop production, including orchards, have also declined, leading to significant declines in income and food consumption. Poverty levels have increased, particularly among the poor and most vulnerable. Whereas about 38% of the province was poor in 1997, an estimated 47% of the people are now below the poverty line.

Khuzdar is the third largest district area wise of Balochistan. The District is among the most disadvantaged. Most of the land is locked within rocky hills, leaving only little patches amenable to agricultural activities in selected locations in Wadh and Baghbana tehsils. Baghbana [literally the area of orchards] some 16 km from Khuzdar Balochistan has been known as food and fruit basket for Khuzdar district and other areas of Balochistan. With its length of 19 km and width of 22 km Baghbana has been a valley of orchards. Apple, grape, peach, apricot orchards have been the key orchards of Baghbana besides different kinds of food and cash crops. The overall population of Baghbana Union Council is 20,000.

PDI has been working with the local communities of Baghbana since last one year facilitating launching of their CBOs and CCBs. During the process of interaction with the communities PDI undertook an exercise of identifying the basic problems of the local communities, prioritizing those problems and preparing village plans by using PRA tools. During this process the degradation of the land and groundwater resources in the area emerged as the key problem of Baghbana.

The present day Baghbana offers a look of complete desertification as the groundwater resources have depleted in the area and the communities while finding no more water for their orchards have started cutting their orchard trees. This has further threatened the local livelihoods and set in motion a series of the acts responsible for further land and water resource degradation. The groundwater has lowered up to 700 feet which was previously available at 30 to 50 feet. At many places the ground water has become saline, which can not be used for both irrigation and drinking purposes. This has resulted in land degradation with vast tracts of land being uncultivated as majority of the local communities being poor can not afford to arrange heavy tube wells to extract deep groundwater. This has left thousands of the communities without adequate livelihood resources.

Similarly, with the commercialization of the agriculture, fruit and vegetable products, the local growers have completely ignored and discarded the indigenous agriculture and irrigation systems and practices. The indigenous crop protection systems have largely been replaced with the increased use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides and insecticides. This has increased the input expenditure of the growers on the crops resulting in meager incomes and growing poverty. Besides, drastic increase in the use of pesticides has resulted in health hazards. Health of those involved in spraying, picking and harvesting is under threat. The pesticides have been getting dissolved into groundwater increasing the risk of entering the food chain. Indiscriminate use of insecticides in cotton has resulted in the disturbance of natural pattern of prey and predator, extinction of farmer friendly insects. Besides, the resistance in the pests has increased alarmingly.

4. Project Objective and Proposed Activity

The key objective of the project is to create awareness and build the capacities of the local communities for the Sustainable Land Management [SLM] in Baghbana Union Council of Khuzdar District Balochistan. The expected result would be the adopting of sustainable agriculture and irrigation practices for the improved production as well as proper and sustainable land management. This would also positively affect the livelihoods and the environment of the local area and the communities.

Objective -I: Organizing the Local Communities and Creating Awareness among them about the Threats of Land and Groundwater Resource Degradation and the Benefits of Sustainable Land Management [ SLM] Practices

Activities to be undertaken under the objective:

· Conducting Baseline Survey of the Selected Villages of Union Council Baghbana
· Organizing 12 Mobilization Meetings With the Villagers of Six Villages of Baghbana Union Council [Two Meetings in Each Village] for Organizing the Village COs/CCBs and Creating Awareness on Land Degradation Issues
· Organizing Grand Village Meetings in Six Villages for Launching their Village CCBs
· Arranging Organizational Management Trainings for the Six CCBs [ For the President, General Secretary and Treasurer of All the CCBs]
· Organizing Financial Management Trainings for the CCBs of the Six Villages
· Project Cycle Management [PCM] Training for the CCBs of Six Villages

Objective ?II

Developing the Skills of the Local Communities for the Sustainable Land Management [SLM] Practices

Activities to be undertaken under the objective:

· Organizing Six Training Workshops For 180 Growers on Organic Farming Including the Use Of EM Technology to Replace the Chemicals and Pesticides
· Organizing Six Training Workshops For 180 Growers on the Modern Irrigation Systems Including Drip / Trickle and Sprinkle Irrigation Systems
· Organizing Six Training Workshops for 180 Growers for Alternative Livelihoods Including Poultry Farming, Fish Farming, Livestock Management, Local Embroidery and Its Marketing Mechanisms Etc.
· Exposure Visit of 20 Member Community Delegation to The Model Farms Of Punjab to Observe the Modern Irrigation Systems, Integrated Pest Management And Organic Farming Including the Use Of EM Technology
· Publication of Posters, Pamphlets and handbills on the sustainable land management, modern irrigation systems, organic farming etc

Objective ?III

Introducing Appropriate and Indigenous Technologies and Practices for Preventing Land and Groundwater Degradation

Activities to be undertaken under the objective:

· Establishment of Drip Irrigation Systems at 2 Orchard Farms as Demonstration Plots
· Construction of 10 Recharge Bunds for Improving Groundwater Table
· Construction of Five Fermenters for the Use of EM Technology /Organic Farming
· Plantation of 3,000 Orchard and Wild Trees for Environmental Rehabilitation and Livelihood Enhancement of the Local Communities

Objective - V

Engaging in Policy Advocacy on the Issues of Sustainable Land Management [SLM]

· Study on Land and Groundwater Degradation & Policy Flaws in Balochistan
· Printing and Launching of the Study on the Land and Groundwater Degradation in Balochistan
· Provincial Level Seminar Land and Groundwater Depletion and Issues in Sustainable Land Management [ SLM] in Balochistan

5. Project Strategy

The key stakeholders in the proposed project include the local communities, other civil society organizations, local elected representatives, government departments including Irrigation Department, Agriculture Extension, Agriculture Engineering Department, Khuzdar University of Engineering and Technology, Agriculture Research Farm Baghbana, UNDP and other institutions and departments.

A participatory strategy would be adopted for implementing the project ensuring the participation of key stakeholders in the area. In this connection, formal consultations would be held with all the local stakeholders to seek their input on the proper and participatory implementation of the project activities. PDI being the recipient organization would have key implementation role. However, all the key partners and stakeholders would be included in the project activity planning and implementation phases.

PDI has always believed in dialogue and networking process and in these project activities also PDI would prepare a networking with the local civil society organizations as to share experiences of the project with them and receive their expertise and experiences. Project would also continue learning process from the other projects of UNDP. For that purpose also participatory mechanisms would be developed.

Special attention would be paid to the gender perspective of the project. Women being more than half of population of the project area would be consulted during all the phases of project planning and implementation. In this connection, it would be ensured that process of the organization of the local communities in the form of CCBs should also include the women of the project area. Similarly, in the process of capacity building of the local communities efforts would be made to ensure that the communities selected for the skill development should also include womenfolk of the area.

Post project funding sustainability has always remained a key issue in the development sector. In this project, the project activities have been designed in a way that would ensure the sustainability of the project activities even after the project funds are over.

In this connection, the sensitized and aware communities with their local organizations in the form of CCBs/COs would play a key role. In place of individual capacity building and skill development mechanisms the project seeks to develop local level organizations, build their organizational skills to ensure their sustainability. The existence of the community organizations with organizational as well as sustainable land management skills would ensure the continuity in the activities of organizational as well as skill development in the area even after the completion of the project.

The community awareness and the demonstration of appropriate technologies and large scale advocacy with the government organizations would also ensure that the communities are in the process of implementing the appropriate technologies and the human skills for preventing land and water resource degradation and for the sustainable land management practices in the area. The local community organizations would also be encouraged to continue the organizational management and skill development trainings at the village level as to develop the skills and the capacities of more and more communities in the area.

Anticipated Results:

The project is expected to have a number of positive impacts on the beneficiaries as well as on their livelihoods. Generally the project activities would result in the awareness of the local communities on the growing threats of land and groundwater resource degradation in the area as well as the organization of the local communities to face those threats jointly. The communities would also have skills to adopt appropriate technologies and different sustainable land management practices to prevent further degradation of the land and groundwater resources in the area. However, if the impact is to be looked into the quantitative terms, following impacts are expected to be occurred in the area:

· 5000 villagers of six villages of Union Council Baghbana are mobilized, organized and aware on the issues of land and groundwater degradation in their area
· CCBs launched in six villages and the organizational management skills of 54 office bearers of the CCBs elected and those CCBs are active in local level development activities
· 570 growers are trained in Organic Farming, Modern Irrigation Systems and Alternative Livelihoods.
· Those farmers adopt those technologies resulting in greater positive impact on the land and groundwater degradation process and reduction in the poverty of those growers with more than 50 percent reduction in the input cost in agriculture production. [ Reduction in the expenditure on pesticides from Rs 7000 to 3000 Per Grower Per Season]
· Reduction in health hazards due to the minimum use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers
· More than 10,000 communities of the Union Council observe the demonstration farms using Drip Irrigation system and EM Technology Fermenters. The growers are aware of the modern appropriate technologies and inclined to adopt the same technologies.
· Plantation of 3,000 orchard and wild trees have positive impact on the environment of the local area and also contributes in the enhancement of the livelihood and poverty reduction of the local communities
· Policy advocacy activities sensitize the policy makers, civil society and communities in large number on the growing threat of land and groundwater degradation and the Government is sensitized to introduce and implement laws and regulations to prevent such disaster

Like every project /activity there are risks and rewards associated with the project. The key risk is that the communities may not take interest in the project activities and may not adopt the new appropriate technology. However, PDI interaction with the communities since last one year has shown that the communities due to suffering a lot from the land degradation process are willing to prevent further degradation for the sake of preventing them from extreme poverty in the area. Therefore, there are strong possibilities that the communities would cooperate and adopt the project activities and innovation.