G Ravikumar
RIOD (Reseau International Dong sur la Desertification) is a Global network of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs ) and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) working towards the combat of Desertification. It was established in 1994 with the mandate of influencing the successful implementation of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD). The emphasis is to to ensure the stake holders and Civil society participation in the struggle against Desertification.
RIODs chapter in Tamil nadu is being promoted by the ROOTS Network. ROOTS is a network of 50 Rural NGOs with activities aimed at the development of the Rural Agricultural Ecosystem – through community education, technical facilitation, information exchange and promotion of indigenous knowledge and practices among the small and marginal farmers of the state.
In 1996, the ROOTS network organized a consultation on }Environment and Drought Management}, to explore possible ways to mitigate the effects of Drought on the Agricultural production system in the Dry land regions of the state. The outcomes of this consultation (Table 1) clearly indicated that the problems of Dryland Agriculture in Tamil nadu are direct causes of the Degradation of natural and the human resources of the area.
Thus the network initiated the efforts of combating Desertification by community organisations. ROOTS has become a natural ally to RIOD when it was initated in the state in 1998.
Table1 : Outcomes of the Consultation
| Needs identified | Actions / strategies suggested |
| 1. Soil and water conservation
2. Biomass production / sustainable use 3. Human resources development for direct field level action |
1.Participatory planning / Joint action by all stake holders
2. Capacity Building for direct action 3. Networking and sharing information 4. Influencing policy decisions |
The strategic decision implemented was that both the networks were promoted in such a way that each contributed to the other’s activities and achievements by the sharing of knowledge, infrastructure and human resources.
Experiences in the past have been to adopt an integrated approach to developiong and managing natural resources as well as human resources, simultaneously. (Based on the recommendations of the 1996 consultation and further activity experiences). These experiences helped in evolving suitable strategies (Table 3). Some of the learnings are:
- Membership Promotion
The RIOD state chapter was promoted as an affiliated body of the national network. Though at first the membership was restricted only to NGOs, based on the needs in Tamilnadu the membership was opened (with a reduced rate of subscription) to farmers, individuals, CBOs and resource organizations so as to widen the participation platform. With these facilitating efforts (CCD Document, 1998*) the membership sharply rose to 210 in one year, to represent many stake holder sections of the society (Table 2).
Table 2: The membership pattern
| Membership Detail * | Number | % to Total |
| 1. NGOs
2. CBOs 3. Farmers 4. Individuals 5. Resource Organizations |
55
70 60 20 5
|
26.2
33.3 28.6 9.5 2.4 |
Table 3: RIOD Tamil Nadu – activities and experiences
| Forms of Degradation | Activities | Adaptations made | Contributing factor |
|
I.Natural Resource 1. Deforestation 2. Soil erosion 3. Drought 4. Land Alienation
2. Human Resource 1 Loss of Indigenous knowledge systems 2. Lack of skills in present agricultural system 3. Lack of trained community facilitators
|
1. Promoting
membership |
1. Opened to farmers, CBOs and individuals
2. Subscription reduced |
Experiences in promoting
Roots network
|
|
2. Decentralizing management. |
1. District level bodies promoted
2. 25% of total Subscription was allowed for the district level use |
Experiences in promoting Roots network |
|
|
3. District level facilitation |
Done by the state chapter and planned to build capacities of district bodies for the same in future |
The learning obtained during the process implementation and the feed back from the members |
|
|
4. Networking for knowledge and information sharing |
1.The knowledge sources for the Roots network were utilized
2. Creating internal resources is planned |
AME. The impact of training to Roots partners influenced efforts, decisions and plans. |
|
|
5. Capacity building in SA and WS Management |
1.The knowledge sources for the Roots network were utilized
2.Creating internal resources is planned |
AME. The impact of training to
Roots partners influenced efforts, decisions and plans. |
|
|
6.Preparing a policy guideline for activities |
A concept summary prepared for an integrated WS management activity plan was modified and utilized
|
AME facilitated a training on }SA in a WS} and in the process the concept summary was prepared |
- Decentralizing management
The experiences of promoting Roots network was very useful in the promotion of the structure. For example, decentralization of members at four Zonal levels was tried in the network but was not successful. Based on this experience, the RIOD network was decentralized at the District level and this proved to be effective in delivering the objectives. District level bodies are now functional in 6 districts of Tamilnadu. Flexibility was adopted in sharing of the subscription collected from the members. 25 % of the subscription collected was used by the district bodies.
- Networking for Knowledge and information resources
The knowledge and information resources generated for the members of the Roots network also fed to the planning /implementation of RIOD activities.
The networking with biomass actors was instrumental in building capacity of member NGOs and farmers. Agriculture Man Ecology (AME) is one important actor who influenced the role and activities of RIOD Tamil Nadu.
4. Capacity Building and creating a team of trainers
The direct impact of a capacity building training facilitated for 12 ROOTS network members on Sustainable Agriculture (SA) in a watershed (WS) created interest among the RIOD members. 7 of them were trained in Integrated Crop Management (ICM) with other ROOTSs network trainees. Since ICM facilitates the management of all resources in agriculture (natural, human and social), it is seen as a tool to combat land degradation. So there is plan to train community facilitators in WS management and SA by utilizing the knowledge resources within the network.
Plans for the immediate future
The base line work have been completed and the following tasks are planned for the current year. This plan was prepared for the state chapter as policy guidelines for members for implementing desertification management activities.
- Strengthen the structure from below (from hamlet levels) by facilitating the district bodies in the task.
- Preparing a resource inventory for Tamilnadu and facilitating the communities to prepare location specific action plans
- Creating vertical and horizontal linkages among all stake holders
- Facilitating Farmer based research and the outreach of the impacts among higher level actors
- Translating available information (including the CCD) in Tamil for sharing with CBOs
- Building capacities of farmers and CBOs in need and situation specific action for combating desertification
- Promoting a Cultural Group to disseminate desertification information among rural audience
- Facilitating large scale afforestation for biomass production and promoting it’s sustainable use .
The promotion of the state chapter has been completed with contribution from various factors besides a committed team of volunteers working for it. This accomplishment could have taken some more time but for the support role played by an experienced network in the facilitating place.
References
- CCD Document , 1998* and ** , pp 9 Article 3 – Principles (clause b and c ). Pub: The Secretariat for the Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD/98/2)
G.Ravi kumar,
Technical Consultant, RIOD – TN,
PO Box No : 72
Pudukkottai – 622 001,
Tamilnadu, India.
email : bestorg@yahoo.com
