Impact Evaluation of the Maharashtra CAIM Programme The Convergence of Agricultural Interventions in Maharashtra CAER N Report December 60 20191201 2019 Impact Evaluation of the Maharashtra CAIM Programme The Convergence of Agricultural Interventions in Maharashtra Study sponsored by Project Monitoring Unit of CAIM, Amravati and The International Fund for Agricultural Development December 2019 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF APPLIED ECONOMIC RESEARCH NCAER India Centre, 11 Indraprastha Estate, New Delhi 110 002, India www.ncaer.org NCAER QUALITY RELEVANCE IMPACT I © National Council of Applied Economic Research, 2019 All rights reserved. The material in this publication is copyrighted. NCAER encourages the dissemination of its work and will normally grant permission to reproduce portions of the work promptly. For permission to photocopy or reprint any part of this work, please send a request with complete information to the publisher below. Published by Anil K. Sharma Professor & Secretary and Operations Director, National Council of Applied Economic Research NCAER India Centre, 11, Indraprastha Estate, New Delhi–110 002 Tel.: +91-11-23452698, 61202657 Fax: +91-11-2307-0164 Email: [email protected] www.ncaer.org Publications Coordinator Jagbir Singh Punia Disclaimer: The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governing Body or Management of NCAER. II Foreword he Vidarbha region in eastern impact of the programme on beneficiaries. Maharashtra has been facing an acute The NCAER team carried out an extensive agrarian crisis, causing distress to a primary level enumeration of the beneficiaries large part of the local population whose in both the programme as well as the non- Tprimary occupation is agriculture. The crisis has programme, control villages to compare major been fomented by a number of factors, including indicators of project performance. fragmentation of land leading to tiny landholdings, scanty and irregular rainfall, sparse irrigation The NCAER study found that the CAIM- facilities, and lack of opportunities for non-farm supported programmes had noticeably and activities. Six of the 11 constituent districts of sustainably enhanced the living conditions of the Vidarbha—Akola, Amravati, Buldhana, Wardha, households and villages in distress, with a large Washim, and Yavatmal—have been most adversely number of households benefitting from it. The affected by the crisis, which has tragically led even programme also achieved women’s empowerment to a spate of suicides by farmers in the region. and tangible long-term benefits for the targeted population through various means, including debt Stepping in to alleviate the agrarian distress in redemption, drudgery reduction, a micro livelihood the region, the Government of Maharashtra, the plan, social enterprises, and joint asset ownership. International Fund for Agricultural Development The study findings have been presented to CAIM (IFAD), and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust joined hands to and IFAD officials and other stakeholders involved form a consortium to fund a programme to ensure in the programme. a steady increase in the incomes of the poor farmers and farm workers in the rural hinterland I join the NCAER team in their appreciation of Vidarbha. Implementation of this programme, for the insights and guidance received from Ms titled, Convergence of Agriculture Interventions Rasha Omar, Country Head, IFAD. The superior in Maharashtra (CAIM), commenced in 2012 and performance and success of the programme ended in December 2018. can be largely attributed to the organisational efficiency of the CAIM Project Authority, led ably The primary objective of the CAIM programme by Mr Piyush Singh, IAS. The contribution of the was to develop resilient and sustainable on-farm Mahila Vikas Arthik Mahamandal also deserves and off-farm livelihoods that would build the special mention for providing the right perspective capacity of local households to face both climatic for implementing the CAIM programme. and marketing risks without falling into poverty and distress. The programme targeted rural, I would like to thank the NCAER team led by particularly Below-the-Poverty-Line households Dr Saurabh Bandyopadhyay and Dr Laxmi Joshi, belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled with Mr Prabir Kumar Chaudhuri, Dr Tarujyoti Tribes, landless labourers including women, small Buragohain, and Mr Animesh Sharma, as its and marginal farmers, and selected farmers who core members, for carrying out this important had been severely affected by the agrarian crisis. study. Dr Rajesh Chadha, NCAER’s Research A process of identification and proper validation by Director, ensured quality control and provided the Gram Sabha was used to avoid the possibility overall supervision. of the financially better-off households capturing programme benefits. This NCAER report detailing the findings of the CAIM programme should be a guide for The National Council of Applied Economic planning future programmes to accelerate Research (NCAER) was entrusted with the task rural development and to the welfare of of conducting an end-line survey to ascertain the distressed communities. New Delhi Dr Shekhar Shah December 10, 2019 Director General NCAER III Acknowledgements he study team wishes to acknowledge the Ms Sweta Khade, M&E Officer; Mr Digambar guidance, support and encouragement Nemade, Accounts Officer; Mr. Ravindra Kadu, of Shri Piyush Singh, Divisional Administrative Officer; Mr. Raju Ingle, Project Commissioner, Project Management Unit Coordinator, MAVIM; Mr Bhalchandra P. Gawande, T(PMU), Convergence of Agricultural Interventions DPM, Amravati; Ms Madhuri Sarode, DPM Akola; in Maharashtra (CAIM), during conduction of this Mr Anand Tiwari, DPM Buldhana; Mr Mahesh study. The insights offered by Ms Rasha Omar Mishra, DPM, Washim; Mr Dinesh Rathod, DPM, and Ms Meera Mishra of IFAD helped immensely Wardha; Mr Devanand Khandwe, DPM, Yavatmal; in shaping this report as both of them provided Mr Manoj Ingle, Agronomist; Mr Shailesh Patil, valuable guidance for improving the content and Market Linkage Expert; and Mr Pravin Pinjarkar, coverage of this work. District Executive, for providing logistics support, participating in project activities, including All the members of the IFAD team, including questionnaire designing, training of the surveyors, Mr McDonald, Ms Louise C., Mr Marc de Sousa, and facilities for the pilot study, and for providing Mr Edward Mallorie, Mr Sankara Subramaniam, all the necessary information and valuable inputs. Mr Sriram, Mr Crispino Lobo, and Ms Monica, provided valuable feedback on the NCAER Endline The study team is grateful to Dr Shekhar Shah, Survey. We would like to specially thank Dr Rajesh Director-General, NCAER, and Dr Anil Kumar Chadha, Professor & Research Director, NCAER, Sharma, Professor and Secretary and Operations who offered his invaluable suggestions and advice Director, NCAER, for their continued support and throughout the study. encouragement during various stages of the study. The study team would also like to acknowledge the support offered by officials from the PMU, CAIM Amravati, and MAVIM, especially Study Team Project Leader Dr Saurabh Bandyopadhyay, Fellow; and Dr Laxmi Joshi, Fellow Core Study Team Mr Prabir Kumar Chaudhuri, Consultant; Dr Tarujyoti Buragohain, Associate Fellow; and Mr Animesh Sharma, Research Associate Research Support Ms Ankita Tripathi, Research Intern; Ms Deepshikha Jha, Research Intern; and Mr Harshit Shandilya, Research Intern Editor Ms Anupma Mehta Technical and Other Support Mr. Praveen Sachdeva, Ms Sadhna Singh, and Ms Shikha IV List of Acronyms ASC Agriculture Service Centre ATMA Agriculture Technology Management Agency AWPB Annual Work Plan and Budget BBF Broad Bed Furrow BCI Better Cotton Initiative BD Bio Dynamic BDC Bio Dynamic Compost BMCU Bulk Milk Chilling Unit BPL Below the Poverty Line CAIM Convergence of Agricultural Interventions in Maharashtra CDC Cattle Development Centre CFC Common Facility centre CMRC Community Managed Resource Centre CNB Cement Nala Bund DF Dhan Foundation DiD Difference in Difference DPM District Programme Manager DPMT District Programme Management Team ELS Endline Survey FGD Focus Group Discussion GoI Government of India GoM Government of Maharashtra GPS Gram Panchayat GVA Gross Value Added IA Implementing Agency IAY Indira Awas Yojana IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development INR Indian Rupee IPM Integrated Pest Management IWMP Integrated Watershed Management Programme JLG Joint Liability Group V LEISA Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture MAVIM Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal MCC Milk Collection Centre MFI Microfinance Institution MGNREGS Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme MIS Management Information System MLP Micro Livelihood Plan MSAMB Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board MSRLM Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission PMFBY Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana NCAER National Council of Applied Economic Research NGO Non-Governmental Organization NIWCYD National Institute of Women, Child & Youth Development NRLM National Rural Livelihood Mission NSSO National Sample Survey Organisation OBC Other Backward Caste PCMCC Primary Cooperative Milk Collection Centre PG Producer Group PMU Programme Management Unit PPR Preliminary Project Report RBI Reserve Bank of India SBI Sukhi Baliraja Initiatives of SRTT SC Scheduled Caste SHG Self Help Groups SMEs Small and Medium Enterprises SPARC