Agriculture: Proposed Methodology, Approach, and Implementation Plan

Project Objectives The proposed assignment will contribute to the following overall impact and outcomes - Project Impact: Farmers’ resilience enhanced through abilities to anticipate and respond to climate variability and market dynamics in rainfed systems Project Outcome: Policy makers, planners, and individual farmers use forecasting techniques to make informed decisions on crop choices in changing climate scenarios and market dynamics. The project plan and requirement analysis 1) Design and development: (Output -1) a) Crop forecasting framework b) Weather - Model incorporating climate (weather) c) Soil characteristics and market information developed d) market information developed 2) Pilot the Framework and Model: The developed framework is the implementation in the locations identified 3) Policy brief and policy recommendation developed Output 1: Crop forecasting framework and model incorporating climate (weather), soil characteristics and market information developed and piloted to aid rainfed farmers to make informed decisions, which are gender sensitive and socially inclusive. 1) Crop forecasting framework and model developed and pilot implementation locations identified 2) Policy brief and policy recommendation developed Milestones for achieving (Output - 1) Requirements Milestones 1.1 Constraints identified plus a review of existing models developed Identifying the challenges related to 1) Climate parameters 2) Soil characteristics & soil moisture 3) Demand and price movements 4) Cropping practices for each rainfed area 5) Review existing models for crop forecasting through primary and secondary research. 1.2 Develop suitable models and framework 1) Develop a gender-sensitive and socially inclusive framework and models for the most important crops grown in the 4 identified areas a) To address the critical constraints support in crop planning activities b) Aid in proper management during the cropping season. 1.3 Piloting of framework Pilot the crop forecasting and planning framework across two crop cycles of Rabi 2022 and Kharif (rainy season) crops in at least one-two village in each of the four identified rainfed areas. Output 2: Capacities of rural extension workers enhanced to support farmers in making informed crop choices using framework 1. Training modules that are gender sensitive and socially inclusive for rural extension workers developed and trained rural extension workers, at least 10 workers covering one-two villages, in each of the identified locations in the state. Milestones for achieving (Output - 2) Requirements Milestones 2.1 Training module for rural extension workers developed 1) Training module for rural extension workers developed including selection criteria for rural extension worker a) handbooks b) Leaflets c) Posters d) video e) Other materials 2.2 Rural extension workers trained for extension services Rural youth identified and trained for providing extension services linked to crop planning model information. Solution approach & Implementation Procedure Implementation Approach: Nature Labs provide agriculture advisory and implementation services as follows. ● The objective of the consultative design and field-based process, will be delivered by Nature Labs ○ Determine the information needs of the farmers including women farmers, in the identified geographies ○ Determine the gaps in information availability and its usage to contribute to the overall TCP project objectives. ○ ● Consultative meeting and scope of location selection ○ Nature Labs will touch base with NRAA direction on the location identified ○ Collect the information on ■ Composite Index (CI) ■ Natural Resource Index (NRI) ■ Integrated Livelihood Index (ILI) ■ Dry Days ■ Drought Occurrences ■ Area under rainfed agriculture ■ Gender Ratio ■ any other parameters. ● Collaboration with the government agency ○ Nature Labs closely with existing government agencies ■ They are already providing advisory ● Physical ● Digital crop advisories in the identified areas. ○ The above assessment and other relevant information from the local authorities and appropriate national authorities will be used ■ To determine the interventions across the cropping cycle – ● pre-sowing ● sowing to pre-harvest ● harvesting to post-harvest. ● The interventions will cover the following aspects – 1) Hyperlocal Weather forecast and alerts for the local area 2) Groundwater availability 3) Soil typology, and soil health 4) Crop advisories 5) Pest and disease alerts 6) Market linkages and price alerts 7) Community engagement ● Utilize the existing project experiences ○ Nature Labs, where possible, will leverage the existing hardware of the state for the project implementation. ○ Outcome of the Nature Labs outcome will supplement the available information from the state and local authorities to make it relevant to the local conditions at the village level. ○ The log frame developed for generating advisories will be vetted by State Agriculture University (SAU)/ ICAR. ● Use of ICT ○ Nature Labs will use ICT (information and communication technology) tools, ■ mobile ■ web-based applications, ■ Appropriate technologies ● Sensors ● Automatic weather stations ● Any other hardware to implement the proposed interventions. Understanding the requirements Output - 1: Crop forecasting framework and model incorporating climate (weather), soil characteristics and market information developed and piloted to aid rainfed farmers to make informed decisions, which are gender sensitive and socially inclusive. Requirements Estimations* (*The tasks will be performed by 360 resources for the project duration of 15 months) 1) Crop forecasting framework and model developed 2) Pilot implementation locations identified ● Output-1:Develop-01 - Development of 675 man-days is estimated ● Output-1:Pilot-01 - Implementation efforts of 272 man-days are estimated 3) Constraints identified plus a review of eteristics & soil moisture, demand and price movements and cropping practices for each rainfed area, and a review of existing models for crop forecasting through primary and secondary research. ● Output-1:Identify-01 - Constraints identified efforts of 7 man-days is estimated 4) Develop suitable models and framework ● Output-1:Develop-02 - Development of suitable model efforts of 36 is estimated 5) Develop a gender-sensitive and social inclusive framework and models for most important crops grown in the 4 identified areas to address the critical constraints and support in crop planning activities and also aid in proper management during the cropping season. ● Output-1:Develop-03 - Development of important crops grown in 60 man-days are estimated 6) Piloting of framework Pilot the crop forecasting and planning framework across two crop cycles of Rabi 2022 and Kharif (rainy season) crops in at least one-two village in each of the four identified rainfed areas. existing models developed ● Output-1:Pilot-02 - Piloting of framework Pilot the crop forecasting and planning framework 40 man-days are estimated (Rabi & Kharif) 7) Identify issues related to climate parameters and soil characteristics. ● Output-1:Identify-02 - Identify issues related to climate parameters, soil characteristics efforts of 80 is estimated Output 2: Capacities of rural extension workers enhanced to support farmers in making informed crop choices using the framework 1. Training modules which are gender sensitive and social inclusion for rural extension workers developed and trained rural extension workers, at least 10 workers covering one-two village, in each of the identified locations in the state. A policy brief and policy recommendation developed Requirements Estimations* (*The tasks will be performed by 360 resources for the project duration of 15 months) 8) Training modules which are gender sensitive and socially inclusive for rural extension workers developed and trained rural extension workers, at least 10 workers covering one-two village, in each of the identified locations in the state ● Output-2:Training-02 - Training for rural extension workers efforts is 25 man-days are estimated 9) Training module for rural extension workers developed ● Output-2:Training-02 - Training module for rural extension workers developed, the effort is 40 man-days are estimated. 10) Training module for rural extension workers developed including selection criteria for rural extension worker (handbooks, leaflets, posters, video, etc.) ● Output-2:Training-03 - Training module for rural extension workers (handbooks, leaflets, posters, videos), the effort is 70 man-days is estimated. Rural extension workers trained for extension services Requirements Estimations* (*The tasks will be performed by 360 resources for the project duration of 15 months) 11) Rural youth identified and trained for providing extension services linked to crop planning model information. ● Output-2:Training-04 - Rural youth identified and trained for providing extension services linked to crop planning model information. the effort is 90 man-days estimated. 12) Capacities of rural extension workers enhanced to support farmers in making informed crop choices using the framework ● Output-2:Training-05 - Capability building informed crop choices using the framework effort is 120 man-days is estimated.