Pilot Andhra Pradesh Drought Adaptation Initiative (AP DAI)                   

 I. Major Pilots In Mahabubnagar and Ananthapur:

Rainfed Land Development:

250 ac land is identified in each village (total 13 villages) and farmers are organised into groups of 15-20. Crop systems are planned to include income, food grains, fodder and biomass for soil fertility as objectives.  All the initiatives (from the experience of 1^st phase) related Rainfed Land Development focusing on soil fertility improvement (composting, green manuring, intercropping, mulching, green manuring, liquid manure application, tank silt application, etc); biomass improvement (bund plantation, dry land fruit trees, crop diversification); Non Pesticidal pest Management (NPM); soil conservation (earthen bunding, farm ponds); livestock Integration; support systems for availability of farm implements, marketing support are integrated. Process steps in planning and implementing are worked out. This is integrated into APREGS.

Community Managed Seed Banks :

Three such seed banks are established with VO as an anchor and also as a business model. This will be a backup support system for Rainfed Land Development Programme. Seed indents were collected from SHGs and consolidated at VO level. At the end of the season the seed will be collected from the members. Collaboration with the Agriculture Department is also established. This year’s experience will provide a basis for scaling up.

Seed production activity is considered as support seed system for seed banks and caters the needs of Rainfed Land Development Programme farmers. In Mahabubnagar, seed production of groundnut (K6), red gram (IPG 158), cluster bean and few millet from breeder seed is also taken up through seed bank.

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