Wadi Based Livelihood Development Programme

NABARD has been closely associated with the implementation of an externally aided comprehensive Adivasi
Development Programme through ‘Wadi’ approach in collaboration with NGOs in Gujarat since 1995 and in
Maharashtra since 2000. The central focus of the programme is on “wadi” (small orchard) with other development
interventions like soil conservation, water resource development, community health and sanitation and women
development are woven as supporting components. Each wadi plot of one acre comprises of mango & cashew nut
(also amla in Maharashtra) plants surrounded by 500-600 forestry plants on the boundary. A special feature of the
programme is blending of grant with credit not only to ensure participants’ stake and involvement in the programme,
but also for self -reliance of the participants.

In these two states, over 25,800 tribal families have been brought under the programme and an area of around
24,000 acre, spread over 356 villages has been brought under 'wadis' of cashew and mango (and also amla in
Maharashtra) alongwith boundary plantation of fuel wood and fodder species. Production has already started in the
Gujarat programme with around 300 MT of cashew and 500 MT of mango, which has been instrumental in
establishing 10 village level processing units providing perennial employment to 180 landless tribal people, mostly of
which are women. Ten tribal co-operative societies have also been registered to facilitate the continuation of the
programme once the external support is withdrawn. A shift in cropping pattern towards commercial crops has
resulted in generating regular income. This has helped in developing saving habits through SHGs and has led to
reduced dependence on moneylenders.

The wadi model has been acclaimed worldwide as a sustainable and replicable model for poverty alleviation. The
project was presented as a successful replicable model for poverty alleviation in the developing countries at the
UNDP Forum of Ministers for Poverty and Environment in New York, USA in 1999 as well as at the Global Dialogue
in Hanover, Germany. This project was also exhibited in the “Basic Needs Pavilion” at the Expo-2000, GmbH,
Hanover.

Wadi model has been found to be very effective in creating sustainable livelihoods for tribal families. In order to
support similar deserving tribal families in other parts of the country, NABARD has created a dedicated fund called
"Tribal Development Fund" (TDF) with a corpus of Rs. 50 crore. The Fund will be used as loan/ grant to support wadi
and other sustainable micro enterprises undertaken by tribal families in tribal predominant areas of the country.

Further reading:

a. Programme Genesis
Genesis
b. Programme Area
c. What is “Wadi” ?
d. Programme Partners
e. Implementation Strategy
f. Programme Funding
g. Programme Achievements
 h. Strategy for Programme Replication
i. Tribal Development Fund
j. Future Outlook

Programme Genesis
The tribal population constituting around 8% of the population is mainly dependent on forests, livestock and
agriculture. But the dwindling forest resources, shrinking water table and poor fuel & fodder supply have jeopardized
their agriculture and livestock productivity. The small and marginal, fragmented and un-irrigated holdings capable of
raising a mono crop and low productive livestock population do not provide adequate resources and income for their
livelihood. Such factors, including their bigger family size, compel them to starve or migrate to nearby towns and
many a times to distant localities for subsistence.

The efforts are being made by the Government and Non Government Organizations (NGO) to provide financial and
technical assistance to the tribals through various schemes and development programmes in the country since
independence. These existing development schemes offer some relief to the tribals, but there is a recurrent relapse
to poverty due to various reasons. As a result, more than half of tribal population is still below poverty line and unable
to join the mainstream.

Among the various initiatives, Comprehensive Tribal Development Programme commonly known as "Wadi"
programme introduced during 1980s in Vansda, Gujarat by an NGO, BAIF Development Research Foundation
(BAIF), Pune has left a visible impact in a short span of time and stands out as a demonstrative and sustainable
model suitable for replication in other tribal areas too.

Programme Area
The "Wadi" programme sponsored by Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau(KfW), Germany is under implementation in two
states:
Gujarat since 1995: Valsad (Dharampur & Kaprada blocks) and Dangs Maharashtra since 2000: Nasik (Peint,
Triambak & Surgana blocks) and Thane (Mokhada block). Since 2007 another Wadi Programme has been been launched
in Dangs and Valsad districts of Gujarat named as ADPG - Phase 2 with the financial assistance from KFW
Germany.

The programme area is inhabited mainly by tribals. It is characterized by steep, undulating, inaccessible terrain,
heavy rainfall with high run offs. Remote and scattered habitations provide only harsh living conditions. Only one
third of the area is cultivable with negligible area under irrigation. The harsh livelihood conditions lead to high
morbidity and vicious cycle of poverty.

What is “Wadi” ?
The “Wadi” model of tribal development is holistic in approach addressing production, processing and marketing of
the produce and also other needs. The core of the programme is “Wadi” and other development interventions are
built around “Wadi”. The “Wadi”' in Gujarati means a 'small orchard' covering one or two acres. The ‘‘Wadi’’ as an
effective tool for tribal development evolved gradually out of two decades of concerted efforts made by BAIF in
Vansda (Gujarat). The “Wadi” may be of mango or cashew or amla or any fruit crop suitable to the area or a
combination of these tree crops, with forestry species on the periphery of the land holdings. Two or more tree crops
are selected in the ‘‘Wadi’’ model to minimize the climatic, biological and marketing risks. Tribal families having less
than 5 acre land is given 1 acre wadi each for raising 60 fruit plants suitable to local area and 600 forestry plants on
the boundary.

Other development interventions in the areas of environment, gender and health viz., soil conservation in the wadis,
water resource development, agriculture development, women development, health are woven around the wadi.

Water resources development: Even though the programme area receives an annual rainfall of 2500 mm, because
of steep slopes and rocky terrain, water retention is poor resulting in severe soil erosion and nutrient loss. As existing
water resources are not sufficient to irrigate ‘‘Wadi’’ plots, run off water is harvested through construction of
temporary check bunds across river streams and development ofperennial springs. The spring water is used for
drinking as well as irrigation purposes. Pot drip irrigation is provided for the fruit plants in the initial 3 years of
plantation as protective irrigation.

Soil conservation measures viz., bunding, tree platforms, the combination of these two and trench-cum-bund based
on field level requirements have been introduced from the first year. The participants are paid for the soil
conservation and plantation work done by them in their fields.

Health Programme : Some of the basic problems faced by the tribal families are related to malnutrition, illness and
inaccessibility to health care. Community health programme focuses on mother and child health care (MCH) as well
as primary and preventive health care. The participants are educated on sanitation and hygiene. The local youth,
especially women, called Village Health Guides (VHG) are trained in diagnosis and treatment of common illness and
serious cases are referred to appropriate facilities.

Women Development: There has been an increased emphasis on women’s participation in the programme. The
major activities taken up are promotion of SHGs, income generation activities, drudgery reduction along with
awareness generation about reproductive health and development aspects.

The income generating activities included fruit and forest plant nurseries, vegetable cultivation, produce collection,
papad making, vermi composting etc. In order to reduce drudgery of women, three major activities are taken up in
the field. They are smokeless stoves, use of bearings in the traditional grinding stones and pedal thresher for paddy.

Support to Landless:Besides the land holding families, the programme has supported landless by providing micro-
enterprises in farm and non-farm sectors and employment opportunities in processing units.

Processing and Marketing: The programme has been designed to ensure assured market and remunerative prices
for the wadi related produce. Decentralised processing facilities for cashew and mango are established under the
cooperative fold with two levels viz., village and cooperative (central). This has facilitated creation of employment
opportunities for landless tribal families in the project area and also ensured appropriate price for the farm produce,
by providing captive market for the raw material and better returns through value addition.

Programme Partners
Under the bilateral cooperation between Government of Germany and Government of India, MoEA, GoI acts as a
regulatory and linkage body between donor and receiver countries. The development partners in wadi programme
and their respective role are described as below:

i. Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau(KfW), a Development Bank of Germany is providing grant support of Euro
36.00 million (Rs.173 crore) for a period of 10 years for each programme in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
ii. NABARD is responsible for channelising funds, coordination, monitoring and evaluation.
iii. DHRUVA for Gujarat / Maharashtra Institute of Technology Transfer for Rural Areas MITTRA for
Maharashtra - the principal implementing agencies supported by BAIF Development Research Foundation,
Pune.
iv. Village Ayojana Samitis (VAS - People's Organisations) are executing the programme at village level.

Implementation Strategy
Tribal families having less than 5 acres of land, willing to stay in the village and willing to contribute family labour for
the orchard development and also those who are free from bad habits like drinking etc., are selected.

The wadi programme lays emphasis on people's participation throughout the implementation process. The
establishment of village level people's organisations called Village Ayojan Samitis (VAS) has been the strongest
grass root level institution for planning and implementing the programme. The VAS is a village level committee
comprising of representatives elected from amongst the wadi participants for planning and executing the programme.

Programme Funding
The programme is supported by a grant assistance of Rs. 130.00 crore by a German development bank viz.,
Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau(KfW). The core wadi and other components are supported with grant assistance. A
unique feature of the funding mechanism is blending of grant with credit not only to ensure participants’ stake and
involvement in the programme, but also for self -reliance of the participants.As the programme progressed with
‘‘Wadi’’ establishment and income generating activities, loan assistance is given to the tribal participants to support
income generating activities, micro enterprises, water resources development and other emergent needs under
Alternative Credit Delivery System in far flung unbanked areas. This innovative credit programme is being
implemented through NGO, peoples’ organisations and SHGs.

Programme at a Glance (As on 31 January 2007)

Sr. No. Particulars Gujarat Maharashtra

Phase 1 Phase 2
1 Programme area launched Valsad & Valsad & Nasik & Thane
Dangs Dangs
2 Launched in 1995 2007 2000
 3 Target [tribal families] 10000 4700 12000
4 Participant families 12896 -- 13848
[Achievement]
5 Area brought under wadi 12732 -- 12293

Programme Achievements
The programme has completed 11 years in Gujarat and 6 years in Maharashtra. In this short span, it has made
significant socio-economic and ecological impact. The programme has been recognized by national and international
agencies for the change it has brought about in the lives of tribal families. Arresting migration and soil and water
erosion are the major benefits derived so far. Other major achievements are:

• “Wadis” spread over 25,000 acre on the private land of 26,744 families have been established. These lands
considered as wastelands and non-productive assets, have become productive and sustainable assets.
• The availability of protective irrigation through water resources development has increased cropping
intensity. A shift in cropping pattern towards commercial crops such as vegetables and pulses has resulted
in generating regular income.
• The production of vermicomposting and NADEP compost and emphasis on bio-pesticides in the programme
have opened up avenues for production of organically grown produce.
• Seasonal migration has been reduced to a great extent as ‘‘Wadi’’ provides year round employment
opportunities to tribal families. This has also resulted in increased attendance in schools.
• The production of around 350 MT of cashew and 500 MT of mango has opened up avenues for processing
activities.
• There is a substantial rise in employment opportunities for landless in procuring and marketing of farm
produce and processing of cashew and mango as well as other income generating activities in non-farm
sector.
• The health programme has reduced the incidences of infectious diseases in the area and has improved
health and sanitation in the villages.
• The successful functioning of VASs and SHGs has developed confidence among the participants in asset
and fund management.
• SHG movement has provided voice to tribal women and brought out their entrepreneurial skills which is
demonstrated by the micro enterprises and income generating activities such as nursery management,
vermicomposting etc. undertaken by them.
• Initiation of informal credit delivery system (credit through VASs and SHGs) has increased access of tribals
to credit for income generation. It has inculcated saving and repayment habits.
• Non-participant families have started adopting the ‘‘Wadi’’ model in the programme area.
• This project was also exhibited in the “Basic Needs Pavilion” at the Expo-2000, Hannover.

NABARD’s Initiatives for Programme Replication

Consultative Meets
NABARD organised Consultative Meets based on the experience of implementing wadi programme in Gujarat. The
objective of the Meets was to spread the message of wadi model facilitating its replication in other potential areas.
Participants for the Meets included district level Government officials, Tribal Development Commissioners, NGOs and
NABARD officials.

Tribal Development Fund(TDF)

In order to replicate the wadi concept in potential areas throughout the country, NABARD had created a Tribal
Development Fund during 2004-05 with a corpus of Rs 50 crore, which is being augmented from time to time. As on
31 March 2009, NABARD has sanctioned 112 integrated tribal development projects benefiting more than 93,000
tribal families in 19 states and UT of Dadra & Nagar Haveli with a commitment of Rs 307 crore.

Status of TDF projects

Future Outlook
In India, 70% of the rural population depending on agriculture for livelihood are either unemployed or underemployed
for most part of the year. The dependence on agriculture, which is largely rainfed, has made their position insecure
and livelihood unreliable. To this end, the “Wadi” programme as explained in the foregoing paragraphs, though
targets only tribal communities, stands tall among the various such programmes implemented so far. The philosophy,
approach and strategy of ‘‘Wadi’’ model is replicable and applicable to all rural poor. The model so tested deserves to
be supported in other states and in other regions within the state. With adoption of the principles and approach of
wadi programme, the quality of life of rural poor on sustainable basis can be ensured through converting their
wastelands/ unproductive lands into productive orchards.

Reprinted with due credit to NABARD

[For more information on this contact www.nabard.org]