West Bengal Accelerated Development of Minor Irrigation Project - Phase II

active

The Project consists of the following components:- Component A: Strengthening community-based institutions(a) Developing WUAs for new schemes. The component will, among other things, sensitize, mobilize, and establish new WUAs and support them in developing their skills and competencies to plan, operate, and manage irrigation schemes. This will include establishing governance procedures and social accountability mechanisms, developing equitable and sustainable water sharing and utilization systems, and developing as well as implementing their respective Scheme Cluster Development Management Plans (SCDMPs).(b) Strengthening WUAs for existing schemes. The component will, among other things, map and assess WUAs’ performance; recommend and implement organizational strengthening activities; and design and deliver core training modules on operationalizing women’s representation, leadership skills, decision-making in WUAs, and social audits tools. It will include capacity building activities on governance, O&M of irrigation services, systems building for accounting and record keeping, social accountability, and sustainable water sharing and utilization.(c) Establishing internal and external links. The component will, among other things, facilitate vertical integration of WUAs to function as collective; build capacity of WUAs on management and entrepreneurship through exposure visits, trade affairs, and structured training; provide targeted training and capacity building to strengthen management capabilities of women members in WUAs; and formalize links between WUAs and farmer producer organizations (FPOs).- Component B: Minor irrigation servicesThe component will improve access to water for irrigation, fisheries, and other livelihood activities through developing minor irrigation scheme clusters, including check dams (of less than 5 m in height in small streams), small-scale storage structures (ponds ranging from 400 to 4,000 m2), creek rehabilitation (up to 1.5 km), open dug wells, and tube wells; and scaling up water efficiency technologies, such as improved conveyance and application systems and irrigation scheduling informed by soil moisture measurements.- Component C: Agricultural support services(a) Agricultural crops. The component will invest in providing agricultural advisory services for field crops that are demand driven. The activities will include promoting efficient water management, high-yielding crop varieties, better agronomic practices, integrated soil fertility and nutrient management, integrated pest management and organic farming techniques, and other good agricultural practices.(b) Horticulture. The component will support farmers in participating in fruit, vegetable, and floriculture supply chains that are of higher value than field crops. It will include carrying out farmers’ risk profiling, providing advisory services on good agricultural practices and innovative technologies, such as managing soil fertility and pests, formulating buyback arrangements and other contract farming in partnership with agribusiness companies, and promoting precision farming. It will also support WUAs in procuring critical inputs such as hybrid seeds and planting materials and piloting post-harvest facilities for grading, packing, branding, storing, and transporting produce. (c) Aquaculture. The component will promote aquaculture through demonstrating and distributing modern technology practices, such as use of fish feed formulated with locally available ingredients, fingerling production and supply, cage fish culture, and culture-cum-capture models. It will also promote fish storage, transportation, and marketing. Inland fish production in tanks, ponds, and other inland water bodies can provide alternate livelihood to landless and marginal farmers. - Component D: Project management and technical support (a) Project implementation and coordination. The component will provide technical assistance, carry out training, acquire equipment, and finance incremental operating costs to strengthen the State Project Management Unit (SPMU) and District Project Management Units (DPMUs) to implement the Project, including modern facilities for adva nced planning and execution.(b) Organizational development. The component will provide technical assistance to the DWRID to institutionalize the best practices in implementation arrangements, processes, and design standards, including by establishing a cell for WUA development and support and a cell on planning and monitoring.