Participants in a national workshop on SRI convened October 10, hosted at the National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research in cooperation with the NGO PRADAN, agreed to form a National Consortium on SRI to advance the understanding and utilization of SRI methods across India. PPT by BC Barah and C Shambu Prasad

1. National SRI Consortium: Objectives and Roles B C Barah and C Shambu Prasad

2. The year of SRI activities as background

3. Why a national consortium? Lot happening on field on SRI, SCI that needs to inform national level policies Positioning of SRI despite its enormous spread is poor, India can be world leader but SRI not mainstreamed Upscaling SRI requires working in partnership and different institutional mechanisms for research and extension ICAR and agricultural universities still not on board Field level agencies on SRI need greater support for scaling No research policy on SRI despite some excellent researchers

4. SRI map draft aug 2010 ICRISAT 45-50% of districts already doing SRI in GRER

5. SRI has had rapid spread in last few years through CSOs – 2010 estimates (before kharif 2010) One lakh farmers 12,000 odd hectares, 160 districts

6. National Consortium Vision statement To enable India to provide global/international leadership on agroecological innovations that reduce agrarian distress by demonstrating enhanced farmer incomes through sustainable eco-friendly and resource conserving (and enhancing) systems of crop intensification through novel institutional mechanisms that build on farmers knowledge, enhance local capacities with active participation of civil society, researchers and government agencies.

7. Mission statement Ensuring sustainable income and food security for five million farmers, especially the vulnerable sections through accelerated adoption of science-led systems of crop intensification while achieving increased productivity and resource conservation.

8. Objectives of consortium.. For discussion Synergising experiences, expertise and other resources on SRI built over time needed for accelerated SRI promotion. Derive strategy for upscaling of SRI, identify and address sustainability issues Set up vibrant MIS and Data base management Expand the scope of SRI secretariat for capacity strengthening of the stakeholders Strengthening research capability & training policy maker and research leaders (Course curriculum at under graduate and post graduate level on SRI, ICAR/SAU research scientist, KVK, ATMA) Built up and maintain updated data base on rice and other sectors Identify core groups of management of NCS Identify future research needs and plan dissemination strategies

9. Functions of the consortium SRI Consortium will provide strategic support and serve as a learning platform for : Mainstreaming SRI promotional programs Research on SRI Linking various actors and promoting partnerships in the implementation, training, research, monitoring, evaluation and learning and advocacy Emphasis on using vibrant human resource support (from the associates in the consortium) for mainstream SRI promotional programs Develop and compile training modules, resource material etc. for supporting orientation and capacity building programs by providing resources for support in continuum. To develop state of art and updated management information system (MIS) and maintain information base on SRI experiences and performance both at farm level and aggregative level. Documentation of comprehensive compendium of farmers’ experiences, programs, research publications etc. and website. Mobilizing resources for the above purposes.

10. Membership and Structure Group 2 What is the nature of consortium? How to build up strong partnership with various constituent groups (Govt, FI, CSO, Research system) Does the consortium require a secretariat / anchor? If yes, With full-time staff members or an existing organization? If needed, whether they will be on deputation from different organizations / departments / or hired from open market. To build up strong bondage between government programme, research and development system and civil society Fund raising initiative for running the consortium

11. Roles of National SRI Secretariat Strategising SRI mainstreaming Organising learning alliance meetings of this kind on regular basis (once in 2 months) to help plan, strategise and synergise activities Linking Research agencies with SRI extension agencies through new institutional mechanisms Mainstreaming SRI through Developing standard training modules, communication material. Develop training roster, organizing filed day, films, other publicity materials for dissemination at various disaggregated level. Providing necessary technical backstopping to the implementing agencies Use and strengthen the existing organizations, programme to make them more effectives (farmer groups, SHG, FFS, KVK, ATMA, e-portals etc. Developing and managing the centralized MIS (a web based tool will be developed into which the field data can be directly entered) High quality publications that highlight knowledge delivery on the experiences and, knowledge and experience dissemination.

12. Types of organisations in Consortium CSOs at field level at the forefront of extension – PSI, PRADAN, AKRSP, Orissa learning alliance, Banglar SRI etc. Govt agencies leading SRI – Tripura, IAMWARM in TN Researchers … to hopefully research agencies Financial institutions – NABARD DRD, NFSM, NRLM, Planning commission Consortium facilitators – NCAP, PRADAN RRC, XIMB, WASSAN, SRI secretariat of SDTT

13. Breakout groups to elaborate Group 1 Functions and Role of consortium BikshamGujja, Diwakar, SoumenBiswas Group 2 Structure and functioning of NCS and secretariat BiswanathSinha, BhagyaLakshmi, Group 3Strategies, approaches and proposed activities of the consortium TM Thiyagarajan, Sharat Singh, AmodThakur

14. Plenary Report to plenary in 20 mins with further suggestions Consolidated view of this will be taken up in afternoon plenary and beyond