Sustainable Land Management in Meghalaya (Grant Component)

General

The project on sustainable agriculture in Meghalaya (grant component) serves to prepare and implement an overall project aimed at promoting agro-ecological and organic agricultural cultivation practices including marketing in the state of Meghalaya and in India (loan component). Œ ŒWhile economic contribution of Meghalaya's agricultural sector declined in the past years, 83% of the state's population is still dependent on agriculture (with a majority of small and marginal farming households). Most of the produce is naturally grown with little or no chemical inputs. However, consumption of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is comparatively higher in small and marginal holdings. Furthermore, agricultural produce is sold or consumed with little or no value addition. Many farmers lack access to information, production enhancing technologies, suitable agricultural inputs and livestock feed. Œ ŒWith the help of efficient and functional support structures, the project aims at establishing sustainable land management practices and value chains. Therefore, the project supports the establishment of a fully operational Project Management Unit (PMU) with qualified staff and state-of-the-art operating procedures, guidelines and cooperation agreements. Furthermore, Packages of Practices (PoP) for traditional farming methods on key commodities which comply with acknowledged agro-ecological principles are to be introduced. Finally, the preparatory project supports the establishment and development of functioning and sustainable value chains for at least two agricultural products. Œ ŒThe target group of the project are small and marginal agricultural households in 11 districts in the state of Meghalaya. The project executing agency is the Meghalaya Basin Management Authority (MBMA). The total cost of the grant component is the equivalent of EUR 6.45 million, of which EUR 4.49 is to be financed from an FC grant.

Objectives

The project on sustainable agriculture in Meghalaya (grant component) serves to prepare and implement an overall project aimed at promoting agro-ecological and organic agricultural cultivation practices including marketing in the state of Meghalaya and in India (loan component). Œ ŒWhile economic contribution of Meghalaya's agricultural sector declined in the past years, 83% of the state's population is still dependent on agriculture (with a majority of small and marginal farming households). Most of the produce is naturally grown with little or no chemical inputs. However, consumption of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is comparatively higher in small and marginal holdings. Furthermore, agricultural produce is sold or consumed with little or no value addition. Many farmers lack access to information, production enhancing technologies, suitable agricultural inputs and livestock feed. Œ ŒWith the help of efficient and functional support structures, the project aims at establishing sustainable land management practices and value chains. Therefore, the project supports the establishment of a fully operational Project Management Unit (PMU) with qualified staff and state-of-the-art operating procedures, guidelines and cooperation agreements. Furthermore, Packages of Practices (PoP) for traditional farming methods on key commodities which comply with acknowledged agro-ecological principles are to be introduced. Finally, the preparatory project supports the establishment and development of functioning and sustainable value chains for at least two agricultural products. Œ ŒThe target group of the project are small and marginal agricultural households in 11 districts in the state of Meghalaya. The project executing agency is the Meghalaya Basin Management Authority (MBMA). The total cost of the grant component is the equivalent of EUR 6.45 million, of which EUR 4.49 is to be financed from an FC grant.