ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION :

‘State of Orissa’s Environment’ Documentation during 1990-1993 was the first programme, which led to creation of awareness on environmental issues and CPSW participated actively in the ongoing environmental movements in the State. State level Environmentalists and Social Activists Meet (July, 1990), Seminar on Women, Environment and Development (July, 1991), seminar on impact of Big Dams in 1992, Orissa Environment Congress (May, 1992) and Regional Round Table on Women and Environment (August, 1992) are some of the major events organized by CPSW, which prompted public debate and pressure on environmental issues. A 42-day state wide campaign was organized in 1993 called “jana jungle chetana jatra”.
CPSW participated in campaign for reduction of industrial pollution in Angul-Talcher area during 1992 till 1997. A state wide education and advocacy was carried out against commercial species and replacement of natural forests during 1993-96.

FOREST, BIO-DIVERSITY AND WILD LIFE CONSERVATION:

“BIODIVERSITY REFERS TO THE VARIETY AND VARIABILITY OF ALL LIFE IN THE PLANET I.E. ALL SPECIES OF PLANTS, ANIMALS AND MICRO-ORGANISMS, THE ECOSYSTEMS AND ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF WHICH THEY ARE PARTS.”

Reduction of pressure on forests and scientific management practices are resulting in better growth. Regeneration and management of forest areas are the priority areas. Forest protection committees have been organized to protect the forests. We support nursery raising, community and family forestry programmes. Releasing more and more forest land from shifting cultivation and allowing for regeneration is one of the major strategies followed by us. Promotion of eco-tourism will be pursued as a means of livelihood for the eco-system dependent people..

COMMUNITY BASED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS:

Environment is integrally linked to the livelihoods and subsistence of local people. CPSW is making innovative models in the selected area to address the issue of Degrading Environment –Livelihood inter-relationship which is spiraling down with continued decrease in carrying capacity of the local Natural resources. Looking at this problem, CPSW has initiated its action based programme to improved rural livelihoods and sequestrating carbon to mitigate climate change through adoption of Agro forestry based natural resource management in eastern India.

Formation and strengthening of self-help groups provide the critical social infrastructure to involve everyone in the community to initiate intensive Natural Resource Management. Awareness building about conservation-livelihood synergy, entrepreneurship motivation training, visioning exercises, NRM planning exercises etc. are undertaken with adequate training and exposure for acquiring the know-how.

Climate Change, Carbon Sequestration and Livelihoods:

The Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was developed in 1997 as an attempt to confront and begin to reverse the rising CO2 concentrations, to cut emissions of greenhouse gases between 2008 and 2012 to levels 5.2 per cent below 1990 levels. By June 2005, 150 countries had ratified the Kyoto Protocol, including 34 of the 38 industrialized nations whose emissions account for 61.6 per cent of all industrialized nations' emissions.

Emissions of CO2 from land use and land-use change represent up to 20 per cent of current CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels. Changes in land-use can positively impact atmospheric CO2 concentrations by either decreasing emissions that would occur without intervention, or sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere into vegetation and the associated soil. Preventing deforestation, decreasing the impact of logging or preventing the drainage of wetlands or peat lands are practices that decrease emissions. In contrast, planting trees, changing agricultural tillage or cropping practices, or re-establishing grasslands sequester carbon.

The Kyoto Protocol recognized the role that changes in the use of land and forests have on the global carbon cycle. Parties to the Protocol can use credits generated either by sequestering carbon or by reducing carbon emissions from land use to help them reach their reduction targets. So Afforestation / reforestation through agro forestry interventions is one of the established tool to reclamation the soil and environment and can address improvement of rural livelihood as well as mitigate climate change.

Natural Resource Management & Land Based Livelihoods:

Shifting Cultivation and Livelihood Security:

The economy of tribal people in Kondhmal district is traditionally based on shifting cultivation. 90% tribals were engaged in such practices. Majority of the agriculture land are hilly and non-irrigated. The rotation period of farming is reduced to 2/3 years. But gradually by transferring the technical knowledge to the tribals, the land use pattern has been changed. The people have also been aware of the evil effects of shifting cultivation mainly depletion of the forests and land. Due to high slopes and lack of conservation measures, soil erosion is very high. The productivity of land and soil fertility has declined over the years. Shifting cultivation is highly labour-intensive, starting from slash and burn in February-March to harvest of crops in December-January. Massive weed infestation, protection of croops from grazing of animals and wildlife, rats are causing a lot of problems. However, due to non-availability of low land, the dependency continues. Gradually, people are switching over to other practices. Now besides their traditional subsistence crops, the tribals have taken cultivation of ginger and turmeric both regarded as high earning crops with an income of about Rs.5000/- to Rs.6000/- per year.

Agriculture being an important livelihood option for a significant proportion of the families, the project places emphasis on the needs of small and marginal farmers as well as landless families who are often the most sufferers. The project attempts to examine opportunities for assisting the farmers to make their farming systems more resilient, diverse and productive. It believes that this could be done through participatory processes aimed at improving and diversifying crop species and varieties, cultural practices, and associated technologies.

Our objective is to ensure that each and every marginal and small farmer has at least one to two acres of dry land protected from drought. At the same time, to bring a new rain fed cropping strategy which will be able to withstand water scarcity by introducing such crops and taking up soil conservation measures to increase moisture retention capacity of soil. Also, by introducing more shorter variety paddy and less water consuming crops such as arhar, oil sedds etc. would reduce the impact of drought and give more cash income. Planting Jatropha (Bio-Diesel Plant) in the fence areas and bunds, bamboo, Amla, fruit plants etc. would give a good amount of additional income of about 5-8,000 Rupees per annum. This practice has improved production, covered risks (one crop giving yields while other is affected), and a good amount of area is covered by protective irrigation. There is great need to cover most of the landless and marginal farmer’s under this programme.

Objectives of cropping systems strategy to be adopted are:

I. Increase crop diversity & productivity;

II. Improve crop management;

III. Improve household nutritional security;

There would be some concrete measures to raise the productivity and bring adequate diversification into agricultural practices. Important dimensions of diversification include: creating additional irrigation potential, harnessing the groundwater potential as a conjunctive source of surface water irrigation reducing the risk of poor management of water resources through users’ participation, application of scientifically proven modern technologies, raising productivity through inter-cropping, and organic farming. As 70 per cent of the gross cropped area is rain fed and exposed to vagaries of the monsoon, proper management of existing irrigation infrastructures through people’s participation by strengthening WUAs (Water Users’ Associations).

The other important aspect of agricultural development is diversification of cropping pattern. The farmers cannot depend solely on rice production, and it is imperative that steps be taken for cultivation of cash crops in which the area has a comparative advantage. As most of the cultivable areas are rainfed, in upland areas cultivation of drought resistant crops and varieties like ragi, greengram, blackgram, and groundnut are to be encouraged. This will reduce the distress of farmers by providing additional sources of income and employment. Instead of paddy cultivation, steps for development of horticulture should be taken as a complementary measure (Orissa is already specializing in the production of vegetables). Efforts will be made to mobilize investment in agriculture, particularly for the purchase of small tools and implements, cattle, cheap and collateral free credit facilities through self-help group (SHG)-Bank linkage programme of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will be an important aspect. The measures are also proposed to develop post-harvest processing, storage and value added products.

Specific activities are:

·     Technological Interventions
·     Promotion of Organic Farming
·     Soil and Water Conservation
·     Crop Diversification
·     Seed Banks
·     Post-harvest processing, storage and value-addition

TECHNOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS:

1.Introduction of Micro-irrigation Technology i.e. Drum Kit, Pressure Pump etc. with the    assistance of International Development Enterprises(India).

2. Drudgery reduction Technologies viz Surface Treadle Pump ( STP ).

3. Introduction of Vermi-wash.

4. Introductory trials of Orange flesh Sweet potato with the assistance of International Potato     Centre, Central Tuber Crop Research Institute.

Organic Farming:
The tribal agriculture system was traditionally based on principles of sustainability and subsistence. The influence of modern agriculture and the pressure for higher productivity and income has led to use of external and synthetic inputs. This trend is of very recent origin and will affect adversely their food security in long run. Specially, in the tribal context and in semi-arid conditions, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides will make agriculture more vulnerable and will pose a serious challenge to sustain it. Not only this, the impact of pesticides on human health for both the consumers and agricultural laborers as a slow killer is a grave concern all over the world.

The agro-climatic conditions and bio-diversity as well as the culture of tribal people are most suitable for promotion of organic farming in the project. There is a growing market potential and consumer awareness for organic products in India and Europe, which will become an incentive for its promotion.

There is a growing recognition of organic farming as an alternative eco-friendly low external input sustainable form of agriculture. Organic Farming is defined as “ an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances bio-diversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain, enhance ecological harmony.” The farming system is characterized by basic principles such as bio-diversity, integration, sustainability, natural plant nutrition and natural pest management. This is accomplished by using, where possible, agronomic, biological and mechanical methods by eliminating the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and breeds, preservatives, additives and irradiation to fulfill any specific function within the system.



Agro Forestry & AGRO HORTICULTURE:

Padar’ in the project area relate to relatively plane/slope uplands at the foothills, which for most part of the year remain un-utilized, except being sporadically cultivated for some oil seeds, largely due to moisture and inadequate fertility. It was envisaged that development of agriculture on this type of land would help to increase productivity, reduce dependency on slope land/shifting cultivation, help in soil moisture conservation on low lands as well as allow regeneration of forests on slope lands.

SOIL – WATER CONSERVATION:

Watershed Development principles are considered vital and we adopt an integrated approach to management of natural resources. All the operational areas of CPSW are divided into Micro-watersheds as units of management and undertaking treatment measures on a scientific manner. The nature of treatments and technologies vary from area to area depending on topography, soil, slope, rainfall and state of degradation.

WD was first initiated by CPSW in Nuapada district during 1995-96. CPSW was selected as a PIA (Project Implementing Agency) by the Western Orissa Rural Livelihood Programme (WORLP) for Komana block of Nuapada district where 5 micro- watersheds are developed.