Forenoon, 12th January 2007

Afternoon of 12th January, 2007 and Forenoon of 13th January 2007

By PR Choudhury, S Naik, S Barik

Afternoon of 13th January 2007

By Theme Rapporteuers & PR Choudhury

Representatives from civil society, Govt departments, Research Institutions, tribal Clan leaders and NGO leaders from different parts of India graced this two days workshop and contributed to the cause of river basin development through wide ranging feedbacks.

Suggestions from the Participants

• There is need to correlate Secondary data with field visit findings i.e. primary data
• Identification of different water conflicts and their typologies should be studied in the basin area
• While using specific terminologies, their common/technical meaning should be adhered
• ‘Political Economy’ angle may be incorporated
• Methodology should be well defined for each processes
• Biodiversity & hot spot/Vulnerability mapping is required to be taken up in basin
• Cross-thematic analysis and linkages (Hydrology-NRM, NRM-R&G) should be done
• People’s perception on all themes may be incorporated
• Documentation of conflicts management & best practices adopted
• BRB approach should define its stand : Neutral perspectives or Scientific or Normative concern

Thematic Suggestion

1. HYDROLOGY

WATER BALANCE
• Mechanism of water balance should be clearly defined
• Periodic water balance studies in basin done by state may be referred
• Long time series data  may be collected for calculating water balance
• Some suggestive basis of water balance
• Estimate, use/withdrawl: primary or secondary:present or future
• Consider the return flow
• Sectoral conflicts in water use
• Crop seasonability and demand
• Climate change perspectives may be looked into

WATER QUALITY
• Heavy metal as water quality parameter should be studied
• Source wise water quality assessment should be done
• Microbial load and role of microbes should be studied
• Industrial effluents and sewage from urban body should be considered

FLOOD & WATER LOGGING
• Flood flow and embankment capacity analysis should be done
• Vulnerability mapping-water logging and salinity zone should be identified


2. Livelihood & Micro enterprise
• Livelihood shift should be studied in more details
• Delineation of livelihoods need to be done around water
• Incorporation of value chain and supply chain analysis is required for key livelihoods
• Driving force behind vegetable enhancement should be analyzed
• Status and scope of Artisan Sector in basin need to explored
• Consumerism-livelihood Vs subsistence-livelihoods need to be differentiated
• Defining Approach : Sustainable livelihood Or Rights based approach
• Delineation of Agri-based livelihood option
• More focus on non-farm based livelihoods and listing existing options
• Case study and best practices documentation on livelihood issues
• Corporatization of agriculture and its impact on Livelihoods- Case study of Bilati Orissa
• Migrant and child labour issues and reason behind this should be studied
• Livelihoods of displaced people should be studied
• Fisheries and livestock as livelihood option requires more attention
• Wage lobour in mining and impact on health should be studied
• Man days Vs Person days and gender segregation of employment
• Differentiating Income and livelihood


3. Natural Resources Management
• Cropping intensity Vs Irrigation percentage should be correlated
• Actual Vs potential irrigation area in basin need to be calculated
• Energy input to agriculture requires attention
• Food use pattern may be studied in the context of  Food & Nutritional security in basin
• Renewable energy status and its scope in basin
• People’s knowledge on NRM requires more attention and also documentation
• Cropping system vis-à-vis food habits of tribals in basin need to be understood
• Detailed Livestock analysis is required
• Community based conservation practices in basin should be documented
• Role of gender in NRM requires more focus
• Management aspects of Natural Resources should be incorporated
• Detailed and integrated analysis of data is required to understand links
• Integrating  Hydrology with NRM and NRM with R&G themes for better understanding of issues
• Land degradation rate and its impact after a particular benchmark year should be incorporated
• Current practices their cause and effect must be analyzed
• Basin biodiversity and impact of Industrialization on it should be studied


4. Rights & Governance
• Whose Governance Vs Whose  Rights : Understanding Stakeholders
• Micro-analysis of issues at field level needs to compliment macro-issues governance
• Historical perspectives of centralization and decentralization of NR and land alienation
• Perception of basin stakeholders about rights, typologies of rights , conflicts and arbitrations to be included
• Inventory of laws/policies related to NR and the conflicts/tensions among them
• Industrialization & mining and its impact on basin stakeholder’s health       and livelihood
• Dynamics of enforcement Institution and development Institution   
• Customary rights of tribal should be studied, particularly the works of N Patnaik in Keonjhar
• Access to natural resources and local self governance may be compared between scheduled and non-scheduled area
• Report may be reorganized with following inputs
• Differentiating institutions: Governance and production
• Analysis of rules, regulation, norms of institution and the present dynamics
• Institutional analysis from normative concerns : Governance Departments and People’s institutions
• NRM may be combined with R&G
• Contradictions and typologies of conflict
• Looking at livelihoods of landless and socially disadvantaged class
• Field level discussions with NGOs may be held more intensively for collection of information on R&G status in the basin
• Institutional analysis of past development institutions viz. Juang Development Agency to draw learning
• Analysis of mineral and industrial policy
• Analysis of state water policy in context of River Basin Boards
• Land uses like mining, contract farming, compensatory afforestation vs alienation of poor, tribal need to be studied
• Issues of relocation may be looked into from ‘choice’ point of view

Future Directions & Processes

• Maintaining scientific rigour and continuing to improve through peer review
• Maintaining ‘livelihood, environment and empowerment’ as central agenda
• Focusing on action research with developmental action
• Blending 90% research & 10% community perception to develop approach plan      
• Blending thematic outputs and coordinating linkages
• Synthesizing, analyzing and consolidating information and learning  
• Comprehending the problems & opportunities
• Vulnerability mapping (biophysical and socio-economic), scenario building, sensitivity analysis and development of approach paper with livelihood baskets mapping
• Developing a perspective plan and identifying key Monitoring and Evaluation system
• Clarifying role plays and coordination
• Analysis of structural and non-structural options
• Identification of cross cutting issues and sampling sites/villages in the basin for action and research
• Sensitizing stakeholders about critical issues and possibilities
• Institutional analysis and organizational mapping for identification of partners
• Collaborative partnership with NGOs, Academia and Govt Department s :Institutional analysis and organizational mapping for identifying partners
• Delineating portfolio of investment options