SLEM Scaling Up

The main objectives of this component are to prevent land degradation and desertification and to increase above-ground forest carbon stock through a combination of activities to implement and scale-up tried-and-tested sustainable land and ecosystem management (SLEM) best practices, to increase national capacity for monitoring land degradation, and to track associated indicators and generate knowledge exchange on SLEM approaches. This component has following three sub-components:

  • Scaling-up of SLEM best practices
  • Building national capacity for land degradation and desertification monitoring
  • Development and implementation of a national knowledge network

Sub-Component 1. Scaling up of SLEM Best Practices: 

ICFRE has documented 22 best practices for sustainable land and ecosystem management (SLEM) under the World Bank funded SLEM Project. Out of all the identified SLEM best practices, ICFRE envisages up-scaling of selected, tested and proven SLEM best practices in the common property resource lands,private lands and non-forest areas as per their location specific and suitability in the selected landscapes of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Following activities to be done under this sub-component:

  • Application and scaling up of the existing, tested and proven SLEM best practices
  • Selection of areas and beneficiaries for upscaling of SLEM best practices
  • Identification of monitorable indicators which are likely to get impacted positively by project activities
  • Obtaining necessary inputs (seeds/seedlings/organic inputs, and so forth) for applying identified SLEM best practices
  • Financing of small works (construction of check dams/gully plugs/soil-moisture conservation works/drainage line improvement, and so forth) for improving the common property resources
  • Awareness building on use of SLEM best practices across different stakeholders (beneficiaries and extension workers) by various means like exposure visits, workshop etc.
  • Preparation of training manual, publicity materials, knowledge products, success stories etc.
  • Trainings to different stakeholders (beneficiaries and extension workers) for applying identified SLEM best practices
  • Support for agro-forestry based activities through stakeholder awareness, capacity building and technological support (improved seeds/saplings/ techniques), value addition and market linkages with technological institutes such as Krishi Vigyan Kendra, state agriculture departments and CBOs etc.
  • Capacity building of Van Vigyan Kendra and nurseries for promoting restoration of degraded common property resources through trainings, sensitizing workshops and preparation of new extension material, etc.
  • Study for strengthening of the existing Van Vigyan Kendra
  • Capacity building of community and technical support for afforestation in degraded forests and establishing linkages with other afforestation programs
  • Development of a community of practice by connecting stakeholders with common interests in adopting and expanding SLEM approaches
  • Organization and implementation of learning events at the interface of the community, farm, and common lands
  • Technical support for the preparation and dissemination of SLEM knowledge products

A number of SLEM best practices have been implemented in the ESIP landscapes of Chhattisgarh (CG) and Madhya Pradesh (MP). In 2019 – 20, one SLEM best practice was implemented in CG. In 2020-21, eight activities covering four best SLEM best practices were implemented in CG and MP. In 2021-22, eight activities covering two best SLEM best practices were implemented in CG and MP. A total of 7483 people till now has become direct beneficiaries of these programs. Various villages benefitted and number of men, women and tribals, etc. involved in the activities are listed below.

SLEM best practices scaled up in the ESIP landscapes of CG and MP in April 2019 – March 2020

S. No. SLEM best practices No. of events Direct Beneficiaries Indirect Beneficiaries Total
Direct and Indirect Beneficiaries		 Area Coverage (Ha.) State Village/ JFMC
Men Women Tribals Vulnerable communities Total
1 System of Rice Intensification 1 3 2 3 0 5 20 25 2.5 CG Amaratikra, Matiyadand, Tethitola (Rumga) and Bansital in Marwahi FD.

SLEM best practices scaled up in the ESIP landscapes of CG and MP in April 2020 – March 2021

S. No. SLEM best practices No. of events Direct Beneficiaries Indirect Beneficiaries Total Direct and Indirect Beneficiaries Area Coverage (Ha.) State Village/ JFMC
Men Women Tribals Total

1

 Integrated Farm Development for sustainable land productivity 2 351 110 364 461 2289 2750 38.5 MP Naganpur, Chachmau, Khatpura, Akola, Paraswada, Saidganj, Pahad khedi in Sehore FD.
CG Amania, Bhangitola, Rahidand, Rokhani, Neur, Rukhmidadar, Taitrini, Amalitola, Chanwari Para, Jamnipani, Jamnipani, Kanhaiya Para, Karanawadhi, Karanawapara, Parsapani,Kesari, Naugai, Raghunathnagar, Rameshpur, Girwani (Manbasa), Babhani and Shankarpur in Kawardha, Katghora and Balrampur FDs.

2

 Lac Cultivation for livelihood generation and biodiversity conservation 1 180 2 153 182 728 910 182 CG Rumga, Danikundi, Bansital, Kolbira, Baghra, Nakka,  Madai, Matiyadand, Pathara, Silpahari, Amaratikra and Amaramohri (Tohla) in Marwahi FD.

3

 Rain water harvesting and augmentation of water resources 3 250 69 244 319 1276 1595 565.48 CG Thaitola (Rumga), Matiyadand, Amaratikra, Shankarpur, Rameshpur, Babani in Marwahi/ Balrampur FDs.
MP Banabaheda, Koyalbuddi, Tetarmal, Kachhar, Banspani, Peepalgota, Nayagaon, Pipriyakhurd, Lalpani in North Betul/ Hoshangabad FDs.

4

 Climate proofing fish farming 2 18 3 9 21 31 52 33 CG Bansital in Marwahi FD.
MP Chachmao in Sehore FD.
  Grand Total 8 799 184 770 983 4324 5307 818.98    

SLEM best practices scaled up in the ESIP landscapes of CG and MP in April 2021 – March 2022

S. No. SLEM best practices No. of events Direct Beneficiaries Indirect Beneficiaries Total Direct and Indirect Beneficiaries Area Coverage (Ha.) State Village/ JFMC
Men Women Tribals Total

1

 Lac Cultivation for livelihood generation and biodiversity conservation 2 1186 270 864 1456 7032 8488 1229.8 CG Chanwaripara, Karanawapara, Karanawadhi and Kanyapara, Shankarpur, Rameshpur, Raghunathnagar, Naugai, Girwani, Kesari, Babhani in Katghora and Balrampur FDs.

2

 Improved Cookstoves distribution: Sustainable Land and Climate Practice 6 2125 2917 3670 5039 21339 26378 To be reported later CG Amania, Bhangitola, Rahidand, Rokhani, Neur, Rukhmidadar, Taitrini and Amalitola, Kanhiayapara, Parsapani, Jamnipani, Kodar, Karranawadhi, Chanwaripara and Karranawapara Matiyadand, Danikundi, Bansital, Ameratikra, Mouharitola, Kolbira, Naka, Silphari, Bahrijhorki, Patharra, Madai, Bagharra and Thiaitola (Rumga) in Kawardha, Katghora and Marwahi FDs.
MP Naganpur, Chachmau, Hathlewa, Khatpura, Akola, Paraswada, Saidganj and Pahar Khedi, Banabehda, Koyalbuddi, Handipani, Koyalari, Kachhar, Kuppa, Tetar mal and Tetar Ryt, Kohda, Pipariya Khurd, Bhatna, Lalpani, Ranjhi, Banspani, Bhawanda, Chandakhad, Ghoghara, Gotabarri, Jondhal, Keolajhir, Narri, Salai, Sotachikli, Nanderwada, Pipalgota,d Nayagaon in Sehore, North Betul, Hoshangabad FDs.
  Grand Total 8 3311 3187 4534 6495 28371 34866      

Sub-Component 2. Building National Capacity for Land Degradation and Desertification Monitoring: 

Following activities are being done under this sub-component:

  • Roadmap for institutional and policy mainstreaming of SLEM in other sectors.
  • Developing an online national reporting database portal for capturing trends and status of key impact/ progress indicators on land degradation, desertification and drought.

Sub-Component 3. Development and Implementation of a National Knowledge Network:

Following activities are being done under this sub-component:

  • Develop national database on SLEM practitioners for the development of institutional and individual networks
  • Technical support for the preparation and dissemination of SLEM knowledge products
  • Development of an interactive web-based platform with direct access and use at the farm level with help from extension services
  • Software and hardware infrastructure development for dissemination of best practices to end users