Peter Craufurd of ICRISAT – India presented the outcomes of the inception phase of the dryland systems program in South Asia at the Launch in Amman in May of 2013. He noted that in the inception phase key partners were identified, an analysis of macro-level data was undertaken and a regional level workshop identified priority sites, observed changes in the systems, identified major drivers of change and future trajectories and generated research hypothesis and activities. Target research areas and action sites were identified in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan through site selection based on crop and livestock systems, soil delineation, irrigation systems, vulnerability to natural resource degradation, rapid change areas, and areas with poor livelihood indices. Partners including Bioversity, CIP, ICRAF, ILRI, and IWMI were also identified. Key research areas were mapped using land use change and biomass assessment tools via remote sensing techniques. This information led to a cutting edge agro-biodiversity assessment with more studies planned in Rajastan, Bijapur and Anantapur in 2013. In order to facilitate an understanding of household livelihood, technology adoption and vulnerability more than 15 villages representing different production systems were identified, baseline data from 1000 households was collected and data was analyzed to characterize communities and help target research.

1. Dryland Systems: South Asia
Peter Craufurd, ICRISAT, India
Photo courtesy GRAVIS

2. Inception phase
2
• Identifying key partners
• Analysis macro-level data
• Regional workshops to identify:
― Sites and priority production &
livelihood systems
― Observed changes in systems
― Major drivers of change & future
trajectories of change
― Research hypotheses and
activities
• Initiation baseline data
collection

3. Action sites/target research areas
Chakwal
Raisen
Rajasthan
Bijapur
Anantapur
Country LGP<90d
(km2)
LGP 90-
180d (km2)
India 606,665 1,241,768
Pakistan 786,262 78,100
Afghanistan 527,819 86,686

4. Rationale for Action Site selection
• Extensive & intensive crop-livestock &
livestock systems
• Black & red soil systems
• Rainfed, stored soil moisture & irrigated
systems
• Areas highly vulnerable to natural resource
degradation
• Areas undergoing rapid change (e.g.
migration, non-farm employment)
• Areas with poor livelihood indices
• Country/policy comparisons

5. Partners
Regional coordinator: ICRISAT
CGIAR partners: Bioversity, CIP, ICARDA, ICRAF, ILRI,
IWMI
NARS partners: Indian Council Agricultural Research
(ICAR), Indian Agricultural Ministries, Pakistan
Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Ministry of
Agriculture (Afghanistan)
Agricultural Universities: University of Agricultural
Sciences, Karnataka; Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural
University, Andhra Pradesh
National & State-based NGOs: BAIF, GRAVIS

6. Key research areas
Land use change (ha) Jaiselmer
Others/Rangelands to Rainfed-single crop
(SC) 110,900
Others/Rangelands to Irrigated-SC/double
crop (DC) 2,394
Rainfed-SC to Irrigated-SC/DC 95,331
Rainfed-SC to others 25,175
Mapping of land-use change &
biomass assessment via remote-
sensing & physical measurement

7. Key research areas
Agro-Biodiversity assessment
• Agro-biodiversity survey tool developed
• Surveys planned in Rajasthan, Bijapur &
Anantapur in 2013

8. Key research areas
Household livelihood, technology adoption
& vulnerability analyses
• >15 villages representing
different production systems
identified
• Baseline data from ~1000
households collected
• Data will be analysed to
characterise communities &
to help target research
Photo courtesy GRAVIS

9. Key research areas
Gender & climate change
Joint activity with CGIAR Climate
Change program (CCAFS)
• Setting up climate-smart villages in Bijapur &
Anantapur
• Identifying role of social institutions, social capital
and social networks in adaptation processes &
practices
• Mobilising & supporting building social capital
• Identifying technologies that are gender-friendly

10. Key research areas
Technology & policy options
• Identifying technologies & policies
that have worked in Action Sites with
partners
• Use models to assess potential value/benefits/trade-
offs of interventions
• With partners, testing & scaling-up and out of
technologies, e.g.
• Soil-test based nutrient application & improved
cultivars
• Agricultural water management
• Improved livestock feeding systems

11. Key Research Areas
Institutional innovation & change
Component 2009-10 2012 Kharif
Area (m ha) 0.2 3.73
No. of Villages 1,440 26,293
No. of farmers (millions) 0.2 4.39
No. of farmer facilitators 517 9,700
No. of lead farmers 1,867 45,000
Scaling up ‘Bhoochetana’ in Karnataka, India

12. Thank you!
ICRISAT is a member of the CGIAR Consortium