MPRLP UPDATE SERIES NO.

12
CLIMATE CHANGE

Broad
approach
helps cope
with climate
change
The consequences of climate change are
more significant for the poor than for
wealthy communities, as they have few
resources and depend on economic
activities that are climate-sensitive to
earn their livelihoods.
MPRLP was not set up to help adapt to
or mitigate climate change, but the
evidence indicates that it has been able
to build adaptive capacity and general
resilience in vulnerable communities. Its
holistic approach is a key factor in this.
The Project works on the premise that
local communities are able to plan and
implement livelihood activities on their
own. It has thus acted as a facilitator for
a large number of community-led
initiatives, in which microplanning is an
essential tool for addressing
vulnerabilities.
Climate-resilient development
Water management
MPRLP has been promoting participatory
irrigation management through Water
User Associations (WUAs) in areas
designated for irrigation schemes.
Using funds from the Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee
(NREG) Act, the WUAs have
repaired canal systems and improved
the way they are maintained, and so
made water use more efficient.
A new irrigation channel. Photo: © MPRLP/Sandeep Khanwalkar
"By improving water management, MPRLP has helped
small and marginal farmers cultivate fallow lands"
Climate change
mitigation
MPRLP's clean energy activities are
implemented mainly with funds
from other government
programmes.
Biogas Since the biogas project
began in 2008, it has trained a
large number of local masons and
constructed more than 5000
biogas plants, reducing carbon
emissions and the use of kerosene
and non-renewable biomass for
cooking.
Cooking stoves MPRLP has
installed more than 45,000
smokeless cooking stoves and is
preparing about 50 units to
demonstrate improved cooking
stoves. That means less wood to
collect and less drudgery for
women and children, who usually
do the collecting.
Pumps MPRLP encourages
manually operated pumps for
small-scale irrigation, and more
than 4,500 have been installed so
far. This has reduced carbon
emissions because farmers would
otherwise use diesel-driven pumps.
Solar lighting MPRLP promotes
solar home lighting systems in
non-electrified villages, replacing
carbon-emitting kerosene lamps.
Thirteen villages in Sheopur
district, 22 villages in Anuppur and
seven in Dhar have been provided
with the systems, and
demonstrations have been given
in all nine MPRLP districts.
Plantation activities MPRLP has
helped establish plantations on
agricultural and common land. So
far, around 20 million trees have
been planted, and the fruit and
bamboo they produce have the
potential to provide additional
income for farmers. Trees also
absorb carbon dioxide.
MADHYA PRADESH RURAL
LIVELIHOODS PROJECT
The Project has also worked with
farmers to install drip irrigation, which
delivers water directly to the roots of
crops, and facilitated the construction of
soil and water conservation structures,
such as bunds (embankments) around
fields and small check dams that reduce
erosion and allow sediments and
pollutants to settle.
Agriculture
MPRLP has worked with the
Government of India's Agriculture
Technology Management Agency to
provide basic training (including
resource-use efficiency) and support
systems for farmers in remote districts.
The Project has also introduced the
highly productive System of Rice
Intensification (SRI), which is less
expensive and less resource-intensive
than traditional paddy farming. Starting
in 2006 with 50 farmers in five villages,
With solar lighting, shops can stay
open later.
Photo: © MPRLP/Sandeep Khanwalkar
it had spread rapidly by 2010 to
23,418 farmers in 940 villages covering
12,000 acres.
In the eastern districts, MPRLP has
helped small farmers learn organic
farming methods. One hundred and
eighty-six farmers and 637 acres have
already received certificates marking
the first year of their transition to
organic status.
By improving water management,
MPRLP has helped small and marginal
farmers cultivate hitherto fallow lands,
while at the same time converting
some single-cropped areas to double
cropping. Farmers are now growing
crops on 41,380 acres previously left
fallow and double cropping 32,000
acres.
Livelihood promotion activities
MPRLP has been promoting
microenterprises by channelling money
through Gram Kosh (village accounts)
into revolving funds, from which
individuals, livelihood-promotion
groups and self-help groups can
borrow to launch or develop their
microenterprises.
The Project's multi-skilled team also
helps rural entrepreneurs gain the
technical skills and business
knowledge that they need to thrive and
to diversify into climate non-sensitive
activities, such as bead-making and
toy-making.
Social protection measures
MPRLP has been providing the rural
poor with information about
government insurance and pension
schemes and how they can submit
claims.
It has helped establish funds and grain
banks for use during times of
emergency. By September 2010, 2911
emergency funds and 265 grain banks
had been established, more than
30,000 households had benefited
from emergency funds, and more than
75,000 households were covered by
social protection schemes.
The way forward
 A carbon footprint analysis to
document and analyse the
low-carbon development
activities promoted by MPRLP.
 An assessment to see if
MPRLP should be doing
anything differently in the light
of increased climate variability
and climate change.
 These assessments would
help key stakeholders design
and deliver adaptation and
mitigation benefit programmes
and climate risk management
strategies that take into
account the particular
vulnerabilities of the rural poor
in Madhya Pradesh.
Contact
Telephone: +91-(0)755-2766812,
814, 815
Fax: +91-(0)755-2766818
Email: mprlp@mprlp.in
Website: www.mprlp.in
MPRLP is funded by the UK Department for
International Development (DFID).
This publication does not necessarily represent
the views of the Department for International
Development.