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participatory & assessment of ISPWDK Phase-II in three watersheds Executive summary Capacity building has been an essential aspect of the project. The review team noted the intensive and varied nature of capacity building – in subject matter (technical watershed, agriculture, livestock, institutional aspects, social awareness, etc) as well as form (training events and courses, exposure visits, field-based demonstration, and simply “learning by doing” – in the field, participating in meetings, etc). Significant outcomes include the effective functioning of the VDSs; the pool of over 500 specifically trained resource persons in the project area; and the self-confidence and community spirit demonstrated by women and men in the villages. Social discrimination in the project villages was rife at the time of project commencement. The project has sought as far as possible to maximize opportunities for the poor and landless, and empower women and those belonging to marginalized castes. The review found many successes in this. For the poor and landless, the policy of banning machinery and promoting fair wage labour has had a positive impact; on average, a labourer working in the project has earned between Rs 7,500 to Rs. 10,000 in a year. More than this, the poor and marginalized have experienced a degree of empowerment through the project, in various complementary ways. These include the opportunities for training and learning new skills; the forum provided in the VDS to express opinions on an equal footing with the dominant castes (for example, negotiating wage rates); and their systematic inclusion in all decision-making bodies. The livelihood support activities have also helped create capital assets for the poor and marginalized. Gender relations in all project villages are now more balanced, though there remains scope for further improvement; particularly important features in the empowerment of women have included the policy of equal wages for equal work; the learning of new skills (many previously associated with men) and social recognition for their expertise; and the access to finance and confidence brought about through SHG membership. |
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