Indo Swiss Participative Watershed Development - Karnataka

Bonthi village pri pilot
intervention

Capacity Building events:

In the months of August and September 2005, capacity building trainings and exposure visits were held for the stakeholders of the PRI pilot project.

From August 24th and 26th 2005, the Gram Panchayat (GP) members, Self Help Group (SHG) members and opinion leaders underwent training in and orientation of the aspects of the Pilot Project such as the objectives, approaches and the expected results. The trainings were facilitated by PSMU team members along with the NGO DRISTI. The total participants were 20 Gram Panchayats members, 50 Self help group members and about 25 opinion leaders. The participants were enthusiastic and expressed their interest to take part in and contribute to the development of their people, area and the poor.

Exposure visits:

From 12th to 15th September, a three-day exposure visit to ISPWDK Upper Mullamari & Maramuri Watershed was organized. Gram Panchayat members, the office bearers of the gram panchayat, the secretary, the SHG members, the opinion leaders, and the DRISTI staff members visited ISPWDK Projects at Basavakalyan (PRAWARDA) Kodli, Chincholi Taluk (MYRADA), Gulbarga District. The PSMU team and Drishti facilitated the visit for the 100 odd participants in two separate batches. The purpose of the exposure visits was:

To gain first hand knowledge and experiences of the functioning of various Community Based Organisations like Village development societies/watershed management communities (VDS/WMCs), Self-help groups, and also apex level Institutions like RCs (resource centre), Grameena Mahila Arthik Seva Samithi(GMASS) and Munjavu Mahila Vividhodhesha Sahakari Sangha Niyamita (MVSSN).
To understand the micro plan systems, implementation, fund management, record keeping and monitoring and management of various programmes and activities by the VDS/WMCs.
To understand and interact with the trained community resource persons in each of the project areas and to understand their manner of functioning to meet CBOs and project requirements.

During the visits, the participants met the community members and the staff of the NGOs and came to know about the development of CBOs, their activities; meetings of the VDS and gram sabha; participatory planning systems and local contribution.