State Level Farmers Workshop

First State Level Farmers’ workshop at Hyderabad.

As mentioned in the tour plan, the State level farmer’s workshop ‘Water and Farmer’ was held on 8th April 04, at WALAMTARI, Hyderabad. The workshop was jointly organized by two organizations namely JalaSpandana and WALAMTARI by sharing the cost and responsibilities in arranging the logistics required for the workshop. Farmers from various districts of Andhra Pradesh, Director General and other officers of WALAMTARI participated in the meeting. Mr. Raymond Peter, ED INPIM presided the inauguration session. Mr. Srinivasulu Barigela was the compeer of the workshop.

Business Session

Mr. Srinivasulu Barigela, facilitator, JalaSpandana, facilitated the paper presentations, discussions and prepared minutes of the meeting. The brief outline of the papers and introduction about the speakers was useful as the participants were from various districts were not aware of the details of the speakers. Moreover, the exercise of farmers presenting their findings and discussing among themselves is felt a new experience by the farmers.

1. ‘Irrigation policy and Implementation present scenario in Andhra Pradesh’ by Mr. G. Seetha Ram Reddy, Mahabub Nagar.
2. ‘Water management system and Water Users Associations’ by Mr. C. Goutama Raju, (President, WUA, and Former DC President), West Godavari.
3. ‘The role of farmers’ organization in water sector in Andhra Pradesh’ by Mr. Ch. Kishan Reddy, WUA President and former DC Chairman, Karim Nagar.
4. ‘The importance and necessity of the Newsletter in water management and agriculture’ by Mr. R. Doraiswamy.

The major outcomes of the workshop is to form the State level farmers organization for water management in Andhra Pradesh and publish the bilingual quarterly newsletter in Telugu and English.

Second State level workshop in Andhra Pradesh

The second State level workshop on water management was designed with consultation of farmers, concerned Ministers and department officials. The objective of the workshop is to focus on Water Policy in the State, with special attention to PIM policy. The methodology of the workshop is to have preparatory meetings of farmers on various issues related to water listed below and prepare a presentation before the concerned Ministers during the workshop.

Water Resources and Farmers Workshop

The state level farmers’ workshop ‘Water Resources and Farmers’ was held on August 31, 2004 at WALAMTARI, Hyderabad. Mr. Ponnala Laxmaiah, Hon’ble Minister for Major Irrigation GOAP participated in the workshop as chief guest. Farmers from across the state, department officials and Media personnel took part in the workshop.

Mr. Ponnala Laxmaiah along with farmers inaugurated the workshop through lighting of the lamp. Mr. Cholleti KishanReddy presided the inauguration.

Mr. A. Ramaswamy, President JalaSpandana, Mr. AllaVenkatagopalaKrishna Rao, Mr. G. Seetharami Reddy, Mr. Chekuri GoutamaRaju, Mr. ChanchuUshanna, Mr. K.V. SuryanarayanaRaju, Mr. V. Bhavaniprasad, Mrs. M. Parvathamma and Mr. R. Doraiswamy spoke about the genesis of Andhra Pradesh JalaSpandana, APFMIS Act 1997 and its subsequent amendments, status of WUAs, tanks systems including fisheries, need for farmers participation in water management, role of women in WUAs, main system management, water conflicts at various levels emphasizing inter-project level, increasing stress on water due to inter-sector, WUAs and Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) and within the sector from stakeholders. They presented the findings of the preparatory meetings over issues mentioned above and appealed to Hon’ble Minister Mr. Ponnala Laxmaiah to take necessary actions on the same.

Excerpts from Minister’s Speech

Mr. Ponnala Laxmaiah garu, in his speech, welcomed and appreciated the attempt made by JalaSpandana and APJS in organizing this workshop to discuss the problems of farmers and WUAs and suggest appropriate measures for the government to act upon. This attempt being a noble one, today we have started it and I foresee that these organizations take up issues related to farmers and water on a continuous basis in coming days to find solutions for the redressal of water problems. The decisions taken at the end of today’s workshop and the role of Government and WUAs in implementing these decisions are expected out of this workshop. This government is always open for farmers’ welfare and will consider the plights, problems and pleas of the farmers.

In this society, farmers are facing lot of problems related to agriculture for last fifteen years due to the negligence of the governments. There is lot of gap between production and distribution. For instance, the growth rate of our country is 6 percent of which agriculture growth rate is 3 per cent and Andhra Pradesh growth rate has declined to 1.3 percent. In India, 70 percent of the people dependent on agriculture are producing 24 percent, where as 30 percent of the population dependent up on non-agriculture activities are producing 76 percent. I am saying this because; there is negligence on agriculture. We need to give priority to large sector by deep thinking to find out the problems and solutions to over come these problems. The water disputes between the regions in the State are increasing and there are agitations all over for water. In major irrigation project, tail ender’s are not getting water for irrigation and drinking purposes.

We recently met Government of Karnataka and requested for our share of water. They suggest modernization of canals with the huge investments and we said, as it is you are not releasing water, after spending huge amount what is the guarantee we will get water for which there was no response from them said Minister. So we need to decide and act upon the water management issues with in the legal framework. Farmers’ organizations, farmers’ leaders and farmers should come together discuss these issues with the government.

We need to contemplate on the way we are utilizing water under major irrigation projects? We are cultivating paddy crops in places that are designed for ID crops.

Minister shared his experience from his recent trip to Austria and Israel. He said these two countries look like Ananthapur district, but there is not a single inch of land left empty. Farmers in these countries practice Micro and Sprinkler Irrigation even for ID crops like Wheat, Maize and sunflower.

In some parts of state, the ground water aquifer has fallen from 15 to 25 mtrs. If we do not follow effective water management practices, there is no use of constructing n number of irrigation projects.

Finally I would like to say that I would fully respond and cooperate positively to your problems, your thinking and the suggestions you make. Thank you all.

Workshop Resolutions:

Farmers discussed all through the day and passed following resolutions that was submitted to Concerned Ministers like Ministers for Major and Medium, Minor, Forest, Revenue, and top bureaucracy in the government. The action taken by the Government of Andhra Pradesh on PIM is given in the following section.

The Outcome of the workshop

The resolutions passed in State level farmers’ workshop after daylong deliberations given below were submitted to Government of Andhra Pradesh.