CEO's Message
I welcome the visitors to our website for promoting participatory development process in the risk prone rainfed regions. In India rainfed agro-ecologies contribute 60% of the net sown area, 100% of the forest, 66% of the livestock and provide livelihood, income, employment and environmental security. About 84-87% of pulses/minor millets, 80% of horticulture, 77% of oil seeds, 66% of cotton and 50% of cereals are cultivated under the un-irrigated conditions. Rainfed areas are complex, diverse, fragile, under-invested, risky, ethno-economically unique and distress prone.

During the period of 1985 to 1995, growth rate of un-irrigated agriculture was higher than the irrigated production systems. Post 1995 years witnessed deceleration of the overall growth in agriculture and was relatively of higher magnitude in the rainfed situations. This was primarily due to over exploitation of ground water resources in the dry land areas, lack of diversification in the high rainfall regions and adverse terms of trade especially for the vegetable oils.

Management of the precipitation being the ultimate source of river flows, reservoirs, lakes, ponds, tanks, in situ moisture and ground water resources is the key factor for enhancing productivity. Since per capita availability of land, water and vegetation is declining due to demographic growth, enhancement in the efficiency of inputs is uppermost for improving competitiveness and profitability of the farmers. Internalisation of the potentials of common property or open access resources and social capital of landless, arts, crafts and local skills is another important concentration of realising equity, social justice and harmonious growth.

Rural development is being supported by the Ministries of Agriculture, Rural Development, Water Resources, Environment and Forests, Panchayati Raj and others. Convergence, harmonisation and rationalisation of the various programmes, enabling policies, governance, investment portfolio and capacities are essential to harness their synergies and complimentaries. Networking, innovative institutions, empowerment of local communities, decentralisation of decision making and people?s participation are the other important ingredients of all inclusive growth. Watershed management for the integrated development of natural resources of ridge to valley in system perspective is necessary to realize environmentally benign development processes. Regionally differentiated common approach and professionalism is feasible due to grass-root level planning and implementation with the innovative institutions at the local, district, state and national level. Alternative insurance and credit systems including consumption and entire livelihood can reduce the risks and mitigate the adverse impacts of climatic changes.

NRAA has been created to harness and harmonise tremendous potentials of the rainfed agriculture by converting weaknesses into strengths and threats into opportunities by appropriate policies, programmes, professionalism, capacity building, monitoring and evaluation. The mandate of NRAA include preparing a Perspective Plan for holistic and sustainable development of rainfed areas, coordinate and bring convergence within and among agriculture and watershed development programmes, promotion of farming systems, micro-enterprising, diversification, safety-nets, common property resource management, forest rehabilitation and internalisation of social capital of landless and asset-less and monitoring of these activities at the Centre and State level. Thus the major aim is convergence, coordination, networking, harmonisation, rationalisation, monitoring and integration of the capacities of all stake-holders and service providers. Transparency, cooperation, contribution and participation of local communities, bodies, NGOs, professionals and Government organisations is being looked upon to galvanize a sustainable growth and development process for the holistic and integrated development of rainfed areas.

J.S. Samra