UN agency unveils new aid model that lets local organizations take project lead

In an effort to help countries expand their own technical and managerial potential, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has signed agreements with three Indian organizations that would allow them to take the lead in improving land and water management for poor farmers in drought-prone areas.

Under the agreements, FAO will provide technical and management support to three projects funded with €13.9 million (euros) from the Netherlands, while the plans will be implemented by two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and a state agricultural university in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, states that have been hit hard by drought and declining agricultural productivity due to unsustainable land and water use.

The plans are based on an innovative development assistance model that makes national institutions responsible for project management, the first time FAO has projects based on this scheme. The agency recently reconsidered its method of technical assistance because many countries wish to expand their own technical and administrative capabilities. As a result, FAO's role in these projects has decreased so that project management responsibility rests with governments and other national institutions.

In the first project, FAO will join the AME Foundation, a local NGO, to improve water management and promote alternative farming practices to strengthen food security in the Deccan Plateau region of southern India.

The other two proposals will be managed by the Bharathi Integrated Rural Development Society and the Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University and will address water management issues and encourage more sustainable agricultural practices.

"These projects will provide a number of important lessons and insights on how to improve food security through better land and water management, using participatory, community-driven approaches," said Daniel Gustafson, FAO Representative in India. "The programme represents a two-way flow of expertise between the partners and FAO."