Who We Are

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Who We Are

Our Story

Rainfed areas i.e. areas that do not have assured irrigation constitute over half of the area and are lifeline of people in India. Climate risks (droughts in particular), dependence on rains with high variability, undulating and varying topography makes these areas highly vulnerable. Their agro-ecologies range from the low rainfall drylands to high rainfall tribal areas.

In spite of serious policy neglect over decades, these areas meet,

Oilseeds

Millets

Needs in the country.

Underinvestment and policy neglect since the advent of Green Revolution resulted in entrenched poverty, migration and acute farmers’ distress in the rainfed areas. Rainfed ares are also ecologically fragile and threatened by land degradation, groundwater depletion and erosion of biodiversity.

Over 40 years of cumulative government investment on watershed development is less than half of annual fertiliser subsidy

WASSAN works with communities, civil society, research and government institutions in rainfed areas for bringing in prosperity and ecological security of rainfed areas. Small holder farmers, farm workers, women and tribal communities are in focus.

Our Journey

WASSAN was formed as a network of civil society organisations interested in Participatory Watershed Development Programs in 1996 to build capacities of multiple actors involved, innovate on processes and to provide a policy interface with Government to strengthen the watershed development. With the growing need for professional support, the network was registered as a Public Trust with Sri. B.N. Yugandhar as the Chair and guiding force.

Our Approach

Practice, Research and Policy

Having a strong presence on ground – working with communities, supporting collaborative programs at scale; learning and distilling lessons from these experiences connecting to policy development are our unique strengths.

Scaling up and outscaling is the essence of our work.

Our Awards and Achievements

Examine the awards that demonstrate our accomplishments and the ways in which WASSAN propels our influence. We are honored to be a standard for positive impact while we keep pushing the envelope. Our accolades and accomplishments serve as evidence of our recognition. Here are a few of our most cherished accomplishments.

WASSAN was a member of the committee for
drafting the National Guidelines for New
Generation Watershed Development Program,
National Rainfed Areas Authority (NRAA),
Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India.

WASSAN is a Knowledge Partner to National Rainfed Area Authority, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India

WASSAN works with state governments of
Odisha, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh (Agriculture, Rural Development and Tribal Development Departments) – in anchoring Project Management Units (PMUs) of State level programs.

Skoch 2017 Award for “Special Programme
for Promotion of Millets in Tribal Areas” in Odisha

“Characterisation of Poda Thurpu cattle: A
native livestock population of Telangana
State” has been adjudged for Prof. K.N.
Sharma Memorial Award 2019

Award / Recognition to WASSAN: From
District Administration, Karimnagar District of Telangana (2016)

Our Partners

We collaborate with a wide range of partners who support our goal of bringing ecological stability and prosperity to rainfed areas, with an emphasis on impoverished communities.