Village Baseline Study: Site Analysis Report for Vaishali, Mukundpur Village, India
Abstract
This is the report of the village baseline study of Mukundpur village in the CCAFS benchmark site of Vaishali, India conducted from December 12-14, 2012 to compliment an earlier household baseline survey done in the same district. Vaishali is a district in Bihar state.
Mukundpur is located in a highly populated and resource poor area with small landholdings, largely dry natural ponds, and underdeveloped infrastructure. The population produces and markets predominantly rice, wheat and milk. Potatoes, oilseed, fruits and vegetables are also grown and sold to a lesser extent.
Population pressures and climate change are seen as the drivers of increased vulnerability. The groups have a vision for their community in which productivity and income generation opportunities are improved, water availability for irrigation and drinking is expanded, and education and technology access grows.
Men and women identified 21 organizations supporting agriculture, livestock, microfinance, education, food distribution and community development. The majority of identified organizations are government entities or programs, while community and non-governmental ones are rarer.
Men and women identified numerous sources for information on weather, agricultural production and marketing, seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. A total of 8 sources were reported, however the most popular were friends and relatives, followed by neighbours and observation. Though the population is facing production constraints for crops and dairy, very few sources were noted for agriculture and none for livestock, particularly for men.
Recommendations focus on addressing water availability and access, improving crop and dairy productivity, and mitigating climate change impacts to maintain food security and livelihoods. Ultimately, Mukundpur requires improved access to knowledge and resources. The population needs regular, targeted, equitable and timely assistance from local organizations that more directly address the area’s food security and natural resource dynamics.
Citation
Shrestha, K.; Singh, Y.; Upraity, V.; Acharya, G.; Gharti, I.; Kumar, S.; Gunja, S.; Förch, W.(Editor); Cramer, L.(Editor); Schuren, T.(Editor). Village Baseline Study: Site Analysis Report for Vaishali, Mukundpur Village, India. CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)., Copenhagen, Denmark (2014) 34 pp.