MPRLP UPDATE SERIES NO.
10
PROGRAMME CONVERGENCE
Improving
development
effectiveness
through
programme
convergence
The Government of India is investing
huge amounts in rural development,
agriculture and animal husbandry
schemes, as is the Government of
Madhya Pradesh, which supports
additional schemes. 'Converging'
MPRLP's rural development
programmes with these schemes can
make them more efficient and cost
effective, doing more to transform the
lives of the poor.
What is convergence?
For MPRLP, convergence means working
with partners, agencies and
programmes that have common goals,
a shared understanding of the issues
and problems and the potential to have
a real impact on reducing poverty.
As part of its drive towards efficient
convergence, MPRLP integrates its
activities with government schemes,
such as the National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act and the Agriculture
Extension Reforms Scheme
(implemented by the Agriculture
Technology Management Agency), and
acts as a catalyst in bringing together
initiatives to improve the lives of
remote communities.
Photo: © MPRLP
NREG: an example of
convergence
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
provides a safety net programme
guaranteeing up to 100 days of
employment a year to every household.
The Madhya Pradesh government
appointed MPRLP as one of several
agencies implementing the NREG in
MPRLP project villages. This provides a
major opportunity to enhance the
livelihoods of poor families and
demonstrate the benefits of integrating
programmes with common aims. In this
way, the scheme improves people's
livelihoods by employing the jobless to
tackle the root causes of chronic poverty,
such as deforestation and soil erosion.
How MPRLP works with the
NREG
MPRLP brings the NREG to bear in two
areas: improving watershed
management and conserving soil and
soil moisture. To improve degraded
watersheds in 148 communities,
MPRLP worked with NGOs to help Gram
Sabhas develop detailed plans for
"MPRLP integrates
its activities with
government schemes"
The way ahead
 Improve the delivery of rural
development programmes
through integrated plans,
budgets and approaches that
link with existing government
schemes.
 Consolidate and disseminate
learning from MPRLP's work.
 Link villages with departments
responsible for the schemes
and help them access benefits.
 Build on strong working
relations with the World Bank-
funded District Poverty Initiative
Project (DPIP).
Engage fully with the National

Rural Employment Guarantee
(NREG) Act.
 Strengthen the role of the
Learning Forum in sharing
information and knowledge that
can inform government
practices and policies.
MADHYA PRADESH RURAL
LIVELIHOODS PROJECT
improving soil and water conservation
and management.
Villagers, supported by teams of
engineers and community organisers,
then carried out the work under the
NREG. This collaboration has had a
considerable impact, improving over
75,000 hectares of watersheds by, for
example, building 1103 wells,
constructing new irrigation channels,
planting trees, and constructing soil
and water conservation structures
along watershed slopes. MPRLP
monitors the work to check that it is
done properly and that NREG
requirements are met.
Work to conserve soil and soil moisture
is based on household needs.
Hundreds of thousands of useful trees
and shrubs, such as mango, guava,
bamboo, mulberry and awala, have
been planted on bunds between fields
in all project districts. These agro-
forestry plantings will provide fruit,
fodder for livestock and fuel, as well as
conserve soil and soil moisture and
reduce pressure on forests.
Convergence to improve
livelihoods
The watershed and agro-forestry
initiatives converge with district and
state plans and other MPRLP activities
that enhance livelihoods. For example,
in Dindori, MPRLP, the Forest
Department and the Tribal Cooperative
Marketing Development Federation Ltd.
(TRIFED) worked together on sisal agro-
forestry and installed two sisal fibre
extraction plants. Self-help groups use
the fibre to produce sisal handicrafts,
which TRIFED then helps to market.
Developing effective
convergence policies
In Madhya Pradesh, the state
government has an ambitious
programme to integrate all rural
development programmes. The State
Achievements
 Partnerships formed with the
state Department of
Agriculture to reform
agricultural extension in seven
districts through the
Agriculture Technology
Management Agency.
 Partnerships formed with the
state Department of
Agriculture to provide
vegetable seed kits and
training.
 Partnerships formed with the
Integrated Tribal Development
Programme on sericulture, lac
and lift irrigation pumps.
 Partnerships formed with the
Total Sanitation Campaign to
raise awareness.
 Partnerships formed with the
Backward Regions Fund to
identify infrastructure needs
for district planning.
 Partnerships formed with the Photo: © MPRLP/Sandeep Khanwalkar
Public Distribution System to
ensure effective delivery of
quality food grains.
 Partnerships formed with the
state Forest Department to
ensure the planting of
economically important plants
on field bunds to provide
additional sources of income,
as well as to fight climate
change.
Contact
Telephone: +91-(0)755-2766812,
Learning Forum brings together those 814, 815
working to reduce poverty to share Fax: +91-(0)755-2766818
their experiences, learn from each Email: mprlp@mprlp.in
other and, where appropriate, develop Website: www.mprlp.in
a common vision, policies and
strategies.
MPRLP is funded by the UK Department for
International Development (DFID).
"Agro-forestry plantings This publication does not necessarily represent
will provide fruit, fodder the views of the Department for International
Development.
for livestock and fuel"