EIRFP: Project Context, Strategy & Objectives

The Eastern India Rainfed Farming Project (EIRFP) is located in eastern plateau region of India , which covers a part of nine districts of three states; Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal.

It conceived in 1994-95 with the support of KRIBHCO, Government of India and Department for International Development (DFID), U.K. and is now managed by Gramin Vikas Trust.

The operational area of the project in Ranchi, Hazaribagh & Palamau of Jharkhand, Purulia, Birbhum & Midnapure districts of west Bengal, Keonjhar and Dhenkenal districts of Orissa.

In 1998, Birbhum (W.B.) has been dropped and Mayurbhangh (Orissa) & Singhbum (Jharkhand) districts has been added in project area. These districts are amongst the poorest districts in these states and are managed at state level with its state office at Ranchi, Baripada and Purulia for Jharkhand, Orissa & West Bengal respectively.

The Project Management Unit situated at Ranchi (Jharkhand) is managing the project in all the three states. The project received relatively intensive support from a team of consultant from U.K and from DFID. The project management unit is headed by a Project Manager and have a team of technical & Social Science specialist to support the community organizers, placed at field for the facilitation & execution of works at village / cluster level.

The project is working in 252 core villages grouped in 60 clusters. The Community organizers basically one from technical - Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Aquaculture etc and one from Social Science Background - Mostly with post graduation in Rural Development from Xavier Institute of Social Service, Ranchi & Biswa Bharati (W.B.) are posted in one cluster out of which 40% are women.

The EIRFP is oriented towards its goal of improving the livelihoods of poor men and women of eastern plateau, using participatory approaches. It envisaged on participation, poverty and gender issue for the sustainable improvement of livelihoods in these area.