South Asia Agriculture and Rural Growth Discussion Note Series Mar 2020 1 14 PIONEERING NEW APPROACHES TO RURAL AGRI-ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN JHARKHAND, INDIA Key achievements 1,202 community service providers assessed as Trainers and Master Trainers under the National Skills Qualification Framework for the JOHAR1 project by the Agriculture Skill Council of India. Context Agriculture and allied sectors in India are amid rapid change with growing urbanization leading to shifts in consumption patterns from cereals to high- value commodities2. Specific commodities underwent rapid growth, leading to an increase in agricultural exports over the past decade. However, skills training in developed countries is 60–90 percent of A vast majority of these rural producers approaches (to increase competitiveness their total workforce, in India only 5 percent are unable to transition to high-value and employment in income generating of its workforce (in the age group of 20–24 commodities6. The average landholding per commodities of agriculture and its allied years) has formal vocational skills3. farmer is 1.17 hectares. Of the 3.43 million sectors) have been mostly unsuccessful in It is imperative for India, with median age hectares of cultivable land, only 2.23 million targeting rural producers and rural youth. of population at 29 years and 64 percent hectares (65 percent) is being farmed While the percentage of skilled workforce in the working age group as of 2020, to leaving nearly 35 percent of cultivable build a skills base, ensure robust skilling for land fallow. Small livestock rearing and It is imperative for better wages at entry level, and facilitate the fish farming in catchment farm ponds, need for training and certification to have tanks and reservoirs could be important India, with median age of qualified, trained human resources. potential sources of livelihood for these rural population at 29 years and 64 households. Collection and sale of non- percent in the working age Any initiatives on skill development and timber forest produce (NTFP) contributes entrepreneurship across the country have group as of 2020, to build substantially to incomes of forest dwellers been highly fragmented and constrained a skills base, ensure robust and inhabitants of hamlets surrounding by poor knowledge and limited skill-sets forest areas, who are mostly disadvantaged skilling for better wages at of on-ground community service providers and landless communities belonging to entry level, and facilitate (CSPs)4, reflecting inadequate capacity. ‘particularly vulnerable tribal groups’. the need for training Jharkhand has a large proportion of This note explains the skilling and rural and certification to have marginal and small landholders (84 agri-entrepreneurship approach, process percent), who mainly practice rain- qualified, trained human design, learnings, and the way forward of fed5,single-crop subsistence farming, the JOHAR skilling initiative. resources cultivating a low-yielding variety of paddy. 1. Jharkhand Opportunities for Harnessing Rural Growth. 2. High-value commodities include fruits and vegetables, dairy, fish, eggs, pulses, and small ruminants. 3. “Skilling in Agri-Sector for Growth & Sustainability - Mapping of Institutional Arrangements in the area of Education and Training in Agriculture” — CSIR NISTADS. 4. First-level CSP and Senior CSP are jointly referred as CSPs or cadres in this note. 5. Jharkhand is a rain dependent state and the changing weather patterns with drying up/vanishing water bodies, are accentuating problems for rural producers and tribal households (https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/drought-but-why-jharkhand-staring-at-food-insecurity-63484). 6. Refer to Note 10 in this series. Leveraging community institutions to support agri-business and livelihoods in Jharkhand, India. 2 Government of India’s Skilling Landscape The skillingi landscape in India has undergone massive change in the past five years with revised strategies and modelsii such as the creation of a separate Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, revised policy on Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015, robust focus on convergence, formation of National Occupation Standards and Qualification Packs and declaration of new schemes like Startup Rural Entrepreneurship, Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency Ltd (MUDRA) and formation of sectoral Skill Council. In addition, schemes of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) for skilling India have been rolled out. The National Rural Livelihood Programme (NRLM) provides significant support to the institutional building of community institutions in rural/ tribal areas, while the Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) as a subcomponent of NRLM focuses on capacity building of rural women concentrating on entrepreneurship development. National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)iii was set-up as a public–private partnership to stimulate private sector participation in the Indian skill development sector. i. India is among the countries facing the greatest skill shortages. Source: Manpower Talent Shortage Survey via OECD ii. Government-funded programs that fully or partially subsidize training/apprenticeships, market-led trainings (where trainees pay for the course), market-led apprenticeships and industry-led/on-the-job training and long-term development finance.A core role of the NSDC is to provide long-term development finance to profit and non-profit organizations to build for-profit vocational training initiatives. iii. A core role of the NSDC is to provide long-term development finance to profit and non-profit organizations to build for-profit vocational training initiatives. Jharkhand State Livelihoods Promotion CSPs, has provided technical support accrediting training centers based on the Society (JSLPS)7, under the JOHAR services (to HVA, NTFP and livestock recommendation of JSLPS, and assessing project is developing and nurturing about producer households) as well as on-ground and certifying trainees/technical para- 7,000 CSPs with expertise in high-value capacity and institution building support to professionals for promoting HVA, livestock, agriculture (HVA), fisheries, NTFP, livestock, community institutions. fisheries, NTFP and irrigation. irrigation and agri-entrepreneurship. JSLPS has collaborated with the Agriculture These CSPs are providing skilled technical Skill Council of India (ASCI) for training, Jharkhand State services to tribal and rural women, producer Livelihoods Promotion assessment and certification of trainers (Sr. groups (PGs), and agro-producers across CSP), certification of training centers and Society, under the JOHAR the JOHAR project areas. CSPs are assessment and certification of trainees project is developing and self-employed and earn user fees on the (first-level CSPs) under the relevant provision of services, and also incrementally nurturing about 7,000 CSPs Qualification Packs (QPs) and National increase their income as they gain with expertise in HVA, Occupational Standards (NOS) (for experience and broaden their knowledge additional information concerning skilling fisheries, NTFP, livestock, base through continuous interactions with landscape in India, refer to the box above). irrigation and agri- the community and other stakeholders. Under this agreement, ASCI is responsible Over the past few years NRLP, through entrepreneurship for the training of trainers, assessing and Interventions Structured two-tier system of execute the various field activities of the Domain wise designation of CSP. CSPs. For training and capacity building PGs. According to the QPs, CSPs had certain of farmers of PGs, a two-tier system was The Sr. CSP was a ASCI certified trainer designations/technical titles, that were used developed at the village level. Each PG and responsible for imparting training and to define their actual skills and roles while (approximately 40 to 50 farmers) received developing skill-sets of first-level CSPs in searching for additional jobs. This process guidance and support from a first-level CSP. respective areas. Afterwards, first-level of standardization of job roles in rural areas Ten such first-level CSPs were guided and CSPs trained farmers of their PGs and helped develop confidence among those supervised by a Senior (Sr.) CSP in the developed their capacities. who received such trainings. The table on field. These CSPs collectively worked to page 3 elaborates this point. 7. JSLPS, through the implementation of development and economic transformation projects (such as JOHAR, NRLM and NRLP), recognizes the need to skill rural producers, introduce them to new technologies and best practices. These will enable them to adopt new techniques, multiply the production of HVA, such as horticulture and other cash crops, and generate revenues. It is also facilitating opportunities in livestock and NTFP to make them more remunerative. It is, thus, essential to develop new mechanisms and strengthen existing ones to provide regular training and on-field handholding support to producers in agriculture and allied sectors.. 3 Domain Sr. CSP CSP Technical name as per QPs HVA Sr. Ajeevika Krishak Mitras (Sr. AKM) Ajeevika Krishak Mitras (AKM) Agriculture Extension Service Provider (AESP) Livestock Sr. Ajeevika Pashu Sakhi (Sr. APS) Ajeevika Pashu Sakhi (APS) Animal Health Worker (AHW) Irrigation Para irrigation Engineer (PIE) Technical Service Provider (TSP) Irrigation Service Technician (IST) Fisheries Sr. Ajeevika Matasay Mitras (Sr. AMM) Ajeevika Matasay Mitras (AMM) Fisheries Extension Associate (FEA) NTFP Sr. Ajeevika Van Mitras (Sr. AVM) Ajeevika Van Mitras (AVM) Non-timber Forest Produce Collector (NTFPC) JOHAR Skills Process Flow The flowchart explains the process of training and skilling of the CSPs under JOHAR, achieved in collaboration with ASCI. 4 Key Learnings The JOHAR project has taken concrete steps towards developing a skilled cadre base in agro-allied sectors through its community-centric approach of capacity building of CSPs and offering work opportunities with compensation to gain valuable experience and earn livelihood in the process. Besides, these cadres are helping the project by building the capacity of PGs and exposing them with new learnings, which has a direct application on the production, increase in productivity, marketing, and sustainability of the project. Successes Image Credit : Rohit Jain Creating a pool of trainers. The model of training CSPs, their assessment, increasing productivity in the agro-allied who belong to PGs and are from the rural certification, and enrolment on the sector is critical but challenging. Training community do not possess the requisite Takshshila8 platform served multiple provisions, capacity building and ecosystem degree which impedes in building a trained purposes: (i) It built a skills base oriented in terms of QPs and training contents workforce. towards training and certification of qualified relevant to rural occupations and livelihoods human resources. (ii) CSPs received work are weak, requiring new research and Conducting round-the-year opportunities and gained work experience, appropriate training modules. Further, refresher training is crucial for the that was remunerative as well, which mapping of additional job roles and existing CSPs for their up-skilling, new learnings, ensured their motivation to work, self- modules or package of practices need to be and contribution towards the effective belief and proactive engagement with included in the National Skills Qualifications implementation of the project. Convergence communities and local officials. Further, as Framework (NSQF)9. with State Skill Development Missions CSPs travelled for work, they get exposed and NSDC should be explored in which to newer environments, came across new Sourcing of candidates to train a structured training mechanism can be work opportunities and accepted new as a community service provider. designed to strengthen the sustainability training assignments. Overall, a pool of JOHAR project requires a pool of trainers and qualifications of the CSPs. cadres will contribute to the project areas and master trainers for the dissemination of beyond the life-cycle of the project. knowledge among the rural communities. Planning beyond project life- But, a significant challenge is the cycle. Currently, as part of the project Acceptance of QP based skill identification of the right person from the design, CSPs are paid by the project itself. training in the agro-allied sector. community who possess the right ability and This ensures an average income of INR Awareness and training programs helped attitude to execute the knowledge transfer 5,000–6,000 per month. The impetus for PG members understand the importance effectively with the perspective of career CSPs to work hard and find additional work of skill training and certification. It will growth. on their own is less as the project provides prompt many educated and semi-educated a specific complacency, which limits the farmers or farm workers to undergo such Addressing eligibility criteria of scope for engaging in entrepreneurial training and certification. They can become CSPs to be Trainers and Master endeavors. self-employed and diversify their livelihood Trainers. There is a considerable opportunities. eligibility gap in the selection of suitable Enhancing focus on CSPs across the agro-allied sectors as entrepreneurship. A need-analysis in Challenges per existing NSDC requirements. As per coordination with the domain leads needs Research and appropriate NSQF, job roles of the service providers to be carried out to explore the agro- training modules development. defined in the table in the interventions entrepreneurship avenues in the program 59 percent of the country’s total workforce section requires the minimum qualifications and the project areas and engage with the is employed in agriculture in India. Building like Diploma, Graduation and Masters in trained cadres to take up entrepreneurial skills, creating job opportunities, and respective domains such as agriculture, activities. fisheries, mechanical forestry. The cadres 8. Takshashila is an initiative by NSDC under the Skill India mission. The portal serves as a dedicated online platform for the management of trainers and assessors of the Indian short-term skill ecosystem, functioning as the central repository of information concerning development of quality trainers and assessors. 9. NSQF is a competency-based framework that organizes all qualifications according to a series of levels of knowledge, skills and aptitude. 5 A journey of a Master Trainer Aarti Devi is 35 years old and lives in Banaidag village of Angara block in Ranchi district. She joined Sakhi Mandal in 2012. She was selected as Aajeevika Pashu Sakhi (APS) and was given training by JSLPS in 2013. After the completion of the training cycle, she started providing her services in her village and received some honorarium. Because the honorarium and her husband’s income were inadequate for the family, she began seeking opportunities to enhance her income. Fortunately, the introduction of the JOHAR project in 2017 provided her with a tremendous opportunity. Recognizing her commitment and efforts as an APS, she was selected as Senior APS (Master Trainer) in Image Credit : Rohit Jain the JOHAR project. She received a comprehensive 200 hours of training portal – Takshashila, she became a Narrating her transformation, she administered by the JOHAR Livestock duly certified Master Trainer. With her says, “I always wanted to financially team and Asset & W with the support certified skill-sets, she is now capable support my family and have my of the skills team. of providing training and services in own identity, as well. Therefore, Jharkhand and beyond, which is a immediately after joining the Sakhi The training consisted of four great achievement for her. Mandal, I became an APS. However, modules: (i) aadharshila (foundation), the meager honorarium, along with (ii) bakari palan (goat rearing), (iii) Since July 2018, she is working my husband’s income, was hardly suar palan (pig rearing) and (iv) as a Master Trainer and provides enough to sustain my family. But murgi palan (poultry farming). These module training as well as TOT to getting selected for the Master training modules are aligned with the Pashu sakhis in various districts Trainer was like a dream come true. national QPs approved by the NSDC. of Jharkhand. For each training, she Now, I am being hired to provide After completion of the technical receives a daily honorarium of INR APS training in different districts, and training (200 hours), Aarti received an 750 and conveyance charges. As a my earning has increased manifold. additional 10 days of TOT (Training of Master Trainer, she is engaged for Further, I can send my children to a Trainers) through ASCI. eight to ten days of training every good private school in Ranchi, and month. Additionally, she provides her my family now enjoys a decent quality After the completion of the all services as an APS in the village. of life. Most importantly, not only trainings, she appeared in the Together with her Master Trainer my villagers but people of different examination conducted by ASCI services and APS honorarium, Aarti districts recognize me and look at wherein she scored 80 percent marks earns around INR 8,000–10,000 me with respect. My confidence has leading to her selection as Master monthly, which is a significant improved a lot, and I’m proud of my Trainer. Further, with her name improvement over her earlier earning achievements”. registered on the NSDC national of just INR 15,000-20,000 annually. 6 Way Forward cover a large dedicated zone on multiple that many more become eligible and job requirements; to take on a cluster receive instruction, increasing the pool of approach in terms of coverage of cadres trained workforce in rural areas. as well as households; and provide •• Increase access to higher education for trainings in various job roles round the rural youth. year. •• ensure that the project does not stress Access to new technology on skilling in various job roles that are platforms and convergence with not yet approved under NSQF. Krishi Vigyan Kendras. •• ensure training of CSPs in multi-modules •• Multiple new technology platforms/ to cater to various geographical areas jobs sites (such as Baba Jobs, and domains. Youth4work) are available where CSPs can enrol themselves to seek further Explore avenues for including work opportunities. Such avenues people with limited education but need exploration within the purview extensive farming experiences of the project. However, there may be by re-examining qualification constraints if these job sites are not criteria. addressing agriculture and allied sectors. Ensure appropriate training •• In rural areas, most of the people •• Converge with Krishi Vigyan Kendras infrastructure. This would include the do not study till college and a good (KVKs)10 and other such agencies that need to: majority study till 10+2 only or below impart training to farmers, rural youth •• perform new research and needs matriculation. Higher educational and grass roots level extension workers assessment for developing training qualification is a major preventive in broad-based agricultural production contents relevant to rural occupations factor and excludes people with limited systems. JOHAR can converge with and sustainable livelihoods. education. Therefore, if the NSDC KVKs for skilling and refresher training •• create a pool of CSPs with opportunities or NSQF re-examines educational courses, as well as engage in strategic beyond the life-cycle of the project. qualification requirements and lowers the deliberations with job sites to create •• ensure training of competent experts/ bar for eligibility, then more people can work avenues to its trained CSP cadres service providers: to comprehensively gain access. This process will ensure beyond Takshshila. 10. KVKs are agricultural extension centers for imparting vocational training to practicing farmers, school dropouts and field level extension functionaries in the rural areas. ABOUT THE DISCUSSION NOTE SERIES This note is part of the South Asia Agriculture and Rural Growth Discussion Note Series, that seeks to disseminate operational learnings and implementation experiences from World Bank financed rural, agriculture and food systems programs in South Asia. Author: Vineet Kumar, Tapas Ranjan Behera & Bipin Bihari Series editor: Vani Kurup Publication Design & Illustrations: Parth Varshney We are grateful for the generous support from DFID. Disclaimer: The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this note are entirely those of the author(s) and should not be attributed in any manner to the World Bank, to its affiliated organizations or to members of its Board of Executive Directors or the countries they represent.