Wadi programme for rehabilitation of the scheduled tribes, has proved to be a holistic programme across the country. The programme which ensures food security through agrihorti- forestry and better quality of life through women improvement, community health, literacy and development of grassroot level people's organizations is being expanded throughout the country with the support from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and NABARD. BAIF continuing to serve as a Centre of Excellence of the Tribal Affairs Ministry of the Government of India and as the Resource Agency of NABARD to build the capabilities of the project implementation agency.

So far, BAIF has assisted over 1.81 lakh families to establish 68586 ha wadi, spread over Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand states. Based on the initial trials, the Tribal Resource Centre sponsored by NABARD has taken up new initiatives to introduce new cashew varieties such as NRCC 2 and Vengurla 1, Amrapalli variety of mango for production and processing, promotion of pineapple, papaya and perennial castor, drought tolerant chick pea and sun hemp as alternative intercrops in wadi in semi-arid regions.

400 wadi families in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra and Betul district of Madhya Pradesh, have taken up lac cultivation on the trees of Palas, ber and kusum grown on the farm bunds and common lands. Over 3000 Mahua grafts have been distributed to establish on barren lands to reduce the gestation period. Series of field manuals and documentary films have been produced for training and empowerment of field functionaries and farmers engaged in agri-horti-forestry.

E-mail : bkkakade@baif.org.in, jndaniel@baif.org.in