Arpan Seva Sansthan

Location: Udaipur, India Setting: Rural Established: 1996 Staff: 71

Subject Areas:
Environment: Water Systems Management, Water Pollution, Sanitation, Conservation, Environmental Health, Environmental Education, Organic Agriculture
Community Development: SCommunity Empowerment, Building Social Capital, Food Security, Infrastructure Development, Skill Development, Livelihood Enhancement Through Agricultural Interventions

Organization Objectives

Arpan Seva Sansthan seeks to implement development programs and efficiently utilize local resources in order to improve the quality of life of poor and marginalized rural community members. It specifically works to develop village-based institutions, build the capacity of community members so they become more self-reliant, and promote and conduct research related to horticulture, water conservation, and community lift irrigation. Arpan’s future aims are to:

- Serve as a resource centre for training and capacity building in water resource development and watershed management
- Design and implement rural livelihoods programs throughout Rajasthan
- Offer consultancy and training to the government and other NGOs about the participatory technology development involved with natural resource management

Program Information

With a diversified staff base with specialties in areas including crop management, agricultural engineering, animal husbandry, horticultural development, and health, Arpan is able to effectively address a variety of issues. Within each area, its emphasis is on grassroots mobilization and the strengthening of village institutions.

1. Water Resource Management
Arpan has constructed a series of 40 anicuts with the basic objective of restoring rainwater so the water table is increased and nearby wells are recharged, thereby enhancing villagers’ cropping intensity. Arpan has also installed 40 new community lift irrigation schemes in tribal areas of southern Rajasthan (Udaipur, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, and Banswara) with an area covering more than 2500 hectares. Arpan has revived 36 old community lift irrigation schemes located in different villages of Pratapgarh district. Through this activity, a sustainable livelihood option for the tribal people will be ensured, improving their socio-economic status.

Opportunities
The anicuts and community lift irrigation schemes designed and installed by Arpan benefit numerous farmers. Future interns can:

  • Study the impact (social as well as economic) of these water conservation and irrigation structures
  • Research the cost-benefit ratio of such programs
  • Write proposals for the expansion of projects under such schemes
  • Update Arpan’s website with research results and project activities

Requirements
An educational background in agriculture, irrigation, and natural resource or environmental management is necessary. Experience evaluating such projects would be of great value.

2. Agriculture and Horticulture
Arpan is implementing an Agriculture Development Programme in Pratapgarh district with 1000 families, where the livelihood of individual farmers will be enhanced through the intervention support of horticulture, improved agricultural practices, dairy development, and water resource development on the farmers’ field. Similarly, the organization is under implementation of a Horticulture Development Program in Jaipur, Bundi, and Pratapgarh districts covering 919 BPL (below the poverty line) and 700 tribal families under a Livelihood Development through Horticulture Development scheme.

Opportunities

  • Conduct an impact assessment of the social and economic effects of these programs
  • Study the cost-benefit ratio of such programs
  • Write proposals for further projects (dovetailing/convergence) under such schemes
  • Suggest future courses of action based on research (possible suggestions include forming community based organizations such as producer companies including 1000-5000 farmers at the district level)
  • Update Arpan’s website with research studies

Requirements
An educational background in agriculture, horticulture, and natural resource or environmental management is necessary. Experience evaluating such projects would be of great value.

3. Health
Arpan’s targeted health intervention program began in Chittorgarh district with the main goal of halting and reversing the HIV epidemic in India. Arpan strives to reduce new infections in all categories and prevent the spread of HIV from High Risk Groups (HRGs) to the general population. Under the said targeted intervention program, Arpan will target 300 Female Sex Workers
(FSWs) and 170 Injected Drug Users (IDUs). The objectives include:

  • Developing safe sexual behaviors and attitudes particularly among the female sex workers. Arpan also aims to ensure that people infected and affected with HIV get easy access to a comprehensive package of services that include prevention, care, support, and treatment.
  • Identifying sub-populations with high-risk behavior
  • Identifying specific behaviors in need of change
  • Providing indicators to monitor program successes and identifying persistent problem areas
  • Serving as an advocacy and policy tool

Opportunities

  • Conduct an impact assessment of the intervention program, gauging social elements, the awareness level among target populations, and the number of people abstaining or using contraceptives
  • Study the cost-benefit ratio of such programs
  • Write proposals for future projects under similar schemes

Requirements
An educational background in social work or a similar field is required. Experience evaluating such projects would be an additional advantage.

Note: Responsibilities offered to each participant will be proportionate to their level of experience. Participants who are new to development work may predominantly support and assist current project agendas, while those with much applicable experience may be able to assume greater responsibility. Research projects are strongly encouraged by this organization to support each program’s objectives because minimal resources are currently allocated for research.

Working Conditions
Arpan Seva Sansthan operates in 22 districts throughout Rajasthan, with eight branch offices and headquarters in Udaipur City. The Udaipur office is equipped with several computers and internet access. Arpan assist interns with field/overnight visits and provides a translator when necessary.

Organizational Background
Registered in 1996, Arpan Seva Sansthan was created by young professionals of an agricultural engineering background. With a commitment to serve rural India, they targeted tribal areas of Udaipur, Dungarpur, and Banswara to identify basic developmental issues. Since its inception, Arpan has expanded its program-related and geographic base. It now address issues such as water pollution, the hazards of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in farming, health, sanitation, organic farming, and installation of drip irrigation systems in areas ranging from Hanumangarh to Jaisalmer to Alwar.

About ARPAN’s Clients
The beneficiaries of our programs range from the poorest of tribal people with no education and income source to farmers with no source of information or resources for improved agricultural practices for livelihood enhancement. Target populations for Arpan’s health-related projects are migrant laborers from other areas. The aforementioned groups face negligence, crime, gender inequality, and poverty.