Role of Entry Point Activities(EPA) in Watershed Management

What is an EPA ?
EPA is acronym for Entry Point Activity. These are the Project initiation activities that make the Village community feel the entry of a Watershed Project in the Village. It helps in Confidence building among the Village Community

Entry Point Activity
To make the Village community feel the Entry of Watershed project in their village

Confidence building among the village community w.r.t watershed project

By Executing the works based on *Urgent needs of Village Community

Thereby, having direct Impact/appealing affect on village community

Rapport building with village community

Community mobilization

Confidence building process
 

Why there is a need of EPA ?
Organizing meetings ,Pasting posters, Distributing Pamphlets are various means of Project initiation activities for awareness among st the Village community about Watershed project. But in current time ,the real confidence building and faith development in any watershed project just can’t depend on these means. The execution of Watershed related works is more effective in confidence building and faith development in the project. Water related works in EPA are more attractive for village community as they address their urgent needs .

How EPA Will help in Watershed Projects ?
Executing the works that addresses the Urgent needs of Village Community will have direct Impact/appealing affect on village community. It will help in Rapport building with Village community. This way the community get mobilized and that’s how the Confidence building process will be strengthened .

Works to be initiated in EPA………..
Three types of work s can be initiated……
A.) Water based activity
B.) Repair, Restoration and Up gradation
C.) Productivity enhancement

Water harvesting structure 

A. ) Water based activity…….

Water harvesting  

•  Address Urgent needs of local community like drinking water through water harvesting/extracting structures
• Chari , Water tank, Pond ,Chal/Khal,Irrigation tank
• Stream Rejuvenation, Naula rejuvenation
• Irrigation Channel(Ghul), Drainage Channel(Nala), Hauz ,Hand pumps

                                                          Water harvesting 

B.) Repair, Restoration and Up gradation……………………

1.  Repair, Restoration and Up gradation of existing common property assets and existing water harvesting structure.
2. To obtain optimum and sustained benefit from previous public investments and traditional water harvesting structures includes:-Repairing/Upgradation of:-
   * Chari , Tank, Pond ,Chal/Khal, Irrigation Channel(ghul)
   *Dhara/stream Rejuvenation, Naula rejuvenation ,Irrigation tank, Hauz

Rejuvenation of water harvesting structure 

Rejuvenation of water harvesting structure C.Productivity enhancement……………………..
Work related to Productivity enhancement of existing farming systems

 

Points to be considered to enhance effectiveness of EPA……………….

1.) The EPA should be selected in open meetings based on the priority of the village community and it must be approved by the existing Water and watershed management committee(WWMC) .However, the Watershed development team (WDT) members should play a facilitating role in selection of EPA .

Open meeting for EPA 2.) EPA should preferably be done in all Revenue Villages of the project area so that the publicity of entry of project in village can be done in whole watershed area .
3.) More focus has to given on water related activities
4. )EPA should clearly be displayed in the form of wall painting or board

Focus on water related activities 5.) The EPA work taken should have a direct impact on village community rather than indirect and time taking impact .Like, Water harvesting structure