Learnings

• Spending patterns are quickly changing in the younger generations in these villages. Some of the focus group discussions done in November 2003 reveal that while the older generation continue to be judicious about the utility value of any expenditure, the younger generation are quickly getting drawn to commercial durables and electrical appliances. In the case of agriculture, their expenditure is driven by fear of loss most of the times. Huge amounts of money spent this way may or may not ensure profitability but surely are becoming a burden on their environment. Their actions are resulting in loss of health for humans and animals because of damage to environment, again influencing people's economic prosperity adversely. Most of the times it seems to be a question of very poor and limited choices. People's options are compromised or they are reluctant to pay for services since they are not convinced about the usefulness of the result.

• Policy too has a major role to play and people respond to different sectors differently. Health service had become an industry over the last two decades and people accept the expenditure involved in anticipation of better services. However, there is no evidence that higher expenditure has given people greater benefits but surely brought in paradigm shift in their spending patterns for health purposes. Breaking down of occupational lineage as a result of western education has led to loss of indigenous knowledge in alternative health streams resulting in excessive dependency on external therapeutic systems like allopaty of treatment.

• Agriculture continues to be seen more as a "subsidy zone" and people do not wish to spend money awaiting constant support from government. There is degradation of the eco-systems due to several effects. Cutting of trees and scattered rain fall resulted in reduction of farming activities and excessive migration from the villages. Most often older people with small grandchildren are left behind in the villages as the young couples leave the villages in search of livelihoods.

• Water is the biggest challenge for the villages for both agriculture and drinking purposes.Any effort that can be anchored on water based benifits will be one of Vidal's priority areas.