NREGS, Gram Panchayats and Inclusive Climate-Smart Agriculture: Evidence from South India

1 This paper assesses the potential of NREGS, India’s flagship rural public works programme, to contribute to a shift towards climate-smart agriculture with the help of primary data from one South Indian district. It analyses the role of institutions (local elected councils and village assembly meetings) addressing collective action issues in the planning, implementation, oversight and evaluation of NREG works, as well as on the importance of property rights. It has been found that incidence and type of irrigation, dependence on agriculture and governance within collective action institutions influence the quality of assets created, and that this will affect the prospects of climate-smart agriculture. The lack of clearly demarcated ownership rights on common property resources impede the progress towards climate smart-agriculture, while the tenancy market makes it less inclusive.