Soil & Water Resources
Fitting interventions were undertaken to sustain natural resources through soil and water conservation
Fitting interventions were undertaken to sustain natural resources through soil and water conservation
Several corrective measures were undertaken since 2009 with financial assistance from KFW- NABARD and facilitation from Lupin Foundation. Multiple measures were implemented in a bid to amend and retain the soil and water resources.
The stress was on effective water management in the village through different techniques including rain water harvesting.
Watershed development has been effectively used by some villages in India. Taking into consideration the success of instances of effective water management in villages, watershed development programme through NABARD was planned to improve the ecology of the area. In addition to this, various water harvesting procedures were undertaken in the village with appropriate support of government schemes wherever applicable.
Different mechanical and vegetative techniques for arable and non-arable land were undertaken, and these steps significantly contributed to the improvement of land.
The percolation tank, constructed in 1972 in Buchkewadi village, was silted to a good measure. In the course of interventions, it was decided to clean and revive the tank for use. The entire village was called upon for participation in the clean-up activity of the tank, through voluntary labor, “Shramdaan ”. Lupin Foundation assisted this activity by providing JCB machine to excavate the silt. The silt excavated from this process was then mixed with the soil on the wasteland to increase the land fertility.
Latest alternate approaches were applied in accordance with their suitability throughout the course of interventions. In these methodologies, water conservation techniques mentioned below were implemented.
| Sr. No. | Activity | Unit | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Private Afforestation Land Development | ha | 158.69 |
| Continuous Contour Trench | Cum | 9621.63 | |
| Plantation | No. | 48,790.00 | |
| Water absorption Trench | Cum | 4379.32 | |
| Gully Plugs | No. | 97 | |
| Grass seeding | ha | 155.7 | |
| 2 | Forest Land Development | ha | 248.67 |
| Continuous Contour Trench | Cum. | 4,931.36 | |
| Plantation | No. | 6,600.00 | |
| Water absorption Trench | Cum. | 15,357.73 | |
| Stone Bunds | Cum. | 13.89 | |
| Gully Plugs | Cum. | 195 | |
| 3 | Cultivable Land Development | ||
| (i) More Than 3% slope | 471.99 | ||
| Farm Bunding | cum | 37,881.81 | |
| Stone Bunds | cum | 77.69 | |
| Stone outlets | Nos. | 1,444.00 | |
| Water Ways | cum | 4,815.65 | |
| 4 | Drainage line treatments | ||
| Loose Boulder Structures | Nos. | 98 | |
| Gabion Structures | Nos. | 1 | |
| Check Dams | Nos. | 2 | |
| 5 | Irrigation structures | ||
| Percolation tank (17000 cum capacity) | No | 1 | |
| Minor Irrigation Tank (0.939 MCum storage capacity) | No | 1 | |
| Farm pond (Size 30 m x 30 m x 3 m) | No | 21 | |
| Shivkalin Tank (Avg. size 30mx30mx5m) | No | 7 | |
| 6 | Drip irrigation promotion | ha | 30.36 |
In India, deficient and irregular rainfall have made way for different innovative water management techniques. Integrated Watershed Management in villages have intervened to enable innovative farming and agricultural outlook to improve the financial and social conditions in villages in India. Drip Irrigation System villages have responded by satisfactory agricultural produce as regards to quantity and variety.
Water availability increased in the village by virtue of the implemented conservation measures, however a challenge of its effective utilization, prevailed. Drip irrigation system was introduced in the village to promote economical usage of the available water. At the time, since funds were scarce for such an investment, farmers united and decided to avail bank loans to resolve the issue. They approached various banks with help from Lupin Foundation.
Canara Bank, Narayangaon offered loans at feasible rates, which encouraged farmers to install drip irrigation system in their farms. Village council or Gramsabha decided to install drip irrigation system per acre of land for each farmer. As of now, 41 famers have already installed the drip irrigation system covering 30 ha of land. Farmers are cultivating vegetables, in addition to the floriculture and horticulture activities. Drip irrigation system has helped in 25-30% increase in the income generated from agricultural produce.
Datamatrix Technology facilitates total integrated metering of water and energy consumed by each agricultural pump. It identifies the opportunities for real time optimization with the help of continuous energy and water audits. The unique feature of this technology is that all operating parameters of the pumping systems are identified based on the energy input to the motor. The system has been useful in bringing total ‘transparency’ to the operation in the minor irrigation tank users. Visibility and period of operation has been simplified along with enabling effective monitoring as well as valid rotation of turns for the group members. The generated water level and discharge values have facilitated a precise understanding of the ‘allocation’ vs. ‘usage’ from the system. Many robust decisions including rationing of water, closure during peak crisis and so on have been possible as the benefits of the system. Auto adjustments and corrections to promote efficient energy and water use are now possible.
Buchkewadi has elevated its financial and social status through the NABARD initiated water, agriculture and farming related interventions. Watershed development in India has helped various water-scarce regions to continue to earn a fair livelihood through farming. Integrated Watershed Management in villages has proved to be a boon where scarcity of water has affected the dwellers in adverse ways. NABARD initiated watershed development programme and Drip Irrigation System in the village ensures effective practices in order to assist agricultural activities.
