Short description of the best practice

Sustainable Ground Water Management through reducing pumping of the ground water to the extent of recharge. was integral part of the cropping system. The net effect of natural groundwater recharge conditions and demand side management of groundwater was visualized through static water level in the monitoring wells. Changing cropping patterns with low water requiring crops was the most crucial issue. Need based watering at critical stages of crop growth, check basin, sprinklers and drips methods in place of flooding Soil moisture conservation practices such as leveling, mulching, weeding, intercultural etc. Artificial groundwater recharge by trapping flash floods in abandoned open wells/bore wells or behind check dams, percolation pond and recharge structures.|

Location

Nandyal, Distt. Karnool, Andhra Pradesh |

Brief description of the natural environment within the specified location.

Level land with less than 1-3% slope
Heavy soils , Vertisols with more than 30- 35% clay
Semi- arid,receiving 650 to 800 mm annual rainfall|

Prevailing socio-economic conditions of those living in the location and/or nearby

Main income sources; are Agriculture and related activities, Agricultural labor, Dairying, Vegetable cultivation. |
Many owe their land  and a few have taken land on lease from big farmers.
Farmers are poor and majority of them are below poverty line.

On the basis of which criteria and/or indicator(s) (not related to The Strategy) the proposed practice and corresponding technology has been considered as 'best'?

Sustainable ground water management is mitigation strategy for combating DLDD. Ground water is the sole source of drinking water for survival. The practice will improve livelihood of the poor farmers. It will help improving land cover and carbon sequestration.

Main problems addressed by the best practice

1. Sustainable ground water management
2. Sustainable productivity of food and  fodder crops
3. Combating DLDD
4. Sustainable livelihood of the people

Outline specific land degradation problems addressed by the best practice

Addresses rapid depletion of ground water important for combating drought and desertification, which are main causes of land degradation in dry lands. |

Specify the objectives of the best practice

1. Impart drought proofing to the area
2. Sustainability productivity from dry lands
3. Offers livelihood to the affected people
4. Rehabilitation  of degraded lands

Brief description of main activities, by objective

1. Changing cropping patterns with low water requiring crops
2. Training modules dealing with water management, Integrated water management, Vermi-composting and pest control .
3. Improved varieties and farming practices
1. Ground water recharge by trapping flash floods in abandoned open wells/bore wells or behind check dams, percolation pond and recharge structures.
2. Restriction on sanction of unlimited number of tube wells.
3. Ground Water Budgeting and Matching Crop planning
1. Reducing pumping of the ground water to the extent of recharge.
2. Dissemination of groundwater information and Farmers decision making
3. Utilization of Indigenous as well as improved technology
1. Provides income for improved  livelihood of people
2. Mitigation of deteriorating ground water conditions
3. Prevents out migration due to degradation of land/water

Short description and technical specifications of the technology

Participatory hydrological monitoring by stakeholders. For Ground Water Budgeting and Matching Crop planning a rigorous net work was created by farmers to monitor daily rainfall, stream-flows, fortnightly water levels, and bore well discharge to provide real time data to community for planning judicious use of available ground water. Efficient water management practices both Indigenous as well as improved were utilized in the implementation of the program. Innovative approach of behavioral changes of users. Dissemination of groundwater information and farmer decision making.|

Name and address of the institution developing the technology

Andhra Pradesh Farmer’s Manage Ground Water System (APFAMGS), Bharti Integrated Rural Development Society (BIRDS)|Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh)

Was the technology developed in partnership?

Yes

List the partners:

1. Andhra Pradesh Goverrnment,
2. Bharti Integrated Rural Development Society
3. Farmers Community
4. Food and Agriculture Organization

Specify the framework within which the technology was promoted

• Other (please specify)

Specify:

The project was conceived through FAO support in collaboration with National Government and NGO.

Was the participation of local stakeholders, including CSOs, fostered in the development of the technology?

Yes

List local stakeholders involved:

1. All the stakeholders participated  
2. A federation of NGOs led by BIRDS was responsible for designing and execution of  program
3. Interaction with National program at district level

For the stakeholders listed above, specify their role in the design, introduction, use and maintenance of the technology, if any.

Participatory hydrological monitoring by stakeholders, Management Committees and their Federations at Hydrologic Unit Network level. This group was also responsible for maintenance of the field installations.|

Was the population living in the location and/or nearby involved in the development of the technology?

Yes

By means of what?

• Participatory approaches
• Other (please specify)

Specify:

Trainings

Describe on-site impacts (the major two impacts by category)

A few tractors, bullock drawn seed drills, threshers and rain guns were made available in the village, which could be utilized by the farmers on custom hire basis. |
An unique knowledge based approach for mobilization of community.
The high water requiring crops such as paddy, sugarcane, groundnut and cotton have been almost replaced by red gram, Okhra, green gram and short duration variety (TGA37) of ground nut.|
A Shift from flood irrigation of crops to check basins, conservation furrow irrigation, sprinklers, drips and rain guns for spray of pesticides |
Improvement in land cover as well as biomass production helped carbon sequestration and off site impacts.
Peoples’ Institution, mutually Aided Cooperative Societies have been formed, which are acting as ground water monitoring committees.|
Improvement of ground water situation and drinking water facilities to people in dry areas.

Describe the major two off-site (i.e. not occurring in the location but in the surrounding areas) impacts

Improvement in land cover has improved carbon sequestration having off site impact and global impacts
Dissemination of the model to other areas

Impact on biodiversity and climate change

Explain the reasons:

Improvement of land cover and biomass production improves soil biota and the biodiversity of drylands. Since there is higher carbon sequestration it would also effect the climate change. Drought proofing will act as preventive measure for land degradation.

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

No

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Yes

Where?

It has proved successful in seven districts of Andhra Pradesh in India

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Yes

Specify which type of incentives:

• Policy or regulatory incentives (for example, related to market requirements and regulations, import/export, foreign investment, research & development support, etc)
• Financial incentives (for example, preferential rates, State aid, subsidies, cash grants, loan guarantees, etc)
• Fiscal incentives (for example, exemption from or reduction of taxes, duties, fees, etc)

Can you identify the three main conditions that led to the success of the presented best practice/technology?

Replicable elsewhere with some level of adaptation;
Highly motivation of Stakeholders, farmers and their organization in to well structured  groups and cooperatives|
Replicable elsewhere with major adaptation

Replicability

In your opinion, the best practice/technology you have proposed can be replicated, although with some level of adaptation, elsewhere?

Yes

At which level?

• Local
• Sub-national
• National

Related to human resources

1. Knowledge based approach is the best way to convince communities if they learn while doing the activity
2. Group actions in participatory mode are powerful tool to combat the ground water situations  
3. Indigenous as well innovative techniques were helpful in addressing the issues of ground water management.

Related to technical aspects

1. The core message of the project is the demystification of science  and discerning otherwise invisible issues in an easy understandable language to mobilize masses
2. Empowering communities with skills and knowledge to collect, collate, understand implications of their actions and triggering discussions on possible options and initiating safe guard actions at the village level.  
3.Information based decision making goes a long way in addressing even the otherwise complicated issues