Short description of the best practice

Silting up of nala/river used to be resulted in flooding and water logging of the fields situated near nala/river. This renders the land unfit for cultivation. KJBF has widened and desilted the nala/river ensuring water harvesting mechanism across the widened nala/river.

Location

Deoli Taluka of Wardha District (MS)

If the location has well defined boundaries, specify its extension in hectares:

1250.0

Estimated population living in the location:

2090.0

Brief description of the natural environment within the specified location.

The soils in the area are mostly black cotton soils and at some places contain silt also.
Almost flat land having slope ranging between 2-3 per cent.
climate is characterised by hot summer and a general dryness throughout the year except during the monsoon when humidity is above 60%. Temp: During the May, the average maximum temperature has been recorded at 48°C and the average minimum at 28°C. December is the coldest month with average maximum temperature of 28°C and average minimum of 15°C.|

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

Agriculture
Av. Annual income in the area is Rs.18000/-

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'?

Consensus evolved during the National Consultation process.   

Main problems addressed by the best practice

Water logging in the field near nala/river due to flood |Soil erosion & crop failure|Less sub surface recharge|Deep water table

Outline specific land degradation problems addressed by the best practice

In project area (Deoli taluka), the topography is mostly flat. Most of the nala/rivers have huge catchment area but due to encroachment and deposition of silt, the water holding capacity is greatly reduced. This results in flooding of the agricultural fields and washing away of seeds. The fields remain waterlogged in the absence of natural drainage and cultivable land is rendered fallow. During torrential rains, fertile top soil used to be washed away with the surface runoff and the productivity of land was also adversely affected leading to poor crop yield and low incomes for the farmers in the area.|

Specify the objectives of the best practice

Protection of land from water logging due to flood in Nala or River |To avoid soil erosion & maintain soil fertility|To increase sub-surface recharge rate|To increase water level in nearby wells

Brief description of main activities, by objective

By removing silt from nala/river the bed of nala/river gets exposed to hard murrum level through which water can be recharged very fast.
In this revived nala/river we have constructed check dams to harvest rainfall which can be utilized for support irrigation also. This will also help in increasing water level in the nearby wells.
The existing silted nala/river was widened & deepened with the help of JCB machine and the banks were raised to certain level to pass runoff safely through it.
Due to these raised banks soil erosion from the nearby fields was stopped & thus these fields can be converted into cultivable fields with maintained soil fertility.

Name and address of the institution developing the technology

Kamalnayan Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation|Manohar Dham, Dattapur, Dist. Wardha 442 001 INDIA

Was the technology developed in partnership?

Yes

List the partners:

CBOs Like VDC & User Groups

Specify the framework within which the technology was promoted

• Programme/project-based initiative

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

Yes

List local stakeholders involved:

CBOs, VDCs|

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

KJBF conducted PRAs in the project villages. VVs interacted with the farmers regularly and made them aware about the importance of water harvesting. Discussions with farmers enabled to understand the problem of erratic rainfall and solution for the same was also evolved from the community itself. A Village Development Committee consisting of volunteers representing the various factions within the community was formed after members were nominated by common consensus during a village meeting. The VDC members played a crucial role in motivating the farmers and taking the process of implementation forward. The VDC was also responsible for representing the community perspective, building consensus and collecting the community contribution. |

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

Green belts throughout the length of nala/river can be developed
Soil degradation was arrested resulting in conservation of top fertile layer of soil
KJBF has widened revived streams of 12.5 kms. This has helped to bring 145.5 acres of fallow land under cultivation.
Seventy five acre cropland near nala/river was protected from flood which in turn increase crop yield
Income level of farmers can be increased due to increased land availability for cultivation  

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

Water conservation measures adopted along with the nala/river revival activity has resulted into recharging surrounding wells  

Impact on biodiversity and climate change

Explain the reasons:

Soil erosion and runoff from cropland will respond to changes in climate for a number of reasons, including climate-induced changes in plant biomass, plant residue decomposition rates, soil microbial activity, evapo-transpiration rates, soil surface crusting and sealing, and shifts in land use that occur as adjustments to a changed climate. The most important effect of climate change on soil erosion and surface runoff, however, will come from climate-induced changes in the volume and erosive power of rainfall Practices promoted in the project area are for reduction of soil erosion and also for minimizing the effect of erratic rainfall. |

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?

Various villages of Deoli Block in Wardha District.

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:

• Financial incentives (for example, preferential rates, State aid, subsidies, cash grants, loan guarantees, etc)

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

Transparent execution, monitoring 7& financial management system |
Highly motivated & active participation of local leaders as well as Gram Panchayat
Benefiting farmers organized into well structured user groups/VDC

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

Related to human resources

It will create maximum labour & suitable for funding under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Related to financial aspects

This activity costs much lesser amount when executed with machine which also saves time ensuring best quality

Related to technical aspects

Water harvesting structure can be constructed after one year of completion of revival of nala/river
2. For better results this activity should be executed from the origin of nala/river to end