Sir Ratan Tata Trust - Institutional Grants - Programme - Rural Livelihoods & Communities

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Field Pilot undertaken by Ambuja Cement Foundation (ACF)

In January 2002, the Trust supported Ambuja Cement Foundation (ACF), Ambujanagar, in implementing a three and a half year pilot, focused on 20 villages of Kodinar & Sutrapada talukas of Junagadh district. This project involved: (i) construction of water harvesting structures for ground water recharge; (ii) construction of Roof Rain Water Harvesting Tanks (RRWHT), well sealing and percolation wells for drinking water; (iii) propagation of horticulture and water saving technologies, such as drip irrigation and sprinklers; (iv) farm bunding for soil and water conservation; and (v) trainings for farmers and beneficiaries on water saving technologies, horticulture, agricultural demonstrations, health & hygiene, etc.

This Phase I project came to a close in September 2005 and resulted in: (i) benefiting a total of 2,181 households across 15 villages in Kodinar & Sutrapada talukas; (ii) 631 and 587 households benefiting from RRWHT and percolation-cum-drinking water wells respectively; and (iii) water harvesting though recharge activities increasing the ground water levels in project villages by nearly 30 feet, resulting in farmers taking up Rabi crops, in addition to Kharif. Overall, agricultural productivity increased by 1.5 to 3 fold.

During the three and a half year period of Phase I, several lessons were learnt, namely: (i) Roof Rain Water Harvesting Tanks (RRWHT) proved to be a long term and cost effective solution for household drinking water requirements; (ii) interlinking of ponds through link canals, combined with percolation wells in river beds, resulted in enhanced ground water recharge and improvement in water quality in irrigation wells; (iii) there was a need to increase awareness amongst farmers to adopt horticulture crops combined with micro irrigation systems, resulting in judicious use of groundwater and sustaining and enhancing income of households; (iv) it was necessary to promote short duration and less water intensive cropping patterns for efficient use of precious ground water; (v) promotion of organic farming to help soil maintain moisture was imperative, thus saving water; and (vi) there was a need to revive animal husbandry and support milk marketing on cooperative basis, thus making it a viable option for enhancing livelihoods in coastal areas.

The lessons learnt during the Phase I were kept in mind whilst designing Phase II, which was operationalised in January 2006 and covers 17 villages in Kodinar and Sutrapada talukas of Junagadh district (including five new villages, not covered under Phase I). At the same time, fresh project activities were also initiated in five villages of Jafarabad taluka of Amreli district. The Phase II focuses on developing: (i) an integrated package to combat salinity with active participation of local communities; (ii) a cost effective and innovative demand and supply water management and agriculture model for efficient utilization of available water; and (iii) a network with government and development agencies for faster replication of successful interventions with active participation of various stakeholders.

The Phase II project in Kodinar and Sutrapada taluka involves the following activities:

Enhancing Water Efficiency through Promotion of Less Water Intensive Crops: This involves: (i) putting 400 hectares under horticulture plantations (Cashew, Fig, Sapota, Coconut, etc); (ii) placing 1,050 hectares under alternate crops such as BT Cotton, Castor, Sesamum, Pigeon Pea, pulses, vegetables, etc.; and (iii) promoting homestead kitchen gardens, bio waste trenches and organic farming.
Water Resource Development & Management: This component involves constructing 10 kilometers of link canals interlinking existing ponds. To help recharge ground water, 10 percolation tanks would be renovated or deepened, five check dams repaired, 30 percolation wells constructed in river beds and 300 existing wells recharged.
Promotion of Water Saving Technologies: To promote the judicious use of water in agriculture, sprinkler and drip irrigation systems are being promoted, covering 300 farmers under sprinkler irrigation and 50 hectares under drip irrigation. As land holdings become smaller in coastal areas and farming is no longer as remunerative as before, there is a need to promote alternate livelihoods amongst the farming communities.
Animal Husbandry: Under this, three key activities are underway: (i) to reduce the shortage of fodder, 40 acres of fodder plots are being developed as demonstrations; (ii) 100 families are being provided support to purchase better breeds of milch cattle, especially the indigenous Gir breed of cows; and (iii) a total of nine cooperative dairies, based around women Self Help Groups (SHG) would be formed for marketing of milk.
Drinking Water Programme: During the Phase I of the project, a total of 630 RRWHTs were constructed. The success of this intervention led to an increased demand from other coastal villages suffering from drinking water problems. Consequently, a total of 500 new RRWHTS are planned over the project period in the project villages. In addition, 10 new drinking water wells are proposed. Focus would also be on ensuring that systems are put in place for O&M and sustainable use of drinking water schemes.

The project in Jafarabad taluka (Amreli district) builds on the work undertaken in this area by ACF under different watershed projects. The Jafarabad region suffers from low rainfall and increasing problems caused by salinity ingress and fluoride contamination of drinking water. In addition, agriculture in the area is backward and suffers from lack of irrigation facilities and agri-inputs. The project involves the following activities:

Enhancing Water Use Efficiency through Promotion of Less Water Intensive Cropping Patterns: The following agriculture enhancing activities are being carried out: (i) 100 hectares of salinity resistant horticulture crops with barbed wire fencing and 50 hectares of boundary plantations in project villages; (ii) 150 hectares under salt resistant and less water requiring agricultural crops; (iii) organic farming and vermi- composting support to 50 farmers; and (iv) biogas plants to 50 households.
Water Resource Development and Management: The area has huge potential for harvesting rainwater through groundwater recharge and widening and deepening of river beds. Over the three year project period, construction of 10 percolation tanks and widening and deepening of riverbeds would be carried out. In addition, five check dams would also be constructed. A total of 25 percolation wells are proposed in river beds to help increase groundwater recharge.
Promotion of Water Saving Technologies: This component is being implemented in conjunction with horticulture plantations. A total of 10 acres of land, covering 50 farmers, is planned for demonstrating these cutting-edge technologies.
Animal Husbandry: ACF plans to set up 300 fodder plots and would assist 100 families purchase quality milch cattle. In addition, five cooperative dairies are proposed for marketing of milk and milk produce. The animal husbandry activities would be facilitated through improved veterinary services, promotion of indigenous breeds, setting up of women’s milk marketing cooperatives, and developing markets for dairy products.
Drinking Water Programme: Some of the activities to mitigate the drinking water problems of the area include: (a) construction of 150 RRWHTs in the five project villages; and (b) construction and installation of two community drinking water wells with pipelines to stand posts and three hand pumps.

Progress so far:

The key focus during the first year of the current phase was on promoting horticulture crops and promotion of salinity resistant, less water intensive agriculture crops. Horticulture plantations were promoted in 115 hectares among farmers of project villages in Kodinar/Sutrapada and Jafarabad talukas. To identify optimum crop combinations, suitable to these areas, large-scale demonstrations of cotton (BT), castor, sesamum and green gram were carried out amongst 770 farmers, covering an area of 305 hectares. Based on performance of the crops, suitable combinations would be identified for large scale replication among farming communities in project villages, in future. Demonstrations of vegetables crops were made amongst 85 farmers, covering an area of 9 hectares. Small kits of different seeds of vegetable crops were given to 364 households. Exposure visits of farmers were organized for motivation for starting vermi composting and organic farming.

A project on interlinking of tidal regulators and bandharas in Kodinar taluka is under progress, in collaboration with Salinity Ingress Prevention Department of the Government of Gujarat. As a result of implementation of this project, three major rivers of Kodinar, namely, Sangavadi, Shingoda and Goma have been interlinked by construction of a spreading channel, parallel to the seacoast. Construction of four percolation wells, renovation of four check dams and recharging of five wells has been carried out in project villages. Construction of three percolation wells is under progress.

To promote judicious use of water in agriculture, sprinkler irrigation systems were promoted among farmers. 150 farmers adopted sprinkler irrigation system. Similarly, drip irrigation systems were also promoted over an area of 1.5 hectares. Demonstration of multi cut fodder (sorghum) was given to 305 farmers and this variety was found suitable as revealed from interaction with farmers who participated in the demonstration.

Promotion of roof rainwater harvesting structures as a permanent solution to drinking water scarcity at household levels resulted in construction of 52 more structures. Renovation of one saline well and construction of a drinking water well is under progress.

As part of capacity building of communities, 27 training and 12 exposure visits were organized. The focus of training programmes was on maintenance and care of roof rainwater harvesting structures, hygiene and sanitation, promotion of horticulture crops, judicious use of water and less water intensive cropping pattern, etc. Finally, exposure visits were organized with the objective of promoting learning on vermi composting, organic farming and horticulture crops.

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