A compilation of Ecologically Sensible Good Practices
Imprints of Ecological Footprints ‌. A compilation of Ecologically Sensible Good Practices Aug 2016 Authors: MV Rama Chandrudu Beneta Mahanta Waseem Mohammad Anitha Reddy V MB Vali Saab Editors: K Suresh MV Rama Chandrudu Visuals:Cheriyal Nakashi Artists Family - Shri D Vaikuntam and his family members Mrs. D Vanaja (wife); D Vinay and D Rakesh (sons). Design and Layout : Ankush Copy Left : These case studies could be used for non-commercial use, with proper acknowledgement. Supported by : Indian Foundation for Humanistic Development, Bengaluru Produced by : WASSAN (Watershed Support Services and Activities Network) Produced for Leaders For Nature Program. This program is collectively organized by CII; Hivos; IUCN; Wild Life Trust of India. IFHD is anchoring the Leaders for Nature Program. Published by: IFHD, Bengaluru
Acknowledgements I am very happy to present "Imprints of Ecological Footprints ‌. A compilation of Ecologically Sensible Good Practices". I take this opportunity to thank all organizations and individuals who contributed to the process of documenting these good practices. They were kind to frankly share with us their experiences, thoughts, challenges and achievements. They also shared relevant data to substantiate any critical point from their experiences. Some of them even prepared the first drafts of these case studies. They also revised them, based on our feedback. All the organizations/ individuals happily gave consent for publishing these case studies and using them for learning purposes under "Leaders for Nature" program of IFHD, IUCN, CII, Hivos and Wild Life Trust of India. The entire process of producing this compilation was an enriching and fruitful experience. It is also a humbling experience for us to learn several lessons from these interactions and visits to several villages/ sites. We genuinely believe that this compilation truly enriches the learning processes of "Leaders for Nature" program. The Writeshop was one of the important events of this process. We got guidance and feedback on the '0' drafts from the participants of the writeshop. This was useful in refining the initial drafts. The participants of writeshop also made important suggestions on the presentation and utility of these case studies. From their busy schedules, they spared few days for refining these case studies, which is a very kind gesture. I thank everyone who participated in the writeshop. Their inputs are invaluable. I thank Ms. Aruna Rangachar Pohl, IFHD for having faith in WASSAN and entrusting us the responsibility of compiling these case studies. She is an active team member at all critical stages of the project and guided us on choice of case studies, structure/ framework, presentation, etc. The partnership with IFHD is really cherished by all of us, at WASSAN.
I also thank the family of artists of Cheriyal - Shri D Vaikuntam, Mrs D Vanaja, Mr D Vinay and D Rakesh, who visualized these experiences in their own unique style. My team -MB Vali, Anitha Vustela, Waseem Mohammad, Benita Mahanta, Radhashree who spent considerable time on this agenda. I also thank K Suresh for providing editorial inputs and support at various stages of this process. MV Rama Chandrudu WASSAN Aug 2016
Foreword It is almost three decades back, the threats to "Our Common Future" were formally identified and deliberations started gaining more steam and support from governments too‌ (Our Common Future,Gro Harlem Brundtland, 1987). Climate Change and its implications were also slowly getting recognized during this period. The need for "producing more with less" was also part of this thinking process, as a means to address the challenges of the future. Over a period of time, the world witnessed more economic distress, unemployment, political turmoil and ecological disasters across different countries and regions of world. Those early predictions seemed to be less threatening than the current reality. The global gloom got predictable companions - unscrupulous industrial growth, irresponsible urbanization, careless global politics, dishonest governments, self-centric citizenship, which tried to glorify the current trends as achievements and inevitable solutions. In the middle of such despair and misery, there is a hope. "Imprints of Ecological Footprints - A Compilation of Ecologically Sensible Good Practices" is a compendium of good practices that brings the efforts made by relentless civil society organizations, citizens and community based organizations, to change the direction of this trend. These experiences bring cheer and hope in the lives of thousands of rural, tribal and urban citizens in India, who are part of these experiences. They were able to take a different path that is less travelled and troublesome. There were several challenges, at each step and milestone. But they continued their journey and proved that "producing more with less" is possible. They also ensured that the ecological and environmentally sustainable processes are feasible for improving economic standards and quality of life of poor communities. These case studies give a hope and confidence that we can face the cruel world and transform the same into a comfortable place for all - including endangered species, poor and marginalized communities. While Corporate Social Responsibility is gaining more support
from governments, corporate agencies and development agencies, these experiences provide guidance and help them to think about alternatives. These experiences help the willing and discerning development agencies and investors in social change, to transcend the mundane "photo stories" of majority of current CSR interventions. They provide an array of options, strategies and ideas that proved themselves in different parts of the country. I thank all the organizations and agencies who shared their stories - highs and lows of it, with us frankly and completely. I thank them for providing leadership on the chosen theme - promoting biodiversity; conservation and governance of natural resources; promoting ecologically sensitive production processes; enhancing livelihoods by developing environmentally harmonious economic models and several others. These experiences are invaluable and are certainly useful for provoking thoughts in the minds of participants of "Leaders for Nature" programs, which are jointly organized by IFHD, IUCN, CII, Wild Life Trust of India, HIVOS and other like-minded organizations. I thank WASSAN for producing this compilation of case studies and supporting us in this endeavor.
Aruna Rangachar Pohl IFHD, Bengaluru Aug 2016
9 Farm Ponds... Triggering Diversified Farming Systems…
"
….While migrating to Malwa region each year, I feel very sad. We did not have any option, except to move out of our village, for survival. Protecting crops during monsoon itself was a major challenge. The dry spell was most common and our crops would dry up in front of our eyes… we were helpless. There was no source of irrigation for my crop. This was about 10 years back. Now, our life changed dramatically. Everything looks like a dream now…. I am able to protect my crops and also help my extended family in securing their crops… Thanks to the farm pond on my field, I am much secured now…..” Noorabai, a woman farmer from Sewanpani village. "…We constructed this when my husband was alive… he was very happy to see water in our fields. He attempted to dig well several times, but could not complete it. We were too poor to complete the digging of the well and there was hard rock below the soil. He was always keen on Farm Ponds...
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taking a second crop. But it was not possible, as there was no water… When the idea of digging a farm pond came from watershed team, it appealed to all of us. We immediately agreed to undertake one… Since 2001, our farm pond enabled us to provide protective irrigation to my crops. We also take two crops per year. Our life changed since then. My husband passed away in 2006. My sons are farming now, and we are able to make agriculture viable. From the loans that I borrowed from my self-help group, I was able make investments on agriculture. We leased in 3 acres of additional land in nearby village…..” Surmabai, Semli village. "…… I was rather surprised with our fortune. I could not only protect my crops in all the three seasons, each year, but also produce fish in my farm pond. This gave me additional income and also food for consumption at home. Compared to other ponds, water stays for longer period in my pond. So I could grow fish in this pond, after using the water for agriculture. I also got training from Krishi Vignan Kendra, Dewas on fish cultivation. I am growing fish since 2011…" - Bharat, a small farmer from Agra village. Before watershed works began in the village in 2009, Bharat used to work as a bonded labourer in the nearby town in Malwa region. As part of watershed project, a farm pond was constructed in this field. Many other large earthen water harvesting structures were also constructed in the village. These structures have collectively raised the groundwater level in his well. He is one of those farmers who could diversify the uses of farm pond - from irrigating crops to fisheries. While farmers like Bharat have used farm ponds for fisheries, Rajaram Relia (Semili village) used these Farm Ponds...
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ponds as a source for drinking water for livestock. Availability of drinking water for livestock during summer is a major relief for livestock rearers, in drought prone areas. He was also inspired by Bharat's experience and intends to grow fish in his pond. It is amazing how a small water body in the parched dry lands could bring a sea change in the lives of people around it. This is a story of farmers who constructed farm ponds in Bagli Block, Dewas District, Madhya Pradesh. With the support of government programs (watershed development project, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, others), these farmers were able to turn a new leaf in their life. They could trigger a growth path that is paved with diversity in agriculture. When Samaj Pragati Sahyog, a development agency in Bagli block (Dewas district) started implementing watershed management projects since 2001 onwards, they were aware of the potential contribution of farm ponds towards stabilizing rain-fed agriculture and livelihoods of farmers, who own these ponds. Changing patterns of rainfall and temperature are imposing huge risk to rain-fed farming in these villages. Samaj Pragati Sahyog conducted a detailed analysis of rainfall for last 140 years in the state and found that the average annual rain fall for last three decades is reducing and the number of years that have more than normal rainfall is also reducing. Such trend gives rise to the possibility of extreme climate events, high rainfall/ floods as well as deficient rainfall/ droughts. The number of rainy days and the intensity of the rainy days may change in future. The rainy water, so as to withstand the water stress in the advent of climate change. 100
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Watershed management project and its various interventions are ideally suited for this purpose. As a staunch believer of watershed approaches, Samaj Pragati Sahyog realized this benefit of watershed development projects and promoted the same on a large scale. Farm ponds are important part of these interventions. The undulating topography of the region, dividing itself into small catchments, was ideal for on-farm water harvesting through Farm Ponds. As part of watershed projects, initially many earthen Water Harvesting Structures (WHS, locally called "Naala Bunds") were constructed. These collected water from large catchments of 10-50 hectares. However, farm ponds collect water from very small catchments of 2-10 hectares. These are located within the agriculture lands in most of the cases. Farm ponds are usually constructed with the standard dimensions of 25x20x2 meter or 1000 cubic meter dead storage capacity. It mainly collects runoff from local catchments covering a few farms. The ponds usually get three to four refills during the monsoon season and therefore, their effective storage can be around 3000 to 4000 cubic metres. Cost of construction of ponds varies between Rs. 80,000 to 1,30,000 at current prices. Material component is extremely low and 85 per cent of the total cost is on labor. The initial response to farm ponds was totally negative. The farmers felt that these ponds were very small structures and would hardly hold water for long time. Moreover, farmers also felt that these ponds were useless since they submerged part of their land and reduced their already limited cultivated area. But slowly, the farmers began to realise that the loss due to land submergence in the case of farm ponds is more than days in future appear to be less in number than the present, especially Farm Ponds...
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over north and central India and east peninsula. In such situations, availability of water to crops at critical stages is a major challenge. Official land use statistics show that 55 per cent of the cultivated area still has no access to irrigation. So it is very important for rain-fed crops to secure compensated by the gain from these structures. Farmers also realized that if they could use farm ponds with irrigation wells (in turn recharged by farm ponds) it would be useful. With early winter rain in November ("mawtha"), the pond could get more re-fills which can provide additional irrigation for their winter crop (usually wheat or gram). Enterprising farmers noted the possibility of "other uses" of farm ponds like fisheries and drinking water for cattle. All these reasons slowly made farm ponds popular in the region. Till now, Samaj Pragati Sahyog has constructed over 150 such ponds, along with a large number of other water harvesting structures, in the region. Uses of Farm Ponds 2014-15
2015-16
No
Uses
YES
NO
YES
NO
1
Kharif Irrigation
36%
64%
29%
71%
2
Early Rabi Irrigation
93%
7%
93%
7%
3
Summer Irrigation
21%
79%
7%
93%
4
Other Uses (Fisheries)
50%
50%
43%
57%
Note: Use during the Kharif season includes both direct and indirect use of ponds for irrigation Farm Ponds...
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A survey conducted on the utility of farm ponds by Samaj Pragati Sahyog indicates that provision of critical irrigation to crops during monsoon and winter crops are two major benefits of the farm ponds. However, provision of critical irrigation during rainy season is dependent on the soil types and crop. For example, irrigation is not required for black soils during monsoon as it may lead to water logging. While in lighter soils with low water retention capacities, this danger is less. For these soils, critical irrigation is indeed useful. Similarly, soya bean and black gram crop do not generally require irrigation during rainy season. Majority of farm ponds are used for providing irrigation to rabi crops. In fact this use of farm ponds generated additional income and wealth for the farmers, as the rabi crops could be protected by using the water from farm ponds. The benefit of this critical irrigation is estimated to be 44,000 Rs/ Hect. Farmers also realized that there are other benefits of farm ponds as they harvest rainwater at micro level. Each pond gets filled at least three times during the monsoon itself. As a result of this, the well of the farmer is endowed with better groundwater resources now. These wells are able to yield higher quantum of groundwater and support irrigating the lands. Earlier, there was no second crop in these regions. Now these farm ponds are able to establish a new paradigm in water use in these villages. When the monsoon is good (above normal rainfall), when the water is retained for longer period, there are multiple uses of farm ponds too - fisheries and drinking water for livestock. From the experiences, it can be concluded that farm ponds are a good intervention for supplemental irrigation in both Kharif and early Rabi Farm Ponds...
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seasons. Together with wells and other recharge structures in the watershed, farm ponds provide security to the households against climate risk. To enhance effectiveness of the farm ponds, one could encourage water-saving crops and water-efficient technologies like drip and sprinklers so that the water from the pond is used productively. These farm ponds trigger and stabilize diversified cropping systems at micro level. Ganibai is a classic example of this change in Bagli. For Ganibai, the 10 years preceding watershed works in Semli village (2001) were extremely difficult times. Productivity of the land had significantly gone down due to lack of irrigation, while the family size was growing. Cotton flushes have been poor and wheat production low. Ganibai and her enterprising husband Dhanna had dug a well on their land but it did not yield water. From 2001 onwards, the situation changed with a farm pond on her field. The farm pond enabled her to increase the area under her second crop of wheat from 2 bighas (0.5 ha) to 5 bighas (1.25 ha) in 2003. In the rabi of 2003, her wheat output went up to 27 quintals from an average of 6 to 8 quintals in pre-project years. In the year 2003-04, she could dig a new well. This new well was dug up to a depth of 11 metres and lined with pre-fabricated cement-concrete rings. With the lining of this new well, she was able to irrigate a major part of her 15 bigha land, if the rains are normal. And when rains fail, her farm pond and well will protect her from complete crop failure. Ganibai and her husband Dhanna were the first farmers in the area to take up plantation activity in Semli. In 2004, they planted mango, gooseberry, 106
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lemon, guava, drumstick and papaya trees on 1 bigha land. This has encouraged other farmers too, who are now coming forward to adopt the plantation model in their fields. As a result of these interventions their dependence on external loan has decreased. Ganibai now has surplus grain to sell. In a good year with average rainfall, she has a surplus of 6 to 7 quintals of wheat and 2 to 3 quintals of maize which she disposes of in the local markets. There are more farmers like Ganibai who are discovering the benefits of diversifying crops and going for other water based production systems. Farm ponds are triggering these changes, for better. MV Rama Chandrudu, WASSAN Based on interactions/ case studies/ research paper by Vijay Shankar and team, Samaj Pragati Sahyog, Bagli.
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About Cheriyal Paintings Shri D Vaikuntam and his family members Mrs. D Vanaja (wife); D Vinay and D Rakesh (sons) are keeping the tradition of Cheriyal Paintings of Telangana state, for generations. All members of the family are engaged in protecting and conserving this rare art form, that is not likely to survive for long. This is the only family in the country that is still engaged in this traditional art form. The Cheriyal Art has a unique character - red color background; vivid presentation of figures (men, women, animals, flowers, plants and others) with unique strokes and style. This art form belongs to "nakashi" form of paintings in India. But Cheriyal paintings contextualized this nakashi format to local Telangana and improvised it, with their unique styles. Apart from paintings and scrolls, Cheriyal Masks are also very attractive and unique with their bright colors and large eyes. D Vaikuntam received several awards from Central/ State governments, for his unique contribution to Cheriyal Art. D Vaikuntam and his family members agreed to present the key messages of these case studies. They spent time with us to understand the essence of each case study and presented it in their own style. These pictures further enriched the experiences, which are already exemplary in several ways. WASSAN thanks the family of artists of Cheriyal for their support in visualising these case studies. Pictures of some of the paintings/ scrolls and masks could be seen on this blog: http://vaikuntamnakash.blogspot.in/
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"…..In the middle of such despair and misery, there is a hope. "Imprints of Ecological Footprints - A Compilation of Ecologically Sensible Good Practices" is a compendium of good practices that brings the efforts made by relentless civil society organizations, citizens and community based organizations, to change the direction of the trend. These experiences brought cheer and hope in the lives of thousands of rural, tribal and urban citizens in India, who are part of these experiences. They took a different path that is less travelled and troublesome. There were several challenges, at each step and milestone. But they continued their journey and proved that "producing more with less" is possible. They also ensured that the ecological and environmentally sustainable processes are feasible for improving economic standards and quality of life of poor communities…"Aruna Rangachar Pohl, IFHD, Bangaluru. "……these experiences are invaluable and are certainly useful for provoking thoughts in the minds of participants of "Leaders for Nature" programs, which is organized by IFHD, IUCN, CII, Wild Life Trust of India, HIVOS and other likeminded organizations.The entire process of producing this compilation was an enriching and fruitful experience. It is a humbling experience for us to learn lessons from the interactions and visits to their villages/ sites. We genuinely believe that this compilation truly enriches the learning processes of "Leaders for Nature" program" - MV Rama Chandrudu, WASSAN