Harvesting rain water for agriculture

Harvesting rain water for agriculture - A story of Eval

Posted by : GSWMA Tuesday 13 August 2013

Earthen Bund, Eval, Patan

Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) has changed the fate of few farmers in the Eval village situated at the north western part of Santalpur taluka of Patan district in Gujarat. Due to lack of irrigation sources they had been cultivating Jower and Bajra with the only dependence source of monsoon. Except the kharif crop there is no sowing during the Rabi season and the farmers used to engage them in labour work for the remaining period of the year. This region is characterized by sandy loam soil with dry summer and average rainfall of about 400 mm.

Cumin Crop

Now after the construction of an Earthen Bund under the IWMP 2009-10 project, the same group of farmers is cultivating cumin and castor in the area which was one time cultivable till last year. The 410 mt earthen bund is constructed on survey number 33p with average height of 2.5 mt during 2011 before monsoon. The average water storage capacity is nearly 75000 cum. The cost of construction of the earthen bund with a waste weir was Rs. 5.2 lk. This year 11 farmers are irrigating a total 18 ha of land with the available water stored in earthen bund. One farmer is cultivating castor in an area of 2.4 ha and the remaining 10 farmers are cultivating cumin in the remaining 15.6 ha. The average productivity of cumin varies from 6 to 8 quintal/ha and castor is 25-30 quintal/ha. The average water requirement for cumin is four times during the four months of life cycle. The total estimated production of castor is 60qt and that of cumin is 95qt of the 11farmers. Considering the average market rate of castor is Rs.650 per man (20kg) and that of cumin is Rs.3000 per 20kg the total revenue is nearly Rs. 16.2 lakh. The average cost of production for cumin and castor are nearly Rs. 35000 per ha and 20000 per ha. Therefore the total net income is nearly 9 lk in one season. The net income itself goes above the cost of construction of earthen bund. There is a significant rise in the water levels of the wells adjacent to the earthen bund. Most of the well was used to dried up during summer but presently even in month of April there are ample amount of water which is used for drinking purpose in the village.

Table 1 Details of area of the Crop cultivated

This intervention has directly doubled the income potential of the farmer by increasing the irrigated area. There is a radical change in the life of the farmers and the community in that village. With the increase in income level and cropping intensity the farmers are planning to bring improve varities of seed and follow water efficient technology like drip and sprinkler system for better productivity.