The Hindu : National : It is plenty amid scarcity in Kothapally

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Sunday, Oct 09, 2005

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It is plenty amid scarcity in Kothapally

M.J. Prabu

ICRISAT-aided community project helps watershed management

WATERSHED SUCCESS: Check dams in Kothapally built with technical guidance from ICRISAT. — Photo: ICRISAT

KOTHAPALLY: Farmers in this village in Ranga Reddy district of Andhra Pradesh now raise three crops a year. There is acute water scarcity in the region in general, but here most wells are full, thanks to a watershed development project facilitated by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) based in Patancheru in the State.

The soil and water conservation measures undertaken by ICRISAT have ensured that water percolates into the soil and the wells. "The project initially focussed on... soil and water conservation measures and crop improvement techniques for individual farmers. Once the farmers were convinced of improved financial returns due to these interventions, they contributed to build community structures," said S.P. Wani, the ICRISAT coordinator for the project and a principal scientist.

According to Dr. Wani, semi-arid tropics (SATs) are generally characterised by highly variable and low rainfall, low productivity soils and poor development infrastructure. These factors are largely responsible for poverty in the rain-fed areas of SATs. The fragile ecosystem of dry areas is prone to degradation. Watershed management is increasingly seen as the ideal approach for integrated natural resource management in rain-fed areas. He said: "The basic goal of watershed management in rain-fed systems is to reduce rural poverty and improve livelihood security while protecting or enhancing the sustainability of the environment and the agricultural resource base."

Dependence on monsoon

About 70 per cent of the people of Kothapally depends on agriculture, and two-thirds of the cropped area depends on the monsoon without any protective irrigation. "The project shows the strength of partnership between several partners who want to improve the natural resources and to reduce rural poverty," Dr. Wani said.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has referred the Kothapally model for its Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP) and the Andhra Pradesh Rural Livelihood Programme. Apart from ICRISAT, the consortium of partners include the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the DPAP, the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, the National Remote Sensing Agency, MV Foundation and the Farmer's Watershed Association.

"The project is an eye-opener to how the community can be involved in tackling drought through regeneration of natural resources. It is a model for any region facing a drought," said Lingaraj S. Jangawad, scientific officer. "Kothapally is a unique example of `science in action.' It has involved smooth, friction-free collaboration among the Government of India, the State Government, the farming community and ICRISAT."

Of the funds allotted, the consortium of partners utilised a portion to construct check dams and mini-percolation pits.

The rest was used to train farmers to set up vermi-compost units, prepare bio-pesticides from neem and glyrecidia and improve livestock management practices.

"The project has resulted in greater crop diversity for the farmers, who were growing only one crop... Now they grow two to three varieties as a single crop and as intercrops over a longer period of the year," said P. Narashima Reddy, president of the Farmers' Watershed Association.

"Having been trained by ICRISAT, we now go to other villages to train farmers in vermi-composting and bio-pesticides," said Anjaih Reddy, a farmer.

Dr. Wani said: "The watershed project has increased productivity. While the maize yield improved to 3,480 kg a hectare from 1,500 kg, sorghum yield improved to 2,425 kg a hectare from 1,700 kg."

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