The Hindu : Karnataka News : Watershed programme a boon to villages

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 21, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Watershed programme a boon to villages

Special Correspondent

Services of over 24 SHGs were utilised for framing policies

The programme is being implemented in Guj Babalad, Narona and Basavana Sangolgi villages
The implementing agencies are NABARD, MYRADA and Krishna Grameena Bank

GUNJ BABALAD (GULBARGA DISTRICT): Watershed programmes being implemented in the three drought-prone villages of Gunj Babalad, Narona and Basavana Sangolgi have changed the entire scenario of agriculture in these villages.

The programmes include soil conservation, nala bunding and construction of bunds to prevent erosion of topsoil. They have been taken up by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) under the guidance of MYRADA, a non-governmental organisation.

The women in these villages have been instrumental in these changes, it is learnt.

The implementing agencies — NABARD, MYRADA and Krishna Grameena Bank — utilised the services of over 24 women’s self-help groups (SHGs) in the three villages for framing policies for the programme.

Assistant general manager of NABARD P.G. Shet and MYRADA officials told presspersons that the project was taken up three years ago following problems such as topsoil erosion because of poor land management, decline in groundwater level, low yields owing to lack of moisture in agricultural land, and inundation of fields by a stream passing through these villages owing to lack of bunding.It had been decided to form water users’ committees in all the villages and make SHGs actively involved in the reclamation work. Members of SHGs were made members of the committees as they were mostly involved in agricultural activities.

They were also aware of the problems of agriculturists. Technical back-up for the watershed work was given by experts from MYRADA and governmental agencies. Nandadevi, a member of the water users’ committee at Gunj Babalad, said that the water conservation methods taken up in these three villages such as constructing bunds on slopes to avert soil erosion had also helped retain moisture in fields. Ms. Nandadevi, an agriculturist herself, said that her own land was damaged owing to soil erosion and the stream had inundated her fields.

The construction of a bund on her land had solved the problem. It had helped her reclaim more than 1.5 acres of land with mango saplings and other crops. Similar success stories of increased yields owing to watershed programmes taken up in these villages can be heard in all the three villages. Landless labourers have also benefited from the work done under the watershed programme .

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