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Although as a country, India which was primarily agrarian for
many decades, before and after its Independence, has diversified
into industrial, technological and services based development
areas, it continues to depend upon the rains for many reasons.
The rural and semi-urban population have known to migrate to the
cities in search of work as due to lack or poor rains in their
areas. The rains also replenish its rapidly thinning rivers and
city streams, and canals, affecting the water supply for
drinking and utility purposes. However, while the erratic
rainfall influenced the socio-economic development of the
people, efforts were also lacking to preserve the rainfall on
the land area through various structures and techniques, based
on the rich traditional rain water harvesting systems of India.
Against this background, the Government of India has worked with
reputed Non-for-profit organizations to implement Watershed
Development Programmes across the country.
The Department of Watershed Development, Government of
Karnataka, and NABARD chose Vidyanikethan as one of its
implementing agencies for its watershed projects at Alanatha,
Kanakapura Taluk and Thattegere. Vidyanikethan worked with the
community in these areas and key local stakeholders in different
phases.
Vidyanikethan’s strategy and implementation programmes, were
people centric and in the process, watershed development served
as a catalyst to bond the people to work as one team and for
ushering a multi-dimensional socio-economic change in the area.
Recognizing that the people needed to understand the concept
of Watershed Development and its relevance in meeting their
requirements and for their overall development, Vidyanikethan
organized the following activities
- Capacity building and awareness generation programmes
through street plays and other innovative means
- Mobilized people to form self help groups to implement
and maintain the watershed.
- Motivated people to give time for activities such as
tank de-siltation, boulder bunds, boulder check, grass
seeds, farm ponds, drainage line treatment etc.
Overall impact of the watershed development project at
Alanatha and Thattagere:
Increase in ground water levels,
- Support to agricultural activities by better supply of
water.
- Adaptation of eco-friendly technological practices such
as soil, water and bio-mass conservation, crop protection
schools.
- Improved fodder availability for its livestock
population.
- Improved afforestation and horticulture by planting more
forest based and horticulture based trees.
- Formation of self help groups also led to groupd
savings, empowerment of women through awareness and
participation in watershed development activities,
- Opportunity for socio-economic development through
training of vocational skills such as tailoring, making of
bamboo based products.
- Reduction in migration to cities by increasing rural
livelihood programmes.
To find out more about Eco Sanitation
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To find out more about Rain water harvesting
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