Water Conservation, Bio-diversity management, and Livelihood enhancement of the small and marginal farmers in 11 villages of mandal and Viramgam block of district Ahmedabad in Gujarat

Project Background:

Water is a finite natural resource, which is diminishing due to indiscriminate & unscrupulous exploitation and gross neglect on conserving it through proper technological interventions. North-Western blocks (Viramgam & Mandal) of Ahmedabad district in Gujarat is facing severe problems of groundwater availability & its quality and threatening the long-term sustainability of agriculture and the communities dependent on it for their livelihood. Land degradation due to soil salinisation, which is posing another major threat to the region’s agriculture, through reducing the productivity of cultivated land. Poor small and marginal farmers are the greatest victim of the ongoing ecological disaster.

Surface water plays an important role in the regulation of groundwater and not only provides scope to various industrial and agricultural activities, but also opens pathways to improved livelihood and income generation for the rural population. Thus, to increase the groundwater potential and fulfil the demand of water to support various agricultural and allied activities, it is imperative to rejuvenate existing water resources & also create new structures for effective Conservation of surface water. Hence the project aims at promotion of ecologically sound and efficacious water harvesting to augment groundwater supplies locally; improve water efficiency and ground water quality through fresh water recharge. It also aims at bio-diversity promotion (tree plantation) for improved carbon sequestration in soil and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions.

The project has three major components:

1. Implementation of sustainable groundwater management program which will support to rainfed and water stressed areas
2. Restoration of degraded area and improve biodiversity of project area, which help to reduce greenhouse gas GHG emissions
3. Assisting local farming communities and women self-help groups (SHGs) for their livelihood enhancement

Project Objectives:

• Ground water augmentation through artificial recharge/rain water harvesting. It is envisaged that the project will create water storage of more than 16 lakh Kilo Liters and Ground water recharge potential up to 25 lakh Kilo litres
• Working towards improved Water Productivity and Water use efficiency through active community participation.
• Promotion of Climate Resilient practices for sustainably increasing farm productivity and Biodiversity for improved Carbon Sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emission
• Economic Development of Women through strengthening of self-help groups and promoting nano enterprises
• Capacity Building of the local community with the necessary data, skills and knowledge to manage the water resources available to them in a sustainable manner.