TUMAKURU: Durgada Nagenahalli, a once arid, nondescript village just 20 km from Tumakuru city, has gradually blossomed into a green paradise, thanks to the efforts of its residents. For a region, otherwise described by its barrenness and rocky terrain, the methodical approach adopted by the villagers since 2011 towards sustainable cultivation techniques and water conservation and management has changed the fortunes of the village for the best.
Today, Durgada Nagenahalli is lush and welcoming. Its people and livestock are blessed with abundant green cover, nourished by lakes and ponds brimming with water from the recent rains and the nearby hillocks.
Decade of green sprouts
It was in February of 2011 that the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), a network project of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), was launched. It was promptly implemented by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Hirehalli through community participation.
At a time when the governments had been planning to implement multi-crore irrigation and drinking water projects, these small initiatives worked wonders for sustainability. The Union Government, which had contributed up to Rs 1 crore for the project, picked the Yelerampura Gram Panchayat for a national award for successfully implementing the project, and also presented a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh to be shared between KVK and the gram panchayat, unde which Durgada Nagenahalli falls.
The innovative project led to building livelihoods, including enabling over 100 farmers of Yelerampura GP, Kolal hobli, Koratagere taluk, to take up dairy farming. Trench-cum-bunds and contour bunds were created to help water over 350 hectares of land, benefitting 112 farmers.
Around 6,200 cubic metres of water was harvested in just one rainy season. Mixed forestry was taken up by plantnig Melia dubia, Acacia auriculformis, teak and silver oak in trenches across 27 hectares, while dryland horticulture crops -- tamarind, mango (Alphanso), Aonle, cashew and jamun, were planted in over 16.5 hectares.
The project also saw the construction of farm ponds around the village. These ponds helped farmers supplement their irrigation requirements at critical growth stages of their crops and allowed seepage of water into the ground to recharge underground aquifers. In all, 81 new ponds were created, whose total rainwater storage capacity was 24,800 Cu mt benefitting 92 farmers.
Percolation ponds were dug to reduce the speed of runoff water from the fields and to recharge the groundwater. Five check dams were built across small nalas to break the flow of water during monsoon and allow it to seep into the soil. Efforts were made to divert water into less-yielding borewells. At the same time, desilting and widening of defunct farm ponds (15), community tanks (3) and check dams dams (8) have been carried out to increase water storage capacity. Two diversion channels of 1,000 metres each were dug to divert the runoff water towards the village lake during the rainy season.
The community was mobilised to adopt water-efficient crops and water management practices.
Drought-tolerant finger millet, short-duration and late-sowing red gram and water-saving aerobic paddy varieties were demonstrated at the village. Around 214 farmers adopted these crops and took up drip and sprinkler irrigation methods, which were demonstrated in over 8 hectares. It ensured judicious use with the overall irrigation efficiency of 80-82%, as compared to 30-50% in flood irrigation.
Mass sensitisation
In all, 46 mass sensitisation and 54 capacity-building programmes were held to create awareness in harvesting rainwater and using it for agriculture in an effective way. The NICRA team conducted training, exposure visits, demonstrations and showcased results to farmers.
“I took up commercial crop cultivation by sowing tamarind, cashew and mango as the NICRA project helped with innovative rainwater harvesting. I have started reaping profits over the last three years. Also, cashew suits our region,” remarks Lokesh, a farmer.
Sale of farm produce
The project inspired farmers to set up the Grama Chetana Farmer Producers Company Ltd in 2014. It has been clocking impressive turnovers over the years, with the NABARD expected to provide it with more grants. The firm sells farm produce, manure, fertilisers, and seeds at reasonable prices. “We used to either go to Tumakuru or Madhugiri. Now, the cost of transportation is getting saved, as we are able to get goods at our doorsteps,” says Narasaiah, a beneficiary. Mahesh, who worked as the change agent under NICRA, is the president of the company. He has cultivated gooseberry and is now trying to add value to it.
The project has seen the construction of farm ponds around Durgada Nagenahalli with twin objectives -- Firstly, they were designed to help farmers provide supplemental irrigation to crops at critical growth stages; and secondly, to allow maximum seepage of water into the ground so as to recharge underground aquifers. Considering the potential of farm ponds, 81 new ones were created in the village, whose total rainwater storage capacity during the project implementation was 24,800 Cu mt and it has benefited over 92 farmers so far.