Comprehensive Development of Bundelkhand Region by Restoring Historical Tanks and Augmenting Agrarian Livelihoods

Shalini Priya Barjo

In ancient and medieval India, water management was the responsibility of the local community with the monetary support provided by the kingdoms. The community was in charge of selecting sites, planning, constructing, distributing and maintaining rainwater harvesting structures. The culture of building tanks was widespread in the Bundelkhand region, which was ruled by the Chandela and Bundela kings. Between 800 and 1200 AD, around 8000 Chandela and Bundela tanks were built. The Bundelkhand region, which spans over 14 contiguous districts, 7 of which are located in Southern Uttar Pradesh and the other 6 in Northern Madhya Pradesh, has a recorded history of droughts and water scarcity. This is due to the absence of any river systems and adverse geological conditions leading to suboptimal recharge.

In 2018, the Bundelkhand Initiative for Water, Agriculture and Livelihood (BIWAL) was launched with the aim of reviving the ancient tanks and their surrounding ecosystem to their past glory. The initiative is a joint undertaking by five civil action organisations led by SRIJAN and the communities to collectively revive the water harvesting culture of the region. This consortium led by SRIJAN intends to work towards the holistic and comprehensive social and economic development of rural Bundelkhand. To mobilise the local community and ensure their active participation in the revival and desiltation operations of the tank, Tank Management Committees (TMCs) were formed at every site.

Tank Restoration

Desilitation is a critical operation in maintaining tanks. The programme is responsible for arranging for excavators for desiltation, while the community is responsible for transferring the silt from the tank site to agricultural fields.  The TMCs play an important role in the management of silt removal. The TMC is responsible for activities such as hiring tractors for silt transportation, deciding upon timings and shifts of silt removal, collecting names of farmers interested in silt application on their farms, developing norms to ensure equity in silt distribution and conflict resolution, among others.

Since the initiation of the project, the excavation of over 12.23 lakh cubic meters of silt has led to the desiltation of 224 historical tanks, which has benefitted 6468 farmers. The project has contributed between 28-32% in tank restoration work, while the community has contributed between 68-72%.

The following are the key learnings from the programme.

Water security interventions such as the restoration of tanks and the construction of Doha structures have been the highlights of the BIWAL programme. These interventions have benefited farmers in securing crops, increasing groundwater recharge, tackling the issue of lack of availability of drinking water in many instances and setting up the platform for agriculture and livelihood interventions. Trained strong community cadres helped to understand the programme intervention, i.e. Prakritik Krishi Kendra, to promote the agenda of sustainable agriculture. Integrated work with local administrations has helped in leveraging resources from government schemes.

Pre-intervention Scenario

These key highlights were reflected in the mid-term assessment conducted by Deloitte in detail.

1. Severe water stress in the region affecting farm productivity and household incomes
2. Poor quality of land resources, resulting in low productivity and household incomes
3. Dependence on chemical fertilisers and pesticides for crops’ nutrition and pest management
4. Lack of community ownership of the water resources resulting in overutilisation and dry-outs
5. High level of migration due to low agricultural income

Key Findings

• Tank and Doha structures were constructed, which increased the water level in wells by roughly 6.8 feet.
• As a result of the water conservation work, there has been a 35% increase in land under irrigation. 
• The formation of water user groups (TMCs) has led to an increase in community ownership and collective decision-making regarding the governance of water resources in the village, along with other livelihood interventions.
• Women farmers are an integral part of the programme. The average annual net income has increased by 65%. The average crop yield of wheat has increased by 35%.
• By adopting multi-layer farming, the income of farmers grew by four times, with an average annual income of INR 25,000 from a plot of 600 square feet as compared to an average of INR 6,000 from the same patch of land. Around 75% of the farmers were either marginal or small farmers.