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Watershed Development Dediapada Taluka, Gujarat |
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Partner: Bombay Sarvodaya Friendship Centre
Duration: 2002 to present Contact: Sunita Mani (sunita1[at]gmail[dot]com)
Summary
Mozda collective constructs stone bunds to prevent soil erosion, plants trees and bushes along the bunds and maps the contours of the terrain for building the bunds improving agriculture leading to food self sufficiency
Impacts
- From 1995 to 2012 Mozda collective worked in 25 villages and built 200Km of bunds involving 4670 farmers generating 158000 person days of work.
- A total of 6500 acres of land was protected directly and 158000 acres indirectly
- 420,000 Kg of foodgrains were distributed under this food for work programme
- Levelling of land in this hilly terrain was possible due to soil conservation
- Many places where soil erosion had formed deep gullies and farming could not be carried out any more, land reclamation allowed farming
- Water table improved significantly leading to better agriculture
- food self-sufficiency increases substantially, freeing people from the market driven economy, less threats for exploitation
- Seasonal migration is reduced due to this activity
Case Studies
Vedccha village
- In 1 watershed enough water was conserved for the villagers to dig 5 open wells
- Agriculture thrived and people have been contributing large quantities of the vegetables to the daily market in Dediapada
Anadu village
- The joint family of Virsing Vasava built 5 bunds that filled up a deep gully and allowed them to dig a well and harvest 2.5 acres growing wheat, vegetables and legumes and paddy in the monsoon. Eight families get 8 months of their vegetable supply and most of their grain needs
Mozda village
- A well in Mozda irrigates 5 acres if land and sustains agriculture from December to July. People grow alfalfa on 50% of the land, wheat on 20%, onion and garlic on 10% each and vegetables on the rest 10%
- Nutritional intake have improved and through a dairy cooperative 12 families earn Rs 31000 per month
Insights
- Watershed work has led to improvement in raising water table, protecting land, improving agriculture, nutritional intake and food self sufficiency as they are able to grow two crops instead of mostly only one traditionally.
- Ownership of the processes by the people is demonstrated in the fact the people have contributed Rs. 4 lakh of their own in terms of cash plus 45% of labour (श्रम-shram) towards the watershed work
- The balance amount was paid in terms of grain, so that the income remains in the household and in control of the women
- Small, indigenous, democratic solution have the capacity to improve lives
Strategies
- Mozda collective worked in each village for a few years, built bunds using available stones and moved to the next village
- An extensive consensus process is carried out in the village to start work
- Promoting indigenous organic agriculture
- Planting trees along the bunds makes live bunds and increases water percolation into the ground
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