WATER WATER for Livelihoods and Health FOREWORD VISION AKRSP (I)’s Thought Leadership Role in Indian Irrigation “AKRSP (India) can contribute in India to the creation of an enabling environment in which rural people In recent history of irrigation development in India, a small clutch of NGOs has played a remarkable role in promoting a variety of institutional innovations. Dhan can identify their needs and priorities and with Foundation’s work with tank irrigation in Southern India, Salunke’s work in Maharashtra with equitable water allocation of water including to the landless, Sadguru professional support, organize themselves to improve Foundation’s work on rejuvenating tribal livelihoods through check-dams, etc. are classic examples of NGO leadership in promoting new models of using irrigation for the quality of their lives” livelihood enhancement. However, the contribution of Aga Khan rural Support Programme (India) stands apart in the irrigation livelihood space. Over the past thirty - His Highness the Aga Khan years of existence, AKRSP (I) has forayed into a variety of fields and piloted myriad innovative approaches. I have not had a direct exposure to all of these. However, I have had a first-hand knowledge of several of AKRSP (I)’s early innovative interventions which have opened up new opportunities for rural communities to promote MISSION livelihoods through improved water control. AKRSP (I) was probably the first institution which operationalized participatory irrigation management (PIM) and irrigation AKRSP (India) exists to enable the empowerment of management transfer (IMT). At a time when these approaches were in danger of turning into empty rhetoric, AKRSP (I) successfully demonstrated a new approach to rural communities and groups, particularly the under- PIM and IMT. The lift irrigation cooperative that AKRSP (I) created in Samadhiyala in the mid-1980s continues to stand testimony to AKRSP (I)’s innovative spirit even privileged and women, to take control over their lives today. Similarly, PIM implemented by AKRSP (I) in many medium irrigation systems in Southern Gujarat such as Pingot, Baldeva, and Issar serve as examples of excellent and manage their environment, to create a better irrigation organizations even today, long after AKRSP (I) withdrew active support to these. and more equitable society VALUES The second area in which AKRSP (I)’s work has produced lasting impact is in community-based groundwater recharge. AKRSP (I)’s work in reviving the Meghal basin in • Empowerment Junagadh district is a vivid example of this work. Here, AKRSP (I) not only mobilized the basin community to construct, maintain and manage hundreds of small and • Equity large water harvesting structures all over the basin, but also created institutional architecture for basin governance. Finally, in many poor tribal areas, such as Dangs • Transparency in South Gujarat, AKRSP (I) has directly focussed on a range of interventions to target poverty through improved water control. As a strategic partner of Water and • Collaboration Sanitation Management Organisation (WASMO), AKRSP (I) also played a significant role in implementing rural water supply in many districts wherever it has worked. All • Professional Excellence in all, AKRSP (I) has built itself a formidable reputation in India’s water economy as a thought leader, innovator and institutional experimenter. • Responsive to Change Tushaar Shah, Principal Scientist and Theme Leader, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Colombo, Sri Lanka Water for Livelihoods and Health Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (India) 4 5 Water FOR LIVELIHOODS AND health: THE AKRSP (I) StorY The Context cases a technology needs only a little modification to Table 1: AKRSP(I) Diversity in Context and the water problems We are rapidly moving towards a water crisis, with be effective; but that minimal modification is critical Average Ground increasing and conflicting demands – drinking, to its effectiveness. Programme Community Electricity State Rainfall Slope water Key water problems agriculture, health, sanitation, construction etc. Area Profile for lifting In mm availability In India, the issue is seriously compounded with a AKRSP (I) works in a wide range of contexts in growing population, multiplying needs and unabated India, and this booklet includes a number of such wastage and pollution: all of this within the context initiatives promoted by AKRSP (I) over the past thirty Gujarat Bharuch- Narmada 800-1400 High uncertain Tribal, small land- Good • Low irrigation of a changing climate. years. Some of these are context specific innovations holdings,70-80% • Low capacity utilisation of canals by staff and local communities; some have been BPL • Non-functioning hand pumps Water if used judiciously can meet the essential needs modified from standardised technologies while • High soil erosion of the growing population. It is also important to some have been learnt from other NGO’s. While • Less capacity for private investment conserve and recycle this scarce resource. Farmers there are many successes, there have been the Dangs 2400 Very high 98%Tribal, rainfed Medium, As above with high siltation of dams through generations knew that water was a common occasional failures too; both of which have provided • 80-90%BPL frequent break resource and had knowledge to conserve and nurture learnings in our journey to help rural communities in supply the resource. Over time, farmers have had to adapt to to better manage their water resources. For reasons the needs of a growing population, and a monetised of brevity, this booklet does not outline all soil Surendranagar 450-600 Medium Medium Multi-caste, OBC Good • Drought-prone, Low groundwater table economy by trying to irrigate whatever land they moisture and water management work done by our • Poor access to potable drinking water have. Erratic rainfall makes “support irrigation” agriculture teams; promotion of SRI (Systemic Root Inland Junagadh / 800-1000 Medium Medium Heterogeneous Good • High water use, Low recharge through water harvesting or better soil moisture Intensification), Conservation Agriculture, etc. It also Jamnagar • Low Access to drinking water management absolutely critical to the survival of does not detail the sanitation and water recycling the crop and the farmers annual income and food work which is recent; and whose story can be better Coastal Junagadh / 800-1000 Low Saline Heterogeneous good • Saline groundwater unfit for drinking and irrigation security. The major challenge for India is the cast written after a few years. Jamnagar variety of contexts in which agriculture is practiced. This means that a standardised, top-down approach The Table 1 gives the different contexts faced by Porbandar / Ghed 800-1000 Flat High Multi-caste Good • poor drinking water quality, rabi through soil does not work and solutions to irrigation and rural AKRSP (I) while Table 2 shares the key interventions moisture, no groundwater irrigation drinking water supply have to be context specific, and for promoting irrigation and access to potable MP Khandwa 600-1000 Medium Medium Tribal Poor • Low irrigation embedded in the local culture and norms. In some drinking water in the diverse contexts. • Rainfed agriculture • Soil erosion Badwani / 600-800 High Medium Tribal Poor • Denuded forests Khargone • High erosion • Low irrigation Bihar Samastipur / 1000-1400 Nil, flat High Heterogeneous Very poor • Non-potable drinking water Muzaffarpur • High cost of irrigation • Droughts/floods :uncertain agriculture Water for Livelihoods and Health Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (India) 6 7 Table 2: From problems to context –specific solutions Programme AKRSP (I) interventions: As the table above shows, water related solutions framework for ground water use etc. are also found water issues within a geographical area so as to Key water problems AKRSP(I) Interventions: Irrigation Area Drinking water have been evolved in all the areas where AKRSP (I) in Gujarat. The government approaches and have a multiplier effect on agriculture incomes. Its works in. Drinking water interventions have not yet interventions to tackle these have ranged from large canal irrigation and drinking water work has been Bharuch/Narmada/ • Low irrigation Participatory Canal Management, group wells, • Training youth for hand pump been taken up in MP so far. dams with canals to state promoted water harvesting in collaboration with the government and hence is Surat Districts • Low capacity utilisation of canals mobile engines for lifting, Checkdam for lifting, repairs movements, standard drinking water interventions accompanied by a strong policy thrust. Within these • non-functioning hand pumps Watershed approach • Partnership with WASMO The Foundation: AKRSP (I)’S work in the to the creation of a specialized organisation to range of technologies and uses it has focused on • high soil erosion water sector in Gujarat facilitate in-village water distribution (WASMO: Water addressing issues of gender and class, caste inequity. • less capacity for private investment AKRSP (I) started to work in the three areas of and Sanitation Management Organisation) Hence There are therefore many lessons which may be Dangs • As above with high siltation of dams Repairs of check dams, new boribunds, group wells, • Hamlet based drinking water Surendranagar, Junagadh, and Bharuch in the Mid- solutions as to what works and does not work in available from AKRSP (I)’s experience of what works Watershed approach,