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Revives traditional methods of micro irrigation to bring water in drought prone farming belts
Dilasa Sanstha has benefitted more than 110,000 farmers with initiatives like holistic watershed management, mixed cropping strategies, and seed banks. Led by Mr. Madhukar Dhas, Director the organization primarily works in Vidharbha and Marathawada regions but now expands it operation to Andhra Pradesh and later pan India with the only aim to help farmers’ live dignified life. It was set up in 1995 at Istari Nagar, Yavatmal district, Maharashtra. Since 1998 Dilasa team is working largely on protective irrigation by way of arresting and storage of rain water.
“Every drop of water is vital to be saved! Being born in cattle rearing family in drought stricken village I have seen struggle of villagers due to water scarcity. I lost my aunt like many other women who travel far off distance to get water! Hence I decided to dedicate my life to bring water in rural parts of the country by reviving our traditional methods of micro irrigation,” Mr. Madhukar describes the drive to set up Dilasa Sanstha.
To re-charge the underground water is the need of the hour. “We have identified and restored six technologies to trap the rain water and re-charge the ground water. These technologies are implemented depending on the geographical location of the farm and farming requirement,” he explains. These irrigation technologies are Phad Irrigation, Bodi Phad, Small Farm Pond, Doha Models, Farm Pits and Watershed Development. "The first three techniques are based on land gravity while the last three are water in-situ conservation techniques."
Phad Irrigation is very low cost small irrigation system that diverts the rainwater or flowing water in the river to nearby field by constructing diversion weir and contour canal or through PVC pipe. "It is a naturally designed system that diverts the water to the farmer’s field without using any electrical or mechanical energy. We have enabled irrigation in approximately 4000 acres using this method,” informs Mr. Madhukar. It is ideal for cotton and other Kharip crop such as Tur. Cotton crop is commonly a rainfed crop but requires one or two protective irrigation in the month of September or October.
Bodi Phad is the technique meant for irrigating paddy fields. Bodi is an earthen embankment structure constructed at higher altitude of farm land piece. During scarcity of rainwater, farmers diverted storage water from BODI to lower area of the farm and protected his crop. By and large Bodi structures damaged due to improper design of outlets for carrying excess rainwater in monsoon and taking intake water for irrigation. It leads to loss of water, incurs repairing cost every year and system efficiency was 30%.
To address the problem, Dilasa renovated these structures so that the traditional irrigation method will be survived and efficiency will be increased to 80%. “We increased height and section of bodi structures, increased height of spillway so as to create optimum storage in intake and carrying excess rainwater safely, constructed outlet with PVC pipe with regulator valve so as to avoid repairing of bodi. Consequently due to irrigation control valve system, irrigation became more effective and saved water,” elaborates Mr. Madhukar.
Small Farm Pond is constructed by creating the farm bunds from excavated land material in the right angle position with one stone outlet on all four sides. "The efficiency of this model can further be enhanced by adding filter chamber. Usually as the land availability is lessening day by day we have reduced the size to 10 *10 feet. It is dug upto 15 feet. In one village we make 200 small farm ponds. It is most suitable for storing the rain water that can be used as protective irrigation in kharif season and village becomes water sustainable," he asserts.
Doha Model is stream based water storage model that involves constructing eco-friendly water impounding structure in stream. "We do not use any casting material instead deepen and widen the streams upto 300 meter, leave 100 meter then again deepen another 300 meter and repeat the same process. It is done to facilitate holding the water and re-charge the ground water," he adds. 83 villages have been benefitted with this technique.
Farm Pit is constructed in one acre land at lower altitude of the area from top to bottom of watershed area hence there will be a network of farm pit. It is best for rainfed area for water in-situ conservation. It is circular or trapezoidal in shape having storage capacity of 250 CUM. “Advantages of this model is that it increases soil moisture and fertility of the top soil and improves ground water tables. It provides water to farmers in April and May,” he shares.
Watershed Development includes models namely are Sloppy Budki, Plastic Tank, Wellowheel Drum and Low Cost Filter. Amongst all Sloppy Budki is a well dig in a shallow ground water area so as livestock and wild animal can drink water directly from well. The slope of well is maintained to 3% so that animal can walk to the drinking water tables.
All the techniques are crafted in a way that it is financially sustainable. “We work using the machines so all the systems are developed within a week. There is no recurring cost involved in these technologies and absolutely maintenance free,” highlights Mr. Madhukar.
He concludes, “Our reach in the villages is increasingly consistently every year. We are working to bring water to the farmer and helping them to stop using chemical based farming inputs. Goodness spreads and change is visible, it is the biggest dilasa (satisfaction) for Dilasa!!”
Contact details:
Dilasa Sanstha
Istari Nagar,Ghatanji, District Yavatmal, Maharashtra
Phone: +91 7230 277537, Madhukar-09420305714,
Suhas-09767199805, Mansur-09420159540, Subhash-9403955764
Email: dilasa1@gmail.com
Web: http://www.dilasa.org/
Dilasa Sanstha has benefitted more than 110,000 farmers with initiatives like holistic watershed management, mixed cropping strategies, and seed banks. Led by Mr. Madhukar Dhas, Director the organization primarily works in Vidharbha and Marathawada regions but now expands it operation to Andhra Pradesh and later pan India with the only aim to help farmers’ live dignified life. It was set up in 1995 at Istari Nagar, Yavatmal district, Maharashtra. Since 1998 Dilasa team is working largely on protective irrigation by way of arresting and storage of rain water.
“Every drop of water is vital to be saved! Being born in cattle rearing family in drought stricken village I have seen struggle of villagers due to water scarcity. I lost my aunt like many other women who travel far off distance to get water! Hence I decided to dedicate my life to bring water in rural parts of the country by reviving our traditional methods of micro irrigation,” Mr. Madhukar describes the drive to set up Dilasa Sanstha.
To re-charge the underground water is the need of the hour. “We have identified and restored six technologies to trap the rain water and re-charge the ground water. These technologies are implemented depending on the geographical location of the farm and farming requirement,” he explains. These irrigation technologies are Phad Irrigation, Bodi Phad, Small Farm Pond, Doha Models, Farm Pits and Watershed Development. "The first three techniques are based on land gravity while the last three are water in-situ conservation techniques."
Phad Irrigation is very low cost small irrigation system that diverts the rainwater or flowing water in the river to nearby field by constructing diversion weir and contour canal or through PVC pipe. "It is a naturally designed system that diverts the water to the farmer’s field without using any electrical or mechanical energy. We have enabled irrigation in approximately 4000 acres using this method,” informs Mr. Madhukar. It is ideal for cotton and other Kharip crop such as Tur. Cotton crop is commonly a rainfed crop but requires one or two protective irrigation in the month of September or October.
Bodi Phad is the technique meant for irrigating paddy fields. Bodi is an earthen embankment structure constructed at higher altitude of farm land piece. During scarcity of rainwater, farmers diverted storage water from BODI to lower area of the farm and protected his crop. By and large Bodi structures damaged due to improper design of outlets for carrying excess rainwater in monsoon and taking intake water for irrigation. It leads to loss of water, incurs repairing cost every year and system efficiency was 30%.
To address the problem, Dilasa renovated these structures so that the traditional irrigation method will be survived and efficiency will be increased to 80%. “We increased height and section of bodi structures, increased height of spillway so as to create optimum storage in intake and carrying excess rainwater safely, constructed outlet with PVC pipe with regulator valve so as to avoid repairing of bodi. Consequently due to irrigation control valve system, irrigation became more effective and saved water,” elaborates Mr. Madhukar.
Small Farm Pond is constructed by creating the farm bunds from excavated land material in the right angle position with one stone outlet on all four sides. "The efficiency of this model can further be enhanced by adding filter chamber. Usually as the land availability is lessening day by day we have reduced the size to 10 *10 feet. It is dug upto 15 feet. In one village we make 200 small farm ponds. It is most suitable for storing the rain water that can be used as protective irrigation in kharif season and village becomes water sustainable," he asserts.
Doha Model is stream based water storage model that involves constructing eco-friendly water impounding structure in stream. "We do not use any casting material instead deepen and widen the streams upto 300 meter, leave 100 meter then again deepen another 300 meter and repeat the same process. It is done to facilitate holding the water and re-charge the ground water," he adds. 83 villages have been benefitted with this technique.
Farm Pit is constructed in one acre land at lower altitude of the area from top to bottom of watershed area hence there will be a network of farm pit. It is best for rainfed area for water in-situ conservation. It is circular or trapezoidal in shape having storage capacity of 250 CUM. “Advantages of this model is that it increases soil moisture and fertility of the top soil and improves ground water tables. It provides water to farmers in April and May,” he shares.
Watershed Development includes models namely are Sloppy Budki, Plastic Tank, Wellowheel Drum and Low Cost Filter. Amongst all Sloppy Budki is a well dig in a shallow ground water area so as livestock and wild animal can drink water directly from well. The slope of well is maintained to 3% so that animal can walk to the drinking water tables.
All the techniques are crafted in a way that it is financially sustainable. “We work using the machines so all the systems are developed within a week. There is no recurring cost involved in these technologies and absolutely maintenance free,” highlights Mr. Madhukar.
He concludes, “Our reach in the villages is increasingly consistently every year. We are working to bring water to the farmer and helping them to stop using chemical based farming inputs. Goodness spreads and change is visible, it is the biggest dilasa (satisfaction) for Dilasa!!”
Contact details:
Dilasa Sanstha
Istari Nagar,Ghatanji, District Yavatmal, Maharashtra
Phone: +91 7230 277537, Madhukar-09420305714,
Suhas-09767199805, Mansur-09420159540, Subhash-9403955764
Email: dilasa1@gmail.com
Web: http://www.dilasa.org/
