Rural India Is Getting A Much-Needed Water Shed Development

1. Rural India Is Getting A Much-Needed Water Shed Development! The overuse of water sources, coupled with a decrease in the amount of rainfall, has resulted in drought-like conditions in multiple districts in India. Rural areas have been hit especially hard by these changes, as they lack the infrastructure to support modern irrigation methods. This has left farmers unable to grow crops during dry spells and has led to crop failures and diminished harvests for many families. Thankfully, there are plenty of initiatives that are working to reverse this trend. Watershed development is one such program - read on to learn more about it! What Is Water Shed Development? A water shed is a natural drainage basin that is critical to water management in a given area. Developing water sheds allows farmers to increase the water retention of the soil and improve crop yields, which in turn helps to improve rural income. Watershed development is a program that focuses on creating an environment where water sheds can be built and sustained. Water shed development allows rural communities to build new dams, reservoirs, and ponds to collect water, as well as to improve the condition of existing water sources. By doing so, water shed development programs aim to provide farmers with access to a reliable supply of water during periods of drought, as well as during the rainy season.

2. How Does It Help Rural Areas? Water shed development programs are designed to help rural areas by reducing the risk of drought and increasing the availability of water. This increases the amount of produce that farmers can grow, which in turn boosts revenue for rural households, and leads to an overall improvement in economic conditions for the community. As water shed development projects are large-scale initiatives, they require significant funding and a number of stakeholders to come together to complete them. This often includes government officials, non-profit organizations, and private companies. Where Is Water Shed Development Taking Place? Water shed development projects are taking place in a multitude of rural areas. Some of the most notable regions include: Western Maharashtra: A water shed development project has been underway in the Ghat valleys in western Maharashtra since 2012. The initiative aims to create a water retention system that can collect and store water during the monsoon season and release it during times of drought. Kerala: In Kerala, a water shed development project that began in 1999 is now coming to fruition. The program is building dams and water retention ponds to collect water during the monsoon season and store it for later use. Andhra Pradesh: In the Godavari River Basin in Andhra Pradesh, water shed development projects have been underway since 2008. The program has focused on building dams to increase the amount of water available to farmers. Other Benefits Of Water Shed Development In addition to helping farmers produce a more consistent and reliable amount of crops, water shed development projects can have a number of other benefits. These include: - Reduced risk of flooding: By increasing the amount of water that is available for use, water shed development projects can help to reduce the risk of flooding. - Improved groundwater levels: Increasing the amount of water that is retained by the soil can also help to replenish groundwater levels. - More reliable electricity generation: Water is an important source of power for many Indian power plants. By improving the amount of water available, water shed development projects can help to make power generation more reliable. Drawbacks Of This Program Many water shed development projects have been successful at improving water availability and crop yields in rural areas. However, the construction of large dams and water retention ponds can have a negative impact on the local wildlife. The building of dams along rivers can create barriers that prevent fish and other organisms from migrating upstream to spawn, while the creation of water retention ponds can result in an increase in water-borne diseases. In addition, water shed development projects can have a significant impact on the land where they are built. This is especially true in areas that are already arid and dry, as they will be unable to support as much life once the water retention systems are in place. Conclusion The overuse of water sources, coupled with a decrease in the amount of rainfall, has resulted in drought-like conditions in multiple districts in India. Rural areas have been hit especially hard by these changes, as they lack the infrastructure to support modern irrigation

3. methods. This has left farmers unable to grow crops during dry spells and has led to crop failures and diminished harvests for many families. Thankfully, there are plenty of agriculture NGO in Maharashtra initiatives that are working to reverse this trend. Water shed development is one such program - read on to learn more about it!