SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT OF SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY BASED GROUNDWATER COMMUNITY BASED GROUNDWATER

MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE IN MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE IN ANDHRA PRADESHANDHRA PRADESH

Study for DEPARTMENT OF IRRIGATION AND COMMAND Study for DEPARTMENT OF IRRIGATION AND COMMAND AREA DEVELOPMENT, GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA AREA DEVELOPMENT, GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH / WORLD BANKPRADESH / WORLD BANKBY AFPROBY AFPRO

September – December 2006

Presentation by: Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddyhttp://saibhaskar.com

Study steps

A literature survey on CBGWM as it is emerging in AP, in the context of three projects, APWELL, APFAMGS http://apfamgs.org/ and CWS http://cwsy.org/

Visits to 30 sample villages selected according to the detailed methodology provided in the ToR

A sample survey of 15 groundwater users from each of the 30 villages to obtain primary data to quantify important socio-economic parameters for the assessment of effectiveness of interventions.

Interviewing farmers and officials of various relevant departments of the GoAP

Structure of Presentation

1. Background and rationale of the study.

2. Objectives and methodology of the study.

3. Overview of the groundwater development and management scenario in AP with special focus on the projects being studied.

4. Findings of the study according to the two main objectives and sub-objectives.

5. Summary of the findings and recommendations.

1. Background and rationale of the study.Introduction

GoAP has taken up the revival and restoration of about 3000 minor irrigation projects in the State with World Bank assistance through the SMIP.

It is proposed to include CBGWM as a sub-component of this project.

Lesson learning from APWELL, APFAMGS projects and CWS initiatives for contributing to their sustainability.

Assessment could inform the APDAI pilots on CBGW management options.

Background and Rationale of the Study

A systematic assessment of CBGWM interventions in APWELL/APFAMGS/CWS projects was to guide the GoAP on future policy, and in particular to build a stronger case for the CBGWM components to be included in SMIP and APDAI.

For this assessment a representative selection of 30 APWELL/APFAMGS/CWS villages are included to cover the range of main aquifer typologies and socio-agronomic situations.

2. Objectives and methodology of the study. OBJECTIVE - 1

Assess systematically how far the CBGWM interventions in APWELL/APFAMGS/CWS are contributing to achieving the long-term goal of sustainable and adaptive resource use.

OBJECTIVE - 2

Review the design and institutional structure of the CBGWM interventions that have been or are being implemented in the state and assess, through parameters/approaches as quantifiable and verifiable as possible, the effectiveness of these interventions. The four dimensions for assessment of effectiveness are the following:

Relevance of communication strategy regarding realistic approaches to GW management

Community awareness and level of community mobilization achieved with regards to groundwater management issues

Community decision making and collective action achieved towards sustainable groundwater management

Improvement in income and livelihoods of the farmers involved, as a result of the above.

Project Districts

Mahabubnagar

Nalgonda

KurnoolPrakasam

CuddapahAnanthapur

Chittoor

Introduction

Study area covers semi-arid / arid parts of seven districts in AP.

Geographical identities of the seven districts is : 2 – Telangana, 4 – Rayalaseema and 1 – Coastal AP

8 Villages - APWELL 6 Villages - APWELL and APFAMGS has continued its

activities 10 Villages - newly selected for APFAMGS activities 1 Village - CWS has been implementing its “Social

Regulations in Water Management” project; a second (MC Thanda) has been an APWELL-APFAMGS village

5 Control villages with substantial groundwater use but not under any groundwater management programme

Location Map of Study Areas

Study Villages# District Project

categoryVillage Mandal GW

statusGW typology

1 Anantapur APW Kalvapalli Beluguppa OE B S

2 Chittoor APW SS Puram K V B Puram OE B C

3 Chittoor APW Bandarlapalli Ramakuppam  C B S

4 Kadapa APW Mudireddypalli Mydukur OE A OE

5 Kurnool APW Uyyalawada Orvakal OE A C

6 Mahbubnagar APW Kollampally Narayanpet  SC A OE

7 Nalgonda APW Thimmaipalem Peddavoora  SAFE B SC

8 Prakasam APW Regumanupalli Peddaraveedu  OE A C

9 Kadapa APW-APF R Papireddypalli Kasinayana SC  A OE

10 Kurnool APW-APF RK Puram Allagadda OE A OE

11 Mahbubnagar APW-APF Mannanur Amrabad  SAFE A OE

12 Nalgonda APW-APF Dudiya thanda Damarcherla  SAFE B S

13 Prakasam APW-APF Thaticherla Komarolu OE A OE

14 Anantapur APW-APF-CWS M C Thanda Tanakallu SAFE A SC

15 Anantapur APF Yengilibanda Gooty OE B S

OE – Over Exploited, SC – Semi-Critical, C – Critical, S-Safe

Study Villages (cont…)# District Project

categoryVillage Mandal GW

statusGW typology

16 Chittoor APF Nariganipalli Ramasamudram OE B SC

17 Kadapa APF Siddamurthipalli Kalasapadu OE A OE

18 Kurnool APF Muthaluru Rudravaram OE A OE

19 Mahbubnagar APF Uppunuthala Uppunuthala OE A SC

20 Nalgonda APF Ramnagar Nidmanor  SAFE B S

21 Prakasam APF Vemulakota Markapur  OE A C

22 Prakasam APF Akkapalli R Racherla OE B S

23 Prakasam APF Nekunambad Bestavaripeta  OE A OE

24 Prakasam APF Chinna Kandukur Ardhaveedu OE A OE

25 Anantapur CONTROL Hampapuram Raptadu OE A OE

26 Kadapa CONTROL Buggaletipalli Kadapa OE B S

27 Kurnool CONTROL Thammarajupalli Panyam OE A C

28 Mahbubnagar CONTROL Appanapally Mahabubnagar  SC A OE

29 Nalgonda CONTROL Haliya Anumula  SAFE B S

30 Anantapur CWS Madirepally Singanamala  C B S

OE – Over Exploited, SC – Semi-Critical, C – Critical, S-Safe

Andhra Pradesh: Location of Study Areas in the Agro-climatic zones

Location Map of Study Areas in the groundwater typology

Distribution of 30 sample villages on groundwater status (2005)

Groundwater status

APWELL

APWELL+APFAMGS

APFAMGS

Control

Total

Over-exploited

5 2 9 3 19

Critical 1 0 0 1 2

Semi-Critical 1 1 0 1 3

Safe 1 3 1 1 6

TOTAL 8 6 10 6 30

NORMAL RAINFALL PATTERN

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Sada

siva

pura

m A

PW

Mut

talu

r APF

Sidd

amur

thy

Palli

APF

R.P

api R

eddy

pal

li AP

W+A

PF

R.K

.Pur

am A

PW+A

PF

Nek

unam

bad

APF

Man

nano

or A

PW+A

PF

Band

arla

palli

APW

Upp

unut

hala

APF

Tatic

herla

APW

+APF

Dud

iyat

hand

a AP

W+A

PF

Chi

nna

kand

ukur

u AP

F

Ram

naga

r APF

Bugg

alet

ipal

li C

ON

TRL

Vem

ulak

ota

APF

Mud

iredd

ypal

li AP

W

Appa

napa

lli C

ON

TRL

Reg

uman

ipal

li AP

W

Hal

ia C

ON

TRL

Nar

igan

ipal

li AP

F

Thim

mai

pale

m A

PW

Tham

mar

ajup

alli

CO

NTR

L

Akka

palli

APF

M.C

.Tha

nda

APW

+APF

+CW

S

Kolla

mpa

lli AP

W

Yeng

iliban

da A

PF

Uyy

alaw

ada

APW

Mad

iraep

alli

CW

S

Ham

papu

ram

CO

NTR

L

Kalv

apal

li AP

W

(in m

m)

The Methodology of the Study

Discussions with key professionals involved in APWELL, APFAMGS and CWS (Social Regulation) projects

Interaction with officers and consultants of the State I&CAD and the Ground Water Department both at Hyderabad and at the District level.

During the field visits the team had discussions with the staff of APFAMGS and its partner NGOs.

The Methodology of the Study

Field visits - study team was divided into groups, each comprising three professionals with varied backgrounds (social sciences, agriculture science, and natural sciences including geography, hydro geology and engineering).

Officers of the Ground Water department accompanied the team to some of the villages.

The study was done in two phases from 19 Sep to 16 Nov 2006. On an average two days were spent in each village.

Data collection

The topics covered in the data collection formats included information on the following subjects covering quantitative, qualitative and descriptive aspects:

Communication and awareness strategy Community participation Water resources management Ground water management by community Watershed implementation Agriculture Women’s participation Community Based Organization (CBO) Time line analysis Individual stakeholder formats (15 nos in each village) Case studies

Data collection formats used in the study.

3. Overview of the groundwater development and management scenario in AP with special focus on the projects being studied. APSIDC A State Government undertaking existing since 1974.

The objective is construction of Lift Irrigation schemes to

provide irrigation facility to the people placed in

topographically disadvantageous upland areas and creation of

irrigation potential through development of groundwater by

constructing Borewells, Tubewells, or Infiltration wells for the

benefit of small and marginal farmers, SCs and STs in upland

and drought prone areas to raise their socio– economic status.

So far, APSIDC has commissioned 20,040 Ground water

schemes creating an irrigation potential of 334,800 acres at a

cost of Rs. 244 crores.

APWELL Project

A total of 4,480 bore wells were drilled in the 7 districts (470

habitations) under the APWELL project.

3,462 were successful with yield above 1,500 gph, at

77percent success rate

In the 15 APWELL villages selected for this study, 329 of the

393 wells drilled under the project were successful (84%).

On an average, one well would serve a command area of

about 10 acres to irrigate the land owned by about 4 families

for irrigated dry crops.

The establishment costs and part of the cost of electricity

infrastructure were borne by the GoI/GoAP.

The implementation process followed by the APWELL Project The intense community organization efforts to form and

nurture Water User Groups (WUGs) Compulsory inclusion of women as members of WUGs and

forming self help groups. At the end of project implementation, the assets created were

handed over to WUGs. Thus, the project had a distinct exit policy woven into its concept.

The WUGs contributed 15% of the cost (excluding administrative charges). This ensured greater sense of ownership among the WUGs.

Every member of the WUG was given a pipe outlet on his/her land, assuring equity in water distribution and reducing water conveyance loss.

Intensive capacity building through training, exposure visits, and demonstrations assured quick adoption of sustainable water management and agricultural practices.

The main lessons from the APWELL Project may be summarised as follows: Access to water by small and marginal farmers improves their

productivity and they rise above poverty line. Enhancing productivity of land and water requires substantial

inputs in terms of financial and capacity building inputs. Participatory groundwater management is a viable concept if

introduced in conjunction with groundwater development, agricultural production, institutional development, and capacity building of farming communities.

All stakeholders and water users need to be involved in participatory groundwater management.

Government and non-government agencies need to work in collaboration for achieving sustainable results in participatory groundwater management.

Role of facilitating agencies should not stop at the end of a project. Post project support is essential for sustainability of any promising intervention.

Well trained and strongly motivated staff of government and non-government agencies working closely with farmers is necessary for the successful implementation of participatory groundwater management.

APWELL and beyond

The Dutch government approved a far smaller

capacity building initiative to support farmer

managed groundwater systems for implementation

through a network of NGOs in the seven APWELL

districts.

This was called the Andhra Pradesh Farmer

Managed Groundwater Systems Project (APFAMGS),

for which funding was provided directly by the

Royal Netherlands Embassy (RNE) till June 2004,

after which it has been transferred to the Food and

Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

APFAMGS Project The objectives of the APFAMGS Project are to: Create a band of skilled human resources to take up task of

groundwater management Make farmers vigilant to groundwater dynamics and consequences of

over exploitation Share concerns of farmers affected by ground water over exploitation

and ensure appropriate remedial action Extend popular concept of participatory management of water

resources to groundwater users Institutionalize community management of groundwater for dealing

with issues related to sustainable groundwater management Facilitate formation of Groundwater Management Committees (GMC)

made up of well owners to monitor groundwater levels, rainfall and discharge.

Promote Crop Water Budgeting (CWB) as a tool to empower farmers for deciding appropriate crop system matching the available groundwater.

Adopt Farmers Field School (FFS) approach for promoting eco friendly farming system

Empower community to take up appropriate initiatives in groundwater recharge measures.

Project Activities The APFAMGS Project has developed a comprehensive sequence

of activities to achieve the objectives. These are Introduction of community approaches towards observing

rainfall trends, this is done through daily rainfall measurement and recording it systematically

Monitoring of wells (yield and water levels) properly in the identified wells across the village

Crop water budgeting (CWB) promoted through water balance studies on the specific micro-watersheds

Daily Rainfall monitoring with rain gauge devices installed in Hydrological Units (HU)

Women empowerment and gender sensitization by having equal representation for women in Community Based Institutions (CBIs) and by full participation of women in all project activities

Display boards to record rainfall and water level trends in a bid to communicate among the entire village

Process documentation, Recording minutes of meetings and other organizational tasks.

Achievements of APFAMGS APFAMGS Project, now in its fourth year has already exceeded

its original targets of creating a band of 3000 men and women farmers to understand groundwater systems and 6500 farm families enabled for adoption of alternative agricultural practices suiting the availability of groundwater.

More specific achievements reported are: 6,882 men and women farmers in a position to understand

groundwater systems 7,029 farm families enabled for adoption of alternative

agricultural practices suiting the availability of groundwater 574 community based institutions established for alternative

management of groundwater resources with equal representation and participation of women and men covering 650 habitations.

Several water use efficiency initiatives like mulching, bunding, improved irrigation methods, large scale promotion of water saving devices etc. have been taken up by farmers.

IMPACTS OF THE APFAMGS PROJECT

Empowerment of community to collect, analyse and use data and knowledge related to water

Change in perception of groundwater as private property to that of a common good

Shift from cultivation of irrigated water intensive crops to less water intensive, rainfed crops

Reduced losses from irrigated crops and increased profits from rainfed or less water intensive cash crops

Reduced groundwater draft

Increased groundwater recharge

Reduced use of chemical inputs

Increased use of organic methods of farming

Reduced migration

4. Findings of the study according to the two main objectives and sub-objectives.

Sustainable and Adaptive Resource Use

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

20 years 10 years PRESENT

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

20 years 10 years PRESENT

DUGWELLS BOREWELS

Cost of Groundwater Development

Drilling cost and Installation cost (drilling + pump+ motor + pipes)

Rs. 30,000 – 80,000

Drilling cost of (successful borewell) recovery period (if on credit)

1-4 years

Drilling cost alone Rs. 10,000 – 35,000If failure recovery period for the drilling

cost (if on credit)3 – 10 yrs.

Ground Water Price Rs. 400-500 per wetting(Avg. one crop cost of irrigation Rs. 3000 – 4000 per acre for 7 to 8 wettings)

Identification of potential Drilling sites Water Diviners (90%)

Functioning of Borewells (%AGE)

seasonal

All_time

Not_Funct

AP

F

AP

W+

AP

F

Con

trol

AP

W

Borewell yields and average ayacutIRRIGATED AREA IN ACRES UNDER EACH BOREWELL (30 VILL)

Avg. irrigated area under one borewell

8.06

5.36

8.4

5.44

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

APWELL APF APW+APF CONTROL

Av

g.n

o. o

f a

cre

s

PHM and Crop Water Budgeting

PHM and Crop Water Budgeting (CWB), introduced by the

APWELL, has been up scaled in all APFAMGS villages.

Awareness on these two important concepts are being

imparted during FFS, GMC and HUN meetings.

CWS initiative in MC Thanda had been through watershed

approach. It also created intensive awareness to the

community on social regulations for discouraging over

exploitation of groundwater resources through drilling excess

no. of borewells by individuals. It has helped community to

understand other sustainable cropping practices with less

water for irrigation and groundwater management systems.

Problems and constraints of groundwater use

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Low

Ra

in fa

ll

Insu

fficie

ncy

of W

ate

r

Lack

of Recha

rge S

tructu

res

Low

Vo

ltag

e

Irreg

ula

r tim

ing

s o

f Po

wer

Sup

ply

BW fa

ilure

and

rep

airs

Ove

r Ex

plo

itatio

n

Lim

ited

Ho

urs

of Po

wer Su

pp

ly

Borewell Water Usage Problems

Perc

enta

ge o

f W

eig

hta

ge

No. OF FARMERS PER BOREWELL – SHARING RATIO (30 VILLAGES)

Water sharing per bore well

3.57

1.59

3.66

1.95

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

APWELL APF APW+APF CONTROL

Av

g. n

o. o

f fa

rme

rs

Land use intensity

LAND PARTICULARS

0102030405060708090

100A

kka

pa

lli-A

PF

Vem

ula

kota

-APF

Na

riga

nip

alli

-APF

Ra

mna

ga

r-A

PF

Mutta

lur-A

PF

Neku

na

mb

ad

-APF

Yeng

ilib

and

a-A

PF

Sid

da

murthy

Pa

lli-A

PF

Chin

na

ka

nd

uku

ru-A

PF

Up

punth

ala

-APF

R.K

.Pura

m-A

PW

+A

PF

Dud

iya

tha

nd

a-A

PW

+A

PF

Ma

nna

no

or-A

PW

+A

PF

R.P

ap

i Red

dy

pa

lli-A

PW

+A

PF

Tatic

herla

-APW

+A

PF

M.C

.Tha

nd

a-A

PW

+A

PF+

CW

S

Band

arla

pa

lli-A

PW

Sad

asiva

pura

m-A

PW

Reg

um

anip

alli

-APW

Thim

ma

ipa

lem

-APW

Mud

ired

dyp

alli

-APW

Uyy

ala

wa

da

-APW

Ko

llam

pa

lli-A

PW

Ka

lva

pa

lli-A

PW

Tha

mm

ara

jup

alli

-CO

NTR

OL

Ha

mp

ap

ura

m-C

ON

TRO

L

Ha

lia -C

ON

TRO

L

Bug

ga

letip

alli

-CO

NTR

OL

Ma

dira

ep

alli

-CW

S

Ap

pa

na

pa

lli-C

ON

TRO

L

FALLOW

DRYLAND

IRRIGATED

PADDY GROWN IN – KHARIF, RABI AND SUMMER %AGE.

Average coverage of paddy

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

APW APW+APF+CWS APF CWS+Control

Ave

rag

e P

erce

nta

ge

Kharif Rabi Summer

Farmers not opted for Paddy

Farmers Percentage not opted for Paddy

APW

25%

APW+APF

23%

APF

38%

Control

14%

CROPPING PATTERN

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

APW

(Ka

lva

pa

lli)

APW

(S.S

.P)

APW

(B.p

alli)

APW

(M.p

alli)

APW

(K.p

alli)

APW

(T.P

ale

m)

APW

(U.w

ad

a)

APW

(R.P

alli)

APW

+A

PF(

Tha

tiche

rla)

APW

+A

PF(

Ma

nna

nur)

APW

+A

PF(

D.T

ha

nd

a)

APW

+A

PF(

R.K

.P)

APW

+A

PF(

R.P

.Pa

lli)

APW

+A

PF(

MC

tnd

a)

APF(

R.N

ag

ar)

APF(

Mutt

alu

r)

APF(

V.K

ota

)

APF(

S.M

.Pa

lli)

APF(

N.P

alli)

APF(

U.n

uth

ala

)

APF(

N.b

ad

)

APF(

Akk

ap

alli)

APF(

C.K

and

uku

r)

APF(

Y.b

and

a)

CO

NTR

L(A

.Pa

lli)

CO

NTR

L(H

alia

)

CO

NTR

L(M

ad

irep

alli)

CO

NTR

L(B.P

alli)

CO

NTR

L(T.

Pa

lli)

CO

NTR

L(H

.Pura

m)

Paddy Ground nut Sunflower Chilli Horticulture

Avg. Paddy Line

Income per acre of gross irrigated land

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

APW

ELL

APW

ELL+

APFA

MG

S

APFA

MG

S

CO

NTR

OL

(in R

s.)

95TH 75TH 50TH 25TH 5TH(in Percentile)

PERCENTILE APWELL APW + APF APFAMGS CONTROL

95TH 21,203 20,541 22,069 28,769

75TH 10,183 11,115 13,900 15,850

50TH 6,251 6,722 8,386 9,746

25TH 3,566 3,792 3,770 3,698

5TH 246 1,578 - -

AWARENESS & COMMUNICATION TOOLS IMPACT

APWELL

APWELL + APFAMGS

(During APWELL)

APWELL + APFAMGS (Current)

APFAMGS CONTROL

Kalajatha 0.8 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.3

Meetings 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.3

Workshops 0.8 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0

Wallwritings 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.3

Pamplets 1.0 1.0 0.7 1.0 0.2

Newsletters/Magazines 0.3 0.5 0.7 1.0 0.5

TV/Films 0.5 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.5

Radio 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.1 0.0

WallMagazines 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0

NGO 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.3

AO 1.0 1.0 0.7 1.0 1.0

Anyother 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.3

Community Awareness and Institution Development

It has been observed that in APWELL

villages, out of the 329 Water User Groups

(WUGs), 290 WUGs are still practicing water

sharing. The level of such community

mobilization in groundwater management

towards water sharing is 88 percent which is

a sustainable impact.

Gender Equity and Women’s Participation

In the APWELL project, this has been taken

up to make women farmers equal partners

with male farmers in agriculture,

groundwater management and allied

activities.

Participation of women in BUAs was found to

be about 30 percent.

Women and Men Participation in Meetings (APFAMGS)

Women & Men Participation in Meetings

0%

50%

100%

Sid

da

murt

hyp

alli

Ne

kuna

mb

ad

Ye

ng

ilib

and

a

R.P

ap

ired

dyp

alli

Ra

mna

ga

r

Dud

yath

and

a

Chin

a K

and

uku

r

Tha

tiche

rla

Mutt

alu

r

Ve

mula

kota

Na

riga

nip

alli

MC

Tha

nd

a

RK P

ura

m

Women

Men

Community Decision Making (APFAMGS) – Frequency of topics discussed

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

PHM

AgricultureFFS

CWB

GMC formation(EC)Project objectives

visits

othersHUN

Grama sabhaNews letter/magazines

Drinking water-flouride problem

HorticultureCropping pattern

VolunteersBase documentation

Role clarification

soil moisture conservationCSO

Drainage

PRM

TOTAL LAND VALUE / AGRICULTURE INCOME RATIO

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

9.00

10.00

APWELL APW+APF APW+APF+CWS APF CWS CONT

Ratio of total land value to Agriculture income

TOTAL INCOME PER ANNUM / DEBT (CUMULATIVE) RATIO

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

APWELL APW+APF APW+APF+CWS APF CWS CONT

Ratio (Indebtedness-income/debt)

TOTAL ASSET VALUE / DEBT (CUMULATIVE) RATIO

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

APWELL APW+APF APW+APF+CWS APF CWS CONT

Ratio (Indebtedness-Asset value/debt)

Overall impact of the project interventions

Enhancement of naturalresources

sustainableuseofnatural resorces

Understanding on groundwater resources

Equitabl esharing of waterresource

Empowerment of women

Cropping pattern

Children Attending Schools

Increased wellbeing

Income

Reduced Poverty

AP

W

AP

W+

AP

F

AP

F

Con

trol

Lessons from CBGWM Experiences in AP Enabling Strategies

Convergence of social and technical elements in the delivery process dominated the APWELL strategy of programme implementation.

An organizational development process was involved based on the strategy that small and marginal farmers may access the high cost irrigation systems that are being created.

Lessons from CBGWM Experiences in AP Enabling Strategies

Hence WUGs, SHGs and BUAs were formed aiming to offer sustainability to social and technical aspects including operation and maintenance of groundwater irrigation systems by the farmers themselves.

The APWELL approach, viewed from the present context, appears transitional. Unambiguously it had created a strong ground for the APFAMGS interventions that followed.

Groundwater Sharing

APWELL Project, through the strategy of providing group irrigation systems to small and marginal farmers provided access to the economically weaker sections to their share of the precious groundwater resource in a hydrological unit.

Groundwater Sharing

The sample survey of 15 APWELL villages found that about 88 percent of the wells were still functional and water was being shared among the members.

Water sharing for irrigation is a common practice in AP in areas and times of scarcity. There is scope for institutionalizing this arrangement and enhancing water productivity by providing incentives such as providing co-finance for distribution systems to reduce conveyance losses.

The provision of free power by the AP government could be linked to encouraging water sharing.

Involvement of NGOs

The process of involving NGOs worked well in mobilizing appropriate human resources to facilitate community mobilization in a positive way in the APWELL project. The same strategy is followed in the APFAMGS project with greater role for partner NGOs.

The institutional sustainability of groundwater management institutions is being linked to the continuing influence of local NGOs. The Hydrological Unit Networks (HUN) are proposed to be registered as Societies under the Societies Registration Act. Thus HUNs themselves become NGOs.

Elements of Communication

The communication elements used in the APWELL and APFAMGS Projects are:

Farmers gaining adequate knowledge on the system of groundwater resources -– rainfall, ponds, wells, springs, soil moisture, humidity and their cyclic dynamics.

All relevant matters pertaining to ground water technology. The technology delivery of the irrigation system installation at the farmers’ land, its quality and the quality of its eventual operation and maintenance.

Elements of Communication

Matters related to organizational

development that includes building of

institutions at the user’s level for the

beneficial sustained use of the water assets.

The important communication strategies

adopted by the APWELL, APFAMGS, CWS

projects are contact, demonstration,

outsourcing and convergence.

Contact strategy The user is in direct contact of the resource persons provided

by the NGOs as are seen in the APFAMGS project area. The resource teams comprise multidisciplinary professionals.

The entire process of knowledge building at the groundwater users’ level started meaningfully during APWELL interventions. Initially the knowledge building was in the form of knowing about the processes involved in well drilling, pumps installation, and operation and maintenance.

It is now penetrating deeper into the areas of change in water levels with time and volume of irrigation,

crop-water relationship and its application in making crop choices,

the mechanism of groundwater recharge and its relationship with rainfall

Demonstration Effects

The processes that are in place in the

APFAMGS project are registering in the mind

when people are actually writing the results

of rainfall and water level monitoring on

display boards.

To demonstrate crop-water budgeting are

having lasting effect on the user.

Outsourcing

The strategy of outsourcing professional

activities to the NGOs too has its positive

effects on the quality of interventions. First

of all, it has provided adequate and, by and

large, quality manpower to do the job.

The activities are carried out in a desirable

multidisciplinary environment through a

mode, which is comfortable and acceptable

to the community.

Convergence

The villages where all the three interventions have converged (Village MC Thanda, District Anantapur) gives the impression that the community mobilization factor has reached a visible level of success.

The villages where APWELL interventions preceded APFAMGS, the community is still quite motivated, while it is not very distinct in the villages where APWELL was the only factor.

In APFAMGS villages the process of learning is showing up in the GMC and HUN meetings in the form of a knowledge synergy where the process of learning from each other has taken root.

Water Rights Issue

People may, with the level of understanding that has developed in the coverage areas of APWELL/APFAMGS and CWS while understanding the limitations of the system of groundwater and that of the water resources as a whole may also develop the insight on sharing as a matter of right.

In APFAMGS villages there are strong indications that farmers with large land holdings are taking interest in WUA and a good number of them are the members of GMC and HUN. This could be beneficial provided the interests of all the stakeholders including marginal and small farmers, the landless, and the women are taken into account.

Water Rights Issue

Diversity in socio-economic conditions of any habitation and overall social behavior that includes farming and non-farming households, land owners and the landless, different segments of water users, use pattern of domestic and irrigation water users adds a dimension of its own to the issue of CBGWM.

5. Summary of the findings and recommendations. Recommendations for community based water management Groundwater - Surface Water integration towards IWRM

The approach taken by APWELL, APFAMGS and CWS to create CBGWM in the villages visited, the efforts are dedicated to groundwater use alone. There is a visible gap in the direction of integrated water resources management taking advantage by relating available surface water facilities with that of created groundwater facilities together with soil-moisture conditions.

The proposed APCBTMP provides an excellent opportunity to fill this gap and work towards IWRM in a basin context, especially with the integration of groundwater management in the tank influence zone.

Water balance issue During the Rabi season it is expected that both type

of irrigation practices will be active due to the recharge mechanism that is active in the tank influence areas. When such a situation occurs, conflict between the groundwater users and tank users is likely unless social regulations are in practice.

The potential conflict may motivate all the water users to work together under a single CBO that determines the water shares in the village. It may also steer the ground mechanism towards the issues of crop water balance.

APCBTM Project is an ideal vehicle for introducing the concept of participatory groundwater management in tank influence areas.

Replicable elements of the approach

Both APWELL and APFAMGS are extraneous, though

APFAMGS may appear more intensive and detailed

in its current form and status. But APFAMGS has the

advantage of having the APWELL’s experience of

eight years and most of its groundwater systems

are functional.

The village communities, were offered intensive

training and information relation to both rainfall and

actual irrigation water in quantitative terms.

Replicable elements of the approach

Each of the APFAMGS local extension units cover 70-85 villages of a single cluster of watersheds or in two or three identified watersheds that are nearby. Each of the professional units of the network of NGOs providing the manpower resources working under the leadership of BIRDS has 10-13 staff members.

Will the GoAP consider entering into the same level of investments, infrastructural network, professional resource mobilisation, technological and professional multiplicity and involved methodologies?

Rainfall pattern + Soil moisture

+ Irrigation (Dug wells and ponds)+ Dryland crops with shift in choices

+ Water availability - > Cropping pattern

Domestic waterLess dependence on

Government for water / weather issues

TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE

Rainfall Erratic, yet coping mechanisms at work

Ground Water Trends as observed from dug wells and tanks Household area

Community area

Tank management by community

Drinking water

Sus

tain

abili

tyOBSERVATIONS

COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE WITH EXTERNAL FACTORS

Rainfall – erratic with damaged coping mechanisms

Ground Water Trends not easily known from borewells

Wider Choice of CropsSupport for Subsidies – seed, fertilizers

Electricity connectionCheaper Ground water technology

Rich RicherPoor Poorer

More water for land with money

Household area

Community area

Tanks Dry or tending dry

With land and money - increased water availability

External Factor

Sus

tain

abili

tyOBSERVATIONS

Farmers Committing

Suicide (reduced in the

recent past)

Rainfall pattern + Soil moisture

+ Water availability - > Cropping pattern

Water Resources enhancement through convergence of schemes

Community Organization and Institution building

Addressing GenderSF & MF Priority

Rainfall -> Measurement

Ground Water Trends observed from Borewells HH area

Community area

COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPED THROUGH INTERVENTIONSOBSERVATIONS

Land PatternGeology / Soils /

Moisture / Water / Rainfall / Climate

Cropping PatternLand use -

Village level KnowledgeSocial fabric and strength

Self-reliant Skills,AgricultureHorticulture

Livestock culture

Macro and Micro – Policy matters,

Democratic strength,Financial,

micro-finance traditions,Infrastructural,

Institutional

SUSTAINABILE ASPECTS OF APWELL / APFAMGS PROJECT

FA

CT

OR

S

NATURAL / ENVIRONMENTAL HUMAN / SOCIAL FINANCIAL / PHYSICAL

Findings of the studyFindings of the study

Apr 11, 2023

Financial MattersFinancial Matters

Professional support from line departments

Professional support from line departments

Technical Matters Technical Matters

Village LevelCOMMUNITY BASED

WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Village LevelCOMMUNITY BASED

WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

RecognizedThrough a properLegal instrument

By the GP

RecognizedThrough a properLegal instrument

By the GP

Professional support from open market

Professional support from open market

PRIPRI

CSOsCSOs

Line Department

s

Line Department

s

Managerial mattersManagerial matters

MONITORINGMONITORING

Institutional Option(The CBO can be linked with standing govt. institutions)

MAIN

POLICIES[APWALTA]

POLICIES[APWALTA]

Autonomous: Autonomous: Within the framed legal Within the framed legal status at village level status at village level Local decisions on Local decisions on 1. Operational Issues 1. Operational Issues 2. Maintenance 2. Maintenance 3. Framing rules for water 3. Framing rules for water distribution (sharing)distribution (sharing)

Autonomous: Autonomous: Within the framed legal Within the framed legal status at village level status at village level Local decisions on Local decisions on 1. Operational Issues 1. Operational Issues 2. Maintenance 2. Maintenance 3. Framing rules for water 3. Framing rules for water distribution (sharing)distribution (sharing)