by

Biplab Ketan Paul, Ashoka Changemaker Fellow, India

00919825506900biplabkp@gmail.com

April 2013

Soil water Rejuvenation, Desertification Control Soil water Rejuvenation, Desertification Control & Agro Productivity Augmentation& Agro Productivity Augmentation

Field experience through InnovationField experience through Innovation (winner World Bank India Development Marketplace 2007 & (winner World Bank India Development Marketplace 2007 &Awarded as the Best Environmental Practice in Gujarat 2013)Awarded as the Best Environmental Practice in Gujarat 2013)

Objectives of this practiceGeological/soil and aquifer issues attended by Bhungroo •Freeing of lands from water logging = reducing salt deposition & curtailing desertification •Creation of lifelong sustainable water sources (ie irrigation supply)= both monsoon and winter cropping for poor farmers •Yearly augmentation of subsoil saline aquifer (with non saline storm water) = reducing salinity in subsoil aquifer i.e. rejuvenating subsoil water , which is also creating of better water source over long term

Crop/farming and ecology issues attended by Bhungroo •Ensuring higher soil productivity

Socio economic issues attended by Bhungroo •Entrustment of food security, emancipation from debt trap & reversing of migration

Gender dimension attended by Bhungroo•Women driven gender centric programme in unique commune agro system

Ensuring Sustainable Agro-Livelihood for vulnerable farmers of Salinity affected &/or Flash Flood prone

areas through World Bank IDM 2007 awarded Socially Innovative Irrigation Technology (Bhungroo)

And/or

What is World Bank awarded technology?It is awarded in World Bank’s Socially Innovative Ideas competition IDM 2007 and it is named as “Bhungroo” (in local language means straw for water) .

How does it work?

Bhungroo, a filtered injection method is actually injecting low density storm water underground

Creating water lenses due to density variation between filtered storm water and subsoil high density saline aquifer.

Top soil gets free from water logging

Existing soil moisture takes care of monsoon cropping.

In winter period (the cash crop period) the farmers lift the injected low density storm water from subsurface storage for winter irrigation.

What is “Bhungroo”?Meaning of “Bhungroo” • “Bhungroo” is a local term in Gujarat. In Gujarati it means a

“straw”• But in local dialect it means a “Straw” through which

“Dharti (i.e. mother earth)” can sip in water inside as well as can give water to its children for lifelong

Impact:• Now highly popular in the region especially within women

members

Plots, which were perennially unproductive for decades due to water logging, produce at least 2 crops from the very first year due to installation of Bhungroo. Retain soil water and reduces the salt deposition ie controlling desertification

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Work Diagram

Impetus towards Social Enterprises For Local Partners – For below poverty line vulnerable farmers

– Major focus on women

– Designed into community driven company ie Joint Asset Groups = benefit to more than 5 farming families = cooperative/group cultivation= risk minimization=economic of scale

– Definite time-line

On Global issues– Controlling of desertification, Mitigation of climate change and

– Women led development

Waterlogging Installation of Bhungroo on the land which is water logged

Freeing of land from water logging

Injecting of rainwater underground & creation of

subsoil lenses of low density water

Food crop= nutrition securityWater lifting from

under ground water lenses by pumping

Supplying of water for alternative season cropping

Cash crop = income generation

Issues attainedDisaster prone- Desertified, Water-logging= flash flood affectedSoil and Aquifer Salinity, Near zero Irrigation availability,

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How is it relevant in local area?• Flash flood/salinity affected areas are defeating agro process of local people due

to water logging in every monsoon. It solves the poor agro productivity issue in the area

• Water depth in tubewell 1200/1300 ft needs an investment of USD 30000 for deep tubewell. Bhungroo needs an one time investment of<USD 10000

• The erratic rainfall and current water storage process does not result better conservation. It solves that problem

• Due to heavy sheet flow of muddy water the water percolation rate is very low. By reducing the water logging it is actually increasing soil productivity

The aquifer depths 62 -100 ft. The filtered storm water collected through Bhungroo can be stored underground. It stays over there for next 365 days. Makes landholdings free from water logging= rainydays cropping= food security. In Alternative season injected water is pumped out for irrigation= cash crops=higher income= economic richness.

Planning- “Bhungroo” Suitability- locations?

Salinity Affected areas: • Regions with high soil salinity • Regions with high subsoil salinity • Regions with low top soil

permeability/porosity

Flash flood regions: • Regions with long duration water-

logging • Regions with subsoil water TDS

level > 1000 ppm within a depth of 40-80 ft

Pre installation technical, social, soil, geographical data collection is needed

Monsoon rainfallCollection of runoff surface water in farmers plot through

farm bund and filter it to inject underground

Finalization of quantum of Landholdings + irrigation of selected farmers. Their lands get free from water logging = near zero salt deposition from capillary force = increasing soil fertility & ensuring monsoon cropping = Food security= reverse migration= ecological rejuvenation of erstwhile fallow

land

Training of SHGs and farmers = understanding of commune agro process & Bhungroo based irrigation system development= water quantum finalization based upon land geography detail = crop

specific agro water balance finalization with local knowledge

Post Monsoon cropping, Lifting of stored water

Higher irrigation coverage for winter crop with higher return

Reuse the lifted stored water for winter cropping=cash cropping =economic richness

Bhungroo Implementation (Process)

Process1-Concept Promotion

Village level SHGs do the local level poverty mapping

Village level SHGs do the local level poverty mapping

List the potential beneficiaries as per their poorest poor rank in the

poverty mapping

List the potential beneficiaries as per their poorest poor rank in the

poverty mapping

Finally agreed members from the SHGs’ list, who are keen to access Bhungroo as

per given agreement and acceptable terms

Finally agreed members from the SHGs’ list, who are keen to access Bhungroo as

per given agreement and acceptable terms

SHGs are responsible to for beneficiaries’

performance & norms abiding

SHGs are responsible to for beneficiaries’

performance & norms abiding

Papers Verification by SHG & community

Papers Verification by SHG & community

SHGs are responsible for

beneficiaries’ paper authenticity

SHGs are responsible for

beneficiaries’ paper authenticity

Screening of potential beneficiaries based upon Sites’ technical feasibility

(soil strata report) and peer group assessment at

community level

Screening of potential beneficiaries based upon Sites’ technical feasibility

(soil strata report) and peer group assessment at

community levelList of beneficiaries gets

finalized; Commune is formed for next 10 years operation

List of beneficiaries gets finalized; Commune is formed

for next 10 years operation

Short listed members submit land entitlement legal papers

& poverty certification to local SHGs

Short listed members submit land entitlement legal papers

& poverty certification to local SHGs

Process 2-Beneficiary Selection & Site Finalization

Process 3-Technology erection, machinery installation &

maintenance at site

Commune members’ sites gets ready with

drilling completion & machinery installation

within 30 days of commune formation

Commune members’ sites gets ready with

drilling completion & machinery installation

within 30 days of commune formation

Machinery team deliver the machines to local SHGs; in

presence of village institution and SHGs machines are

installed by the machinery agency

Machinery team deliver the machines to local SHGs; in

presence of village institution and SHGs machines are

installed by the machinery agency

Commune members are

informed about their selection.

They form their labor team and work timing is

finalized

Commune members are

informed about their selection.

They form their labor team and work timing is

finalized

Commune members are responsible to manage

the system on their land

Commune members are responsible to manage

the system on their land

Onsite full service & parts replacement

warranty by machinery and

drilling agencies

Onsite full service & parts replacement

warranty by machinery and

drilling agencies

Process4-Water injection and crop mapping

Rain water collection, water logging duration, water

quantum measurement by Commune members with

approval from SHG, verified by community

Rain water collection, water logging duration, water

quantum measurement by Commune members with

approval from SHG, verified by community

SHG and Commune members upkeep

water injection units aprior

SHG and Commune members upkeep

water injection units aprior

SHG and Commune assess water injection & possible water draft for

irrigation

SHG and Commune assess water injection & possible water draft for

irrigation

Commune decide on crop planning for monsoon and winter along

with irrigation water quantum

need and timing

Commune decide on crop planning for monsoon and winter along

with irrigation water quantum

need and timing

Commune prepare the irrigation Plan

Commune prepare the irrigation Plan

Irrigation chart and timing is shared within commune in

advance

Irrigation chart and timing is shared within commune in

advance

Process5-Irrigation supply

Commune start winter irrigation on rotation process i.e. machine

time is dedicated to single farmers, so each farmers is getting irrigation cycle within next 5 days.

Commune start winter irrigation on rotation process i.e. machine

time is dedicated to single farmers, so each farmers is getting irrigation cycle within next 5 days.

SHG &Commune keep note on

monsoon irrigation

SHG &Commune keep note on

monsoon irrigation

SHG keeps tab on water distribution & farmers’

on site water management to

minimize the wastage & stealing

SHG keeps tab on water distribution & farmers’

on site water management to

minimize the wastage & stealing

Commune daily updates water usage by each commune

member

Commune daily updates water usage by each commune

member

water usage, cost of usage & agro input use by each

farmer is shared within; this gives actual picture of crop

growth

water usage, cost of usage & agro input use by each

farmer is shared within; this gives actual picture of crop

growth

The Bhungroo Process

Process• Gender centric– from partner selection, approval,

technology erection and sale proceed control by women

• Priority -Food security and economic upliftment• Crop selection by women –

– Monsoon- food security, AH & fuel security

– Winter- minimum risk, minimum agro input usage

• Technology- inclusive and risk sharing

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Program Output -- Direct measurable result• Within first monsoon after irrigation operation from

Bhungroos: – Inclusion of 20 acres of land into cropping system– Net income from 1 Bhungroo USD 5000 to 10000– Guaranteed Food Security for at least 25 BPL members – Lifting of 25 poorest poor farmers to APL level – Reduction in migration of targeted farmers

1. Good no of poor rural people are saved from flash flood. 2. Works as buffer zone for the Flash flood. 3. Reduces threat to hygiene and health 4. Saves good no of animals’ lives in low lying areas.

Program Output -- Indirect result

Bhungroo Achievement

Bhungroo Impact

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Impact• Facilitation of Millennium Development Goals • Regenerate the dairy industry of all the project villages through grass

growing on water logging free lands= near zero land erosion• Freeing the BPL members from the clutches of village power groups. • Empowerment of underprivileged women in the area • Technical knowledge ownership with SHG members - inbuilt sustainability. • Local women members working as resource person - auto replication. • Local wage creation• Improvement of women health and education status over time.

Most importantly it implies a new ecological era for this degraded and disaster-prone region leading to flood coping and/or disaster preparedness

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Potential of scaling up • Best Agro solution for drought/flash flood affected areas • Innovative low cost easy to use irrigation process for poor farmers- takes care of

95% of scaling up issues.• Emancipation of farmers from debt-trap • Instead of single ownership, it is equally-shared-asset and community shared

knowledge. • High knowledge ownership Reduce/ reverses out-migration of farmers as bonded

labors to other areas • Promotes best agro practices • Women leadership and informed animators (i.e. least-cost-second-line is getting

ready) • Being people-centric and targeted to immediate need of livelihood of the poorest of

poor, dependent upon most precious natural resource Land and Water

Integration

Business plan based agro activity in both land owner & landless women farmers

Extension services towards crop loss minimization (women

run)

Market information provision services for higher

income

Need-oriented financial services and uplifting the clients to be credit

worthiness

Market information on Agro-allied sector

Linking with existing public services (e.g. WATSAN, health, education etc.) and scoping exercise on

innovative ideas on the subject

Learning Major lessons & learning by community & implementer Major lessons & learning by community & implementer Technical:

What is innovationHow to operationalize the process of innovation

Technical: What is innovationHow to operationalize the process of innovation

Social: How to internalize the innovation at larger scale Roles and responsibilities of each stakeholders in the internalization process

Social: How to internalize the innovation at larger scale Roles and responsibilities of each stakeholders in the internalization process

Institutional:How to streamline the replication process with a view of better outputRole of Financial institutionsAdvocacy for credit worthiness of the poor farmers for Bhungroo experiment

Institutional:How to streamline the replication process with a view of better outputRole of Financial institutionsAdvocacy for credit worthiness of the poor farmers for Bhungroo experiment

Local level understanding:Technology –process inclusiveness, gender centricity in innovation, visual &functional literacy in correlation to innovation execution etc

Local level understanding:Technology –process inclusiveness, gender centricity in innovation, visual &functional literacy in correlation to innovation execution etc

Understanding AcquiredAddressing two fold issues: Increase in Agro income & Self reliance of poor

farmers in fragile ecology of desert & flash flood prone areas

Economically viable: possibly the lowest cost of per cubic feet irrigation water (among all other irrigation structure)

Environmentally sustainable : locally acceptable

Low/zero maintenance cost

Solve the major crisis of drought affected area: agro productivity through better water management

Solve the major crisis of flash flood affected area: Freeing of land and animal husbandry from water logging in monsoon as well as ensure consistent water supply for irrigation in winter and summer

Have a strong possibility for: replication

Able to change the social and power equation in the village

Involve the underprivileged women in each step of work thereby: knowledge endowment

Future Scaling up, Echoing, nurturing,

self sufficiency, knowledge building

Scaling up, Echoing, nurturing, self sufficiency, knowledge

building “technology transfer”“technology transfer”

“business plan based development approach”.

“business plan based development approach”.

“right set of knowledge carrier”“right set of knowledge carrier”

Support Agencies

SEAPCP, Kualalampur knowledge sharing centre for south east Asia.

“Ashoka Global Change maker network” in its Rural Innovation in Farming-

“Globalizer “ programme’s part.

Mentored by “Safe Water Network”

Support Agencies

SEAPCP, Kualalampur knowledge sharing centre for south east Asia.

“Ashoka Global Change maker network” in its Rural Innovation in Farming-

“Globalizer “ programme’s part.

Mentored by “Safe Water Network”

Future Expansion planINGOs/ Global Networks/ DONORs/ Foundations/ Local NGOs/ MFIs/ CSR

Geography centric training conducting, module preparation, backed with SEED CAPITAL

Free access to the technology to like minded people, support from Research Instt

Paradigm shift1.New Government Policy2.New loan product for Banks

The Need- National & Global

National and Global

• Strong prospect in– Maharshtra, Bihar, Haryana, Orissa, West bengal etc.

• Further Potential in Pakistan, Indonesia, Bali, Papua and Timore and African countries etc

As per geo-hydrology principle, The technology can easily work where water logging is due to rainfall or flash flood with at

least 3 ft height Subsoil aquifer table is available within 30 mt The underground geology shows coarse grain

permeable sand

As per geo-hydrology principle, The technology can easily work where water logging is due to rainfall or flash flood with at

least 3 ft height Subsoil aquifer table is available within 30 mt The underground geology shows coarse grain

permeable sand

Opportunity

Source: (FAO/UNESCO Soil Map), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_salinity_control

 Zones/area/opportunity

Gujarat opportu

nity India level Global

Total gross area (in million ha)(in million ha) 0.73 6.7 901total poor family members affected (in Million)(in Million) 0.2 1.9 260.6Total crop production possible per three monthsper three months (USD Million)(USD Million) 160 1580

208450

New Technology

New Process

New Horizons

Web: http://naireetaservices.com/Email: biplabkp@gmail.com

biplabkp@rediffmail.comtrbjain@yahoo.com

Ph- 0091982550690000919925007097

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Thank YouThank You

Biplab K Paul - Credential• Got selected as Changemaker for India by Noble laureate IPCC General

Secretary, Dr. R K Pachauri.

• Awarded as Ambassador for Peace by UPF, New York

• Made his NGO to win prestigious World Bank India Development Market Place award 2007 for innovative irrigation technology.

• Commonwealth Scholar, US dept of State Scholar, TREE (German) Scholar

• Ashoka Change Maker fellow from India in 2011

• Jal Star award in 2012.

• Awardee as Best contributor for State Rural Development in 2012

• Globalizer fellow in RIF from India in 2012

biplabkp@gmail.combiplabkp@rediffmail.comhttp://naireetaservices.comSkype: biplabkpPh: 09825506900Director – Naireeta Services pvt ltd (a social enterprise)