An oasis in suicide-prone region
When massive crop failure and farmers’ suicide afflicted the Marathwada region in Maharashtra during the 2012-16 drought, farmers in three villages of Jalna district were not much concerned about the lack of rain.
A watershed project had obviated their need to look at the heavens every season. Enough water was available in the 1,888 hectares area comprising villages Kadwanchi, Nandapur and Waghrul since late 1990s.
The project has become famous as the Kadwanchi model since it helps grow grapes, a water-intensive crop.
“Hardly anybody knew of grapes 20 years ago. Now, 95% of farmers in the area cultivate grapes. There used be drought in our villages. After the project was implemented, we never faced water scarcity. Farmers here are lakhpatis now,” Chandrakant Kshirsagar, sarpanch of Kadwanchi village said.
The 45-year-old farmer says he has been making handsome profit every year by cultivating grapes on his 15-acre semi-arid land, irrespective of rainfall, which was up to 50% less than the normal during the drought years. The farm produce has sustained 355 families in the three villages.
The project involved building continuous contour and absorption trenches in the hills and bunding (or earthen embankments) on farm boundaries to recharge ground water and stop erosion. Check dams were built at several spots to store water.
“Earlier, we could not use of monsoon water since most of it would run off. In addition, it would cause soil erosion. We took several measures to arrest soil erosion and water to recharge underground water-table,” said social activist Vijay Borade, who conceptualised the project.
The Madhya Pradesh government has constituted an authority to make recommendations for providing beneficial pricing and marketing of agricultural produce in the interest of farmers.
“The government has formed the Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Cost and Marketing Commission. The panel will present three reports every year before the Kharif, Rabi and summer crop periods,” said a state officer. PTI