FAO-Programme

Andhra Pradesh Farmer Managed Groundwater

Systems (APFAMGS) Project

presentationby

Ravi Kanth GantiProject Associate

APFAMGS

Empowering farming communities to collectively manage their Groundwater resources

Pune, 21st May 2009

Background• Food and Agriculture Organization

(FAO) is implementing the Andhra Pradesh Farmer Managed Groundwater systems (APFAMGS) Project as a Nationally Executed (NEX) project over 4 years (2004-09).

• The Implementation is through a federation of 63 registered farmer Institutions guided by 9 NGO’s.

• Operational area of the project is spread over 40 mandals forming part of 303 Panchayats in 7 districts.

• The operational unit is Hydrological Unit (63 HU’s) spread over 638 habitations.

Project PremiseAPFAMGS project’s approach is to empower people’s institution to identify solutions to mange groundwater distressDemystify science, offer skills, capacity and knowledge (no infrastructure support/ incentives)Strengthen people’s institutions to build pro-active partnerships between up-stream and downstream water usersGroup action ensure farmers work unitedly towards managing available groundwater resource optimallyFully informed Farmers take tough decisions voluntarily (sacrifice for collective gain)Women’s participation in decision making ensures improved groundwater governance

Farmer Water School (FWS) approach adopted to promote group learning for improving skills and knowledge on Demand Side Management

• 30 Farmers meet as a school once every 15 days for 12 months (June–May) to discuss and diagnose the different problems related to resource availability based on the data they have collected

• Non formal Education Tools utilized to understand the science of Hydrology

• Short and long term experiments serve to identify solutions for addressing typical problems

• Implemented through farmer facilitators who are already trained and have adequate experience

• FWS provides most contents of a formal Hydrology course in an informal mode

• 15000 Farmer Facilitators graduated over the 3 years, whose services are used by project, government and other programmes

Farmer Water Schools

1

Introduce new

concepts and content

Clarify concepts

and content2

Apply new content/concepts

to a concrete issue

3

Reflect andidentify new

issues

4

Transfer learning to

the community

5

Experiential Learning Cycle

Ballot Box exercise

(assessment of knowledge)

Promote People’s Institution for community action

Capacity building of community with new knowledge and skills

Farmer led data collection, creation of data base, dissemination and analysis

Demonstrate reduce water use and

increased wealth

Decision M

aking

IMPLEMENTATION METHODOLOGY Habitation,Hydrologic unit

level

Gender Equity

Democratic institution

Water as Common Property Resource

Participatory Hydrologic Monitoring

Crop Water Balance

Link water availability to water use for agriculture

Farmer Water

Schools

Demystify science

Data Collection Network

4333 farmer volunteers (men and women) collect data regularly from

• 190 rain gauge stations (every 5 sq kms)

• Groundwater levels form 2109 monitoring wells (every sq km)

• well discharge measurement from 969 monitoring wells

• Surface flow from 63 flow gauging stations

• Groundwater quality from 300 drinking water source (seasonal)

• Data organized as Computerized data base

• Data sharing with Government and institutions

Data validationData collection conform to standard protocols accepted for the different parameters

Data recorded in log books and made available for regular validation check

Real time data shared with entire community using display boards

Data Analyzed by community for computing water balance for planning the appropriate crops

People’s Institutions• Multi layer inclusive institution (638-GMC, 63-HUN) run the programme on

their own supported by 9 NGO’s

– Ground water Management Committee (GMC) operate at the Habitation level with membership of men and women farmers

– GMC’s within a hydrological boundary federated to form HydrologicalUnit Network (HUN)

– HUN’s provided with legal cover (registered under societies act) to receive funds and implement the project on their own

– HUN’s receive funds from NGO’s and transact all business independently

– Furnish monthly reports, annual balance sheet and develop visiondocument

– Institutions ensure farmers overcome selfish interests and work towards common goal

– Institutions consolidate individual views, develop common perspective towards handling groundwater distress collectively

– Institutions tap government schemes related to water savings and inputs for agriculture

Crop Water Budget (CWB)• Crop Water Budget (CWB) exercise carried out annually for individual

Hydrological Units.• Farmers make information out of the data collected for planning the cropping

system• Quantify amount of groundwater that can be safely pumped• Assess risks associated with high water consuming crops • Set framework for adoption of appropriate crop plan without sacrifices• Identify opportunities for water savings and improving crop water efficiency• Link with government schemes for tapping investments for improved crop

water efficiency

falling water levels

seasonal Drying of

wells

Poor pump efficiency

groundwaterpumpingfar more

than recharge

Man

age

d

eple

tion

Reduced decline in 47 H

U

Results of Pro-active Management of Groundwater Depletion by Farmers

Improve W

ater Use Efficiency D

iver

sify

cro

ppin

g sy

stem

Reduced pumping

Crop Changes

Water Saving devices

Check growth of new wells

Local Governance

Continued groundw

ater Depletion in 58 H

U

Restraint in groundwater pumpingGroundwater pumping for agricultural use significantly controlled over the four years

Balance Comparison 2006-07& 2007-08

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

Thun

dlav

agu

Chi

nner

u

Pedd

avan

ka

Peet

huru

vagu

Nak

killa

vagu

Nai

dupa

lli V

agu

Bod

iche

rla

Tarlu

padu

vagu

Vem

uler

u

Than

dras

ila

Rom

mon

ivag

u

Mar

uvav

anka

Pedd

avag

u

Erra

vagu

Bok

kine

ru

Ling

ojip

alli

Vagu

Upp

uvag

u

Ral

lava

gu

Bha

skar

arao

kunt

a

Buc

ham

mak

onet

ivan

ka

Puliv

agu

Mul

aban

dla

Cha

ndra

vagu

Mek

aler

u

Erra

vank

a

Nar

sire

ddip

alli

Kan

ugal

avag

u

Ral

lava

gu

Cha

ndra

saga

r

Hydrological Units

Bal

ance

in M

CM

s

No change 18 HUsDecrease 5HUs

Increase 35 HUs

Improved Groundwater BalanceGroundwater Balance favorably altered in 53 Hydrological Units led by Demand Side Groundwater Management

Water Savings Practices• Vermicompost: Groundnut(Gn),Chillies (Chl), Sweet Orange(S.Orn),

Tomatoe(Tmt)• Sprinkler: Gn, Sun Flower (SFl), Chl, Tmt, Cotton (Ctn), Others• Mulching: Gn, Chl, S.Orn, Tmt• Check Basin: Gn, SFl• Alternate Furrow: SFl, Chl, Tmt, Others• Drip: Gn, Chl, S.Orn, Tmt, Horticulture (HrtClt), Mulberry (Mbry), Otrs• Ridges and furrow SFl• Conveyance Pipes All Crops

% of water savings achieved using devices, rrigation methods

DripPVC pipesSprinklerRidges & FurrowCheck basinVermi-compostAlternate furrowMulching

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%Su

garc

ane

Swee

t ora

nge

Tom

ato

Bla

ck g

ram

Ric

e

Gin

gerly

Gro

undn

ut

Sunf

low

er

Chi

lies

Cot

ton

Red

Gra

m

Savings achieved in diferent crops through water saving practices

Quantification of Water Savings

Water savings through devices and efficient irrigation 32 MCM

Efficient paddy / reduction in paddy area 53 MCM

• Community successfully restricted the construction of bore-wells that are not critical

• Improved Efficiency of pump performance

• Prevented usage of in-efficient bore-wells

• Rejuvenated abandoned open dug wells

• Increased groundwater recharge at Hydrologic Unit level

Number of Active Pumping Borewells

21500

22000

22500

23000

23500

24000

24500

25000

2006-07 2007-08 2008-09

Year

No

of W

ells

Check Growth of new wells

Dissemination of Project Learning's• Regular Learning Workshop on

Demand Side Groundwater Management

• Participants include Government Officers, Programme Managers of International Agencies, NGO’s, Government Project Staff and farmers

• Visitors from Central, State agencies, Bi-Lateral, International Projects, students and bureaucrats

• Training Faculty largely farmers , facilitators, village co-coordinators supported by project staff.

IT enabling Demand Side Groundwater Management by Community

Project Web Site http://www.apfamgs.org

Relevance of APFAMGS learning’s– Alternative model for managing groundwater distress through

community empowerment with knowledge and skills.

– Implementation limited to parts of 7 districts in Andhra Pradesh, has however reached to number of districts through other programmes of State Governments.

– Concept can be safely adopted for managing all natural resources and addressing the issue of climate change

– Offers a good model for CGWB planning to take water balance estimation at micro-basin level for the entire country (large scope for community participation, large area coverge and substantial cost reduction)

– FAO-APFAMGS fully equipped to help design programmes, collaborate with government agencies in implementation and offer trainings.

email: ananthmaniin@yahoo.comhttp://www.apfamgs.org

Thank You