farm ponds
Deepening pond to deepen farmers’ pockets
An intervention to make a pond deeper at Surendranagar in Gujarat has brought joy to many farmers in the region by ensuring more water availability and preventing soil erosion.
A thousand ponds for this Maharashtrian village’s vineyards
When switching from water-intensive crops to grapes didn’t solve problems for farmers in drought-prone Manerajuri, they found a sustainable water source by digging farm ponds and harvesting rainwater.
Farmers rear fish in farm ponds for increased income
Frequent cyclones and industrial fishing have impacted the lives of fishermen and farmers in Nagapattinam. Rearing fish in farm ponds and growing crops on bunds have boosted their income
MGNREGS curbs distress migration, provides employment during lockdown
With agriculture turning unsustainable, villagers migrated to nearby towns for work. Community planning leading to sanctioned MGNREGS works has ensured local livelihood and has stemmed migration
Use of machaan for mixed cropping boosts farmers’ income
Smallholder farmers utilize space efficiently, growing creepers on machaan and shade-loving plants underneath. This mixed cropping with different growth period eliminates risk and improves farm income
Smart water management mitigates coastal salinity
Rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge through ponds and desilting of check dams have curtailed salinity ingress in coastal Gujarat, increasing freshwater availability
How to revitalize agriculture in India
The government needs to aggressively promote micro-irrigation and small-scale farm mechanization to improve agricultural productivity. It should also connect farmers with markets using latest technological tools
Andaman farmers reshape land for better farming
Land shaping has helped farmers in the Andaman Islands increase farm incomes despite limited availability of land, increasing soil salinity and inundations caused by cyclones and tides
Farm ponds improve lives of Singhbhum women
Constructed to ensure water security for cultivators, farm ponds have also helped rural women by reducing their daily treks to fetch water for domestic needs, and improving their personal health and hygiene
Rearing fish in farm ponds boosts rural incomes
Farm ponds, built to harvest rainwater and irrigate rain-fed fields, are doubling up as fishponds, helping farmers overcome vagaries of agriculture with an additional source of income