NABARD launches Water Conservation Campaign in AP
Hyderabad, March.22: NABARD has decided to launch a major Water Campaign during the year covering some one lakh villages in vulnerable/water stressed areas and more specifically where the ground water was being over exploited.
The decision comes on the heels of a similar campaign undertaken last year, which covered some 40,000 villages and received encouraging response at the field level. Since NABARD has been implementing a large number of watershed development projects in various States, the important learning and successfully demonstrated local technologies for efficient conservation and management of water resources and promotion of climate resilient agriculture through community involvement, will be one of the key inputs to sensitize the rural community during the campaign.
The campaign would essentially focus on creating awareness among the rural community about the methods of water conservation, preservation and its efficient utilization at various levels using the modern technologies like micro irrigation (more crop per drop), traditional water management practices, adopting improved package of agronomic practices, etc. As a part of the campaign, area specific contents covering different water management practices applicable to local conditions for various agro climatic regions, with emphasis on community participation was being developed.
In an innovative move, NABARD proposes to identify Village Volunteers (Jal Doots) for a localized and more effective approach. These volunteers will increase awareness about various methods of rain water harvesting, efficient water use, recharging groundwater and integrated farming systems besides facilitating creation of water conservation structures and adoption of water efficient practices/technologies through convergence with the ongoing schemes of the Govt/banks. Involvement of bank branches, Govt. departments, extension agencies and other stakeholders during the campaign process is expected to give impetus to this initiative. Adequate number of Master Trainers in each State will be identified and professionally trained who will be deployed to run the campaign at district/ village level during April to July 2017.
The campaign was formally launched on Wednesday in all the major States through NABARD’s Regional Offices in the presence of representatives of the State Govt., State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC), Partner NGOs, Agricultural Universities, Water Experts and Farmers’ Club Volunteers. NABARD has identified seven vulnerable districts of AP, viz. Anantapur, Kadapa, Kurnool, Chittoor, Prakasam, Nellore and Guntur for Water Campaign 2017-18. Mass awareness will be created about the need for conservation/ preservation and efficient use of water resources through available technologies in 5000 villages in these seven districts.
