Second Cropping with Gravity Flow Irrigation System

Khalwa block is the most water-scarce part of the Khandwa district in Madhya Pradesh and majority Korku farmers are small landholders with a lack of available water sources.

85% of farmers have rain-fed land and only do cultivation during the Kharif season from July – September. They hardly have an opportunity to plan for second cropping during the Rabi season. Anokhilal and his brother Kaliram of Khategaon village are no exception to this situation. The family of 8 owns two-and-half acres of land with one dug well which hardly sustains till the end of December which holds back the farmer to plan for cultivation during the Rabi season.

In one of the Sabal farmers meeting Anokhilal learned about various soil water conservation structures that helps to arrest the rainwater and use it effectively for second cropping. He expressed his interest in Nutrition Health Worker (Kuwarsingh Khajle) and requested him to help in identify such a site for the development of water conservation structure. Kuwarsingh supported the farmer and identified a place to construct a sack-bag dam (bori bandh) and developed a plan and guided the farmer.

Anokhilal with the support of other collective members constructed the sack-bag dam and purchased 10 pipes of total 200 feet to transport the water from the dam to his farmland.

The farmer used the gravity flow irrigation system to channelize the water from a dam constructed on the top to his farmland without using the motor engine. Kaliram said “Diesel Motor is a fail in the farmland because we have to go 30KM to get the fuel for the engine and electricity connection cannot be brought from the village”. “Thanks to Sabal that I learned about this gravity flow irrigation method which helped me for avail continued water supply for my crops” he happily added.

Anokhilal has first time planted red chili in his field after the construction of the dam and he is confident that the water will sustain for another cropping too. He expressed that he is expecting a good yield of 1.5 to 2 quintal and can earn Rs. 30,000 – 32,000 after selling.