An NGO introduced the concept of farm ponds, which replenished groundwater levels, and provided farmers means for a sustainable livelihood.
E Srikanth and K Manja. (Right) A farm pond. (Deepika Pasham/ South First)
The rocky formation rising to the sky beyond the fields resembled a huge turtle seeking shelter from the scorching sun.
The boulders scattered all around radiated heat mercilessly throughout the day and into the night. An occasional breeze that came caressing the waters of several ponds and over the corn fields brought the much-needed respite.
Expect for the blooms of golden shower trees that merrily bobbed in the gentle wind, everything else was slow-paced. Packs of soporific strays sought refuge in whatever little shade as the largely desolate road neared the Uppulingapur village in Medak’s Yeldurthy Mandal, some 70 kilometres away.
The intermitted clucking of fowl that stirred in the heat, and the ammonia-like odour that hung low indicated the many poultry farms that flanked the last two kilometres of dusty road to the village.
Farmer K Poshamma stood in the shade of a golden shower — or Indian laburnum — with a welcoming smile. “Namaste, are you here to see the ponds in our farms?” she asked in a single breath.
K. Poshamma with her husband (Deepika Pasham/South First)
The summer heat failed to wilt her enthusiasm. Poshamma, along with her husband, has been engaged in farming for the past decade. Like her counterparts elsewhere in the country, agriculture had been a gamble with the monsoon — a game that she frequently lost as the groundwater level kept depleting in the village.
“We cultivated only corn in our six acres, and that too during the rainy season. The land was left fallow when there was no rain,” Poshamma said as she briskly headed to the pond. “The uncertainty over reaping a full harvest always worried us until our crops matured,” she told South First.
The woman is not overtly worried now. Bala Vikasa, a non-profit working towards sustainable development in rural India, ensured the farmers got adequate water to irrigate their fields.
“When we were introduced to the concept of farm ponds and got assistance from Bala Vikasa to construct one on our farm, it marked a turning point. Today, we grow paddy and corn without worries since we have water stored in our pond,” she excitedly pointed at the waterbody.
Several other farmers in the village shared Poshamma’s excitement. Srikanth is one among them.
“The rocky and hilly terrain posed insurmountable challenges in irrigating the field. I resorted to work as a daily wager elsewhere whenever the rains failed. I invested ₹6 lakh in six attempts to irrigate the field using borewells. I even appealed to the district collector for assistance under the Kakatiya Mission. Nothing worked,” he said.
The Telangana government launched Mission Kakatiya (Our Village, Our Tank), to restore the minor irrigation systems with community involvement, thereby ensuring sustainable water security. The initiative involved the comprehensive restoration of over 46,000 minor irrigation sources within five years.
Srikanth was disheartened after all his efforts and a handsome sum went in vain. It was then he noticed the green transformation in his neighbour’s field.
The farmers of Uppulingapur now harvest multiple crops. (Deepika Pasham/South First)
“The idea of farm ponds renewed my hope in agriculture. I am now cultivating paddy with water from a single pond,” he said.
The farmers were initially reluctant to accept assistance without contributing financially. They collectively decided to contribute ₹1,000 each for digging ponds. Each pond cost close to ₹25,000. Bala Vikasa shelled out the remaining amount for their construction.
Besides constructing ponds, the non-profit organisation also ensured agricultural diversity by distributing saplings of guava, plantain, papaya, and jackfruit. Seed fish, too, were distributed. Over time, pisciculture brought additional revenue to the farmers.
K Manja, 50, was initially sceptical about farm ponds. The man, who took to farming at the tender age of 10, soon realised the benefits of having such a pond.
“I realised their importance after observing that the borewell consistently provided water because the farm pond effectively stored and replenished the groundwater. Encouraged, I diversified and started cultivating vegetables such as tomato and eggplant. This decision proved profitable. We now get approximately ₹35,000 to ₹40,000 per harvest. After deducting expenses, such as labour cost of around ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 per acre, we keep the remaining amount,” he said.
L Krishna’s farm pond (Supplied)
L Krishna of Bandamadharam in Medchal turned to farm ponds when his borewell started making spitting and whistling noises and stopped working.
“Initially, only 10 farmers accepted this concept, but after witnessing the positive impact, 10 other farmers are now reaching out to Bala Vikasa for assistance. I am now growing vegetables also. Another farmer, Devender Reddy, has ventured into fish farming, which is thriving in the farm ponds,” he told South First.
Raj Kumar, the Project Manager for Medak at Bala Vikasa, said the demand for farm ponds has been increasing.
“We target farmers who lack irrigation facilities, and most of the farm ponds are constructed for those struggling with groundwater issues. Each farm pond measures 15 x 15 meters and has a depth of three meters. In Medak district alone, 97 farmers have already benefited from farm ponds,” he said.
Blades of corn in the field nodded as if in agreement in the evening breeze. The big rock turtle remained stationary — frozen in time — overlooking the farmlands interspersed with bursts of sparkling golden shower blooms.
(Edited by Majnu Babu)
May 16, 2024
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