watershed management

Land cover refers to the physical conditions of the ground surface such as forests, wastelands and water bodies.
Land use refers to human activities like use of land for residential zones, agricultural fields and industrial purposes.Click here to see the land use/ land cover classes before and after implementation of Phase 1.

Assets created in the Kanakanala Watershed Project

Phase 1 implementation activities created permanent assets in common and private lands. Check Dams, Nala Bunds, Field Bunds, Boulder Checks, Rubble Checks, Coursed Rubble Stone Masonery, Waste Weirs, Rock Filled Checks, and Ravine Reclamation Structures are the soil and moisture conservation activities implemented in the area. The moisture conservation measures are Contour Bunds and Boulder Bunds. Click here for assets created in the above sector.

Block plantations and bund plantations were raised in common and private land as part of the forest sector. Saplings of neem, tamarind, teak, pongamia, and agave were grown and distributed to farmers to raise on their individual lands. Horticulture plantations like mango, lime, pomegranate, and ber were raised and distributed to farmers who had protective irrigation facility. Click here for the plantations

Ground water in the watershed is exploited for irrigation purposes by sinking large diameter dug wells. In Kanakanala, there are 18 dug wells, 24 dug cum borewells and 7 borewells. On average, the wells irrigate 1.9 hectares of land. The main crops grown during the kharif season using ground water are rice, bajra, maize, cotton, groundnut and sunflower. After project implementation, static water level in the wells is 2 to 4 metres even during summer.

During Phase 1, the emphasis was on strengthening the capacities of village level institutions like the Kanakanala Abhivruddhi Samstha - the apex body of Gram Samsthas, watershed management committees, community economic assets committees, and Munjavu groups. Members of these bodies were trained on community organisation; development; and financial management and gender equity so that they can achieve sustainability of biophysical structures and community institutions created during the project.

The process of establishing a women's bank - the Munjavu Mahila Sahakar - has been initiated to provide access to credit facilities in the project area. Women in Vitlapur and Juelkunti villages have established and successfully managed seed banks. The members of these seed banks preserve, conserve, multiply, and propagate the local varieties of seeds, to provide food security to the communities.

Two editions of the newsletter, Kanakanala Suddhi were published during 2001-02 to provide watershed-related information to the communities. A Krishi Calendar was also brought out during the same year to give relevant information on prevailing agriculture and cultural practices.

Implementation of Phase 2 began in May 2002. The focus in the first six months is to implement a pilot watershed of 60.90 hectares in Myadardokki village. The planning process is now complete for implementation.

A local technical resource group, called People's Technical Resource Group (PTRG), has been constituted to encourage the participatory approach and use of native knowledge for implementation of the pilot project. This group comprises farmers, who have local technical knowledge and expertise in the field of conservation of water and soil. Civil work has already started and contour bunds are now being constructed.

Under the sustainable agriculture programme, Dry Land Horticulture has been initiated with 10 farmers in Myadardokki and Advibhavi villages. In Amarapur village, Participatory Technology Developmentin Navane crop has been taken up with ten farmers and the Integrated Farming System is being implemented through thirteen farmers in Idlapur village.