Farmer-centric integrated water management for improving livelihoods - a case study of Rural Electrification Corporation Limited.

Abstract

Rural Electrification Corporation limited (RECL) supported an ICRISAT• led consortium to establish two watershed learning sites In Penukonda mandal (4 villages. 3150 ha of cultivated land and home to 8700 people) of Anantapur district in Andhra Prndesh and Wanaparthy mandal (4 villages. 3968 ha of cultivated land and home to 1 1.726 people) In the Mahabubnagar district ofTelangana. The community and farm-based rainwater conservation have created a net storage capacity of about 18.000 m l with total conservation of about 50.000 ml/year of surface runoff water In Anantapur watershed. and 27.000 rn ' storage capacity with conservation of about 54.000 ml/year of surface runoff water in Mahabubnagar watershed. Soil health Improvement with soil testbased addition of macro-and micronutrlents and carbon building. and varietal replacements are promoted with farmers in the watershed. The science-led management has resulted in increasing and sustaining crop and livestock productivity and diversification leading to Increased Incomes to ranners. The RECL-ICRISAT watershed sites have provided a proof of concept and a good learning site for holistic solutions to harness the system productivity and suengthening of livelihood.