From Om Prakash Sharma, Wells for India – India Office, Udaipur
Posted 15 June 2010
I am working with Wells for India, a UK-based organisation working in India for last 23 years. Being water professional I am engaged in water management, livelihoods and natural resource management for the last 21 years. Our major focus is to bring water security and dignity to the poorest communities living in drylands.
Changes in rainfall pattern both spatially and temporally have increased the risk and uncertainty in water availability for drinking, agriculture and livelihood needs. The analysis of rainfall data in drylands indicates that drought occurs once every 2 to 3 years which is leading to promotion of the idea of transportation of water from large distances by Government and other agencies.
Poor families living in drylands are already struggling to cope with changing and unpredictable weather patterns and this will be accentuated by climate change. Groundwater recharge may reduce if infiltration decreases. Ponds, tanks and reservoirs are not filling up enough to support agriculture and drinking water demands of human beings and livestock. Similarly, many are at risk of damage from floods. Larger, more intense floods could also cause damage to large dams.
The poor, erratic monsoon and the frequent droughts highlight the need for a revival of small scale water harvesting structures in dryland regions. It is to be noted that these structures in many dryland areas were developed as an adaptation measure to climate change. In my opinion efficiencies of traditional water harvesting systems can be improved by revisiting physical water storage options, managing water demand, increasing water productivity and transforming water governance.
Keeping the above in view, I would request members to share their experiences on:
- What are the experiences on improvisation of Small Scale Water Harvesting Systems in order to best adapt to climate change or variability?
- How can they be made more efficient as a means to adapt to climate change?
The inputs provided by members would strengthen our projects in drylands as these areas are highly vulnerable to water scarcity and climate change. Contribution of members would be suitably acknowledged.
Please see attachment below for the responses.