Effectiveness of Rainwater Harvesting Structures on Groundwater and Crop Productivity in Semi-Arid Region of Telangana-A Case Study

The drylands of India is characterized by aberrant behavior of monsoon rainfall, eroded and degraded soils with multiple nutrient and water deficiencies. Declining ground water levels and poor resource base of the farmers and are the major constraints for low and unstable yields. The water is a very critical input in dryland agriculture. It is a scarce input owing to erratic and poor distribution of rainfall, which limits the production of crops. In this direction, there is a need to emphasize the conservation of these limited resources with appropriate practices. Keeping these considerations in view, the present study was undertaken to study the impact of rainwater harvesting structures on groundwater and crop productivity in a selected ICAR-CRIDA, KVK watershed of semi-arid region of Telangana as a case study. The effectiveness of various soil and water conservation structures was clearly observed in the post project period. The average groundwater depth increased by 1.5 m due to the rainwater harvesting structures. The rainwater harvesting structures stored the runoff water and recharged the aquifers and there by enhanced the ground water levels in the project area. The irrigated area due to rainwater harvesting structures increased by 38% and improved yield levels by 20 to 32%. Interventions have a very significant role in the areas of resource conservation and cropping pattern. There is a need to upscale these interventions through KVK and other line departments by involving farmers and other local stakeholders.