Buchkewadi - Model of Community Led Village Development
  • Metamorphosis of a Neglected Zone in to Lush Greenery

Soil & Water Resources

Fitting interventions were undertaken to sustain natural resources through soil and water conservation

The location of the village in the laps of the mountains was advantageous for farming, but farmers of the village were distressed due to irregular and ill-capacitated monsoons during the recent years. The authorities implemented basic measures to save the situation. A minor irrigation tank built by the authorities did not benefit the farmers of Buchkewadi, since the stored water could not be used efficiently for the farms. Water societies were formed in the village to address this problem. These societies promoted collective use of the available water. State agricultural authorities had intervened by constructing a few bunds enabling storage of water for farming purposes. Yet, there was a grim situation as far as income from agriculture was concerned. Various factors were responsible for the bleak scenario in the village.

The percolation tank in the village lay neglected. It was choked by silt and was not useful as a resource for water. Waterfalls generated throughout the surrounding mountains during the rainy season used to be discharged in the River named ‘Kukadi’ and could not be used by the villagers.

As the surplus water from rains was not harvested, crop alternatives for cultivation were limited. The area, in and around the village was hugely deficient of green fodder for the domestic animals.

During monsoon, streams of water would flow along the slopes of the mountains washing away the minerals and deteriorating the quality of the soil. At the same time, there was no control on cutting of trees in the village and surrounding areas used as firewood for cooking and heating purposes, making the land decrepit for cultivation.

These factors were neglected issues and nobody had given a thought for improvements in these areas. As a result, the villagers constantly faced reduced agricultural produce and acute water scarcity.

In the years 2007-08, Buchkewadi faced intense water shortage. Plantations in the farms wilted away. Conflicts over the usage of water from the dam with the adjacent village, ’Parunde’ had scaled up. General populace in the village was ignorant of the latest techniques regarding irrigation and rain water harvesting.

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