South Asia Agriculture and Rural Growth Discussion Note Series Mar 2020 11 1 LEARNINGS FROM COMMUNITY- BASED SMALL SCALE IRRIGATION IN TRIBAL AREAS OF JHARKHAND, INDIA Key achievements 1060 detailed project reports for community led irrigation developed through active women participation 450 local cadres developed to support project preparation, installation, operations and maintenance Over 500 water user groups promoted for judicious use of water resources Strengthened internal capacity building of staff and self driven innovation, ensuring sustainability Context The absence of robust irrigation insecurity, adversities of climate change, infrastructures and water resource as well as subsistence farming through contraints resulting from climate change1 augmenting irrigation facilities with small-lift would reduce Jharkhand’s agricultural irrigation systems, gravity-based irrigation production over time. The state utilized only systems and check dams on seasonal 12 percent of its irrigation potential (of the streams. However, much needed to be done net sown area only 13.5 percent has access as irrigation equipment (such as pumpsets, to irrigation) due to inadequate development sprinklers or drip irrigation systems) and poor maintenance of irrigation was owned by only 5.72 percent of rural infrastructures. households. Capitalizing on the state’s Being agro-climatically favorable2 for high potential, the JOHAR3 project intrinsically value crop cultivation, Jharkhand has the focused to harness irrigation facilities for approach, that of “community-led irrigation” advantage of addressing issues of food deprived households through lift irrigation which brings water directly to the fields, systems. and fosters community ownership from the JOHAR is a pioneer in JOHAR is a pioneer in enabling tribal onset of project conception, to survey and enabling tribal communities communities to be an integral stakeholder implementation, right through to operations to be an integral stakeholder in development by ensuring availability, and maintenance. in development by ensuring accessibility and utilization of water This note highlights JOHAR’s focus on resources for agricultural development. availability, accessibility promoting such an approach through and utilization of water JOHAR supports 200,000 small and engaging the community, particularly marginal farmers in primarily rainfed, women in planning, implementation, resources for agricultural backward, drought prone, upland and tribal monitoring and overall management of their development areas of Jharkhand. It facilitates a unique irrigation infrastructure. 1. Jharkhand Action Plan on Climate Change, 2014. 2. Undulating land topography, runoff and geomorphological characteristics promotes sub-surface flow of water after the monsoon season. 3. Jharkhand Opportunities for Harnessing Rural Growth. 2 Interventions Development of community-led irrigation systems resulted in the JOHAR team strategically engaging communities right from inception, planning, implementation, monitoring and overall management of the irrigation infrastructure. Details of the iterative activities and processes conceived for the irrigation scheme are outlined below. Command Area Planning and Irrigation System Operation 8 Formation of high value agriculture producer group (PG): 7 Monitoring and Supervision A high value agriculture PG of 25-50 members was formed by the JOHAR team at the initial stage with women farmers Vendor Selection and Management 6 from a particular area (generally a village) to collectively plan for overall agriculture 5 Formation of Water User Groups and Training development and undertake collective actions for engaging with markets. Community members undertook small- Selection of Local Cadre and Training 4 scale irrigation work to ensure accessibility, availability and utilization of irrigation facilities to all members. 3 Technical Survey and Preparation of Detailed Project Report Concept seeding, identification and selection of irrigation patch: Concept Seeding and Patch Selection 2 PG members were trained by community service providers of high value agriculture to identify possible sites for installation of 1 Formation of High Value Agriculture Producer Groups lift irrigation and gravity-based irrigation systems through community consultation processes. The technical team of JOHAR, along with community members, later conducted a technical feasibility study of plausible sites and selected the most suitable sites based on local biophysical and social criteria. Any discordance between the community consultation and the technical Process map for implementing the irrigation scheme feasibility study were reconciled at village meetings and concurrence was arrived at by was prepared by a technical team in as a technical service provider (TSP) who community consultation processes. consultation with community members. received customized training on overall JOHAR’s para irrigation engineers (PIEs) operational procedures and management Technical survey and preparation and district irrigation consultants used of irrigation infrastructure. After installation of detailed project report: an innovative automated system of DPR of the irrigation infrastructure, TSPs were The designs of pumpset, pumphouse, preparation through an application-based entrusted to manage day-to-day operations seepage wells and positioning of outlets software specifically designed for the of the irrigation infrastructure and collect were calculated from technical survey project. irrigation fees at the village level for its data. Detailed cost estimates and drawings services. of pumphouses, seepage wells, trench Selection of PIEs and technical excavations, pumpset installations and service providers: Formation of water user group solar panels installations were prepared JOHAR prioritized capacity building and training: with due diligence to environmental and processes and identified and trained a A water user group4 (WUG) with 15-20 social aspects. A final detailed project report local cadre of PIEs for timely technical farmer members for a command area of 5-8 (DPR) entailing geographic, demographic, support at each site. Community members hectares shared common responsibilities technical, environment and social aspects selected a person from within the village of judicious and efficient use of irrigation 4. A sub-group of agricultural producer group. 3 Highlights of JOHAR’s irrigation project The JOHAR’s irrigation project till date has prepared 700 DPRs of irrigation projects and commissioned 106 projects at the village level. 80% of irrigation schemes operate through solar power, and 20% through either electricity or diesel-based Image Credits: Rohit Jain power sources. water. WUG members were trained and underground pipes were selected by the technical cadre on institutional by community members from the state’s 70% of the water source for aspects, common property sharing, empanelled list of vendors. Local vendors irrigation is through seepage efficient utilization of water resources, were selected for installation of the wells that replenish their yield conflict management, as well as overall pumphouse and construction of seepage through sub-surface recharge. management and maintenance of irrigation wells. Community members followed due 30% of the irrigation water infrastructure. WUGs collectively participate diligence procurement processes and source is developed through in crop planning, procurements of crop sequentially managed the implementation construction of small check inputs, and marketing activities along with of various crucial timebound tasks with the dams and other embankments the other PG members. respective vendors. across the seasonal streams. Vendor selection and Monitoring and supervision management: during implementation: Command area planning and Community members were oriented The technical team of JOHAR (consisting irrigation system operation: and trained by the JOHAR team and of PIEs, district irrigation consultants Community members participated in crop technical cadre on community procurement and engineers of the technical support selection and irrigation scheduling to plan processes, vendor selection and vendor agency) provided backstopping support irrigation infrastructure use during each management. Vendors for installation to community members during the overall cropping season to efficiently use the water of pumpsets (solar/diesel), solar panels implementation of irrigation schemes. resources. Key Learnings Prior to JOHAR’s interventions, Jharkhand monitoring scheme implementation. online updation and transfer of data to lacked projects that focused exclusively on The activities and sub-activities of the facilitate real time informed decision multi-season irrigation. Instituting systems, scheme were mapped with stipulated making in the management of water. processes and building capacity resulted timeframes to connect sequential The approach focused on technology in a huge change from the conventional activities with outcomes. Through this adoption and innovation for all those system of planning, design and process, the project was able to foster engaged in implementation processes implementation that was often susceptible the creation of a skilled cadre of local for improved management, development to ‘elite capture5. irrigation managers. and uptake of solar solutions. II. increased transparency by conducting III. introduced solar solutions, such as the 1) Technology and innovation: geo-tagged surveys to collect GPS innovative cycle mounted solar pump included resilient technologies for improving locations of water sources and (of 0.5 HP) to help small and marginal productivity and reducing climate risk, such pumphouses through geo-fencing of the farmers to irrigate up to 0.5 acres with as: command area of each irrigation site to a discharge of 2-3 liters per second I. improved planning where engineers promote Geographic Information System (lps). Currently, 100 PGs have received used modern tools and skills of project based planning. The innovative online the cycle mounted solar pump-set and management to build replicable and DPR preparation and approval system JOHAR targets to scale this model to scalable systems, and procedures for allowed automatic real time calculations, additional 2000 PGs. 5. Elite capture is a form of corruption whereby public resources are biased for the benefit of a few individuals of superior social status in detriment to the welfare of the larger population. 4 Geo-fencing is a location- based service in which an app or other software uses GPS/ RFID/Wi-Fi/cellular data to trigger a pre-programmed action when a mobile device or RFID tag enters or exits a virtual boundary set up around a geographical location, known as a geo-fence. The geo-fence allows for remote monitoring of MIS of community-based micro irrigation such as when a PG member visits locations or uploads geo-tagged Image Credits: Rohit Jain photographs of installations through the app/software. Advantages of the cycle mounted solar pump Geo-fencing uses GIS based (i) it can be moved to any field location that needs immediate irrigation; technology for field inspection (ii) farmers unaddressed by lift irrigation schemes can use the cycle and aids third party verification mounted solar pump to irrigate their field from a nearby farm pond or by eliminating the need for seepage well, and manual third party verification (iii) the cost of operating a cycle mounted solar pump is minimal process and periodic inspection enabling economically deprived household to access the irrigation by field staff. facility at the local level. 2) Sustainability: was ensured by exchange between the project team and phase and were at the center in all decision I. institutionalizing systems, processes, other government officials helped reduce making processes. tools and guidelines developed within structural overdesign6 and associated the state architecture; and capital costs. 4) Convergence with other schemes and departments: such as II. knowledge and capacity building across 3) Women’s participation: is at the with the agriculture department for micro- all levels and stakeholders. centre of all JOHAR promoted irrigation irrigation system in the command area of projects. Women played an integral the lift irrigation system under the Pradhan Guidelines, specifications and design and decisive role in patch selection, Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), parameters for engineering structures, prioritization of schemes, vendor selection and for solar pumps with the Jharkhand water user association (WUA) mobilization and management, installation of irrigation Renewable Energy Development Agency manuals and training materials, and works, monitoring and command area (JREDA) further facilitated water utilization agricultural extension materials developed development as well as during construction efficiency of irrigation projects promoted were embedded as standard operational of irrigation infrastructure. As a group, under JOHAR as well as extended procedures and made available to farmers they were “empowered” because they had the coverage of irrigation to deprived within and outside the project through access to irrigation, and “ownership” as they households. meetings and website. Knowledge contributed as labor during the installation Challenges Implementation of the community-led small Overcoming the knowledge gap implementation of small-scale lift irrigation scale lift irrigation scheme in scattered and building capacity at all in the remote areas was the existing remote areas had certain challenges. These levels (farmers, engineers and project knowledge gap in selection, implementation included: staff). One of the major challenges in and management of the irrigation systems. 6. Designs of irrigation systems were site specific considering the local hydrological conditions, contrary to a one size standard project design. 5 Customized regular training programs for farmers, local engineers and project staff are needed to bridge the knowledge gap. Sensitization on the importance of solar irrigation versus conventional uses. Farmers and local engineers were primarily aware of diesel or electric based irrigation systems. Installation of solar based irrigation systems created apprehensions regarding duration of operational hours, safety of solar panels, and care and maintenance of solar pumps, which were addressed through village level sensitization workshops. Image Credits: Rohit Jain Overcoming construction issues in some topographies due to the Management of different vendors mapped the tasks of different vendors, and presence of underground rock or hard (pumphouse, solar panel, solar pump, allocated sequential time for completion strata. Community members had to dig out pipes and excavation) had to be done of different tasks for each of their irrigation large heavy stones by hands which was in a sequential timebound manner by sites.   time and energy consuming. the community members. The members CASE STUDY : Community led irrigation scheme under JOHAR project Indrawati Devi, a middle-aged tribal woman with a newly installed lift irrigation system in 0.8 hectares says: “This is the first time that I have access to water in my cropland. Earlier, I use to grow either finger millet or black gram during the Monsoon season or sometimes leave it fallow. But this year I planted high value crops like tomato, cabbage and brinjal and have plans to plant crops like green peas and watermelon in the summer season”. She generated an income of INR 40,000 from 0.2 hectares of tomato crop that she cultivated in the last cropping season. The newly installed lift irrigation system in remote Unchidih village (located at higher elevation) in Basia sub-district of Jharkhand state currently benefits 15 households with irrigation facilities for 8 hectares of cropland. The village has 25 households that primarily cultivated rainfed crop and were entirely depended on rainfall for crop production. The JOHAR project constructed a seepage well of 90 m3 of water volume that provided sub-surface recharge Image Credits: JSLPS from the adjacent perineal stream. A 8 HP diesel pumpset was installed to convey irrigation water to a distance of 500 m through underground pipes and four outlet points. The community plans to retrofit the system to solar power to reduce operational costs. Community members of Unchidih village collectively constructed the seepage well, pumphouse, underground main line installation and configured the outlet points under the guidance of the technical team. Community members have collectively formed an informal producer group, called Rani Mahila Kisan Utpadak Samuh, for overall management and farming operations in their village. There is also a water user group for water sharing and grievance redressal. Community members received customized training sessions on patch selection, crop planning, cost estimates, package and practices of high value crops and management of irrigation infrastructure. They have developed plans for planting selected crops in the command area of the lift irrigation system to judiciously use the irrigation facility. They take minimal operational charges on an hourly basis from each member serviced from the lift irrigation system to meet any maintenance costs. The technical service provider at the village level is responsible for operating the pump on a daily basis. 6 Way Forward JOHAR project plans to undertake more than 2000 similar small-scale lift irrigation schemes covering more than 18,000 hectares of land with irrigation facilities in the next two years. Due to bio-physically suitable locations and endowment of a dense network of small seasonal streams, the small-scale lift irrigation system is emerging as a model to ensure accessibility and availability of irrigation facilities in remote water-deprived areas. For effective monitoring, risk mitigation and allocation of responsibilities, JOHAR is developing a management information system (MIS) to track location-specific work progress on a real-time basis. JOHAR is planning to introduce an Android application for improving the irrigation monitoring system to regulate pump operations from any remote location. The application will also enable the identification of major Image Credits: Rohit Jain issues and faults of the irrigation pump. An schedule irrigation and create a database other departments outside the project, the irrigation monitoring application will help for efficient planning and management of project team is training state engineering local community members to efficiently irrigation. In response to requests from cadres to provide technical support. ABOUT THE DISCUSSION NOTE SERIES This note is part of the South Asia Agriculture and Rural Growth Discussion Note Series, that seeks to disseminate operational learnings and implementation experiences from World Bank financed rural, agriculture and food systems programs in South Asia. Authors: Pratyush Singh, Stuti Sharma & Bipin Bihari Series editor: Vani Kurup Publication Design & Illustrations: Parth Varshney We are grateful for the generous support from DFID. Disclaimer: The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this note are entirely those of the author(s) and should not be attributed in any manner to the World Bank, to its affiliated organizations or to members of its Board of Executive Directors or the countries they represent.