Celebrating the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction with a story on reducing climate risk through innovative water resource management
Devshala Thorbole, a grassroots woman farmer, from Gojwada village in Osmanabad was solely dependent on rainfall for irrigating her farm. Increasingly erratic rainfall patterns & frequent dry spells led to stunted growth of her crops.
Today, Devshala carries out farming & other allied activities on four acres of land. Early in her association with SSP, she was taken for a field visit where she saw an ‘ideal farm’, with a variety of different best practices being showcased by women farmers. Inspired by this, she decided to construct a farm pond or a jalkumbh, on her farm. As a beneficiary of a project supported by SSP & Sterling Investment Corporation Pvt. Ltd. in Osmanabad & Latur districts, she was provided with materials to construct the jalkumbh, with labour provided by Devshala herself.
The jalkumbh was used to collect & store rainwater during the rainy season. With water now available throughout the year, Devshala was able to change her farming patterns & also diversify her livelihood. She shifted to organic vegetable farming, & began to grow her own fodder for farm animals. She also branched out into the poultry business. Sufficient water enabled her to start practicing water efficient practices like drip irrigation & using sprinklers. Currently, she produces vegetables for her own family’s consumption & for sale in the market.
With a collaboration of more than four years with SSP, Devshala has now created an ‘ideal farm’ herself, where she provides training to women from her village & surrounding areas. Seeing her success, over ten women farmers from her village have been encouraged to construct farm ponds or jalkumbhs in their farms & diversify their livelihoods.
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
13th October, 2021