1. Diversion Based Irrigation
Project supported by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust,
Mumbai
Grameen Sahara
Annual Partners’ Meet,
Konark, Odisha
19th & 20th March’2013
Sri Amiya Kr. Das

2. Overview _DBI projects implemented by Grameen Sahara
Phase-I Phase-II Phase-III
Year 2009-2010 2011-2013 2013-2015
Type Canal Pipe Pipe
Fund (Lakh) 24.81 27.39 72.73
Village 9 4 10
Family 1750 398 1000
Area Covered(Acre) 500 135 335

3. Aim of the Project
 The main aim of this project is to support agriculture based
livelihood through provision of diversion based irrigation, community
mobilization and organization, adoption of sustainable agriculture
practices, facilitate technical assistance and linkage of market.
 To enhance production of paddy as well as vegetable through
required supply of water and thereby increase food security for the
target farm families.
 In addition to water the project also aims to facilitate technical
support for enhancement of productivity.
Grameen Sahara

4. a) To provide irrigation facilities to the small and needy farmers who
will adopt improved agriculture practices;
b) To increase production through use of lands available in multi-
cropping practice, through dissemination of information, creating
awareness and providing skill enhancement training.
c) To improve the food and nutritional security of the target families;
d) To introduce System of Crop Intensification practices in various
crops;
e) To reduce drudgery for the women through provision of outlets in
the homestead land;
f) To organize farmers to water user and producers’ groups and finally
organizing them into a vegetable producers’ entity;
g) To facilitate marketing the surplus produces through market linkage
Objectives
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5. § Lands were under-utilized and under single cropping practice
§ Agriculture was traditional
§ SRI was not in practice in the project locations due to lack of
information
§ Small surplus production and marketing was rare in some of the
locations, market information was poor and problem of aggregation
exists.
§ Group conception was very poor and almost like non-existent if
activities were taken into consideration.
Base line Indicators
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6. Locations selected
Streams with round the year water supply / discharge are selected
for DBI which is determined in consultation with villagers and also
based on technical calculation based on primary data collected.
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7. Community is always in shortage of water for agricultural and
domestic purposes. Women need to carry water from distant streams
for their domestic use.
Grameen Sahara

8. Community covered are disadvantaged and Socio-Economically
weak in the remote villages.
Grameen Sahara

9. Awareness and Community Mobilization
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10. Base Line Survey
Social and technical Survey
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11. Village Mapping / land plotting / crop planning
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12. Group Formation / Water Users’ Group
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13. Community contribution
Trench digging and Pipes Laying works
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14. Capacity building training
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15. Status of phase - II
SL VILLAGE TOTAL LENGTH OF
PIPELINE (Mtr)
OUTLET
PROVIDED
BENEFICIARIES
1 BALIJURI 1130 26 105
2 ANDHERI 1000 8 56
3 MUDUKI 2225 15 72
4 BARMOHORA 2120 28 115
Grameen Sahara

16. Outcomes
• 135 acres of land of 360 small farmers of 4 different villages of Kamrup,
Kamrup Metro and Goalpara districts of Assam has been brought under this
project.
• 36 acres of land for Rabi and 28 acres for summer crops have been brought
under this Diversion Based Irrigation system in project areas.
• 4 WUGs and 13 farmers’ groups have been formed and along with the
technical training they have been trained on proper maintenance of pipe
system and they have been also given some tips on crop planning and
punctuality for better distribution of water among the farmers and now they
are functioning in a better way.
• SRI has been introduced with the farmers for better production of paddy in
the project areas.
Grameen Sahara

17. Community mobilization & linkages with Government scheme
At Satpakhalai village:
• Canal irrigation (Through clearance of silts and diverting water from an
existing river)
• Length 3 Kms
• Comparatively bigger village covering about 1,000 families.
• To be linked with MGNREGA.
• Only technical assistance like survey, design and community mobilization
will be taken care of by Grameen Sahara.
• Financial support will come from Government Scheme.
• After the canal becomes functional agricultural intervention will be done

18. Comparisons between the income before & after DBI
Name of
location
No of
household
Area of land and income Gross
income (Rs)
Paddy (Acr)
Non SRI
Yield (Kg) Income – A-
(Rs)
Vegetable
(Acr)
Yield (Kg) Income –B-
(Rs.)
Paddy &
Vegetable
A+B
Balijuri 84 8 5760 44640 3.33 1130 13605 58245
Andheri 86 8 6720 53760 1.4 422 3010 56770
Muduki 72 11 9240 75075 3.13 694 5826 80901
Barmohora 115 22 15840 122760 2.13 463 4570 127330
Total (Rs) 323246
Before DBI
Grameen Sahara

19. After DBI
No of
househ
old
Area of land and income Gross
income
Paddy (Acr) Yield in Kg Income
–A- (Rs)
Vegetab
le (Acr)
Yield
(Kg)
Income
–B-(Rs.)
Paddy
&
Vegetab
le A+B
Non SRI SRI Non SRI SRI
Balijuri 84 11 1 7920 1800 80190 2.1 5303 70005 150195
Andheri 86 8 0.5 6240 840 57525 2.13 1222 15715 73240
Muduki 72 10 1 8400 1680 81900 4.73 2685 40215 122115
Barmoh
ora
115 19 1 14820 1860 135255 3.07 1485 22830 158085
Total
(Rs)
503635
Income increased = 55.8%
Grameen Sahara

20. Impact
• Increased availability of water encouraged the farmers to expand
their areas of cultivable land.
• From, mere 10 - 15% of seasonal use of land it increased to 60-
70% as a result of DBI
• intervention. Homestead agriculture has been done by some
farmers.
• During winter, when water used to be not available farmers were
not in a position to do crops; but after DBI it has been possible.
• This assured irrigation facility has increased the involvement of
the farmers (male and female) in farming activities and it has
increased their households’ income and their nutritional status
has also been improved due to this DBIS.
Grameen Sahara

21. Impact on women
• women drudgery has drastically reduced.
• Kitchen gardening is also taking place.
• They have now been able to participate in decision making in
spending money as they have been able to contribute to the
household income through kitchen garden etc.
• In terms of health also this project has contributed through
reduction of drudgery, increase in food crops that has contributed
to the improvement of their nutritional status.
• Similarly, there has been some impact / effect in the government
departments also.
Grameen Sahara

22. Next Planning : Phase - III
Name of village Development block District No. of farmers to
be covered
Bargarang Chayani Barduar Kamrup 100
Tulsibari Chayani Barduar Kamrup 100
Jupangbari Chayani Barduar Kamrup 100
Sanyashipara Chhaygaon Kamrup 100
Bargaonpara Chhaygaon Kamrup 100
Badakha Kochdhuwa Goalpara 100
Sengmari Krishnai Goalpara 100
Grameen Sahara

23. Base line indicators in Proposed areas
• Lands are under-utilized and under single cropping
practice
• Agriculture is traditional
• SRI is not in practice in the project locations due to lack
of information
• Small surplus production and marketing is rare in some
of the locations, market information is poor and problem
of aggregation exists.
• Group conception is very poor and almost like non-
existent if activities are taken into consideration.
Grameen Sahara

24. Proposed Strategies under the Project
• Complete access to information relating to the project and
dissemination of the same especially at the beneficiary level
• Participatory approach to be used while implementation of
all components of the project
• Accountability at all level through regular monitoring and
reporting
• Enhancement of capacities of grass-root level community
institutions like producers groups.
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25. Expected outcomes
• More than 1000 marginal farmers will be benefited directly or
indirectly by increased production various crops and will have
increased food security as water will be available in their farm
land.
• These farmers will earn extra income from the Rabi crops
cultivation such as potato, tomato, brinjal, mustard, chili etc.
• Nutritious food will be available in their kitchen garden.
• Adoption of scientific practice in management of water.
• Pure drinking water will be available in these villages (The
villagers will be trained to low cost water filtration technique).
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26. • Water will be available for Cattle and other domestic purposes
also.
• Supporting agriculture based livelihood
• SRI principle and practices will be adopted by the farmers.
• Conservation of natural resources will be taken care of by the
community.
• Woman drudgery will be minimized since water will be available
at their position
• The community will be financially literate, since they will be a part
of the producers’ group
Grameen Sahara

27. Images from our DBI fields
Grameen Sahara

28. Grameen Sahara

29. Exposure to our DBI fields by a group of Govt.
employees of Assam & Other North Eastern States
Interaction with the Beneficiaries at Balijuri DBI site
Grameen Sahara

30. Visit of MKSP Appraisal Team to Balijuri DBI Village
Grameen Sahara

31. Farmers’ Exposure Visit to the best practices at the
bank of Brahmaputra

32. Farmers Annual Meet

33. Impact On Social Media
Delivering the information of DBIS to the reporters of Electronic
Media
Grameen Sahara

34. DBIS Report in local News Paper
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35. Thank You
Sri Amiya Kr. Das
Grameen Sahara
(In support of sustainable Livelihood)
Kulsi Road, Chhaygaon, Kamrup
Assam – 781124
E-mail: grameensahara@gmail.com
Website: www.grameensahara.org
Tel: +91-3623 261927, 261954
Mobile: +91-98540 24229
Grameen Sahara