ITC / CSR - Water Stewardship Program

The Water Stewardship Programme (WSP), with the support of ITC Ltd., is designed with an aim of integrated development of the villages in the Karamadai block of Coimbatore District. The objective of the Water Stewardship Programme is to harness locally available natural resources in an optimum manner to achieve the overall goal of sustainable development. These objectives can be realized by conserving, protecting and restoring the ecological balance by developing natural resources and by preventing soil erosion, degradation of top soil cover, regeneration of natural vegetation, rain water harvesting and recharging of the ground water table. The programme also gives specific importance to the productivity enhancement of agriculture/horticulture/animal husbandry activities and livelihood development. The activities for resource development and usage have been planned to promote farming and allied activities to promote local livelihoods while ensuring resource conservation and regeneration. The duration of the Programme is six years.
CSR initiative is committed to:

• Deepen engagement in identified core operational geographies to promote holistic development, designed to respond to the most prominent development challenges of the Company's stakeholder groups.
• Strengthen capabilities of Non-Government Organisations (NGOs)/Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in all the project catchments for participatory planning, ownership and sustainability of interventions.
• Drive the development agenda in a manner that benefits the poor and marginalised communities in the catchments thereby significantly improving Human Development Indices (HDI).
• Move beyond mere asset creation to behaviour change through focus on demand generation for all interventions, thereby enabling participation, contribution and asset creation for the community.
• Continue to strive for scaling up progress by leveraging government partnerships and accessing the most contemporary knowledge/ technical know-how.

With this in focus, COODU initiated Water Stewardship Programme, which was launched in the month of August 2015 in Kalampalayam and subsequently implemented in Kemmarampalam, Thekkampatti, Maruthur, Velliyangadu, Nellithurai and Tholampalayam Gram Panchayats of Karamadai block of Coimbatore district with the support of ITC.
Twentynine watersheds have been prioritised for development, including five watersheds located in Reserved Forests and hence development activities have been undertaken in twentyfour watersheds. During the project period, efforts are being taken to conserve soil and moisture of the region through Trench-cum-Bund, Ring Bund, vegetative barriers, erosion control measures, and construction of various water harvesting structures in the project locations.
Afforestation is another important component, under which Agro forestry and Agro Horticulture are taken up and developed as block, avenue and bund plantations. Capacity Building of farmers and experiential training through field demonstrations are imparted by experts from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK).
The overall goal of this initiative was to sustainably increase agricultural productivity and improve the livelihoods of rural poor in vulnerable rain-fed areas through integrated watershed management.

Marico Projects

Marico Limited is one of India's leading consumer products companies operating in the beauty and wellness space. Currently present in 25 countries across emerging markets of Asia and Africa, Marico has nurtured multiple brands in the categories of hair care, skin care, edible oils, health foods, male grooming, and fabric care. COODU was approached by Marico in August 2018 to create water resources and initiate intervention measures in coconut farms to increase production of coconut. The Organisation conducted a survey in the hamlets of Mullupadi, Devanampalayam, Perumpathy,Kothavadi, etc., in Kinathukadavu block for willing farmers in whose lands farm ponds are to be formed.

Phase - I

From the survey, 39 farmers were identified. Likewise, 300 farmers, in whose lands intervention measures such as Trench Cum Bund(TCB) and Ring bund are proposed, were identified and their consent to carry out the measures was obtained.
The following Project components were taken up and executed.
i. Farm Ponds in 39 farms
ii. TCB and Ring bund in the farms of 300 farmers.
iii. Training of farmers.

Phase - II

With the successful completion of Phase I, Marico granted sanction to execute formation of 12 more farm ponds and intervention measures in the farms of 158 farmers. COODU, based on the requirements of farmers, formed 12 farm ponds and carried out intervention measures, with the consent of Marico.
From all the farmers, the following documents were obtained. 1. Application from beneficiaries
2. Land particulars (Copy of ownership document, etc.)
3. Liability clause certificate from beneficiaries
4. Completion / Acknowledgement certificate from beneficiaries
5. Photo documentation (Before, During and After implementation)
6. Monthly activity report
7. Monthly financial report
8. Completion report

Creation Of Awareness And Interactions:

Wall paintings were done to create awareness on the Project and interactive meetings were held to sensitise the farmers on water use efficient practices.
Duration of the Project: Eight months from Aug 2018 to March 2019.

Completion Of Works:

Farm Pond works commenced in August 2018 and completed on 30.11.2018. Works on Soil and Moisture Conservation measures were completed on 15.12.2018. Trainings were completed in January 2019.

Outcomes: (as of Feb 2019)

With rainfall, Productivity and Production of coconut palms are expected to increase and consequently, the remunerative income of farmers is bound to rise.

HDB – CSR PROJECT

Watershed development for climate resilience management annur block, coimbatore district

Executive Summary

Introduction:

Our world is burning, literally and figuratively. Wildfires in California, the Amazon, Australia, Siberia, devastated vast stretches of pristine forests, gobbled up lives of thousands of animals, destroyed properties and caused evacuation of thousands of people.Hurricanes, storms, cyclones have destroyed lives and properties in North America’s Eastern Seaboard, the Caribbean islands, South East Asia recently.

In India, Bombay and the whole state of Kerala and coastal regions of Tamil Nadu were severely affected, inundated, destroying livelihood sources.

Solution may lie in Climate Resilience.

With the world taking tentative steps – that too hesitantly, to reach climate accord and enforce it, we, as individuals and as groups, can contribute towards a clean Environment and vibrant Ecology, at least in our part of the world, even if it is a tiny speck on planet Earth. Our proposal on Watershed development for climate Resilience management, it is fervently hoped, will be a step forward.

Goal

Conservation of natural resources within watershed in a participatory and integrated manner, in which human needs are met in balance with the need to sustain the natural environment.

Problems / Issues

 Annur block falls in rain shadow region, in a very low rainfall zone.
 While Annual average rainfall is 679.77mm in the district, average Rainfall in Annur block is 559.0 mm.
 Rainfall variability is very high in Annur at 48.47%.
 Ground water level is low in Annur at 40 meters below ground level.
 State Government has restricted ground water development for irrigation in Annur block, categorized as over exploited.
 No tank or canal in Annur block.
 Annur block is fully dependent on Rains.

Solutions:

Solutions to the problems lie in harvesting every drop of water that falls in the watershed area and store it in Water Harvesting Structures, wherefrom, water percolates down to ground replenishing it and also recharges open wells and bore wells. To ensure storage of clean water, catchment area of each water resource should be kept clean and water should be filtered by letting it through stone pitch and vegetative barriers in to the resource.

Development Plan:

Plan is to execute developmental works in three components, namely soil and moisture conservation, water resources development and afforestation & pasture development.

Stakeholders Engagement:

Adoption of participatory Approach is the only effective way to achieve objectives of watershed project. In this bottom up approach, whole watershed community is involved in planning, implementation and post project management, to manage which, watershed Association comprising all people and Watershed Development committee comprising representatives are formed.

Expected Outcomes:

 Rise in level of ground water, open and bore wells on sustainable level.
 Availability of clean surface water.
 Required storage capacity in water resources.
 Increase in production and productivity of all crops.
 Enhancement of income for all farmers.
 Livelihood security for all labourers.
 Growth in Rural Economy.

Risk Management:

There may be risks such as drought, deficient rainfall, pest attack, low productivity which have to be overcome as follows:

 Drought tolerant crops such as gingelly, maize, sorghum, blackgram, soybean, groundnut, pearl millet, greengram, bambaranut, lablab bean, cowpea, chickpea and drought resistant wheat may be planted.
 Crops that require less water comparatively, like millets may be planted as alternative crops.
 To prevent pest attack, spraying neem oil and light trap may be adopted.
 To increase productivity, mulching may be practiced.

Methodologies:

Both People’s Participatory Approach (PPA) and watershed Approach have been proved to be successful in water stewardship programme being implemented by COODU with the achievement of all objectives in seven village panchayats in Karamadi block of Coimbatore district.

Conclusion:

Annur block is situated in Rain Shadow Region, like Karamadai block, where four years of development of twenty four watersheds have yielded tangible results and where 3120 Ha of land have been treated and made productive, 7,44,817 CuM of water storage have been created, 43,187 saplings/seedlings have been planted in blocks, avenues and bunds and so on. These achievements can certainly be replicated in Annur.

Reports:

HDB - COODU - Watershed program - quarterly report - Q1 - Click here

HDB - COODU - Watershed program - Photo document Click hear