From water conservation to crop diversification: Lessons from Bundelkhand

By Bharat Dogra 

India has a wide range of rural development schemes, but several obstacles prevent weaker and less influential sections of society from fully benefiting from them. If an organization can effectively link people’s needs with what these schemes offer, significant development goals can be realized.

Any such organization must build strong relationships both with village communities and with various government departments. This enables the creation of a broad base for promoting and supporting rural livelihoods in multiple ways.

Parmarth, a voluntary organization, has tried to follow this approach in its livelihood support work in Bundelkhand, a region spread across 14 districts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The region is known for its serious development challenges, which have worsened in recent years due to erratic and extreme weather conditions linked to climate change. When adverse weather damages crops, farmers increasingly depend on migration, leaving them with less time and energy to improve sustainable development prospects in their villages. This fuels a cycle of distress migration.

The present moment is one of such crisis, as excessive and prolonged rainfall has caused extreme damage to crops.

Pawan Sahu, an associate of Parmarth, has been assisting the residents of Salaiya village and neighboring villages in Babina block of Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh. Salaiya was settled by displaced families a generation ago, and still requires careful support. “We have worked hard to rebuild our lives here,” says Pawan. A key part of this effort has been connecting villagers with rural development, social security, and food security schemes. “We can say with confidence that we have largely eliminated the middlemen who earlier exploited vulnerable people,” he adds with pride, speaking for the cluster of villages where he is active.

Parmarth follows a convergence approach, linking its livelihood support work with government initiatives so that its grassroots networks can help deliver benefits more effectively.

Sunil Kumar, another Parmarth member, illustrates this with examples. A government scheme has been offering a remarkably high subsidy of around 90 percent for drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. “If we can ensure that genuinely deserving farmers avail themselves of this scheme, it results in a major development gain while also saving water,” he says. Parmarth identifies such farmers and helps them with paperwork and other formalities.

The organization also studies gaps where government assistance can be especially useful. Based on repeated discussions with villagers, Parmarth staff identify opportunities to introduce new crops—such as vegetables, oilseeds, or even flowers—depending on local conditions and farmer interest. These interventions have improved both productivity and crop diversity. Although the current season is bleak due to prolonged rains, earlier successes were recorded across many villages. In some cases, vegetables boosted incomes, while in others, oilseeds made the difference. With government-provided seeds and Parmarth’s technical support, many farmers have adopted crop diversification and achieved higher earnings. Tara Singh of Behta village harvested a bumper okra crop. In Salaiya, farmers succeeded with taro root, while in other villages, mustard cultivation brought new hope.

During a recent visit to Sarvan village in Babina block, I met Harihar, who farms with his brothers. Earlier, he grew only wheat and maize, but with Parmarth’s guidance, he introduced vegetables like okra and lobiya beans, a millet crop, fodder, and fruit trees such as papaya, guava, and banana.

While making better use of government schemes is vital, Parmarth also strives to promote organic and natural farming. “This may not always be easy, but we have done significant work in villages like Palinda, and to some extent the government is now also supporting this,” says Sunil.

In Lalitpur district, Parmarth’s support has been especially important for natural farmers like Maniram and Shanti of Bamauri village in Talbehat block. Despite difficult conditions, they pursued natural farming with dedication, aided by irrigation from a tank developed jointly by Parmarth, government agencies, and the village panchayat.

Over time, Parmarth has experimented with LEISA (Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture) and SRI (System of Rice Intensification) approaches as well. Founder Sanjay Singh emphasizes that Parmarth’s livelihood efforts have been multi-dimensional—ranging from self-help groups and village planning committees to disaster relief and goat rearing. He stresses the importance of recording lessons from different phases so that a more integrated and holistic approach can emerge.

Water conservation forms the foundation of much livelihood improvement, and Parmarth’s work in this area has been widely praised. It has built a large network of women volunteers, known as jal sahelis, who protect water tanks, safeguard local sources, and even help rejuvenate small rivers and streams.

Watershed-based projects have also shown results. According to Parmarth associate Ramakant Rana, the first phase of a NABARD-supported watershed project in Mohangarh created ponds, bunds, contour trenches, and plantations. “The next phase will focus on diverse livelihood improvements,” he notes. In one such village, visiting dignitaries were surprised at the significant rise in the water table.

Another emerging challenge is land acquisition by the Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority. While farmers may receive large compensation sums, Parmarth stresses the need for careful planning so that the money is not wasted but invested in new farmland or secure livelihood options. To address this, monthly meetings are held where villagers discuss how best to safeguard their future.

Parmarth’s relief work during droughts, floods, and hailstorms has been widely acknowledged. Besides providing immediate help, the aim is always to strengthen farmers’ prospects in the next season. After a devastating hailstorm, Parmarth distributed seeds to nearly 500 farmers.

With kharif crops again badly damaged this season, Parmarth’s strong grassroots base and connections with government departments place it in a key position to organize relief and prepare for the next crop cycle, including seed availability. Parmarth has also won the trust of marginalized Sahariya communities through its educational initiatives, and this is now being extended to livelihood support. For example, Sona’s family in Talbehat has already benefited, and many more families could be supported if additional funds are available.

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The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Man over Machine, A Day in 2071 and Navjeevan