From watershed success to new aspirations: The journey of a Rajasthan village

By Bharat Dogra 

Ramaj village once became well known for its watershed development programme. Located in Udaipur district of Rajasthan, it was among the earliest villages to be covered by the watershed work initiated by the regional voluntary organisation Seva Mandir. The initial success of this project created a strong sense of achievement, as it met people’s expectations and addressed longstanding concerns.

Today, many years later, villagers say the benefits of that earlier work continue, but they also feel the need to take these efforts further to complete the development process. The dilemmas they now face are similar to those in several other villages that made impressive beginnings but are uncertain about the path required to consolidate those gains. Their experience therefore has wider relevance.

When the watershed project was launched, expectations were high that the village’s main challenge—water scarcity—would be addressed. A range of water conservation measures were implemented, including gabion structures, anicuts, check dams, deepened channels, trenches, field bunds and the planting of hundreds of trees. These efforts produced encouraging results. The village’s water table rose significantly, water sources improved, and increased moisture supported more grass and green cover.

Land in the upper areas that had earlier remained uncultivated could now be farmed. Overall agricultural production increased, and cattle and other animals found water more easily.

These improved conditions helped the village pursue pasture restoration and development with support from Seva Mandir, and this initiative also proved successful.

While these efforts contributed greatly to sustainable development, their short-term livelihood value was also important. Some conservation work was carried out during drought years, enabling villagers to earn income locally rather than migrate under difficult conditions in search of work.

In line with Seva Mandir’s approach of combining natural resource management with social initiatives, the watershed and pasture work was accompanied by the creation of community institutions such as village development committees (VDCs). Over time, these strengthened community bonds. Unity, cooperation, and women’s participation were central to these efforts. The VDC accumulated a fund of ₹15 lakh, used for local needs through interest earnings. The bank holding the fund was reportedly impressed enough to support the construction of a community meeting space. Women’s self-help groups added further strength through increasing savings.

Despite these gains, villagers also express concerns. Crop damage caused by wild animals such as nilgai and monkeys has become a serious problem, especially for farmers with more exposed fields. The benefits of pasture development have been limited by weak prospects for dairy expansion, while the use of tractors has reduced reliance on bullocks. Some of the earlier groundwater gains were eroded by indiscriminate installation of tube wells, particularly in neighbouring villages.

Younger people increasingly drift away from farming towards city-based employment, making it harder to maintain the gains of watershed and pasture development. At the same time, traditional skills are being lost or undervalued. One example is Gangabai, a highly skilled traditional birth attendant who helped deliver hundreds of babies safely but now feels sidelined, even though a well-known doctor had once sought her out to learn about her techniques.

Although villagers mention these issues individually, some common themes emerge. It appears that during the earlier phase of watershed and pasture work, more reflection and planning on future development pathways would have been helpful. The successful initiatives had created a foundation on which programmes related to natural farming, animal husbandry, vegetable and fruit cultivation, processing of crops and milk, farmer producer organisations and marketing of value-added products could have been developed. Even now, it is not too late to take such steps, especially as new government schemes support natural farming, bullocks and farmer producer companies.

Villagers are eager to take up new initiatives, and the panchayat is already active with several measures of its own. What is needed is coordinated planning to bring together various promising ideas. This can enable a fresh, environmentally friendly approach to sustainable livelihoods—one that engages the younger generation and contributes simultaneously to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Ramaj village appears ready for this. Community relationships have been strengthened, and the trust that exists can become the most important factor for future success.

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