PRAGATI KORAPUT

DIVERSION BASED IRRIGATION

Project Completion Report
April 2012 to June 2016

Report prepared By
PRAGATI KORAPUT
At: Pujariput, Po& District: Koraput
Odisha, Pin: 764020
Email:pragatikoraput@gmail.com
 Table Of content:
1. Project Summary
2. Background of the Project
3. Action area Map
4. Project Objectives
5. Project Components
6. Programme Findings
6. a.Planned – Implemented – Rating
6. b. Project design and implementation
6. c. Programme output & Dissemination
6. d. Capacity Building

7. Project Management
8. Impact
9. Overall assessment
10. Case study
11. Photographs
1. Project Summary
Improving water management with a focus on irrigation water is envisaged as a primary way to fight
household poverty and food insecurity. In Koraput District, majority of the population are small and
marginal farmers i.e. 69% of the farmers own 31% of agriculture land with an average land holding of less
than 1 ha per family. The agricultural production, essentially undertaken under rain-fed conditions, is
highly vulnerable to external shocks such as climate variability, the effects of which have been more
acutely felt in recent years. Irrigated agriculture remains poorly developed with only 9.30% of lands
having access to irrigation. The erratic monsoon cycles with uneven rainfall distribution and long dry
spells affect crops and productivity resulting in food insecurity with very low income for the farm
dependent households. Thus, improving agriculture, enhancing agriculture productivity and enhancing
purchasing power of the poor to buy food can be an effective strategy for rural poverty alleviation and
food security. Conscious of these issues and of the need to sustain agricultural production and rural
income, especially for small farmers, sustainable water resources and irrigation development to meet the
growing demand from agriculture, optimal utilization and conservation of water resources in irrigation
can be a priority to address the situations of food insecurity, indebtedness and reduce vulnerability to
seasonality of agricultural productions and external shocks.
Conceived against such a landscape, the project “Diversion Based Irrigation to Ensure Kharif and a Second
Crop for Small and Marginal Tribal Farmers in Koraput District of Odisha” has been implemented from
April 2012 to June 2016 with support of Jamshetji Tata Trust. This project aims to improve water
utilization technologies and techniques among farmers in the target area through standardizing methods
for gravity force irrigation systems, improving management of small scale irrigation scheme, standardizing
water harvesting technology and improving irrigated farming technology. The project has focus on
Diversion of streams in the hills with a small masonry structure and conveyance of water to the fields
through pipelines which not only ensures Kharif crops from the vagaries of monsoon, but also enables the
farmers to engage in their family farms throughout the year. The project has created irrigation
infrastructures in 53 villages which benefits 1409small and marginal farmers in 3 blocks namely
Nandapur, Koraput & Dashmanthpur blocks of Koraput District.
We have shared the Project Proposal and the Budget with multiple stakeholders i.e. community leaders,
Panchayati Raj representatives and line department officials. This has helped in ensuring community
ownership, mobilization of community contribution for project implementation and for convergence with
Government programmes. Baseline Surveys have been conducted in the villages to establish a pre
intervention scenario of livelihood situation for comparison of the impacts of the project. Trainings and
exposures were organized to educate the water users for effective participation in project
implementation, post project maintenance of infrastructures and improved agriculture practices. Water
User Groups are formed in the project villages for post project management and maintenance of the
structures.
The project outputs have been deciphered through case studies, human interest stories and audio visual
documentations to create awareness among the communities and spread the message to different
stakeholders on irrigation technologies, the need and benefits of water resource management and its
impact on livelihood of the small holders.
2. Background of the Project
Koraput District is one of the is one of the most food insecure, water-stressed, climate sensitive and
resource poor regions in South Odisha with almost 83% of the population living below the poverty line. As
per 2011 census, the total population of the District is 13,79,647(Males 6,78,809 & Females 7,00,838) out
of which 50.56% are scheduled tribes.
The total Geographical area of the district measures 8, 37,930 ha out of which cultivable land is 3, 01,000
ha (only 35.92 %) with irrigated area (Kharif) of 78,000 ha (9.30% of total geographical area), irrigated
area (Rabi) 46,000 ha (5.48% of total geographical area).Net area under cultivation has decreased due to
fragmentation of land holdings and landlessness has been created because of population growth,
diversion of land for non-agriculture use and commercial plantations.
The major portion of the region is ecologically fragile hilly upland vulnerable to resource degradation and
environmental stress. Though the district receives average annual rainfall of1445 mm, there are no
adequate infrastructures for rain water harvesting. Besides, Irregular and erratic monsoon cycles often
causes long dry spells and drought like situations , render rain fed agriculture a high risk endeavour, and
contribute to low agricultural production. Small land holdings with single crops have resulted in food
insecurity and reduced income from farm lands. Thus, during the lean agriculture period, majority of the
households migrate out in search of wage labour to distant places.
There are perennial streams in the hills and forests of the District carrying a dry weather flow of 5-6 lps
which have the potential for irrigation, but which are not tapped due to lack of appropriate technology
and resources with community. In many places of the region, farmers are found to adopt the system of
providing lifesaving irrigation for their Kharif crops during the dry spells by diverting the stream flow with
an earthen bund across it. However, the bund is washed away during the heavy rains every year and
farmers have to redo it and also as water is diverted through earthen channel, a lot of water is also
wasted through seepage.
The project has demonstrated the technology of Diversion based irrigation in 3 blocks of Koraput District
namely Nandapur, Koraput & Dashmanthpur. The communities in the project areas are highly dependent
on the natural resource base for their survival and their livelihood systems revolve around primarily
agriculture, supplemented by forests and wage labor. Majority of the farmers own small land holdings i.e.
with an average land holding of less than 1 ha and an average family of 4-5 persons. The majority of
agricultural production, however, is rain-fed, subsistence farming and predominantly centred on rice and
minor millets cultivation. Fragmentation of land holdings, the absence of any assured means of irrigation
and the erratic monsoon cycles crops adversely affect crop yield. Even the perennial streams are not
properly utilized by the farmers for irrigation due to lack of technology and resources. The farmers sell
their produces in the local markets or to the local traders at very low prices. There are no institutional
arrangements to organize the farmers for collective marketing of their produces.
The project has created irrigation infrastructures like diversion based irrigation which consists of a low
obstruction (weir) or bund constructed across the stream for raising and diverting water and conveyance
system through PVC pipes to carry the water to the agricultural fields. Along with pipe based irrigation,
the project has piloted solar pump irrigation and Hydrome.
3. DBI Action Area Map
 4.Project Objectives

 To implement 50 gravity flow irrigation schemes benefiting about 1500 families through irrigation
in 400 ha land in Kharif and 150 ha land in Rabi in Koraput District
 Introduce appropriate irrigated agriculture and scientific cropping practices to help the families in
the command area make best use of irrigation schemes for enhancing their annual income by at
least Rs 10,000/-.

 Demonstrate the practicability of the flow irrigation schemes in the poverty stricken undulating
and hilly regions for poverty alleviation and economic growth.
5. Project Components

6. Programme Findings
6.a. Planned – Implemented – Rating
Planned activity Activities Implemented Rating
Development of 55 Irrigation structures developed in 53 villages Good impact. Increased land use
Irrigation irrigating an area of 1114 acres benefitting 1409 and water use efficiency for
Infrastructures farmers. Out of the total 55 structures 49 are agriculture. Hydrome in one
pipe based gravity irrigation, 4 No of solar village has not been successful
irrigation and 2 No of Hydrome. due to drying up of the upland
stream.

Command Area Agriculture support provided to 823 farmers in Good impact. Increased in crop
Development,( Fencing 38 villages. Fencing support provided to 76 diversity. Fencing has
and Agriculture farmers in 10 villages. contributed to address the
Support) challenge of open grazing
practice prevalent in the areas.

Training and exposure Training imparted to 1171 farmers on crop
to the farmers and the planning, improved agriculture practices like SRI
Partner Organisations. & vegetable cultivation, preparation and
application of organic manures and pest
management.62 Farmers have been taken for
exposure visits to Chhattisgarh and also intra
exposure visits are organised for 242 farmers.
Good impact. Farmers are
adopting improved package of
practices, organic manures and
pest management measures and
crop diversity has increased.
Types of Infrastructures created under the Project

FIGURE-1 – Gravity Flow Irrigation System

FIGURE-2 – Solar Pump Irrigation

 Figure -3- Hydrome
6. b. Project design and implementation
The project is implemented by Pragati, Koraput with support of Jamshetji Tata Trusts from April 2012 to
June 2016. The project is implemented in 3 blocks namely Nandapur, Koraput and Dashmanthpur block
areas where we have already mobilized the communities into Village Development Committees, Village
Forest protection Committees and women self-help groups and also taking up community development
interventions and agriculture activities.
The project intervention started with sharing of project activities and budget with the stakeholders i.e.
community leaders, line department officials and Panchayati Raj members. Community mobilisation
meetings have been organised in the intervention villages prior to start of work to share the project
concept and motivate the beneficiaries to contribute for the labour component for digging and laying of
pipelines. The staffs were trained and involved in identification and feasibility assessment of the sites and
facilitating the execution of the work in the project locations. The technical team conducted feasibility
assessment, participatory survey and transect walk toprepare design and estimates, map the command
area for designing the conveyance systemand storage structure. User Groups were formed in each village
to ensure participation in project implementation and as a strategy for post project maintenance.
The farmers were imparted training on crop plan and organic farming. Input supports like seeds, planting
materials, fencing have been provided to the farmers for enabling them take up improved agriculture
practices like system of crop intensification, organic vegetables and half acre model farms. On field
support was provided to the farmers by technical experts on different crop production technology and
organic farming practices.
There is a Team Leader and DBI executives to facilitate the execution of the work at the site, give
technical support to the community and the service providers. We have hired services of external
technical consultants for execution of the Hydro Ram Projects and Solar pump Irrigation.
6. c. Programme Output and Dissemination
 Meetings have been organised in the intervention villages which has helped in community
mobilisation, participation and monitoring of work by community, formation of User Groups and
establish systems for community management of the infrastructures.
 Trainings conducted for 1171 farmers of 50 villages on crop plan, improved agriculture practices and
organic farming.
 Facilitated Water user groups in 53 villages for post project maintenance and management. All the
User groups have opened their bank accounts, out of this 12 villages have started creation of their
maintenance fund.
 Input supports like seed, saplings and fencing materials are given to the farmers to enable them
adopt system of crop intensification, vegetable cultivation and half acre model farms. Farmers have
sold vegetables and earned additional income of Rs 11,500 to 52,000/-
 Established Farmer’s linkage with Horticulture and Panchayat raj department for convergence.
 Public disclosures created at intervention sites with details of expenditure.
 A documentary film has been produced to disseminate the impact of DBI on the livelihood of the
small and marginal farmers.
 6. d. Capacity Building
Activity Total Participants
Training and exposure to the farmers and 32 No of trainings organised for the farmers 1171 Total
Community Service Providers participant (Men- 770, Women401).62 Farmers taken for
exposure visits to Chhattisgarh. Intra exposure visits organised
for 242 farmers.

7. Project Management Section

PRAGATI, Koraput as the Project holder is responsible for proper implementation of the Project. The
project is headed by a Team Leader who is supported by One Executive. The Team Leader is responsible
for feasibility assessment of site along with the Executive, prepare estimates and design , survey ,land
mapping, demonstration of preparation of crop plan along with community and service providers, do
over all monitoring, project management, project related documentation, provide on field support to the
project staff and preparation of reports for the supporting agency. The Executive is responsible for field
level execution, technical guidance to the community as well as CSPs, facilitate CSP for community
mobilization and ensure technical details of work, facilitate for construction work.
There is one service provider in each of the project location to work with the community, facilitate day to
day implementation of progress of work, maintain field level record of work, do household survey,
facilitate crop plan and agriculture activities and reports to the Executive. Since we have other on-going
livelihood programmes in the action areas, the project activities are also integrated with the existing
programmes for better impact.
The Director of Pragati is responsible for overall monitoring, through field visits, review of the team and
ensuring submission of timely reports to the supporting agency.
8. Impact:

Activities Sub Outputs(Executed) Outcomes Remarks

Activities(Planned)
Developmen  Identification of  Feasibility assessment  55 Diversion based irrigation
t of sites ,feasibility conducted in 55 sites. structures created in 53 villages( 49
Irrigation assessment  Village meetings pipe based irrigation, 4 solar pump
Infrastructur  Community organized for community set irrigation and 2 Nos of
es (55 Nos mobilization mobilization Hydromes) creating an irrigation
,out of  Execution of work  55 Nos of Diversion potential in 1114 acres in Kharif, 631
which 50  Formation of User based irrigation created acres ion Rabi and 349 acres in
supported Groups and in 53 villages out of summer benefitting 1409 farmers,
by JTT and 5 creation of which 4 solar pump set  Mobilized one solar pump set
structures maintenance irrigation and & 2 irrigation with support of Central
under funds Hydrome. 5 structures Tuber Crop Research Institute
NABARD created under NABARD Bhubaneswar, one solar pump set
Project) Project irrigation from Trocaire, Ireland,
 User Groups formed in  Convergence made with
53 villages. Horticulture department for
monsoon potato cultivation in 20
villages benefitting 353 farmers and
vermi compost units for 44 farmers.
 Convergence made under
MGNREGS for earth work for one
DBI structure.
 53 User Groups have opened
their bank accounts and 14User
Groups start raising maintenance
funds.
Command  Land survey  Land mapping and  1319 Farmers have taken up Kharif Income
Area  Household survey survey completed in all crops in 957 acres, 578 farmers do per acre
Developmen & preparation of villages Rabi crops in 348 acres and 426 depends
t, ( baseline  Baseline prepared for all farmers adopting summer crops and varies
Fencing and  Preparation of intervention villages. in273 acres. according
Agriculture crop plan.  Crop plan prepared in 26  Farmers have earned an average to crops.
Support)  Provide villages involving the of Rs.11,500/- to Rs.52,000/-
agriculture farmers. additional income. Over the last
support to  Fencing completed in 10 three years. Income per acre is
farmers. villages benefitting 76 8,500 to 52,000/-
 Demonstration of farmers.  Support for ginger cultivation
half acre model  Agriculture support extended to 35 farmers in
farms extended to 823 farmers convergence with Community
in 28 villages Development Project supported by
 Half acre models farms Trocaire.
demonstrated for 68  Cropping intensity has increased
farmers. by 194 %
Training and  Organize training  Organized 32 trainings The farmers are practicing crop
exposure to for Farmers for 1171 farmers and plan, and started adopting
the farmers  Organize training CSPs. improved agriculture practices.
and the for staff  242 farmers taken for
Partner exposure visits
Organisations  On field demonstration
and support extended
to823 farmers.

9. Overall assessment:
The project has a visible impact on the livelihood of the target households. It has increased land use,
water use efficiency and awareness level of farmers on proper utilization of water resources in the
project villages as well as in the neighboring villages. Along with diversion of perennial hill streams
through pipe based irrigation, the project has also demonstrated eco-friendly irrigation innovations like
Hydrome and Solar pump Irrigation in tapping the water resources for benefit of the small and marginal
farmers and enhancing their income. Due to creation of irrigation, land use has increased with cropping
intensity; farmers are able to save their Kharif crops from erratic monsoon cycles and also taking up crops
throughout the year, generating employment in the family farms. With availability of water, farmers have
started adopting improved package of practices, increased crop diversity and more emphasis is given to
vegetable cultivation. Increased and diversified production has addressed food insecurity at household
level and generated additional income. Further, along with irrigation, water is also made available for
domestic use in 11 villages which has reduced the drudgery of women and young girls who used to travel
long distance uphill to fetch water.
There is immense potential for scale up of such interventions in the context of Koraput District and such
other landscape which can address the need of water for agriculture and also save the precious resource
through proper management and community ownership.

Visit to DBI sites by some eminent personalities.

There have been visits of our Donors i.e. Programme Officers of Trocaire and Mr. Kiran Padale, from
SDTT, Mumbai along with Mr. Ravi (GEAG), Mr. Dhruva(PDT),Mr. Sameer K. Sinha from Wild Life Trust of
India, District Collector, Koraput, Officials of Agriculture & Horticulture Department, Block Development
officer, Chairperson of Nandapur Block, Scientists from International Potato Centre, CTCRI Bhubaneswar
have visited the DBI sites and interacted with the farmers. The visit by media representatives has helped
in highlighting the programmes in media. Besides, NGOs from different areas and farmers have also come
for exposures.
Initiative taken for advocacy, mobilizing fund through Govt. & other funding sources;
 Mobilized the District administration for convergence under MGNREGA for earth work for laying the pipe
lines in one village, namely Parja Bhimdol in Nandapur Block areas. The communities have got wage
employment amounting Rs 207,307 /- under MGNREGA for the earth work.
 Due to the impact of solar pump irrigation in one project village, CTCRI, Bhubaneswar has supported for
one more solar irrigation structure in Dayanidhiguda village of Koraput block and Trocaire has supported
for a solar irrigation in Lunjing village of Nandapur Block. We have also mobilized for a solar irrigation
under the MP LAD for Niladoraput village in Nandapur Block.
 Due to community mobilization and awareness on irrigation, lift irrigation has been mobilized in 3
villages.
 Mobilized scheme from Horticulture department for vermi compost units for 44 farmers in two villages.
 Established linkage with horticulture department for 2014 Kharif potato cultivation in 20 Project villages
benefitting 353 farmers.

10.Case study: Changing Livelihoods for small farmers

About the Village:
Bailguda village in Golluru Gram Panchayat of Nandapur Block consists of 67 households. The villagers
depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. As there is no irrigation facility, the villagers grow mostly
paddy, millets and few vegetables during the Kharif season.
The Diversion Based Irrigation implemented in Bailguda village tapping the Luburu Jholla has enabled 20
households of Bailguda village to take up crops, round the year. The farmers of the village having land in
the catchment area approached the Pragati team to take up a feasibility assessment in their village and
agreed to take leadership for execution of the work. After the village meetings, the farmers formed a user
group, started the earth work and finished the task within 4 months. The work was completed in
December 2015.It has potential to irrigate 30 acres of land in Kharif, 20 acres in Rabi and 5 acres in
summer season.
Impact On the Community -their Livelihoods, land use & cropping practices:
After the creation of diversion based irrigation, 20 families are engaged in agriculture throughout the
year. Prior to the implementation of DBI, the farmers used to grow only upland paddy, Ragi and
vegetables in small patches during the rainy season. The farmers have participated in different trainings
on improved crop production methods like SRI, SMI and organic practices. Pragati has also supported for
fencing, seeds and saplings during Kharif 2015 and Rabi 2016.To encourage organic farming and reduce
the use of chemical fertilizers, Pragati has provided support for organic manure kits. Now they have
started growing vegetables, spices (ginger, onion, garlic, chilly) throughout the year and also started
system of finger millet intensification (SMI).
The additional income of the farmers ranged from 11,500/- to 45,000 /- per annum per family by selling
vegetables and spices. Besides selling, all the families are now able to consume vegetables; onion and
garlic from own production. Demonstration of model farms is taken up for two farmers who have grown
banana with vegetables.
The user group has also opened its account in the bank and started raising its own fund for maintenance
of the structure.
Land Use in different seasons
Season No of farmers Type of Crops Areacovered(in acres)
Kharif 20 Ragi, Maize, Vegetables, spices 30
Rabi 20 Vegetables, Spices 20
Summer 12 Vegetables 5
Rama Gollori who owns half acre of land in the command area has earned Rs 60,000 by selling tomato
from 0.30 decimal of land during the Rabi season. Due to the additional income he has purchased a pair
of bullocks and also invested in family function without taking any loan from outside. He has enough
savings this year to invest for Kharif crops.
The farmers have formed a Producer Groups and have future plans for collective marketing of their
produces.
 Photographs

Digging work
Community Mobilization meeting

Farmers Growing Crops in Solar Irrigation Site DBI of Bailguda village

Hydrome in Lunjing village

Vegetable cultivation in DBI areas
 Vegetable Cultivation in Command Area
Training of WUG Members

Exposure visit of DBI area farmers to Chhattisgarh

Half acre model farm in Lunjing village

Half acre model farm in Bailguda village

Ginger cultivation in Badanga DBI areas
 Potato cultivation in DBI areas Vegetable cultivation in Katlaput DBI areas

Domestic use Domestic use

Media Highlight
Visitors to Solar Irrigation area of Sukriput village