Pune farmers keen to reap benefits of rainwater harvesting

Farmers find themselves helpless when they do not get adequate rains as they continue to look up to the sky and pray for the winds and the rains to be on time. Insufficient water for their fields and household purposes has forced them to adopt water conservation methods.

Kisan Agriculture Exhibition 2010, the annual agriculture exhibition in Moshi, has helped them to know more about rainwater harvesting system (RWH).  Farmers from various parts of the state are visiting the stall put up by the Groundwater Survey and Development Agency (GSDA), Pune, that displays a domestic RWH live model and demystifies its functions.
Farmers from Shirur, Beed and Ahmednagar on Friday have shown interest in installing the model at their houses.
Speaking to DNA, Balasaheb Kale, a Beed-based farmer said, “I am surprised to see that rainwater can be collected, stored and reused. In summer, we face acute water shortage. We can now store rainwater.”

“Farmers understand water’s value. Saving rainwater through this model will benefit us,” said

Bhikaji Kamble, another farmer from Chikhali village, Ahmednagar. Many farmers have expressed their desire to discuss the RWH methods with their sarpanchs and adopt the system in their villages.

GSDA official, Nishant Ahmad, told DNA, “For the first time we have showcased a live model of RWH and how it works for farmers. We are receiving overwhelming response from villagers.”

The official said queries like is RWH water safe for drinking and whether it can be installed in old wadas, kuccha houses show their eagerness towards conserving water.