Project Inception

October 22nd, 2014All Project Updates, CommunitiesNo Comments

Dear colleagues,
It has been almost a month since we gathered in Kathmandu for our Inception and Planning meetings. It was our plan to communicate with delegates within a month to discuss progress and activities.

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First of all a big thank you for your participation and engagement. We had approximately 40 delegates attend each of the 3 days. Participation was fantastic and we all valued the chance to share ideas. A lot has been happening since then, including initial visits to many of the potential villages to make final site selection.

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Project Background

October 22nd, 2014All Project Updates, Communities1 Comment

Improving water use for dry season agriculture by marginal and tenant farmers in the Eastern Gangetic Plains

ACIAR Project number LWR/2012/079

The issue:

The Eastern Gangetic Plains, which include the Nepal Tarai, Bihar and West Bengal regions, is one of the most densely populated, poverty stricken belts in South Asia. Behind this persisting poverty are deeply entrenched social structures of class and caste, with a high incidence of inequitable landlord-tenant relations. This is combined with poor access to irrigation water in the dry season, limited irrigation capacity and low agricultural innovation. Earlier research in the Indo-Gangetic basin established the interactions between poverty and access to water. At present technical, social and economic constraints have limited the effective use of groundwater and ponds for irrigation, and large areas of land remain fallow during the dry months. Access to year round water for irrigation would significantly promote the productivity of agriculture, improving incomes and food security. Marginal and tenant farmers, youth and women are the target set of farmers who could benefit from a new approach to irrigation provision.

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