Paper forInternational Seminar on Humanity and Applied Social Sciences

ISRAA 2008,

7-9 December, Bidisa, W.B.

Session: Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Livelihood: Needed Reforms

Cultivation in Jharkhand: Need for Management of Water and Land Resources.

Dr. V. P .SharmaPrincipal Researcher cum Project Director

Ranchi District

MAP RANCHI

OBJECTIVE-1

– The main premise of the research is that suitable agro-climatic conditions allow for a significant up-scaling of agricultural intensification led by expansion of irrigation in the Central Indian Tribal Highlands and this will also lead to significant poverty impact. But this has not happened.

OBJECTIVE-2

The study will explore what has worked and what has not, in promoting water based livelihood initiatives reviewing the past and current practices of Water Resources Management in Ranchi District.

OBJECTIVE-3

Assessment of different approaches – major dams, medium dams, minor irrigation's, experiences of tribal and management options for increased livelihood security within the target communities.

OBJECTIVE-4

The study will examine and compare tribal villages to learn how the tribal are impacted upon by irrigation schemes in Ranchi districts with special emphasis on Women, particularly tribal women.

METHODS USED

• Secondary data collected from different sources and libraries.

• Listing of MI &LI irrigation programmes in the district .

• Research areas located on map in a way to represent the district holistically.

• Two rounds discussions and a workshop was organised with social scientists.

• Research questions finalised and used.

A focus group discussion at village in Ranchi District

FGD with Women members of village

Interview with Munda Chief at village

Population Distribution of Ranchi District(Census 2001)

1436423

1347154

1806682976895

1079626

1703951

964422

i) Male ii) Female iii) Rural

iv) Urban v) Workers vi) Non - Workers

vii) Scheduled Tribes

4,072 26

4,902

4,748

22,744

7,831

Agricultural Pattern in Hectares of Ranchi District

ii) Wheat

iii) Sugarcane

iv) Maize

v) Potato

vi) Pulses

vii) Oil seeds

17691

9.5 15

4979

15

7331

4877

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

1

Irrigation area in Hectares of Ranchi District

i) Net area irrigated

ii) Net area irrigated byprivate Tube Wells

iii) Net area irrigated bylift irrigation

iv) Net area irrigated byCanals

v) Area irrigated by liftirrigation

vi) Net area irrigated bywells

vii) Others sources

Operational Land Holding of Ranchi District

55.62

16.35

14.93

10.622.84

i) Less than one hectare ii) Between 1 & 2 hectare iii) Between 2 & 4 hectares

iv) Between 2 & 10 hectares v) 10 hectares and above

Land Use Pattern (Hectares) 1987 - 1988

47,040

34,247

52,645

6,840

30,865

00

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

7,59,250

iv) Barren and uncultivable land v) Cultivated w aste land vi) Land net available for cultivation vii) Forest

viii) Others (permanent pasture and Miscellaneous tree ix) Area under multiple cropping x) Gross cropped areas

44.92%

18.37%

3.04%

33.68%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

(Numbers)

1Indicators

Classification of Workers

i) Cultivators ii) Agricultural labourers

iii) House - hold Industry manufacturing, processing and services

iv) Other workers

Kanchi River project near Aradih village

Canal rrigation in Tamar Block

Paddy crop under irrigated agriculture at Railadih

River dam at Itthe village in Murhu block

Irrigation Canal

River dam at Raisa in Bundu block of Ranchi district

Lift Irrigation Project at Podadih Village

Well Irrigation by diesel pump at Hindevilli

Vegetable crops grown under well Irrigation Hindevilli

Women Harvesting the Paddy crop at Ormanjhi

Astaran Devi at Check Dam site

RESULT• Irrigated agriculture benefited tribal in

command area in Ranchi District.• They converted their TANR land into

DON-3.• There is a shift from monocropping to

multicropping.• Chemical fertilisers are used now.• Yield of cultivated land gone up.• Interest towards Rabi crop increased.• Socio-economic condition improved.

CAUSES OF NON-PARTICIPATION

• Many tribal communities have not adopted irrigated agriculture.

• Nominal land holdings and paucity of fund.

• Insufficient irrigation facilities in the district.

• Irregular supply of water in canals.• Non functional government schemes.• Tribal youth moving out to urban areas

in search of job.

Recommendations: There is an urgent need for management of water Resources in the area for cultivation. The following steps should be taken on urgent basis to enhance the Economic conditions of people of the area at the block level by the government. •Tank and well irrigation have great prospect in the Munda & Oraon areas. It is remarkable to note that water table in this area passes just below the Don land.•The govt. drugged a good number of tanks on Tanr land. But these tanks become dry just after the rainy season and practically they are useless for villagers.

•Water from these tanks and reservoirs can be made accessible to the Tanr land with the help of pumps which should be provided by the govt. on easy credit system and installment payment.•Some check dams and lift irrigations established by NGO Ram Krishna Mission in Angara block are good example how people are using it for benefit through people’s participation. •The yield has not only gone up but double crops are raised. These facilities are functioning well where as govt. constructed schemes have become non functional.

•The minor irrigation projects have failed in the area because the plans of such tanks could not take the local hydraulic condition into consideration.•Some check dams constructed by Govt. funding through NGOs functioned well till the project period under ITDP schemes but become non functional after intervention period. Such projects should be handed over properly to village committees after proper training into management procedures.•It is worthwhile to make arrangement for the storage of water on plain area it self through rain water harvesting•Some rivers can be dammed, some reservoirs can be made in the vicinity of natural wells and tanks etc. can be dug in relation to the water table.