We are rapidly moving towards water crisis, with increasing and conflicting demands – drinking, agriculture, health, sanitation, construction etc. In India, the issue is seriously compounded with growing populations, multiplying needs and unabated wastages and pollution.
Water if used judiciously can meet the essential needs of the growing population. It is also important to conserve and recycle this scarce resource. Traditionally farming was based on the local agro-ecological situation, taking the rainfall pattern into consideration. While water intensive crops were grown only where there was copious rainfall, drylands focused on hardy crops. Farmers through generations knew that water was a common resource and had knowledge to conserve and nurture the resource. Its time we understand the seriousness of the issue and take note of such water management measures that preserve and protect our ecology. This issue of LEISA India includes a number of such initiatives promoted by individuals, communities and change agents.
The journey from grey to green
Abhijit Mohanty
SWAR : A technology to drastically save irrigation water
K S Gopal
Community water resource management
Ganesh Dhakal and Chiranjibi Rijal
Community drive to revive wells in Sawna macrowatershed
Mohan Dangi and Amita Bhaduri
”Water is the engine of change”
Interview: Henkjan Laats
Traditional rainwater harvesting systems get a fresh lease of life
Ravdeep Kaur, Prafulla Behera and Aparna Datta
Harvesting water-the traditional way
G S Unnikrishnan Nair
From water wars to world peace
Rajendra Singh
Improving water use practices for livelihood improvements
Min Bahadur Gurung, Govinda Basnet, Shahriar Wahid and Golam Rasul
Water saving in agriculture in Morena
Amita Bhaduri
N R Chandrashekhar
Ranchitha Kumaran and Sunil Shrivastava
