The entire Indian State of Orissa will turn into a mass of barren and desert like lands in another 150 years, warns our partner organisation.
"This is the 42nd drought here in 100 years, and most have occurred in my lifetime," says 40-year-old Kuntibhoi.
Western Orissa, where Kuntibhoi lives, is synonymous with drought. This is surprising, considering that the region receives an average rainfall of 1,400 mm. But large-scale deforestation and neglect of traditional water harvesting wisdom has led to chronic drought. With natural resources dwindling, the tribals in the area lose their livelihood, and the cycle of water scarcity, starvation and migration begins. Our partner organisation has been working with poor, marginalised and tribal communities of Western Orissa since 1988. The organisation was started by a group of anthropology and sociology students of Sambalpur University. Starting with a few villages, their work now covers 123 villages of three districts.
The organisation helps to put an end to this drought in western Orissa by blending the tribals' wisdom with modern technology to develop and sustain the local ecosystem and natural resources such as forests, livestock and water.
Thousands of farmers have now revived the traditional practice of building paengharas, or small tanks, to help combat drought. This simple intervention has led to improved yields, less outward migration and a greater sense of confidence and security among the villagers. Traditionally, many people depended on the forests for their livelihood. But, as the forests have grown thinner every year there has been a shift in livelihood patterns, with monsoon-dependent agriculture, becoming the chief occupation. In recent years, however, the failure of the monsoons and subsequent droughts has forced many villagers to abandon agriculture as well. While most other organizations focus more creating large canal led irrigation infrastructures or energy consuming irrigation models, this organisation relies on the knowledge and convictions of the community members. After analyzing the problems and historical background or development leading to such problems, they help community members to decide on the best ways to make their agriculture drought proof.
Thanks to these simple interventions, migration from the village in search of a daily wage has stopped.
"If the interventions continue and we are successful in all our plans then, in a few years, our village will be an example for the entire district," says a confident villager. In the words of a song composed by Santi Majhi, an active member of one of the self-help groups: "Paenghara jadu kala, aamku jinbar baat dekhala." ("The miracle of paenghara has shown us the way to live again.")