Success story-2

Honey Bee as an entrepreneur

This success story is about Mr. Pradeep Kumar, Mr. Achintya Das & Mr. Manoj Rai unemployed rural youth resides is located about 62 km from Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sewania, Block-Icchawar, district-Sehore. Previously, they were involved in practice of medicine in village level and they were not satisfied with their income in the year 2009. They approached to Krishi Vigyan Kendra to get the training on income generating activities. They opted the bee-keeping as an enterprenurship and acquire the requisite skill and technology for scientific bee keeping from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra. They started bee keeping as an enterprenurship with 50 boxes and got some income which gave some confidence to extend it. As present they have 550 honey boxes alongwith honey extractor. They have also provideded an opportunity of employment for 10 unskilled rural youth. As an average they are producing 500 kg honey and 75 kg wax per month. They are getting net return of rupees 30,000/- per month from his enterprenurship. They not only proved themselves as successful enterpreneurer but also influenced other unemployed youth at neighbouring area to adopt bee keeping as enterprenaure.

CASE STUDY

CRDE- Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sewania, Distt- Sehore (M.P.)

“Artificial Recharge to Groundwater through Dug-wells”(M.P.)

- A Case Study -

Water is most crucial resource of sustainable agricultural production specially in the rainfed/ dry land areas. However the major part of the rain water coming over the farmers field in these areas goes away unused as runoff. The runoff does not only cause loss of water but it also removes fertile top soil. Ground water play a vital role in food production, drinking water, drought mitigation etc. in the country. As per the latest ground water resource assessment many areas of the country underlain by hard rock aquifers having limited storage potentials are facing acute problems of over exploitation and depletion of ground water.

Artificial recharge structure is one of the most efficient ground water management tools for ensuring sustainability of ground water resources. CRDE- Krishi Vigyan Kendra has standardized location specific water harvesting technology in the form of dugwell recharge structure at its instructional farm in the year 2008 to address the problem to farming community. The centre is actively up-scaling this dugwell recharge structure technology district wide.

Main features of the technology-

Artificial recharge to groundwater through dug-well recharge structure created at instructional farm of Krishi Vigyan Kendras having following features-
 A pit excavated 6 feet away from dugwell with the dia- 2.5 meter length, 1.2 meter width, and 1.5 meter depth.
 Pit has two compartment- one for silt collection and another for filtration of water.
 Silt collection tank (1.2 meter) constructed with the modular bricks with providing and laying in position cement, concrete of the specified grade.
 Water filter tank (1.3 meter) with RCC bottom filled with bolder (100 mm) gravels (75 mm and 40 mm ) and sand from bottom to top.
 A 6 inch PVC pipe (6 kg/cm2) installed at bottom of water filtration tank and connected in dugwell. One end of the PVC pipe kept in filtration tank covered with 2 mm mess. Another end provided PVC bend to flow water horizontally in the dugwell.
 Provide a gentle slope in catchments area towards recharge structure for colleting runoff water.
 Regular disiltation of silt tank.
 With the increase of volume of water in the dugwell, the pressure of water also increased consequently recharging of under ground water increased through aquifers.

Strategy

Artificial recharge of groundwater through dug-well recharge structure was taken at KVK instructional farm village – Sewania, Teh-Ichhawar, Distt- Sehore in the year 2008. This area receives on an average of 1000 mm rainfall annually and has good potential for runoff harvesting. Initially at KVK farm there was very limited water to produce second crop of the year. By creating the structure the benefits reflected in the terms of more quantity of water availability in the peak period. It was observed in the same year the quantity of water increased almost four times over the past. With the availability of irrigational water Krishi Vigyan Kendra extended fruits crop plantation in 2 ha. land with 100% survivability and satisfactory growth. In the next year (2009) KVK ensure crop sowing in 100% areas and got satisfactory crop yield with the providing two irrigation in 15 ha. of land. However in the earlier years it was not possible to grow the crops in entire instructional farm.

Enhanced cropping intensity and area covered under orchard with the help of Artificial recharge to groundwater through dug-well considered as successful technology in the area and no. of farmers from the neighboring villages are coming to see this module. This has raised enthusiasm among the farmers of the district to come forward to know the details of technology. Consequently the district authorities of Distt- Sehore visited this successful structure and decided to construct the structure in all the existing dugwells in the district in the manner of convergence with the going MNREGA for up-scaling this intervention. This case has demonstrated the volume and usefulness of dugwell recharge structure technology for sustainability of farming system and importance of convergence of R&D institution. The technological intervention being replicated by Zila Panchyat in the entire district with the technical support of Krishi Vigyan Kendra.

Costing & Economical Viability –

The capital cost of per artificial recharge structure involve Rs. 10,000/- per dugwell. The material required for construction of structure are easily available in the local market. The main benefit of the technology is to increase the availability of ground water in peak period. Farmer are not only able to intensify their agriculture but also get safe drinking water.

Advantages –

 The technology easy to adopt at farmers part and able to recharge underground water in larger volume than other methods.
 Low capital investment and low maintenance cost.
 Durable, safe and easy to repair technology.
 Prevent chocking of soak pit through creating siltation tank.
 Suitable and adaptable technology in rainfed areas of the country.
 The technology in ensures the availability of irrigational as well as safe drinking water in the rural areas in off season.
 With the availability of water farmers can increase crop productivity.

Advantages –

Selection of site for construction of recharge pit should be at lower portion of the catchments area and where maximum runoff water moves.