AbstractManaging available rainfall is a major challenge in dryland agriculture owing to the erratic and poor distribution of rainfall, which limits the production of crops. The present study was undertaken to study the impact of rainwater harvesting structures on groundwater and crop productivity in a selected ICAR-CRIDA KVK village cluster in the semi-arid region of Telangana. The increase in groundwater depth varied from 15 to 24%. The average groundwater depth increased by 1.5 m (21%) due to rainwater harvesting structures. Rainwater harvesting structures stored the runoff water and recharged the aquifers thereby enhancing the groundwater levels in the project area. Due to rainwater harvesting structures, irrigated area increased by 30%, yield levels improved by 15% and cropping intensity and diversity increased. Interventions have a very significant role in the areas of resource conservation on the local needs, resources and cropping pattern. There is a need to upscale these interventions through KVK and other line departments involving farmers and other local stakeholders.
Vijayakumar et al. (Sun,) studied this question.