Community-Organized Irrigated Agriculture Mitigates Local Food Insecurity in India’s Drylands

People who live in semi-arid regions of India are often faced with challenges and constraints of poverty. Foremost among the challenges are the marginal environmental conditions for agriculture, often influenced by low and erratic rainfall. If a meager amount of rainwater is harvested and used sensibly, it could enhance irrigation opportunities leading to better agricultural production. However, due to the lack of proper water harvesting and distribution structures, most of the surface runoff from the rainfall is lost into the rivers. This article presents a case study of community-based lift irrigation practiced in the ecologically fragile drylands of India, with high potential for a more sustainable agriculture that promotes village-level food security.