Community‐based rainwater harvesting management: A lesson from best rural practices

Abstract Water is human life's most important natural gift to achieve health and wealth. The study attempts to trace the rural community‐based best practices to achieve water harvesting through an explanatory research and survey method. The study realized that there are various practices for water conservation in rural communities, especially in hilly regions, which enjoy numerous benefits. India has community‐based practices, including Artificial Lakes, Pani‐kheti, Kuhls, and a bamboo‐based drip irrigation system. In this study, data were collected through a questionnaire, and the benefits of community‐based water management in Dang, a district of Gujrat, India, were assessed. The case studies have revealed how water problems have been solved through community participation. It can be seen from Dang's case studies, which are also in line with the reviews of related literature, that his efforts have only had some success. The rural people, predominantly tribal, are facing a resource crunch and water crisis, and through community partnership, they can achieve desirable outcomes with the government's support. The study found that rural people have achieved cost efficiency and revenue benefits from cooperative strategies.