In the rugged landscape of Chhattisgarh, where farming demands resilience, Khamdhodgi village stands as a story of reinvention. Just a few years ago, the farmers of this tiny village faced parched fields, empty granaries, and fading hopes. With most people owning less than two acres, livelihoods depended on the forest produce and rainfed farming. A small reservoir irrigated nearby villages, but those in upper Khamdhodgi received little benefit, relying largely on erratic rainfall.
Today, a transformation is visible. The revival of the community-led irrigation system with the help of Samarthan, a non-profit organisation active in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, has brought life back to the fields and prosperity to this village.
The crisis that sparked change
Khamdhodgi's earlier integrated irrigation system, launched in 2015, collapsed within two years due to mismanagement, unpaid electricity bills, and lack of maintenance. Failing pipes, broken motors, and poor coordination among farmers rendered it useless. With no water regulation or upkeep fund, disputes emerged and the system fell into disrepair.
“We had a system, but no one was responsible for maintaining it,” recalls farmer Punit Hichani, a farmer from the village. “When it broke down, we just went back to depending on the rain.”
But erratic monsoons and long dry spells in the area which receives around 1400 mm rainfall on an average an annum soon made that impossible. The village needed a solution—and fast.
A community takes charge
Implemented since 2023 by Samarthan with support from Gram Seva, SBI Foundation’s flagship program has significantly impacted livelihoods in the villages of Khamdhodgi, Kokakpur, Makadisingary, Makdikhuna, and Gotapur in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, which are primarily based on agriculture and forest resources. Gram Seva focuses on integrated development of the villages through strategic interventions in multiple thematic areas viz., digitalisation, education, health, WASH (water, sanitation & hygiene), livelihoods, women's empowerment, infrastructure, and environment, etc.
Working alongside farmers, an action plan was created to initially improve 40 acres for 15 farmers, and necessary repairs were identified. A 5 HP motor pump and a 1.2-kilometre-long pipeline were installed in December 2023 to provide lift irrigation in the 40 acres. The water was lifted by 20 feet and the crops irrigated in the uplands, such as paddy, gram, millets, and mustard. Through farmer meetings, irrigation rules were established, setting water usage limits and crop guidelines. Farmers agreed to pay Rs. 1500 per acre per crop as a user charge, and a committee was formed and trained to manage water distribution and finances.
Subsequently, the Gram Seva programme achieved substantial water conservation and management success, executing 1,157 activities across five villages. These efforts increased irrigated land by 113 acres and boosted water storage capacity by 1,826,800 cubic meters. Crucially, the programme extended water availability from January to April, enabling summer cultivation (zaid) for the first time.
"Prior to the intervention, water scarcity during the summer season hindered agricultural activities. However, with improved access to water sources such as wells, tube wells, check dams, ponds, and hand pumps, vegetable farming is now feasible even during the summer months. Over the past three years, kitchen gardens in five villages have generated over rupees 1.2 crore in income, made possible by the availability of reliable water sources,” says Shri Pyar Singh Mandavi from Khamdhodgi village.
Recognising water scarcity as a major obstacle to sustainable cropping, the programme facilitated community-led planning to integrate water, land, and forest management. The programme helped set up a clear way for the community to come together and discuss their challenges with water, land, and forests. This collaborative environment allowed them to develop solutions that considered all these resources together. Crucially, the programme then supported the community in putting their plans into action by bringing together resources from various sources. The main goal was to empower the community to take charge of the planning process, ensuring that the resulting strategies were truly suited to their specific agricultural needs and local conditions.
The gram seva programme prioritised groundwater utilisation and fostered participatory water management through collaboration between the Watershed Department, Panchayats, communities, and farmers. The successful implementation of the programme relied on the convergence of resources from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the Watershed Department, community contributions, and programme funds.
"In our village, a lift irrigation facility was installed and later rejuvenated with support from the Gram Seva Programme. Currently, the irrigation system is efficiently managed by our farmer group. To ensure smooth operation and maintenance, we introduced an irrigation fee to generate resources for ongoing management. Through this initiative, we raised Rs. 1.95 lakh, of which Rs. 0.77 lakh was utilised for pipe repairs, electricity bills, and motor maintenance. As of now, the committee maintains enough balance, enabling us to independently manage the irrigation system using our own resources,” said Hichani.
Prior to the programme's intervention, their agriculture relied solely on rainfall. However, the improved irrigation system has enabled them to cultivate two crops annually. In the years 2023 and 2024, they successfully harvested a total of four crops: paddy during the kharif season and pulses, oilseeds, chickpeas, and mustard during the rabi season.
Crop production has also increased significantly. In the kharif season of 2022, 40 acres yielded 200 quintals of produce. By 2024, production had increased by 160 quintals. Earlier, the farmers did not cultivate rabi (winter) crops, but in 2023 and 2024, they introduced rabi cultivation, generating an additional income of Rs. 23.05 lakhs.
“When communities take ownership, sustainable solutions emerge,” says Dr. Yogesh Kumar, Executive Director of Samarthan. “This project has proven that participatory water management is not just a theory—it works,” he adds.
Improved water availability in the villages made fish farming possible. By repairing or building 39 ponds, the programme allows farmers to use water for more than just crops and homes. This new use of water generated Rs. 33.06 lakh in income for 45 farmers over three years.
Sanjay Prakash, managing director of SBI Foundation, echoes this sentiment: “Water is the backbone of rural economies. By investing in community-led solutions, we can secure both livelihoods and food security for future generations.”
For the farmers of Khamdhodgi, the transformation is personal. “We no longer feel helpless,” says Hichani, looking over his green fields. “Now, we have control over our future.”