Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development transforms Gujarat agriculture with drainage channel, farm ponds, benefiting 350 farmers, and expanding irrigation across 880 acres
In a bid to address water logging issues plaguing the farmers of Nageshwar and Goriyali villages in Gujarat, Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development (TCSRD) provided support to construct a 3.3-km long drainage channel under the state-wide water conservation initiative–Sujalam Sufalam Yojana.
The project has benefitted around 350 farmers with farmlands across 300 acres. Along with this, TCSRD has also excavated 35 farm ponds in 20 villages within a month, increasing water storage capacity by 9 million cubic feet to support irrigation across 880 acres of agricultural land.
Before the drainage project was undertaken, farmers from these villages struggled to grow crops during monsoon months owing to water logging in their farms. The annual crop yield was significantly less, resulting in low annual income. With the completion of this drainage project, the farmers will now be able to make the most of their land, boost their incomes and improve their lives.
Talking about this initiative, N. Kamath, Chief Manufacturing Office, Tata Chemicals, said, “Water logging in farms has been an impediment for farmers in Nageshwar and Goriyali villages. Changing rain schedules and weather unpredictability have only worsened the situation. Our TCSRD team initiated the draining project to help resolve this long-standing issue and we are grateful for the support of the state irrigation department.” It took us 6 months to complete the project. The once waterlogged lands are now primed for year-round cultivation, thus empowering the farmers. This game-changing initiative is set to significantly boost farmers’ income, paving the way for a prosperous future, he added.
Established in 1980, the primary aim of TCSRD is to initiate and support community development programmes in and around regions where Tata Chemicals Limited facilities are located. And while each region is different in terms of geographic spread, subcultures and socio-economic requirements, TCSRD strives to protect, nurture and uplift the communities by adopting an integrated approach to development and designing region-specific need-based programmes.
