India's Water Revolution #2: The Biggest Permaculture Project on Earth! with the Paani Foundation

Summary

The script documents the transformative journey of the Paani Foundation in India, focusing on the village of Velu, which won the first 'Water Cup' competition in 2016. Through innovative water harvesting structures, Velu successfully recharged its groundwater, overcoming drought and establishing water resilience. The Paani Foundation's work extends beyond water management, integrating permaculture principles to foster ecological, economic, and social prosperity. The 'Prosperous Village' Competition aims to deepen this holistic approach, promoting soil and water conservation, forest restoration, and community prosperity.

Takeaways

• 🌊 The Paani Foundation's Water Cup Competition encourages villages to install water harvesting structures to recharge groundwater during the monsoon season.
• 🏆 Velu village won the first Water Cup in 2016 and has continued to work on their groundwater recharge projects, serving as a model for other villages.
• 🌧️ Maharashtra's arid regions receive most of their annual rainfall in just three months, necessitating efficient water management for the dry season.
• 🚰 Hand-dug wells are crucial for supplying water to villages when other sources dry up, highlighting the importance of maintaining groundwater levels.
• 💧 The focus of the Water Cup Competition is on building structures that allow monsoon rains to soak into the ground and replenish groundwater resources.
• 🛠️ Velu village developed an innovative design for recharging groundwater by using an underground pipeline to divert water from a large reservoir to percolation tanks.
• 🌳 The project in Velu has not only improved water availability but also positively impacted the local ecosystem, bringing back the sounds of animals and birds.
• 🌱 The Paani Foundation's work aligns with permaculture principles, although they do not explicitly use the term, focusing on holistic landscape systems.
• 🏘️ The 'Prosperous Village' Competition is the next phase, challenging villages to further develop in areas of soil conservation, water management, and economic prosperity.
• 🌿 The competition evaluates villages on six main topics, including soil and water conservation, tree cover, and income generation for families.
• 🌍 The Paani Foundation's impact is vast, with 550 billion liters of water storage created and 51,000 people trained in watershed restoration in just four years.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of the Paani Foundation's Water Cup Competition?

The primary purpose of the Paani Foundation's Water Cup Competition is to encourage villages to install the most amount of water harvesting structures in a 45-day period, with the goal of recharging groundwater resources and combating drought.

Why is the village of Velu significant in the context of the Water Cup Competition?

Velu is significant because it was the first place winner of the very first water cup competition held in 2016, and it has continued to work on its groundwater recharge projects even years after the victory.

What is the average annual rainfall in the village of Velu, and how does this affect the village's water supply?

The village of Velu receives around 250-300 mm (8-12 inches) of rainfall per year. This limited rainfall means that all the water needed for drinking and farming must be collected during a short period and must last through the long, dry season.

How do villagers typically obtain water when natural sources like creeks and ponds have dried up?

When natural water sources dry up, villagers typically obtain water by pumping from hand-dug wells, which tap into the groundwater, essential for their survival and farming activities.

What is the role of the percolation tank in Velu's water management system?

The percolation tank in Velu is designed to percolate water after the rainy season, thereby increasing the groundwater table. However, if built on a rocky area, it may not be effective in soaking water into the ground.

What innovative solution did the villagers of Velu come up with to address the ineffectiveness of their percolation tank?

The villagers of Velu raised the level of the spillway, allowing the water level in the reservoir to rise. This enabled the water to flow through a gate on the other side of the reservoir into an underground pipeline, which then distributed the water to other percolation tanks to fill them up and recharge the groundwater.

How does the improved water management system benefit not only Velu but also the downstream villages?

The improved water management system allows water to seep slowly underground, making it available for Velu and the downstream villages throughout the year. This helps in creating a stable water supply for multiple communities.

What is the 'Prosperous Village' Competition, and how does it build upon the success of the Water Cup Competition?

The 'Prosperous Village' Competition is the next phase of the Paani Foundation's work, open only to the villages that solved their water issues during the first competition. It focuses on six main topics including soil and water conservation, water management, soil quality restoration, tree cover increase, grassland creation, and income generation for families, aiming to promote holistic village development.

How does the Paani Foundation's work align with the principles of permaculture, even though they do not use the term?

The Paani Foundation's work aligns with permaculture principles by focusing on water management as the foundation for building thriving ecosystems, biodiverse agriculture, and prosperous communities. Their holistic approach to ecological, economic, and social prosperity reflects the core tenets of permaculture.

What impact has the Paani Foundation had on water storage capacity and community training in the past four years?

In the past four years, the Paani Foundation has created 550 billion litres of water storage capacity and trained 51,000 people in watershed restoration, significantly contributing to water security and community empowerment.

What is the next destination for the 'India’s Water Revolution' series, and what can viewers expect to learn?

The next destination for the 'India’s Water Revolution' series is the State of West Bengal, where viewers can expect to learn about water harvesting projects in remote tribal villages and the work being done on marginal lands by marginalized communities.