Water Conservation Solutions

Rebuild the water table. Rainwater-harvesting and groundwater-recharge structures are built in the rainfed villages, recharging the falling water table that has to serve both the field and the household. The structures are built with village participation, so they are maintained locally rather than left to decay once the project team moves on.

Make the soil hold what rain it gets. Biochar and organic practice raise the soil's water-holding capacity, so the crop draws on stored moisture through rain gaps instead of failing at the first break in the monsoon. Removing synthetic inputs also cuts the chemical run-off that contaminates the same groundwater.