The Bhungroo (Straw)- An intervention for water logging and irrigation in saline soils- A video interview with a women farmer in the Rann of Kutch

Source: Earthworm Firefly

This video features a woman farmer from a small village in Rann of Kutch, who talks about the practice of “Bhungroo” in the region. With a brief description of the background of the water problem in the village Sami, the video moves on explain how small farmers are able to deal with the problem of water salinity and are able to irrigate their farms.

Bhungroo, means straw in Gujarati, is a borehole that is dug to a certain depth in saline groundwater region so that it reaches a sandy layer between two saline aquifers.  This practice has emerged in the context of flash flooding in the region where standing waters in the land is diverted to recharge sandy layers. This frees up the land for monsoon crop. During winter season, a diesel engine motor is used to pump this stored water, which is used for irrigation.

This is practiced in 20 acres of land, which is owned by 7 women farmers. Collective decisions are made on how irrigation water will be used and what crops will be grown. This intervention has enabled the famers to grow two crops in a year and has helped the farmers in raising livestock.